adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第25章
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emphatically。 “And what did you think of your hearers last night；
now？ Did you find them quiet and attentive？”
“Very quiet； sir； but I saw no signs of any great work upon
them； except in a young girl named Bessy Cranage； towards whom
my heart yearned greatly； when my eyes first fell on her blooming
youth； given up to folly and vanity。 I had some private talk and
prayer with her afterwards； and I trust her heart is touched。 But
I’ve noticed that in these villages where the people lead a quiet life
among the green pastures and the still waters； tilling the ground
and tending the cattle； there’s a strange deadness to the Word； as
different as can be from the great towns； like Leeds； where I once
went to visit a holy woman who preaches there。 It’s wonderful how
rich is the harvest of souls up those high…walled streets； where you
seemed to walk as in a prison…yard； and the ear is deafened with
the sounds of worldly toil。 I think maybe it is because the promise
is sweeter when this life is so dark and weary； and the soul gets
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more hungry when the body is ill at ease。”
“Why； yes； our farm…labourers are not easily roused。 They take
life almost as slowly as the sheep and cows。 But we have some
intelligent workmen about here。 I daresay you know the Bedes；
Seth Bede； by the by； is a Methodist。”
“Yes； I know Seth well； and his brother Adam a little。 Seth is a
gracious young man—sincere and without offence； and Adam is
like the patriarch Joseph； for his great skill and knowledge and the
kindness he shows to his brother and his parents。”
“Perhaps you don’t know the trouble that has just happened to
them？ Their father； Matthias Bede； was drowned in the Willow
Brook last night； not far from his own door。 I’m going now to see
Adam。”
“Ah； their poor aged mother！” said Dinah； dropping her hands
and looking before her with pitying eyes； as if she saw the object of
her sympathy。 “She will mourn heavily； for Seth has told me she’s
of an anxious； troubled heart。 I must go and see if I can give her
any help。”
As she rose and was beginning to fold up her work； Captain
Donnithorne； having exhausted all plausible pretexts for
remaining among the milk…pans； came out of the dairy； followed
by Mrs。 Poyser。 Mr。 Irwine now rose also； and； advancing towards
Dinah； held out his hand； and said； “Good…bye。 I hear you are
going away soon； but this will not be the last visit you will pay your
aunt—so we shall meet again； I hope。”
His cordiality towards Dinah set all Mrs。 Poyser’s anxieties at
rest； and her face was brighter than usual； as she said； “I’ve never
asked after Mrs。 Irwine and the Miss Irwines； sir； I hope they’re as
well as usual。”
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“Yes； thank you； Mrs。 Poyser； except that Miss Anne has one of
her bad headaches to…day。 By the by； we all liked that nice cream…
cheese you sent us—my mother especially。”
“I’m very glad； indeed； sir。 It is but seldom I make one； but I
remembered Mrs。 Irwine was fond of ’em。 Please to give my duty
to her； and to Miss Kate and Miss Anne。 They’ve never been to
look at my poultry this long while； and I’ve got some beautiful
speckled chickens； black and white； as Miss Kate might like to
have some of amongst hers。”
“Well； I’ll tell her； she must come and see them。 Good…bye；” said
the rector； mounting his horse。
“Just ride slowly on； Irwine；” said Captain Donnithorne；
mounting also。 “I’ll overtake you in three minutes。 I’m only going
to speak to the shepherd about the whelps。 Good…bye； Mrs。 Poyser；
tell your husband I shall come and have a long talk with him
soon。”
Mrs。 Poyser curtsied duly； and watched the two horses until
they had disappeared from the yard； amidst great excitement on
the part of the pigs and the poultry； and under the furious
indignation of the bull…dog； who performed a Pyrrhic dance； that
every moment seemed to threaten the breaking of his chain。 Mrs。
Poyser delighted in this noisy exit； it was a fresh assurance to her
that the farm…yard was well guarded； and that no loiterers could
enter unobserved； and it was not until the gate had closed behind
the captain that she turned into the kitchen again； where Dinah
stood with her bonnet in her hand； waiting to speak to her aunt；
before she set out for Lisbeth Bede’s cottage。
Mrs。 Poyser； however； though she noticed the bonnet； deferred
remarking on it until she had disburdened herself of her surprise
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at Mr。 Irwine’s behaviour。
“Why； Mr。 Irwine wasn’t angry； then？ What did he say to you；
Dinah？ Didn’t he scold you for preaching？”
“No； he was not at all angry； he was very friendly to me。 I was
quite drawn out to speak to him； I hardly know how； for I had
always thought of him as a worldly Sadducee。 But his countenance
is as pleasant as the morning sunshine。”
“Pleasant！ And what else did y’ expect to find him but
pleasant？” said Mrs。 Poyser impatiently； resuming her knitting。 “I
should think his countenance is pleasant indeed！ And him a
gentleman born； and ’s got a mother like a picter。 You may go the
country round and not find such another woman turned sixty…six。
It’s summat…like to see such a man as that i’ the desk of a Sunday！
As I say to Poyser； it’s like looking at a full crop o’ wheat； or a
pasture with a fine dairy o’ cows in it； it makes you think the
world’s comfortable…like。 But as for such creaturs as you
Methodisses run after； I’d as soon go to look at a lot o’ bare…ribbed
runts on a common。 Fine folks they are to tell you what’s right； as
look as if they’d never tasted nothing better than bacon…sword and
sour…cake i’ their lives。 But what did Mr。 Irwine say to you about
that fool’s trick o’ preaching on the Green？”
“He only said he’d heard of it； he didn’t seem to feel any
displeasure about it。 But； dear aunt； don’t think any more about
that。 He told me something that I’m sure will cause you sorrow； as
it does me。 Thias Bede was drowned last night in the Willow
Brook； and I’m thinking that the aged mother will be greatly in
need of comfort。 Perhaps I can be of use to her； so I have fetched
my bonnet and am going to set out。”
“Dear heart； dear heart！ But you must have a cup o’ tea first；
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child；” said Mrs。 Poyser； falling at once from the key of B with five
sharps to the frank and genial C。 “The kettle’s boiling—we’ll have
it ready in a minute； and the young uns ’ull be in and wanting
theirs directly。 I’m quite willing you should go and see th’ old
woman； for you’re one as is allays welcome in trouble； Methodist
or no Methodist； but； for the matter o’ that； it’s the flesh and blood
folks are made on as makes the difference。 Some cheeses are
made o’ skimmed milk and some o’ new milk； and it’s no matter
what you call ’em； you may tell which is which by the look and the
smell。 But as to Thias Bede； he’s better out o’ the way nor in—God
forgi’ me for saying so—for he’s done little this ten year but make
trouble for them as belonged to him； and I think it ’ud be well for
you to take a little bottle o’ rum for th’ old woman； for I daresay
she’s got never a drop o’ nothing to comfort her inside。 Sit down；
child； and be easy； for you shan’t stir out till you’ve had a cup o’
tea； and so I tell you。”
During the latter part of this speech； Mrs。 Poyser had been
reaching down the tea…things from the shelves； and was on her
way towards the pantry for the loaf （followed close by Totty； who
had made her appearance on the rattling of the tea…cups）； when
Hetty came out of the dairy relieving her tired arms by lifting them
up； and clasping her hands at the back of her head。
“Molly；” she said； rather languidly； “just run out and get me a
bunch of dock…leaves： the butter’s ready to pack up now。”
“D’ you hear what’s happened； Hetty？” said her aunt。
“No； how should I hear anything？” was the answer； in a pettish
tone。
“Not as you’d care much； I daresay； if you did hear； for you’re
too feather…headed to mind if everybody was dead； so as you could
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stay upstairs a…dressing yourself for two hours by the clock。 But
anybody besides yourself ’ud mind about such things happening to
them as think a deal more of you than you deserve。 But Adam
Bede and all his kin might be drownded for what you’d care—
you’d be perking at the glass the next minute。”
“Adam Bede—drowned？” said Hetty； letting her arms fall and
looking rather bewildered； but suspecting that her aunt was as
usual exaggerating with a didactic purpose。
“No； my dear； no；” said Dinah kindly； for Mrs。 Poyser had
passed on to the pantry without deigning more precise
information。 “Not Adam。 Adam’s father；
