adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第68章
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the last twenty years； were being brought from Broxton and
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Hayslope in one of the farmer’s waggons； at Mr。 Irwine’s
suggestion。 The church…bells had struck up again now—a last
tune； before the ringers came down the hill to have their share in
the festival； and before the bells had finished； other music was
heard approaching； so that even Old Brown； the sober horse that
was drawing Mr。 Poyser’s cart； began to prick up his ears。 It was
the band of the Benefit Club； which had mustered in all its glory—
that is to say； in bright…blue scarfs and blue favours； and carrying
its banner with the motto； “Let brotherly love continue；”
encircling a picture of a stone…pit。
The carts； of course； were not to enter the Chase。 Every one
must get down at the lodges； and the vehicles must be sent back。
“Why； the Chase is like a fair a’ready；” said Mrs。 Poyser； as she
got down from the cart； and saw the groups scattered under the
great oaks； and the boys running about in the hot sunshine to
survey the tall poles surmounted by the fluttering garments that
were to be the prize of the successful climbers。 “I should ha’
thought there wasna so many people i’ the two parishes。 Mercy on
us！ How hot it is out o’ the shade！ Come here； Totty； else your little
face ’ull be burnt to a scratchin’！ They might ha’ cooked the
dinners i’ that open space an’ saved the fires。 I shall go to Mrs。
Best’s room an’ sit down。”
“Stop a bit； stop a bit；” said Mr。 Poyser。 “There’s th’ waggin
coming wi’ th’ old folks in’t； it’ll be such a sight as wonna come
o’er again； to see ’em get down an’ walk along all together。 You
remember some on ’em i’ their prime； eh； Father？”
“Aye； aye；” said old Martin； walking slowly under the shade of
the lodge porch； from which he could see the aged party descend。
“I remember Jacob Taft walking fifty mile after the Scotch
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raybels； when they turned back from Stoniton。”
He felt himself quite a youngster； with a long life before him； as
he saw the Hayslope patriarch； old Feyther Taft； descend from the
waggon and walk towards him； in his brown nightcap； and leaning
on his two sticks。
“Well； Mester Taft；” shouted old Martin； at the utmost stretch of
his voice—for though he knew the old man was stone deaf； he
could not omit the propriety of a greeting—“you’re hearty yet。 You
can enjoy yoursen to…day； for…all you’re ninety an’ better。”
“Your sarvant； mesters； your sarvant；” said Feyther Taft in a
treble tone； perceiving that he was in company。
The aged group； under care of sons or daughters； themselves
worn and grey； passed on along the least…winding carriage…road
towards the house； where a special table was prepared for them；
while the Poyser party wisely struck across the grass under the
shade of the great trees； but not out of view of the house…front；
with its sloping lawn and flower…beds； or of the pretty striped
marquee at the edge of the lawn； standing at right angles with two
larger marquees on each side of the open green space where the
games were to be played。 The house would have been nothing but
a plain square mansion of Queen Anne’s time； but for the remnant
of an old abbey to which it was united at one end； in much the
same way as one may sometimes see a new farmhouse rising high
and prim at the end of older and lower farm…offices。 The fine old
remnant stood a little backward and under the shadow of tall
beeches； but the sun was now on the taller and more advanced
front； the blinds were all down； and the house seemed asleep in
the hot midday。 It made Hetty quite sad to look at it： Arthur must
be somewhere in the back rooms； with the grand company； where
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he could not possibly know that she was come； and she should not
see him for a long； long while—not till after dinner； when they said
he was to come up and make a speech。
But Hetty was wrong in part of her conjecture。 No grand
company was come except the Irwines； for whom the carriage had
been sent early； and Arthur was at that moment not in a back
room； but walking with the rector into the broad stone cloisters of
the old abbey； where the long tables were laid for all the cottage
tenants and the farm…servants。 A very handsome young Briton he
looked to…day； in high spirits and a bright…blue frock…coat； the
highest mode—his arm no longer in a sling。 So open…looking and
candid； too； but candid people have their secrets； and secrets leave
no lines in young faces。
“Upon my word；” he said； as they entered the cool cloisters； “I
think the cottagers have the best of it： these cloisters make a
delightful dining…room on a hot day。 That was capital advice of
yours； Irwine； about the dinners—to let them be as orderly and
comfortable as possible； and only for the tenants： especially as I
had only a limited sum after all； for though my grandfather talked
of a carte blanche； he couldn’t make up his mind to trust me； when
it came to the point。”
“Never mind； you’ll give more pleasure in this quiet way；” said
Mr。 Irwine。 “In this sort of thing people are constantly
confounding liberality with riot and disorder。 It sounds very grand
to say that so many sheep and oxen were roasted whole； and
everybody ate who liked to come； but in the end it generally
happens that no one has had an enjoyable meal。 If the people get a
good dinner and a moderate quantity of ale in the middle of the
day； they’ll be able to enjoy the games as the day cools。 You can’t
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hinder some of them from getting too much towards evening； but
drunkenness and darkness go better together than drunkenness
and daylight。”
“Well； I hope there won’t be much of it。 I’ve kept the
Treddleston people away by having a feast for them in the town；
and I’ve got Casson and Adam Bede and some other good fellows
to look to the giving out of ale in the booths； and to take care
things don’t go too far。 Come； let us go up above now and see the
dinner…tables for the large tenants。”
They went up the stone staircase leading simply to the long
gallery above the cloisters； a gallery where all the dusty worthless
old pictures had been banished for the last three generations—
mouldy portraits of Queen Elizabeth and her ladies； General Monk
with his eye knocked out； Daniel very much in the dark among the
lions； and Julius Caesar on horseback； with a high nose and laurel
crown； holding his Commentaries in his hand。
“What a capital thing it is that they saved this piece of the old
abbey！” said Arthur。 “If I’m ever master here； I shall do up the
gallery in first…rate style。 We’ve got no room in the house a third as
large as this。 That second table is for the farmers’ wives and
children： Mrs。 Best said it would be more comfortable for the
mothers and children to be by themselves。 I was determined to
have the children； and make a regular family thing of it。 I shall be
’the old squire’ to those little lads and lasses some day； and they’ll
tell their children what a much finer young fellow I was than my
own son。 There’s a table for the women and children below as
well。 But you will see them all—you will come up with me after
dinner； I hope？”
“Yes； to be sure；” said Mr。 Irwine。 “I wouldn’t miss your maiden
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speech to the tenantry。”
“And there will be something else you’ll like to hear；” said
Arthur。 “Let us go into the library and I’ll tell you all about it while
my grandfather is in the drawing…room with the ladies。 Something
that will surprise you；” he continued； as they sat down。 “My
grandfather has come round after all。”
“What； about Adam？”
“Yes； I should have ridden over to tell you about it； only I was
so busy。 You know I told you I had quite given up arguing the
matter with him—I thought it was hopeless—but yesterday
morning he asked me to come in here to him before I went out；
and astonished me by saying that he had decided on all the new
arrangements he should make in consequence of old Satchell
being obliged to lay by work； and that he intended to employ
Adam in superintending the woods at a salary of a guinea a…week；
and the use of a pony to be kept here。 I believe the secret of it is；
he saw from the first it would be a profitable plan； but he had
some particular dislike of Adam to get over—and besides； the fact
that I propose a thing is generally a reason with him for rejecting
it。 There’s the most curious contradiction
