按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Although she's neither sock nor shoe
Will curl and deck her hair； O。〃'
Cytherea was rather disconcerted at finding that the gradual
cessation of the chopping of the mill was on her account； and still
more when she saw all the cider…makers' eyes fixed upon her except
Mr。 Springrove's； whose natural delicacy restrained him。 She neared
the plot of grass； but instead of advancing further； hesitated on
its border。
Mr。 Springrove perceived her embarrassment； which was relieved when
she saw his old…established figure coming across to her； wiping his
hands in his apron。
'I know your errand； missie；' he said； 'and am glad to see you； and
attend to it。 I'll step indoors。'
'If you are busy I am in no hurry for a minute or two；' said
Cytherea。
'Then if so be you really wouldn't mind； we'll wring down this last
filling to let it drain all night？'
'Not at all。 I like to see you。'
'We are only just grinding down the early pickthongs and griffins；'
continued the farmer； in a half…apologetic tone for detaining by his
cider…making any well…dressed woman。 'They rot as black as a
chimney…crook if we keep 'em till the regulars turn in。' As he
spoke he went back to the press； Cytherea keeping at his elbow。
'I'm later than I should have been by rights；' he continued； taking
up a lever for propelling the screw； and beckoning to the men to
come forward。 'The truth is； my son Edward had promised to come to…
day； and I made preparations； but instead of him comes a letter：
〃London； September the eighteenth； Dear Father；〃 says he； and went
on to tell me he couldn't。 It threw me out a bit。'
'Of course；' said Cytherea。
'He's got a place 'a b'lieve？' said the clerk； drawing near。
'No； poor mortal fellow； no。 He tried for this one here； you know；
but couldn't manage to get it。 I don't know the rights o' the
matter； but willy…nilly they wouldn't have him for steward。 Now
mates； form in line。'
Springrove； the clerk； the grinders； and Gad； all ranged themselves
behind the lever of the screw； and walked round like soldiers
wheeling。
'The man that the old quean hev got is a man you can hardly get upon
your tongue to gainsay； by the look o' en；' rejoined Clerk Crickett。
'One o' them people that can contrive to be thought no worse o' for
stealen a horse than another man for looken over hedge at en；' said
a grinder。
'Well； he's all there as steward； and is quite the gentlemanno
doubt about that。'
'So would my Ted ha' been； for the matter o' that；' the farmer said。
'That's true： 'a would； sir。'
'I said； I'll give Ted a good education if it do cost me my eyes；
and I would have done it。'
'Ay； that you would so；' said the chorus of assistants solemnly。
'But he took to books and drawing naturally； and cost very little；
and as a wind…up the womenfolk hatched up a match between him and
his cousin。'
'When's the wedden to be； Mr。 Springrove？'
'Uncertainbut soon； I suppose。 Edward； you see； can do anything
pretty nearly； and yet can't get a straightforward living。 I wish
sometimes I had kept him here； and let professions go。 But he was
such a one for the pencil。'
He dropped the lever in the hedge； and turned to his visitor。
'Now then； missie； if you'll come indoors； please。'
Gad Weedy looked with a placid criticism at Cytherea as she withdrew
with the farmer。
'I could tell by the tongue o' her that she didn't take her degrees
in our county；' he said in an undertone。
'The railways have left you lonely here；' she observed； when they
were indoors。
Save the withered old flies； which were quite tame from the
solitude； not a being was in the house。 Nobody seemed to have
entered it since the last passenger had been called out to mount the
last stage…coach that had run by。
'Yes； the Inn and I seem almost a pair of fossils；' the farmer
replied； looking at the room and then at himself。
'O； Mr。 Springrove；' said Cytherea； suddenly recollecting herself；
'I am much obliged to you for recommending me to Miss Aldclyffe。'
She began to warm towards the old man； there was in him a gentleness
of disposition which reminded her of her own father。
'Recommending？ Not at all； miss。 Tedthat's my sonTed said a
fellow…draughtsman of his had a sister who wanted to be doing
something in the world； and I mentioned it to the housekeeper；
that's all。 Ay； I miss my son very much。'
She kept her back to the window that he might not see her rising
colour。
'Yes；' he continued； 'sometimes I can't help feeling uneasy about
him。 You know； he seems not made for a town life exactly： he gets
very queer over it sometimes； I think。 Perhaps he'll be better when
he's married to Adelaide。'
A half…impatient feeling arose in her； like that which possesses a
sick person when he hears a recently…struck hour struck again by a
slow clock。 She had lived further on。
'Everything depends upon whether he loves her；' she said
tremulously。
'He used tohe doesn't show it so much now； but that's because he's
older。 You see； it was several years ago they first walked together
as young man and young woman。 She's altered too from what she was
when he first courted her。'
'How； sir？'
'O； she's more sensible by half。 When he used to write to her she'd
creep up the lane and look back over her shoulder； and slide out the
letter； and read a word and stand in thought looking at the hills
and seeing none。 Then the cuckoo would cryaway the letter would
slip； and she'd start wi' fright at the mere bird； and have a red
skin before the quickest man among ye could say； 〃Blood rush up。〃'
He came forward with the money and dropped it into her hand。 His
thoughts were still with Edward； and he absently took her little
fingers in his as he said； earnestly and ingenuously
''Tis so seldom I get a gentlewoman to speak to that I can't help
speaking to you； Miss Graye； on my fears for Edward； I sometimes am
afraid that he'll never get onthat he'll die poor and despised
under the worst mental conditions； a keen sense of having been
passed in the race by men whose brains are nothing to his own； all
through his seeing too far into thingsbeing discontented with
make…shiftsthinking o' perfection in things； and then sickened
that there's no such thing as perfection。 I shan't be sorry to see
him marry； since it may settle him down and do him good。 。 。 。 Ay；
we'll hope for the best。'
He let go her hand and accompanied her to the door saying； 'If you
should care to walk this way and talk to an old man once now and
then； it will be a great delight to him； Miss Graye。 Good…evening
to ye。 。 。 。 Ah look！ a thunderstorm is brewingbe quick home。 Or
shall I step up with you？'
'No； thank you； Mr。 Springrove。 Good evening；' she said in a low
voice； and hurried away。 One thought still possessed her； Edward
had trifled with her love。
4。 FIVE TO SIX P。M。
She followed the road into a bower of trees； overhanging it so
densely that the pass appeared like a rabbit's burrow； and presently
reached a side entrance to the park。 The clouds rose more rapidly
than the farmer had anticipated： the sheep moved in a trail； and
complained incoherently。 Livid grey shades； like those of the
modern French painters； made a mystery of the remote and dark parts
of the vista； and seemed to insist upon a suspension of breath。
Before she was half…way across the park the thunder rumbled
distinctly。
The direction in which she had to go would take her close by the old
manor…house。 The air was perfectly still； and between each low
rumble of the thunder behind she could hear the roar of the
waterfall before her； and the creak of the engine among the bushes
hard by it。 Hurrying on； with a growing dread of the gloom and of
the approaching storm； she drew near the Old House； now rising
before her against the dark foliage and sky in tones of strange
whiteness。
On the flight of steps； which descended from a terrace in front to
the level of the park； stood a man。 He appeared； partly from the
relief the position gave to his figure； and partly from fact； to be
of towering height。 He was dark in outline； and was looking at the
sky； with his hands behind him。
It was necessary for Cytherea to pass directly across the line of
his front。 She felt so reluctant to do this； that she was about to
turn under the trees out of the path and enter it again at a point
beyond the Old House； but he had seen her； and she came on
mechanically； unconsciously averting her face a little； and dropping
her glance to the ground。
Her eyes unswervingly lingered along the path until they fell upon
another path branching in a right line from the path she was
pursuing。 It came from the steps of the Old House。 'I am exactly
opposite him now；' she thought； 'and his eyes are going through me。'
A clear masculine voice said； at the same instant
'Are you afraid？'
She； interpreting his question by her feelings at the moment；
assumed himself to be the object of fear； if any。 'I don't think I
am；' she stammered。
He seemed to know that she thought in that sense。
'Of the thunder； I mean；' he said； 'not of myself。'
She must turn to him now。 'I t