the trumpet-major-第26节

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Anne；　'What　a　close　girl　you　are！　　I　am　sure　I　never　knew　that　Bob
Loveday　and　you　had　walked　together：　　you　must　have　been　mere
children。'

'O　yesso　we　were；'　said　Anne；　now　quite　recovered。　　'It　was　when
we　first　came　here；　about　a　year　after　father　died。　　We　did　not　walk
together　in　any　regular　way。　　You　know　I　have　never　thought　the
Lovedays　high　enough　for　me。　　It　was　only　justnothing　at　all；　and
I　had　almost　forgotten　it。'

It　is　to　be　hoped　that　somebody's　sins　were　forgiven　her　that　night
before　she　went　to　bed。

When　Bob　and　his　father　were　left　alone；　the　miller　said；　'Well；
Robert；　about　this　young　woman　of　thineMatilda　what's　her　name？'

'Yes；　fatherMatilda　Johnson。　　I　was　just　going　to　tell　ye　about
her。'

The　miller　nodded；　and　sipped　his　mug。

'Well；　she　is　an　excellent　body；'　continued　Bob；　'that　can　truly　be
saida　real　charmer；　you　knowa　nice　good　comely　young　woman；　a
miracle　of　genteel　breeding；　you　know；　and　all　that。　　She　can　throw
her　hair　into　the　nicest　curls；　and　she's　got　splendid　gowns　and
headclothes。　　In　short；　you　might　call　her　a　land　mermaid。　　She'll
make　such　a　first…rate　wife　as　there　never　was。'

'No　doubt　she　will；'　said　the　miller；　'for　I　have　never　known　thee
wanting　in　sense　in　a　jineral　way。'　　He　turned　his　cup　round　on　its
axis　till　the　handle　had　travelled　a　complete　circle。　　'How　long　did
you　say　in　your　letter　that　you　had　known　her？'

'A　fortnight。'

'Not　VERY　long。'

'It　don't　sound　long；　'tis　true；　and　'twas　really　longer'twas
fifteen　days　and　a　quarter。　　But　hang　it；　father；　I　could　see　in　the
twinkling　of　an　eye　that　the　girl　would　do。　　I　know　a　woman　well
enough　when　I　see　herI　ought　to；　indeed；　having　been　so　much　about
the　world。　　Now；　for　instance；　there's　Widow　Garland　and　her
daughter。　　The　girl　is　a　nice　little　thing；　but　the　old　womanO
no！'　　Bob　shook　his　head。

'What　of　her？'　said　his　father；　slightly　shifting　in　his　chair。

'Well；　she's；　she'sI　mean；　I　should　never　have　chose　her；　you
know。　　She's　of　a　nice　disposition；　and　young　for　a　widow　with　a
grown…up　daughter；　but　if　all　the　men　had　been　like　me　she　would
never　have　had　a　husband。　　I　like　her　in　some　respects；　but　she's　a
style　of　beauty　I　don't　care　for。'

'O；　if　'tis　only　looks　you　are　thinking　of；'　said　the　miller；　much
relieved；　'there's　nothing　to　be　said；　of　course。　　Though　there's
many　a　duchess　worse…looking；　if　it　comes　to　argument；　as　you　would
find；　my　son；'　he　added；　with　a　sense　of　having　been　mollified　too
soon。

The　mate's　thoughts　were　elsewhere　by　this　time。

'As　to　my　marrying　Matilda；　thinks　I；　here's　one　of　the　very
genteelest　sort；　and　I　may　as　well　do　the　job　at　once。　　So　I　chose
her。　　She's　a　dear　girl；　there's　nobody　like　her；　search　where　you
will。'

'How　many　did　you　choose　her　out　from？'　inquired　his　father。

'Well；　she　was　the　only　young　woman　I　happened　to　know　in
Southampton；　that's　true。　　But　what　of　that？　　It　would　have　been　all
the　same　if　I　had　known　a　hundred。'

'Her　father　is　in　business　near　the　docks；　I　suppose？'

'Well；　no。　　In　short；　I　didn't　see　her　father。'

'Her　mother？'

'Her　mother？　　No；　I　didn't。　　I　think　her　mother　is　dead；　but　she　has
got　a　very　rich　aunt　living　at　Melchester。　　I　didn't　see　her　aunt；
because　there　wasn't　time　to　go；　but　of　course　we　shall　know　her
when　we　are　married。'

'Yes；　yes；　of　course；'　said　the　miller；　trying　to　feel　quite
satisfied。　　'And　she　will　soon　be　here？'

'Ay；　she's　coming　soon；'　said　Bob。　　'She　has　gone　to　this　aunt's　at
Melchester　to　get　her　things　packed；　and　suchlike；　or　she　would　have
come　with　me。　　I　am　going　to　meet　the　coach　at　the　King's　Arms；
Casterbridge；　on　Sunday；　at　one　o'clock。　　To　show　what　a　capital
sort　of　wife　she'll　be；　I　may　tell　you　that　she　wanted　to　come　by
the　Mercury；　because　'tis　a　little　cheaper　than　the　other。　　But　I
said；　〃For　once　in　your　life　do　it　well；　and　come　by　the　Royal　Mail；
and　I'll　pay。〃　　I　can　have　the　pony　and　trap　to　fetch　her；　I
suppose；　as　'tis　too　far　for　her　to　walk？'

'Of　course　you　can；　Bob；　or　anything　else。　　And　I'll　do　all　I　can　to
give　you　a　good　wedding　feast。'



XVI。　　THEY　MAKE　READY　FOR　THE　ILLUSTRIOUS　STRANGER

Preparations　for　Matilda's　welcome；　and　for　the　event　which　was　to
follow；　at　once　occupied　the　attention　of　the　mill。　　The　miller　and
his　man　had　but　dim　notions　of　housewifery　on　any　large　scale；　so
the　great　wedding　cleaning　was　kindly　supervised　by　Mrs。　Garland；
Bob　being　mostly　away　during　the　day　with　his　brother；　the
trumpet…major；　on　various　errands；　one　of　which　was　to　buy　paint　and
varnish　for　the　gig　that　Matilda　was　to　be　fetched　in；　which　he　had
determined　to　decorate　with　his　own　hands。

By　the　widow's　direction　the　old　familiar　incrustation　of　shining
dirt；　imprinted　along　the　back　of　the　settle　by　the　heads　of
countless　jolly　sitters；　was　scrubbed　and　scraped　away；　the　brown
circle　round　the　nail　whereon　the　miller　hung　his　hat；　stained　by
the　brim　in　wet　weather；　was　whitened　over；　the　tawny　smudges　of
bygone　shoulders　in　the　passage　were　removed　without　regard　to　a
certain　genial　and　historical　value　which　they　had　acquired。　　The
face　of　the　clock；　coated　with　verdigris　as　thick　as　a　diachylon
plaister；　was　rubbed　till　the　figures　emerged　into　day；　while；
inside　the　case　of　the　same　chronometer；　the　cobwebs　that　formed
triangular　hammocks；　which　the　pendulum　could　hardly　wade　through；
were　cleared　away　at　one　swoop。

Mrs。　Garland　also　assisted　at　the　invasion　of　worm…eaten　cupboards；
where　layers　of　ancient　smells　lingered　on　in　the　stagnant　air；　and
recalled　to　the　reflective　nose　the　many　good　things　that　had　been
kept　there。　　The　upper　floors　were　scrubbed　with　such　abundance　of
water　that　the　old…established　death…watches；　wood…lice；　and
flour…worms　were　all　drowned；　the　suds　trickling　down　into　the　room
below　in　so　lively　and　novel　a　manner　as　to　convey　the　romantic
notion　that　the　miller　lived　in　a　cave　with　dripping　stalactites。

They　moved　what　had　never　been　moved　beforethe　oak　coffer；
containing　the　miller's　wardrobea　tremendous　weight；　what　with　its
locks；　hinges；　nails；　dirt；　framework；　and　the　hard　stratification
of　old　jackets；　waistcoats；　and　knee…breeches　at　the　bottom；　never
disturbed　since　the　miller's　wife　died；　and　half　pulverized　by　the
moths；　whose　flattened　skeletons　lay　amid　the　mass　in　thousands。

'It　fairly　makes　my　back　open　and　shut！'　said　Loveday；　as；　in
obedience　to　Mrs。　Garland's　direction；　he　lifted　one　corner；　the
grinder　and　David　assisting　at　the　others。　　'All　together：　　speak
when　ye　be　going　to　heave。　　Now！'

The　pot　covers　and　skimmers　were　brought　to　such　a　state　that；　on
examining　them；　the　beholder　was　not　conscious　of　utensils；　but　of
his　own　face　in　a　condition　of　hideous　elasticity。　　The　broken
clock…line　was　mended；　the　kettles　rocked；　the　creeper　nailed　up；
and　a　new　handle　put　to　the　warming…pan。　　The　large　household
lantern　was　cleaned　out；　after　three　years　of　uninterrupted
accumulation；　the　operation　yielding　a　conglomerate　of
candle…snuffs；　candle…ends；　remains　of　matches；　lamp…black；　and
eleven　ounces　and　a　half　of　good　greaseinvaluable　as　dubbing　for
skitty　boots　and　ointment　for　cart…wheels。

Everybody　said　that　the　mill　residence　had　not　been　so　thoroughly
scoured　for　twenty　years。　　The　miller　and　David　looked　on　with　a
sort　of　awe　tempered　by　gratitude；　tacitly　admitting　by　their　gaze
that　this　was　beyond　what　they　had　ever　thought　of。　　Mrs。　Garland
supervised　all　with　disinterested　benevolence。　　It　would　never　have
done；　she　said；　for　his　future　daughter…in…law　to　see　the　house　in
its　original　state。　　She　would　have　taken　a　dislike　to　him；　and
perhaps　to　Bob　likewise。

'Why　don't　ye　come　and　live　here　with　me；　and　then　you　would　be　able
to　see　to　it　at　all　times？'　said　the　miller　as　she　bustled　about
again。　　To　which　she　answered　that　she　was　considering　the　matter；
and　might　in　good　time。　　He　had　previously　informed　her　that　his
plan　was　to　put　Bob　and　his　wife　in　the　part　of　the　house　that　she；
Mrs。　Garland；　occupied；　as　soon　as　she　chose　to　enter　his；　which
relieved　her　of　any　fear　of　being　incommoded　by　Matilda。

The　cooking　for　the　wedding　festivities　was　on　a　proportionate　scale
of　thoroughness。　　They　killed　the　four　supernumerary　chickens　that
had　just　begun　to　crow；　and　the　little　curly…tailed　barrow　pig；　in
preference　to　the　sow；　not　having　been　put　up　fattening　for　more
than　five　weeks　it　was　excellent　small　meat；　and　therefore　more
delicate　and　likely　to　suit　a　town…bred　lady's　taste　than　the　large
one；　which；　having　reached　the　weight　of　fourteen　score；　might　have
been　a　little　gross　to　a　cultured　palate。　　There　were　also　provided
a　cold　chine；　stuffed　veal；　and　two　pigeon　pies。　　Also　thirty　rings
of　black…pot；　a　dozen　of　white…pot；　and　ten　knots　of　tender　and
well…washed　chitterlings；　cooked　plain　in　case　she　should　like　a
change。

As　additional　reserves　there　were　sweetbreads；　and　five　milts；　sewed
up　at　one　side　in　the　form　of　a　chrysalis；　and　stuffed　with　thyme；
sage；　parsley；　mint；　groats；　rice；　milk；　chopped　egg；　and　other
ingredients。　　They　were　afterwards　roasted　before　a　slow　fire；　and
eaten　hot。