还乡The Return Of The Native-第48部分

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this　is　not　to　be　regretted。　　From　the　impeachment　of　Strafford　to　Farmer　Lynch’s　short　way　with　the　scamps　of　Virginia　there　have　been　many　triumphs　of　justice　which　are　mockeries　of　law。　
About　half　a　mile　below　Clym’s　secluded　dwelling　lay　a　hamlet　where　lived　one　of　the　two　constables　who　preserved　the　peace　in　the　parish　of　Alderworth；　and　Wildeve　went　straight　to　the　constable’s　cottage。　　Almost　the　first　thing　that　he　saw　on　opening　the　door　was　the　constable’s　truncheon　hanging　to　a　nail；　as　if　to　assure　him　that　here　were　the　means　to　his　purpose。　　On　inquiry；　however；　of　the　constable’s　wife　he　learnt　that　the　constable　was　not　at　home。　　Wildeve　said　he　would　wait。　
The　minutes　ticked　on；　and　the　constable　did　not　arrive。　　Wildeve　cooled　down　from　his　state　of　high　indignation　to　a　restless　dissatisfaction　with　himself；　the　scene；　the　constable’s　wife；　and　the　whole　set　of　circumstances。　　He　arose　and　left　the　house。　　Altogether；　the　experience　of　that　evening　had　had　a　cooling；　not　to　say　a　chilling；　effect　on　misdirected　tenderness；　and　Wildeve　was　in　no　mood　to　ramble　again　to　Alderworth　after　nightfall　in　hope　of　a　stray　glance　from　Eustacia。　
Thus　far　the　reddleman　had　been　tolerably　successful　in　his　rude　contrivances　for　keeping　down　Wildeve’s　inclination　to　rove　in　the　evening。　　He　had　nipped　in　the　bud　the　possible　meeting　between　Eustacia　and　her　old　lover　this　very　night。　　But　he　had　not　anticipated　that　the　tendency　of　his　action　would　be　to　divert　Wildeve’s　movement　rather　than　to　stop　it。　　The　gambling　with　the　guineas　had　not　conduced　to　make　him　a　wele　guest　to　Clym；　but　to　call　upon　his　wife’s　relative　was　natural；　and　he　was　determined　to　see　Eustacia。　　It　was　necessary　to　choose　some　less　untoward　hour　than　ten　o’clock　at　night。　　“Since　it　is　unsafe　to　go　in　the　evening；”　he　said；　“I’ll　go　by　day。”
Meanwhile　Venn　had　left　the　heath　and　gone　to　call　upon　Mrs。　Yeobright；　with　whom　he　had　been　on　friendly　terms　since　she　had　learnt　what　a　providential　countermove　he　had　made　towards　the　restitution　of　the　family　guineas。　　She　wondered　at　the　lateness　of　his　call；　but　had　no　objection　to　see　him。　
He　gave　her　a　full　account　of　Clym’s　affliction；　and　of　the　state　in　which　he　was　living；　then；　referring　to　Thomasin；　touched　gently　upon　the　apparent　sadness　of　her　days。　　“Now；　ma’am；　depend　upon　it；”　he　said；　“you　couldn’t　do　a　better　thing　for　either　of　‘em　than　to　make　yourself　at　home　in　their　houses；　even　if　there　should　be　a　little　rebuff　at　first。”
“Both　she　and　my　son　disobeyed　me　in　marrying；　therefore　I　have　no　interest　in　their　households。　　Their　troubles　are　of　their　own　making。”　　Mrs。　Yeobright　tried　to　speak　severely；　but　the　account　of　her　son’s　state　had　moved　her　more　than　she　cared　to　show。
“Your　visits　would　make　Wildeve　walk　straighter　than　he　is　inclined　to　do；　and　might　prevent　unhappiness　down　the　heath。”
“What　do　you　mean？”
“I　saw　something　tonight　out　there　which　I　didn’t　like　at　all。　　I　wish　your　son’s　house　and　Mr。　Wildeve’s　were　a　hundred　miles　apart　instead　of　four　or　five。”
“Then　there　WAS　an　understanding　between　him　and　Clym’s　wife　when　he　made　a　fool　of　Thomasin！”
“We’ll　hope　there’s　no　understanding　now。”
“And　our　hope　will　probably　be　very　vain。　　O　Clym！
O　Thomasin！”
“There’s　no　harm　done　yet。　　In　fact；　I’ve　persuaded　Wildeve　to　mind　his　own　business。”
“How？”
“O；　not　by　talking—by　a　plan　of　mine　called　the　silent　system。”
“I　hope　you’ll　succeed。”
“I　shall　if　you　help　me　by　calling　and　making　friends　with　your　son。　　You’ll　have　a　chance　then　of　using　your　eyes。”
“Well；　since　it　has　e　to　this；”　said　Mrs。　Yeobright　sadly；　“I　will　own　to　you；　reddleman；　that　I　thought　of　going。　　I　should　be　much　happier　if　we　were　reconciled。　　The　marriage　is　unalterable；　my　life　may　be　cut　short；　and　I　should　wish　to　die　in　peace。　　He　is　my　only　son；　and　since　sons　are　made　of　such　stuff　I　am　not　sorry　I　have　no　other。　　As　for　Thomasin；　I　never　expected　much　from　her；　and　she　has　not　disappointed　me。　　But　I　forgave　her　long　ago；　and　I　forgive　him　now。　
I’ll　go。”
At　this　very　time　of　the　reddleman’s　conversation　with　Mrs。　Yeobright　at　Blooms…End　another　conversation　on　the　same　subject　was　languidly　proceeding　at　Alderworth。　
All　the　day　Clym　had　borne　himself　as　if　his　mind　were　too　full　of　its　own　matter　to　allow　him　to　care　about　outward　things；　and　his　words　now　showed　what　had　occupied　his　thoughts。　　It　was　just　after　the　mysterious　knocking　that　he　began　the　theme。　　“Since　I　have　been　away　today；　Eustacia；　I　have　considered　that　something　must　be　done　to　heal　up　this　ghastly　breach　between　my　dear　mother　and　myself。　　It　troubles　me。”
“What　do　you　propose　to　do？”　said　Eustacia　abstractedly；　for　she　could　not　clear　away　from　her　the　excitement　caused　by　Wildeve’s　recent　manoeuvre　for　an　interview。
“You　seem　to　take　a　very　mild　interest　in　what　I　propose；　little　or　much；”　said　Clym；　with　tolerable　warmth。　
“You　mistake　me；”　she　answered；　reviving　at　his　reproach。
“I　am　only　thinking。”
“What　of？”
“Partly　of　that　moth　whose　skeleton　is　getting　burnt　up　in　the　wick　of　the　candle；”　she　said　slowly。　　“But　you　know　I　always　take　an　interest　in　what　you　say。”
“Very　well；　dear。　　Then　I　think　I　must　go　and　call　upon　her。”。。。He　went　on　with　tender　feeling：　“It　is　a　thing　I　am　not　at　all　too　proud　to　do；　and　only　a　fear　that　I　might　irritate　her　has　kept　me　away　so　long。　　But　I　must　do　something。　　It　is　wrong　in　me　to　allow　this　sort　of　thing　to　go　on。”
“What　have　you　to　blame　yourself　about？”
“She　is　getting　old；　and　her　life　is　lonely；　and　I　am　her　only　son。”
“She　has　Thomasin。”
“Thomasin　is　not　her　daughter；　and　if　she　were　that　would　not　excuse　me。　　But　this　is　beside　the　point。　　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　go　to　her；　and　all　I　wish　to　ask　you　is　whether　you　will　do　your　best　to　help　me—that　is；　forget　the　past；　and　if　she　shows　her　willingness　to　be　reconciled；　meet　her　halfway　by　weling　her　to　our　house；　or　by　accepting　a　wele　to　hers？”
At　first　Eustacia　closed　her　lips　as　if　she　would　rather　do　anything　on　the　whole　globe　than　what　he　suggested。　　But　the　lines　of　her　mouth　softened　with　thought；　though　not　so　far　as　they　might　have　softened；　and　she　said；　“I　will　put　nothing　in　your　way；　but　after　what　has　passed　it；　is　asking　too　much　that　I　go　and　make　advances。”
“You　never　distinctly　told　me　what　did　pass　between　you。”
“I　could　not　do　it　then；　nor　can　I　now。　　Sometimes　more　bitterness　is　sown　in　five　minutes　than　can　be　got　rid　of　in　a　whole　life；　and　that　may　be　the　case　here。”
She　paused　a　few　moments；　and　added；　“If　you　had　never
returned　to　your　native　place；　Clym；　what　a　blessing　it
would　have　been　for　you！。。。It　has　altered　the　destinies　of“
“Three　people。”
“Five；”　Eustacia　thought；　but　she　kept　that　in。　


5　… The　Journey　across　the　Heath


Thursday；　the　thirty…first　of　August；　was　one　of　a　series　of　days　during　which　snug　houses　were　stifling；　and　when　cool　draughts　were　treats；　when　cracks　appeared　in　clayey　gardens；　and　were　called　“earthquakes”　by　apprehensive　children；　when　loose　spokes　were　discovered　in　the　wheels　of　carts　and　carriages；　and　when　stinging　insects　haunted　the　air；　the　earth；　and　every　drop　of　water　that　was　to　be　found。　
In　Mrs。　Yeobright’s　garden　large…leaved　plants　of　a　tender　kind　flagged　by　ten　o’clock　in　the　morning；　rhubarb　bent　downward　at　eleven；　and　even　stiff　cabbages　were　limp　by　noon。　
It　was　about　eleven　o’clock　on　this　day　that　Mrs。　Yeobright　started　across　the　heath　towards　her　son’s　house；　to　do　her　best　in　getting　reconciled　with　him　and　Eustacia；　in　conformity　with　her　words　to　the　reddleman。　　She　had　hoped　to　be　well　advanced　in　her　walk　before　the　heat　of　the　day　was　at　its　highest；　but　after　setting　out　she　found　that　this　was　not　to　be　done。　　The　sun　had　branded　the　whole　heath　with　its　mark；　even　the　purple　heath…flowers　having　put　on　a　brownness　under　the　dry　blazes　of　the　few　preceding　days。　　Every　valley　was　filled　with　air　like　that　of　a　kiln；　and　the　clean　quartz　sand　of　the　winter　water…courses；　which　formed　summer　paths；　had　undergone　a　species　of　incineration　since　the　drought　had　set　in。　
In　cool；　fresh　weather　Mrs。　Yeobright　would　have　found　no　inconvenience　in　walking　to　Alderworth；　but　the　present　torrid　attack　made　the　journey　a　heavy　undertaking　for　a　woman　past　middle　age；　and　at　the　end　of　the　third　mile　she　wished　that　she　had　hired　Fairway　to　drive　her　a　portion　at　least　of　the　distance。　　But　from　the　point　at　which　she　had　arrived　it　was　as　easy　to　reach　Clym’s　house　as　to　get　home　again。　　So　she　went　on；　the　air　around　her　pulsating　silently；　and　oppressing　the　earth　with　lassitude。　　She　looked　at　the　sky　overhead；　and　saw　that　the　sapphirine　hue　of　the　zenith　in　spring　and　early　summer　had　been　replaced　by　a　metallic　violet。　
Occasionally　she　came　to　a　spot　where　independent　worlds　of　ephemerons　were　passing　their　time　in　mad　carousal；　some　in　the　air；　some　on　the　hot　ground　and　vegetation；　some　in　the　tepid　and　stringy　water　of　a　nearly　dried　pool。　　All　the　shallower　ponds　had　decreased　to　a　vaporous　mud　amid　which　the　maggoty　shapes　of　innumerable　obscure　creatures　could　be　indistinctly　seen；　heaving　and　wallowing　with　enjoyment。　　Being　a　woman　not　disinclined　to　philosophize　she　sometimes　sat　down　under　her　umbrella　to　rest　and　to　watch　their　happiness；　for　a　certain　hopefulness　as　to　the　result　of　her　visit　gave　ease　to　her　mind；　and　between　important　thoughts　left　it　free　to　dwell　on　any　infinitesimal　matter　which　caught　her　eyes。　
Mrs。　Yeobright　had　never　before　been　to　her　son’s　house；　and　its　exact　position　was　unknown　to　her。　　She　tried　one　ascending　path　and　another；　and　found　that　they　led　her　astray。　　Retracing　her　steps；　she　came　again　to　an　open　level；　where　she　perceived　at　a　distance　a　man　at　work。　　She　went　towards　him　and　inquired　the　way。　
The　labourer　pointed　out　the　direction；　and　added；　“Do　you　see　that　furze…cutter；　ma’am；　going　up　that　footpath　yond？”
Mrs。　Yeobright　strained　her　eyes；　and　at　last　said　that　she　did　perceive　him。　
“Well；　if　you　follow　him　you　can　make　no　mistake。　
He’s　going　to　the　same　place；　ma’am。”
She　followed　the　figure　indicated。　　He　appeared　of　a　russet　hue；　not　more　distinguishable　from　the　scene　around　him　than　the　green　caterpillar　from　the　leaf　it　feeds　on。　　His　progress　when　actually　walking　was　more　rapid　than　Mrs。　Yeobright’s；　but　she　was　enabled　to　keep　at　an　equable　distance　from　him　by　his　habit　of　stopping　whenever　he　came　to　a　brake　of　brambles；　where　he　paused　awhile。　　On　ing　in　her　turn　to　each　of　these　spots　she　found　half　a　dozen　long　limp　brambles　which　he　had　cut　from　the　bush　during　his　halt　and　laid　out　straight　beside　the　path。　　They　were　evidently　intended　for　furze…faggot　bonds　which　he　meant　to　collect　on　his　return。　
The　silent　being　who　thus　occupied　himself　seemed　to　be　of　no　more　account　in　life　than　an　insect。　　He　appeared　as　a　mere　parasite　of　the　heath；　fretting　its　surface　in　his　daily　labour　as　a　moth　frets　a　garment；　entirely　engrossed　with　its　products；　having　no　knowledge　of　anything　in　the　world　but　fern；　furze；　heath；　lichens；　and　moss。　
The　furze…cutter　was　so　absorbed　in　the　bu