还乡The Return Of The Native-第60节

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d　all　that；　and　she　only　thought　how　best　to　make　her　visit　appear　to　Eustacia　not　abject　but　wise。　
From　her　elevated　position　the　exhausted　woman　could　perceive　the　roof　of　the　house　below；　and　the　garden　and　the　whole　enclosure　of　the　little　domicile。　　And　now；　at　the　moment　of　rising；　she　saw　a　second　man　approaching　the　gate。　　His　manner　was　peculiar；　hesitating；　and　not　that　of　a　person　e　on　business　or　by　invitation。　　He　surveyed　the　house　with　interest；　and　then　walked　round　and　scanned　the　outer　boundary　of　the　garden；　as　one　might　have　done　had　it　been　the　birthplace　of　Shakespeare；　the　prison　of　Mary　Stuart；　or　the　Chateau　of　Hougomont。　　After　passing　round　and　again　reaching　the　gate　he　went　in。　　Mrs。　Yeobright　was　vexed　at　this；　having　reckoned　on　finding　her　son　and　his　wife　by　themselves；　but　a　moment’s　thought　showed　her　that　the　presence　of　an　acquaintance　would　take　off　the　awkwardness　of　her　first　appearance　in　the　house；　by　confining　the　talk　to　general　matters　until　she　had　begun　to　feel　fortable　with　them。　　She　came　down　the　hill　to　the　gate；　and　looked　into　the　hot　garden。　
There　lay　the　cat　asleep　on　the　bare　gravel　of　the　path；　as　if　beds；　rugs；　and　carpets　were　unendurable。　　The　leaves　of　the　hollyhocks　hung　like　half…closed　umbrellas；　the　sap　almost　simmered　in　the　stems；　and　foliage　with　a　smooth　surface　glared　like　metallic　mirrors。　　A　small　apple　tree；　of　the　sort　called　Ratheripe；　grew　just　inside　the　gate；　the　only　one　which　throve　in　the　garden；　by　reason　of　the　lightness　of　the　soil；　and　among　the　fallen　apples　on　the　ground　beneath　were　wasps　rolling　drunk　with　the　juice；　or　creeping　about　the　little　caves　in　each　fruit　which　they　had　eaten　out　before　stupefied　by　its　sweetness。　　By　the　door　lay　Clym’s　furze…hook　and　the　last　handful　of　faggot…bonds　she　had　seen　him　gather；　they　had　plainly　been　thrown　down　there　as　he　entered　the　house。　


6　… A　Conjuncture；　and　Its　Result　upon　the　Pedestrian


Wildeve；　as　has　been　stated；　was　determined　to　visit　Eustacia　boldly；　by　day；　and　on　the　easy　terms　of　a　relation；　since　the　reddleman　had　spied　out　and　spoilt　his　walks　to　her　by　night。　　The　spell　that　she　had　thrown　over　him　in　the　moonlight　dance　made　it　impossible　for　a　man　having　no　strong　puritanic　force　within　him　to　keep　away　altogether。　　He　merely　calculated　on　meeting　her　and　her　husband　in　an　ordinary　manner；　chatting　a　little　while；　and　leaving　again。　　Every　outward　sign　was　to　be　conventional；　but　the　one　great　fact　would　be　there　to　satisfy　him—he　would　see　her。　　He　did　not　even　desire　Clym’s　absence；　since　it　was　just　possible　that　Eustacia　might　resent　any　situation　which　could　promise　her　dignity　as　a　wife；　whatever　the　state　of　her　heart　towards　him。　　Women　were　often　so。　
He　went　accordingly；　and　it　happened　that　the　time　of　his　arrival　coincided　with　that　of　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　pause　on　the　hill　near　the　house。　　When　he　had　looked　round　the　premises　in　the　manner　she　had　noticed　he　went　and　knocked　at　the　door。　　There　was　a　few　minutes’　interval；　and　then　the　key　turned　in　the　lock；　the　door　opened；　and　Eustacia　herself　confronted　him。　
Nobody　could　have　imagined　from　her　bearing　now　that　here　stood　the　woman　who　had　joined　with　him　in　the　impassioned　dance　of　the　week　before；　unless　indeed　he　could　have　penetrated　below　the　surface　and　gauged　the　real　depth　of　that　still　stream。　
“I　hope　you　reached　home　safely？”　said　Wildeve。　
“O　yes；”　she　carelessly　returned。　
“And　were　you　not　tired　the　next　day？　　I　feared　you　might　be。”
“I　was　rather。　　You　need　not　speak　low—nobody　will　over…hear　us。　　My　small　servant　is　gone　on　an　errand　to　the　village。”
“Then　Clym　is　not　at　home？”
“Yes；　he　is。”
“O！　I　thought　that　perhaps　you　had　locked　the　door　because　you　were　alone　and　were　afraid　of　tramps。”
“No—here　is　my　husband。”
They　had　been　standing　in　the　entry。　　Closing　the　front　door　and　turning　the　key；　as　before；　she　threw　open　the　door　of　the　adjoining　room　and　asked　him　to　walk　in。　　Wildeve　entered；　the　room　appearing　to　be　empty；　but　as　soon　as　he　had　advanced　a　few　steps　he　started。　　On　the　hearthrug　lay　Clym　asleep。　　Beside　him　were　the　leggings；　thick　boots；　leather　gloves；　and　sleeve…waistcoat　in　which　he　worked。
“You　may　go　in；　you　will　not　disturb　him；”　she　said；　following　behind。　　“My　reason　for　fastening　the　door　is　that　he　may　not　be　intruded　upon　by　any　chance　er　while　lying　here；　if　I　should　be　in　the　garden　or　upstairs。”
“Why　is　he　sleeping　there？”　said　Wildeve　in　low　tones。
“He　is　very　weary。　　He　went　out　at　half…past　four　this　morning；　and　has　been　working　ever　since。　　He　cuts　furze　because　it　is　the　only　thing　he　can　do　that　does　not　put　any　strain　upon　his　poor　eyes。”　　The　contrast　between　the　sleeper’s　appearance　and　Wildeve’s　at　this　moment　was　painfully　apparent　to　Eustacia；　Wildeve　being　elegantly　dressed　in　a　new　summer　suit　and　light　hat；　and　she　continued：　“Ah！　you　don’t　know　how　differently　he　appeared　when　I　first　met　him；　though　it　is　such　a　little　while　ago。　　His　hands　were　as　white　and　soft　as　mine；　and　look　at　them　now；　how　rough　and　brown　they　are！　　His　plexion　is　by　nature　fair；　and　that　rusty　look　he　has　now；　all　of　a　colour　with　his　leather　clothes；　is　caused　by　the　burning　of　the　sun。”
“Why　does　he　go　out　at　all！”　Wildeve　whispered。　
“Because　he　hates　to　be　idle；　though　what　he　earns　doesn’t　add　much　to　our　exchequer。　　However；　he　says　that　when　people　are　living　upon　their　capital　they　must　keep　down　current　expenses　by　turning　a　penny　where　they　can。”
“The　fates　have　not　been　kind　to　you；　Eustacia　Yeobright。”
“I　have　nothing　to　thank　them　for。”
“Nor　has　he—except　for　their　one　great　gift　to　him。”
“What’s　that？”
Wildeve　looked　her　in　the　eyes。　
Eustacia　blushed　for　the　first　time　that　day。　
“Well；　I　am　a　questionable　gift；”　she　said　quietly。　　“I　thought　you　meant　the　gift　of　content—which　he　has；　and　I　have　not。”
“I　can　understand　content　in　such　a　case—though　how　the　outward　situation　can　attract　him　puzzles　me。”
“That’s　because　you　don’t　know　him。　　He’s　an　enthusiast　about　ideas；　and　careless　about　outward　things。　　He　often　reminds　me　of　the　Apostle　Paul。”
“I　am　glad　to　hear　that　he’s　so　grand　in　character　as　that。”
“Yes；　but　the　worst　of　it　is　that　though　Paul　was　excellent　as　a　man　in　the　Bible　he　would　hardly　have　done　in　real　life。”
Their　voices　had　instinctively　dropped　lower；　though　at　first　they　had　taken　no　particular　care　to　avoid　awakening　Clym。　　“Well；　if　that　means　that　your　marriage　is　a　misfortune　to　you；　you　know　who　is　to　blame；”　said　Wildeve。　
“The　marriage　is　no　misfortune　in　itself；”　she　retorted　with　some　little　petulance。　　“It　is　simply　the　accident　which　has　happened　since　that　has　been　the　cause　of　my　ruin。　　I　have　certainly　got　thistles　for　figs　in　a　worldly　sense；　but　how　could　I　tell　what　time　would　bring　forth？”
“Sometimes；　Eustacia；　I　think　it　is　a　judgment　upon　you。　　You　rightly　belonged　to　me；　you　know；　and　I　had　no　idea　of　losing　you。”
“No；　it　was　not　my　fault！　Two　could　not　belong　to　you；　and　remember　that；　before　I　was　aware；　you　turned　aside　to　another　woman。　　It　was　cruel　levity　in　you　to　do　that。　　I　never　dreamt　of　playing　such　a　game　on　my　side　till　you　began　it　on　yours。”
“I　meant　nothing　by　it；”　replied　Wildeve。　　“It　was　a　mere　interlude。　　Men　are　given　to　the　trick　of　having　a　passing　fancy　for　somebody　else　in　the　midst　of　a　permanent　love；　which　reasserts　itself　afterwards　just　as　before。　　On　account　of　your　rebellious　manner　to　me　I　was　tempted　to　go　further　than　I　should　have　done；　and　when　you　still　would　keep　playing　the　same　tantalizing　part　I　went　further　still；　and　married　her。”　　Turning　and　looking　again　at　the　unconscious　form　of　Clym；　he　murmured；　“I　am　afraid　that　you　don’t　value　your　prize；　Clym。。。。He　ought　to　be　happier　than　I　in　one　thing　at　least。　　He　may　know　what　it　is　to　e　down　in　the　world；　and　to　be　afflicted　with　a　great　personal　calamity；　but　he　probably　doesn’t　know　what　it　is　to　lose　the　woman　he　loved。”
“He　is　not　ungrateful　for　winning　her；”　whispered　Eustacia；　“and　in　that　respect　he　is　a　good　man。　　Many　women　would　go　far　for　such　a　husband。　　But　do　I　desire　unreasonably　much　in　wanting　what　is　called　life—　music；　poetry；　passion；　war；　and　all　the　beating　and　pulsing　that　are　going　on　in　the　great　arteries　of　the　world？　　That　was　the　shape　of　my　youthful　dream；　but　I　did　not　get　it。　　Yet　I　thought　I　saw　the　way　to　it　in　my　Clym。”
“And　you　only　married　him　on　that　account？”
“There　you　mistake　me。　　I　married　him　because　I　loved　him；　but　I　won’t　say　that　I　didn’t　love　him　partly　because　I　thought　I　saw　a　promise　of　that　life　in　him。”
“You　have　dropped　into　your　old　mournful　key。”
“But　I　am　not　going　to　be　depressed；”　she　cried　perversely。　　“I　began　a　new　system　by　going　to　that　dance；　and　I　mean　to　stick　to　it。　　Clym　can　sing　merrily；　why　should　not　I？”
Wildeve　looked　thoughtfully　at　her。　　“It　is　easier　to　say　you　will　sing　than　to　do　it；　though　if　I　could　I　would　encourage　you　in　your　attempt。　　But　as　life　means　nothing　to　me；　without　one　thing　which　is　now　impossible；　you　will　forgive　me　for　not　being　able　to　encourage　you。”
“Damon；　what　is　the　matte