adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第126章
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！
her uncle was looking at her so fixedly； but there is no knowing；
for just then Adam was saying； with quiet surprise； “Why； I hoped
Dinah was settled among us for life。 I thought she’d given up the
notion o’ going back to her old country。”
“Thought！ yes；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “and so would anybody else
ha’ thought； as had got their right end up’ards。 But I suppose you
must be a Methodist to know what a Methodist ’ull do。 It’s ill
guessing what the bats are flying after。”
“Why； what have we done to you。 Dinah； as you must go away
from us？” said Mr。 Poyser； still pausing over his tea…cup。 “It’s like
breaking your word； welly； for your aunt never had no thought but
you’d make this your home。”
“Nay； Uncle；” said Dinah； trying to be quite calm。 “When I first
came； I said it was only for a time； as long as I could be of any
comfort to my aunt。”
“Well； an’ who said you’d ever left off being a comfort to me？”
said Mrs。 Poyser。 “If you didna mean to stay wi’ me； you’d better
never ha’ come。 Them as ha’ never had a cushion don’t miss it。”
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 630…
Adam Bede 630
“Nay； nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； who objected to exaggerated
views。 “Thee mustna say so； we should ha’ been ill off wi’out her；
Lady day was a twelvemont’。 We mun be thankful for that；
whether she stays or no。 But I canna think what she mun leave a
good home for； to go back int’ a country where the land； most on’t；
isna worth ten shillings an acre； rent and profits。”
“Why； that’s just the reason she wants to go； as fur as she can
give a reason；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “She says this country’s too
comfortable； an’ there’s too much t’ eat； an’ folks arena miserable
enough。 And she’s going next week。 I canna turn her； say what I
will。 It’s allays the way wi’ them meek…faced people； you may’s
well pelt a bag o’ feathers as talk to ’em。 But I say it isna religion；
to be so obstinate—is it now； Adam？”
Adam saw that Dinah was more disturbed than he had ever
seen her by any matter relating to herself； and； anxious to relieve
her； if possible； he said； looking at her affectionately； “Nay； I can’t
find fault with anything Dinah does。 I believe her thoughts are
better than our guesses； let ’em be what they may。 I should ha’
been thankful for her to stay among us； but if she thinks well to go；
I wouldn’t cross her； or make it hard to her by objecting。 We owe
her something different to that。”
As it often happens； the words intended to relieve her were just
too much for Dinah’s susceptible feelings at this moment。 The
tears came into the grey eyes too fast to be hidden and she got up
hurriedly； meaning it to be understood that she was going to put
on her bonnet。
“Mother； what’s Dinah crying for？” said Totty。 “She isn’t a
naughty dell。”
“Thee’st gone a bit too fur；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “We’ve no right t’
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 631…
Adam Bede 631
interfere with her doing as she likes。 An’ thee’dst be as angry as
could be wi’ me； if I said a word against anything she did。”
“Because you’d very like be finding fault wi’out reason；” said
Mrs。 Poyser。 “But there’s reason i’ what I say； else I shouldna say
it。 It’s easy talking for them as can’t love her so well as her own
aunt does。 An’ me got so used to her！ I shall feel as uneasy as a
new sheared sheep when she’s gone from me。 An’ to think of her
leaving a parish where she’s so looked on。 There’s Mr。 Irwine
makes as much of her as if she was a lady； for all her being a
Methodist； an’ wi’ that maggot o’ preaching in her head—God
forgi’e me if I’m i’ the wrong to call it so。”
“Aye；” said Mr。 Poyser； looking jocose； “but thee dostna tell
Adam what he said to thee about it one day。 The missis was
saying； Adam； as the preaching was the only fault to be found wi’
Dinah； and Mr。 Irwine says； ‘But you mustn’t find fault with her
for that； Mrs。 Poyser； you forget she’s got no husband to preach to。
I’ll answer for it； you give Poyser many a good sermon。’ The
parson had thee there；” Mr。 Poyser added； laughing unctuously。 “I
told Bartle Massey on it； an’ he laughed too。”
“Yes； it’s a small joke sets men laughing when they sit a…staring
at one another with a pipe i’ their mouths；” said Mrs。 Poyser。
“Give Bartle Massey his way and he’d have all the sharpness to
himself。 If the chaff…cutter had the making of us； we should all be
straw； I reckon。 Totty； my chicken； go upstairs to cousin Dinah；
and see what she’s doing； and give her a pretty kiss。”
This errand was devised for Totty as a means of checking
certain threatening symptoms about the corners of the mouth； for
Tommy； no longer expectant of cake； was lifting up his eyelids
with his forefingers and turning his eyeballs towards Totty in a
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 632…
Adam Bede 632
way that she felt to be disagreeably personal。
“You’re rare and busy now—eh； Adam？” said Mr。 Poyser。
“Burge’s getting so bad wi’ his asthmy； it’s well if he’ll ever do
much riding about again。”
“Yes； we’ve got a pretty bit o’ building on hand now；” said
Adam； “what with the repairs on th’ estate； and the new houses at
Treddles’on。”
“I’ll bet a penny that new house Burge is building on his own
bit o’ land is for him and Mary to go to；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “He’ll be
for laying by business soon； I’ll warrant； and be wanting you to
take to it all and pay him so much by th’ ’ear。 We shall see you
living on th’ hill before another twelvemont’s over。”
“Well；” said Adam； “I should like t’ have the business in my
own hands。 It isn’t as I mind much about getting any more money。
We’ve enough and to spare now； with only our two selves and
mother； but I should like t’ have my own way about things—I
could try plans then； as I can’t do now。”
“You get on pretty well wi’ the new steward； I reckon？” said
Mr。 Poyser。
“Yes； yes； he’s a sensible man enough； understands farming—
he’s carrying on the draining； and all that； capital。 You must go
some day towards the Stonyshire side and see what alterations
they’re making。 But he’s got no notion about buildings。 You can so
seldom get hold of a man as can turn his brains to more nor one
thing； it’s just as if they wore blinkers like th’ horses and could see
nothing o’ one side of ’em。 Now； there’s Mr。 Irwine has got notions
o’ building more nor most architects； for as for th’ architects； they
set up to be fine fellows； but the most of ’em don’t know where to
set a chimney so as it shan’t be quarrelling with a door。 My notion
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 633…
Adam Bede 633
is； a practical builder that’s got a bit o’ taste makes the best
architect for common things； and I’ve ten times the pleasure i’
seeing after the work when I’ve made the plan myself。”
Mr。 Poyser listened with an admiring interest to Adam’s
discourse on building； but perhaps it suggested to him that the
building of his corn…rick had been proceeding a little too long
without the control of the master’s eye； for when Adam had done
speaking； he got up and said； “Well； lad； I’ll bid you good…bye now；
for I’m off to the rick…yard again。”
Adam rose too； for he saw Dinah entering； with her bonnet on
and a little basket in her hand； preceded by Totty。
“You’re ready； I see； Dinah；” Adam said； “so we’ll set off； for the
sooner I’m at home the better。”
“Mother；” said Totty； with her treble pipe； “Dinah was saying
her prayers and crying ever so。”
“Hush； hush；” said the mother； “little gells mustn’t chatter。”
Whereupon the father； shaking with silent laughter； set Totty
on the white deal table and desired her to kiss him。 Mr。 and Mrs。
Poyser； you perceive； had no correct principles of education。
“Come back to…morrow if Mrs。 Bede doesn’t want you； Dinah；”
said Mrs。 Poyser： “but you can stay； you know； if she’s ill。”
So； when the good…byes had been said； Dinah and Adam left the
Hall Farm together。
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
… Page 634…
Adam Bede 634
Chapter L
In the Cottage
dam did not ask Dinah to take his arm when they got out
Ainto the lane。 He had never yet done so； often as they had
walked together； for he had observed that she never
walked arm…in…arm with Seth； and he thought； perhaps； that kind
of support was not agreeable to her。 So they walked apart； though
side by side； and the close poke of her little black bonnet hid her
face from him。
“You can’t be happy； then； to make the Hall Farm your home；
Dinah？” Adam said； with the quiet interest of a brother； who has
no anxiety for himself in the matter。 “It’s a pity； seeing they’re so
fond of you。”
“You know； Adam； my heart is as their heart； so far as love for
them and care for their welfare
