登陆注册
19689000000089

第89章 CHAPTER XXXI.(1)

As February merged in March, and lighter evenings broke the gloom of the woodmen's homeward journey, the Hintocks Great and Little began to have ears for a rumor of the events out of which had grown the timber-dealer's troubles. It took the form of a wide sprinkling of conjecture, wherein no man knew the exact truth.

Tantalizing phenomena, at once showing and concealing the real relationship of the persons concerned, caused a diffusion of excited surprise. Honest people as the woodlanders were, it was hardly to be expected that they could remain immersed in the study of their trees and gardens amid such circumstances, or sit with their backs turned like the good burghers of Coventry at the passage of the beautiful lady.

Rumor, for a wonder, exaggerated little. There were, in fact, in this case as in thousands, the well-worn incidents, old as the hills, which, with individual variations, made a mourner of Ariadne, a by-word of Vashti, and a corpse of the Countess Amy.

There were rencounters accidental and contrived, stealthy correspondence, sudden misgivings on one side, sudden self- reproaches on the other. The inner state of the twain was one as of confused noise that would not allow the accents of calmer reason to be heard. Determinations to go in this direction, and headlong plunges in that; dignified safeguards, undignified collapses; not a single rash step by deliberate intention, and all against judgment.

It was all that Melbury had expected and feared. It was more, for he had overlooked the publicity that would be likely to result, as it now had done. What should he do--appeal to Mrs. Charmond himself, since Grace would not? He bethought himself of Winterborne, and resolved to consult him, feeling the strong need of some friend of his own sex to whom he might unburden his mind.

He had entirely lost faith in his own judgment. That judgment on which he had relied for so many years seemed recently, like a false companion unmasked, to have disclosed unexpected depths of hypocrisy and speciousness where all had seemed solidity. He felt almost afraid to form a conjecture on the weather, or the time, or the fruit-promise, so great was his self-abasement.

It was a rimy evening when he set out to look for Giles. The woods seemed to be in a cold sweat; beads of perspiration hung from every bare twig; the sky had no color, and the trees rose before him as haggard, gray phantoms, whose days of substantiality were passed. Melbury seldom saw Winterborne now, but he believed him to be occupying a lonely hut just beyond the boundary of Mrs.

Charmond's estate, though still within the circuit of the woodland. The timber-merchant's thin legs stalked on through the pale, damp scenery, his eyes on the dead leaves of last year; while every now and then a hasty "Ay?" escaped his lips in reply to some bitter proposition.

His notice was attracted by a thin blue haze of smoke, behind which arose sounds of voices and chopping: bending his steps that way, he saw Winterborne just in front of him. It just now happened that Giles, after being for a long time apathetic and unemployed, had become one of the busiest men in the neighborhood.

It is often thus; fallen friends, lost sight of, we expect to find starving; we discover them going on fairly well. Without any solicitation, or desire for profit on his part, he had been asked to execute during that winter a very large order for hurdles and other copse-ware, for which purpose he had been obliged to buy several acres of brushwood standing. He was now engaged in the cutting and manufacture of the same, proceeding with the work daily like an automaton.

The hazel-tree did not belie its name to-day. The whole of the copse-wood where the mist had cleared returned purest tints of that hue, amid which Winterborne himself was in the act of making a hurdle, the stakes being driven firmly into the ground in a row, over which he bent and wove the twigs. Beside him was a square, compact pile like the altar of Cain, formed of hurdles already finished, which bristled on all sides with the sharp points of their stakes. At a little distance the men in his employ were assisting him to carry out his contract. Rows of copse-wood lay on the ground as it had fallen under the axe; and a shelter had been constructed near at hand, in front of which burned the fire whose smoke had attracted him. The air was so dank that the smoke hung heavy, and crept away amid the bushes without rising from the ground.

After wistfully regarding Winterborne a while, Melbury drew nearer, and briefly inquired of Giles how he came to be so busily engaged, with an undertone of slight surprise that Winterborne could seem so thriving after being deprived of Grace. Melbury was not without emotion at the meeting; for Grace's affairs had divided them, and ended their intimacy of old times.

Winterborne explained just as briefly, without raising his eyes from his occupation of chopping a bough that he held in front of him.

"'Twill be up in April before you get it all cleared," said Melbury.

"Yes, there or thereabouts," said Winterborne, a chop of the billhook jerking the last word into two pieces.

There was another interval; Melbury still looked on, a chip from Winterborne's hook occasionally flying against the waistcoat and legs of his visitor, who took no heed.

同类推荐
  • 法门名义集

    法门名义集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 增订叶评伤暑全书

    增订叶评伤暑全书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 双砚斋词话

    双砚斋词话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 台湾文献丛刊南明史料

    台湾文献丛刊南明史料

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Emile Zola

    Emile Zola

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 海外寻奇(文心藏趣丛书)

    海外寻奇(文心藏趣丛书)

    本书记述了作者收藏的经历,包括“贵人童先生和天球瓶”、“在纽约找个古董店”、“一个祭蓝碗引出一段收藏故事”、“走进佳士得”等文章。
  • 美女的超级保镖

    美女的超级保镖

    狼牙特种队队长回归都市,保护妹妹,邂逅冰山女神,斗日本天才,灭黑暗势力,建造商业帝国,谱写一曲轰轰烈烈的都市大风歌!
  • 三界大明星

    三界大明星

    本以为是无限恐怖,没想到却穿越成了二郎神的大哥。想要往来仙凡两界,自由切换身份,江小东必须获得足够的声望。文曲星君写的小说爆红网络!唐诗宋词震惊仙界!超越好莱坞的仙界特效电影,风靡全球!QQ微信抢红包,改变了仙人们枯燥的日常生活……江小东成了三界最火的大明星装逼的最高境界是什么,那就是一直装到天上去!(本书已签约,请放心收藏。书友群366423806欢迎来玩)
  • 一开口就能找对话题

    一开口就能找对话题

    《一开口就能找对话题》针对“如何才能一开口就找对话题”这一问题进行了全方位的细致解答。抛出话题时要注意什么?说错话后该怎样挽回?话题处处都有,可怎么才能找出对的那一个?关于话题的一切困惑,你都能在这里找到答案。
  • 栖岩寺隋文帝马脑盏

    栖岩寺隋文帝马脑盏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 天下唯吾独尊:墨冥奇缘

    天下唯吾独尊:墨冥奇缘

    她,一国王爷,本是女儿身却因母妃的自私做了一生的男子。才华横溢,风华绝代,奈何身有旧疾。在争夺权欲中,不幸病发。一朝重生,她是否可以恢复女儿身,又该如何阻止前世的悲剧。他,是现代商业巨子,亦是黑道暗帝。身价上亿,杀伐果断,奈何兀然穿越。在未知的时空中,他该如何取舍。他们,本是毫无交集的平行线,却因为一把神奇的古剑相遇。“我们怎么可能?皇兄,你是我的哥哥啊!”“为你,我可以等待。我说过的,我不会逼你。所以,相信我。”皇傲寒溟顿了顿,蓦然嘴角勾起一抹邪笑,“莫非你只在意我们有血缘关系?呵呵~”“你,我是男人!”“是么?我可不这么觉得。”
  • 铁镯子传奇

    铁镯子传奇

    董海川去世后,他的大弟子“铁镯子”尹福接任掌门人。有史可查,尹福又任清宫护卫总管兼光绪皇帝的武术教师。时值康梁“戊戌变法”时期,珍妃的翡翠如意珠丢失,朝廷震动,尹福会同八卦掌门人破案。一连串谜案发生,此起彼伏,尹福的师弟“煤马”马维祺被毒砂掌击杀,肃王府的宠妾金桔一反常态……尹福夜探肃王府,发现金桔的替身是其妹妹银狐公主;在颐和园又发现董海川的旧日仇敌、“塞北飞狐”沙弥。此时与尹福同往的银狐不幸中了慈禧太后的保镖文冠的天女散花针。为救银狐,尹福孤身闯千山寻解药。
  • 弱水河畔

    弱水河畔

    轰隆隆,弱水河西边的天际传来声声响雷,哗、哗,又是几道闪电,天好似有倾盆大雨要泼下。在阴暗的角落,张发录与桑志琏多次密谋,继续做着天怒人怨的事情,企图挽回可悲的结局。为泄私愤王蓉与张发录凑在一起设下圈套,使曾任新安县建华建材股份有限责任公司销售部经理的方启良被诬陷后锒铛入狱。其漂亮温柔的妻子陈娟为丈夫鸣不平,被建华建材股份有限责任公司总经理张发录诱骗后强行奸污,在艰难曲折的申冤之路上,陈娟身心交瘁,疲惫不堪,晕倒在河西市区的街道旁,被当地老百姓称之为天使的市法律援助-中心主任律师张志辉,将昏迷不醒的少妇送到医院。张志辉律师的见义勇为之举,赢得了陈娟的尊敬与信任,她委托张律师为丈夫辩护申冤。
  • 一世倾城:妖妃哪里跑

    一世倾城:妖妃哪里跑

    嗯?十里红妆?不要!嗯?江山为聘?不要!嗯?帅哥暖床?不要!女强魂穿废柴!手刃渣女如鱼得水游刃有余,但是……说好的倾尽天下呢!说好的绝代风华呢!说好的万千宠爱呢!说好的美男成群呢!说好的幸福呢!这该死的设定!(废柴+女汉子)/2=作死的蠢货另外不知道从哪家神经病撒丫子跑出来的冰山渣男:“无肉不欢你懂吗?”她邪魅一笑,不屑地瞥了他一眼:“现在扫黄!”
  • 风醉月舞萤

    风醉月舞萤

    这是个可歌可泣可笑可泣的生活,三世的恋人,千年的等待,也只是一场漫长的故事……