还乡The Return Of The Native-第34部分

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m　his　study　during　several　hours。　　In　the　afternoon　Christian　returned　from　a　journey　in　the　same　direction；　and　Mrs。　Yeobright　questioned　him。　
“They　have　dug　a　hole；　and　they　have　found　things　like　flowerpots　upside　down；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　and　inside　these　be　real　charnel　bones。　　They　have　carried　‘em　off　to　men’s　houses；　but　I　shouldn’t　like　to　sleep　where　they　will　bide。　　Dead　folks　have　been　known　to　e　and　claim　their　own。　　Mr。　Yeobright　had　got　one　pot　of　the　bones；　and　was　going　to　bring　‘em　home—real　skellington　bones—but　‘twas　ordered　otherwise。　　You’ll　be　relieved　to　hear　that　he　gave　away　his　pot　and　all；　on　second　thoughts；　and　a　blessed　thing　for　ye；　Mis’ess　Yeobright；　considering　the　wind　o’　nights。”
“Gave　it　away？”
“Yes。　To　Miss　Vye。　　She　has　a　cannibal　taste　for　such　churchyard　furniture　seemingly。”
“Miss　Vye　was　there　too？”
“Ay；　‘a　b’lieve　she　was。”
When　Clym　came　home；　which　was　shortly　after；　his　mother　said；　in　a　curious　tone；　“The　urn　you　had　meant　for　me　you　gave　away。”
Yeobright　made　no　reply；　the　current　of　her　feeling　was　too　pronounced　to　admit　it。　
The　early　weeks　of　the　year　passed　on。　　Yeobright　certainly　studied　at　home；　but　he　also　walked　much　abroad；　and　the　direction　of　his　walk　was　always　towards　some　point　of　a　line　between　Mistover　and　Rainbarrow。　
The　month　of　March　arrived；　and　the　heath　showed　its　first　signs　of　awakening　from　winter　trance。　　The　awakening　was　almost　feline　in　its　stealthiness。　　The　pool　outside　the　bank　by　Eustacia’s　dwelling；　which　seemed　as　dead　and　desolate　as　ever　to　an　observer　who　moved　and　made　noises　in　his　observation；　would　gradually　disclose　a　state　of　great　animation　when　silently　watched　awhile。　　A　timid　animal　world　had　e　to　life　for　the　season。　　Little　tadpoles　and　efts　began　to　bubble　up　through　the　water；　and　to　race　along　beneath　it；　toads　made　noises　like　very　young　ducks；　and　advanced　to　the　margin　in　twos　and　threes；　overhead；　bumblebees　flew　hither　and　thither　in　the　thickening　light；　their　drone　ing　and　going　like　the　sound　of　a　gong。
On　an　evening　such　as　this　Yeobright　descended　into　the　Blooms…End　valley　from　beside　that　very　pool；　where　he　had　been　standing　with　another　person　quite　silently　and　quite　long　enough　to　hear　all　this　puny　stir　of　resurrection　in　nature；　yet　he　had　not　heard　it。　　His　walk　was　rapid　as　he　came　down；　and　he　went　with　a　springy　trend。　　Before　entering　upon　his　mother’s　premises　he　stopped　and　breathed。　　The　light　which　shone　forth　on　him　from　the　window　revealed　that　his　face　was　flushed　and　his　eye　bright。　　What　it　did　not　show　was　something　which　lingered　upon　his　lips　like　a　seal　set　there。　　The　abiding　presence　of　this　impress　was　so　real　that　he　hardly　dared　to　enter　the　house；　for　it　seemed　as　if　his　mother　might　say；　“What　red　spot　is　that　glowing　upon　your　mouth　so　vividly？”
But　he　entered　soon　after。　　The　tea　was　ready；　and　he　sat　down　opposite　his　mother。　　She　did　not　speak　many　words；　and　as　for　him；　something　had　been　just　done　and　some　words　had　been　just　said　on　the　hill　which　prevented　him　from　beginning　a　desultory　chat。　　His　mother’s　taciturnity　was　not　without　ominousness；　but　he　appeared　not　to　care。　　He　knew　why　she　said　so　little；　but　he　could　not　remove　the　cause　of　her　bearing　towards　him。　　These　half…silent　sittings　were　far　from　unmon　with　them　now。　　At　last　Yeobright　made　a　beginning　of　what　was　intended　to　strike　at　the　whole　root　of　the　matter。　
“Five　days　have　we　sat　like　this　at　meals　with　scarcely　a　word。　　What’s　the　use　of　it；　Mother？”
“None；”　said　she；　in　a　heart…swollen　tone。　　“But　there　is　only　too　good　a　reason。”
“Not　when　you　know　all。　　I　have　been　wanting　to　speak　about　this；　and　I　am　glad　the　subject　is　begun。　　The　reason；　of　course；　is　Eustacia　Vye。　　Well；　I　confess　I　have　seen　her　lately；　and　have　seen　her　a　good　many　times。”
“Yes；　yes；　and　I　know　what　that　amounts　to。　　It　troubles　me；　Clym。　　You　are　wasting　your　life　here；　and　it　is　solely　on　account　of　her。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　that　woman　you　would　never　have　entertained　this　teaching　scheme　at　all。”
Clym　looked　hard　at　his　mother。　　“You　know　that　is　not　it；”　he　said。　
“Well；　I　know　you　had　decided　to　attempt　it　before　you　saw　her；　but　that　would　have　ended　in　intentions。　　It　was　very　well　to　talk　of；　but　ridiculous　to　put　in　practice。　　I　fully　expected　that　in　the　course　of　a　month　or　two　you　would　have　seen　the　folly　of　such　self…sacrifice；　and　would　have　been　by　this　time　back　again　to　Paris　in　some　business　or　other。　　I　can　understand　objections　to　the　diamond　trade—I　really　was　thinking　that　it　might　be　inadequate　to　the　life　of　a　man　like　you　even　though　it　might　have　made　you　a　millionaire。　　But　now　I　see　how　mistaken　you　are　about　this　girl　I　doubt　if　you　could　be　correct　about　other　things。”
“How　am　I　mistaken　in　her？”
“She　is　lazy　and　dissatisfied。　　But　that　is　not　all　of　it。　　Supposing　her　to　be　as　good　a　woman　as　any　you　can　find；　which　she　certainly　is　not；　why　do　you　wish　to　connect　yourself　with　anybody　at　present？”
“Well；　there　are　practical　reasons；”　Clym　began；　and　then　almost　broke　off　under　an　overpowering　sense　of　the　weight　of　argument　which　could　be　brought　against　his　statement。　
“If　I　take　a　school　an　educated　woman　would　be　invaluable　as　a　help　to　me。”
“What！　you　really　mean　to　marry　her？”
“It　would　be　premature　to　state　that　plainly。　　But　consider
what　obvious　advantages　there　would　be　in　doing　it。　　She“
“Don’t　suppose　she　has　any　money。　　She　hasn’t　a　farthing。”
“She　is　excellently　educated；　and　would　make　a　good　matron　in　a　boarding…school。　I　candidly　own　that　I　have　modified　my　views　a　little；　in　deference　to　you；　and　it　should　satisfy　you。　　I　no　longer　adhere　to　my　intention　of　giving　with　my　own　mouth　rudimentary　education　to　the　lowest　class。　　I　can　do　better。　　I　can　establish　a　good　private　school　for　farmers’　sons；　and　without　stopping　the　school　I　can　manage　to　pass　examinations。　
By　this　means；　and　by　the　assistance　of　a　wife　like　her“
“Oh；　Clym！”
“I　shall　ultimately；　I　hope；　be　at　the　head　of　one　of　the　best　schools　in　the　county。”
Yeobright　had　enunciated　the　word　“her”　with　a　fervour　which；　in　conversation　with　a　mother；　was　absurdly　indiscreet。　　Hardly　a　maternal　heart　within　the　four　seas　could　in　such　circumstances；　have　helped　being　irritated　at　that　ill…timed　betrayal　of　feeling　for　a　new　woman。　
“You　are　blinded；　Clym；”　she　said　warmly。　　“It　was　a　bad　day　for　you　when　you　first　set　eyes　on　her。　　And　your　scheme　is　merely　a　castle　in　the　air　built　on　purpose　to　justify　this　folly　which　has　seized　you；　and　to　salve　your　conscience　on　the　irrational　situation　you　are　in。”
“Mother；　that’s　not　true；”　he　firmly　answered。　
“Can　you　maintain　that　I　sit　and　tell　untruths；　when　all　I　wish　to　do　is　to　save　you　from　sorrow？　　For　shame；　Clym！　But　it　is　all　through　that　woman—a　hussy！”
Clym　reddened　like　fire　and　rose。　　He　placed　his　hand　upon　his　mother’s　shoulder　and　said；　in　a　tone　which　hung　strangely　between　entreaty　and　mand；　“I　won’t　hear　it。　　I　may　be　led　to　answer　you　in　a　way　which　we　shall　both　regret。”
His　mother　parted　her　lips　to　begin　some　other　vehement　truth；　but　on　looking　at　him　she　saw　that　in　his　face　which　led　her　to　leave　the　words　unsaid。　　Yeobright　walked　once　or　twice　across　the　room；　and　then　suddenly　went　out　of　the　house。　　It　was　eleven　o’clock　when　he　came　in；　though　he　had　not　been　further　than　the　precincts　of　the　garden。　　His　mother　was　gone　to　bed。　　A　light　was　left　burning　on　the　table；　and　supper　was　spread。　　Without　stopping　for　any　food　he　secured　the　doors　and　went　upstairs。　


4　… An　Hour　of　Bliss　and　Many　Hours　of　Sadness


The　next　day　was　gloomy　enough　at　Blooms…End。　Yeobright　remained　in　his　study；　sitting　over　the　open　books；　but　the　work　of　those　hours　was　miserably　scant。　　Determined　that　there　should　be　nothing　in　his　conduct　towards　his　mother　resembling　sullenness；　he　had　occasionally　spoken　to　her　on　passing　matters；　and　would　take　no　notice　of　the　brevity　of　her　replies。　　With　the　same　resolve　to　keep　up　a　show　of　conversation　he　said；　about　seven　o’clock　in　the　evening；　“There’s　an　eclipse　of　the　moon　tonight。　　I　am　going　out　to　see　it。”　　And；　putting　on　his　overcoat；　he　left　her。　
The　low　moon　was　not　as　yet　visible　from　the　front　of　the　house；　and　Yeobright　climbed　out　of　the　valley　until　he　stood　in　the　full　flood　of　her　light。　　But　even　now　he　walked　on；　and　his　steps　were　in　the　direction　of　Rainbarrow。　
In　half　an　hour　he　stood　at　the　top。　　The　sky　was　clear　from　verge　to　verge；　and　the　moon　flung　her　rays　over　the　whole　heath；　but　without　sensibly　lighting　it；　except　where　paths　and　water…courses　had　laid　bare　the　white　flints　and　glistening　quartz　sand；　which　made　streaks　upon　the　general　shade。　　After　standing　awhile　he　stooped　and　felt　the　heather。　　It　was　dry；　and　he　flung　himself　down　upon　the　barrow；　his　face　towards　the　moon；　which　depicted　a　small　image　of　herself　in　each　of　his　eyes。　
He　had　often　e　up　here　without　stating　his　purpose　to　his　mother；　but　this　was　the　first　time　that　he　had　been　ostensibly　frank　as　to　his　purpose　while　really　concealing　it。　　It　was　a　moral　situation　which；　three　months　earlier；　he　could　hardly　have　credited　of　himself。　　In　returning　to　labour　in　this　sequestered　spot　he　had　anticipated　an　escape　from　the　chafing　of　social　necessities；　yet　behold　they　were　here　also。　　More　than　ever　he　longed　to　be　in　some　world　where　personal　ambition　was　not　the　only　recognized　form　of　progress—such；　perhaps；　as　might　have　been　the　case　at　some　time　or　other　in　the　silvery　globe　then　shining　upon　him。　　His　eye　travelled　over　the　length　and　breadth　of　that　distant　country—over　the　Bay　of　Rainbows；　the　sombre　Sea　of　Crises；　the　Ocean　of　Storms；　the　Lake　of　Dreams；　the　vast　Walled　Plains；　and　the　wondrous　Ring　Mountains—till　he　almost　felt　himself　to　be　voyaging　bodily　through　its　wild　scenes；　standing　on　its　hollow　hills；　traversing　its　deserts；　descending　its　vales　and　old　sea　bottoms；　or　mounting　to　the　edges　of　its　craters。　
While　he　watched　the　far…removed　landscape　a　tawny　stain　grew　into　being　on　the　lower　verge—the　eclipse　had　begun。　　This　marked　a　preconcerted　moment—for　the　remote　celestial　phenomenon　had　been　pressed　into　sublunary　service　as　a　lover’s　signal。　　Yeobright’s　mind　flew　back　to　earth　at　the　sight；　he　arose；　shook　himself　and　listened。　　Minute　after　minute　passed　by；　perhaps　ten　minutes　passed；　and　the　shadow　on　the　moon　perceptibly　widened。　　He　heard　a　rustling　on　his　left　hand；　a　cloaked　figure　with　an　upturned　face　appeared　at　the　base　of　the　Barrow；　and　Clym　descended。　　In　a　moment　the　figure　was　in　his　arms；　and　his　lips　upon　hers。　
“My　Eustacia！”
“Clym；　dearest！”
Such　a　situation　had　less　than　three　months　brought　forth。　
They　remained　long　without　a　single　utterance；　for　no　language　could　reach　the　level　of　their　condition—words　were　as　the　rusty　implements　of　a　by…gone　barbarous　epoch；　and　only　to　be　occasionally　tolerated。　
“I　began　to　wonder　why　you　did　not　e；”　said　Yeobright；　when　she　had　withdrawn　a　little　from　his　embrace。　
“You　said　ten　minutes　after　the　first　mark　of　shade　on　the　edge　of　the　moon；　and　that’s　what　it　is　now。”
“Well；　let　u