lizzie leigh-第2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！



wind　was　blowing　soft　among　the　hollows；　I've　fancied　（it　could　but

be　fancy；　thou　knowest）　I　heard　her　crying　upon　me；　and　I've　thought

the　voice　came　closer　and　closer；　till　at　last　it　was　sobbing　out；

'Mother！'　close　to　the　door；　and　I've　stolen　down；　and　undone　the

latch　before　now；　and　looked　out　into　the　still；　black　night；

thinking　to　see　herand　turned　sick　and　sorrowful　when　I　heard　no

living　sound　but　the　sough　of　the　wind　dying　away。　　Oh；　speak　not　to

me　of　stopping　here；　when　she　may　be　perishing　for　hunger；　like　the

poor　lad　in　the　parable。〃　　And　now　she　lifted　up　her　voice；　and　wept

aloud。



Will　was　deeply　grieved。　　He　had　been　old　enough　to　be　told　the

family　shame　when；　more　than　two　years　before；　his　father　had　had　his

letter　to　his　daughter　returned　by　her　mistress　in　Manchester；

telling　him　that　Lizzie　had　left　her　service　some　timeand　why。　　He

had　sympathized　with　his　father's　stern　anger；　though　he　had　thought

him　something　hard；　it　is　true；　when　he　had　forbidden　his　weeping；

heart…broken　wife　to　go　and　try　to　find　her　poor　sinning　child；　and

declared　that　henceforth　they　would　have　no　daughter；　that　she　should

be　as　one　dead；　and　her　name　never　more　be　named　at　market　or　at　meal

time；　in　blessing　or　in　prayer。　　He　had　held　his　peace；　with

compressed　lips　and　contracted　brow；　when　the　neighbours　had　noticed

to　him　how　poor　Lizzie's　death　had　aged　both　his　father　and　his

mother；　and　how　they　thought　the　bereaved　couple　would　never　hold　up

their　heads　again。　　He　himself　had　felt　as　if　that　one　event　had　made

him　old　before　his　time；　and　had　envied　Tom　the　tears　he　had　shed

over　poor；　pretty；　innocent；　dead　Lizzie。　　He　thought　about　her

sometimes；　till　he　ground　his　teeth　together；　and　could　have　struck

her　down　in　her　shame。　　His　mother　had　never　named　her　to　him　until

now。



〃Mother！〃　said　he；　at　last。　　〃She　may　be　dead。　　Most　likely　she　is〃



〃No；　Will；　she　is　not　dead；〃　said　Mrs。　Leigh。　　〃God　will　not　let　her

die　till　I've　seen　her　once　again。　　Thou　dost　not　know　how　I've

prayed　and　prayed　just　once　again　to　see　her　sweet　face；　and　tell　her

I've　forgiven　her；　though　she's　broken　my　heartshe　has；　Will。〃　　She

could　not　go　on　for　a　minute　or　two　for　the　choking　sobs。　　〃Thou　dost

not　know　that；　or　thou　wouldst　not　say　she　could　be　deadfor　God　is

very　merciful；　Will；　He　is：　　He　is　much　more　pitiful　than　man。　　I

could　never　ha'　spoken　to　thy　father　as　I　did　to　Himand　yet　thy

father　forgave　her　at　last。　　The　last　words　he　said　were　that　he

forgave　her。　　Thou'lt　not　be　harder　than　thy　father；　Will？　　Do　not

try　and　hinder　me　going　to　seek　her；　for　it's　no　use。〃



Will　sat　very　still　for　a　long　time　before　he　spoke。　　At　last　he

said；　〃I'll　not　hinder　you。　　I　think　she's　dead；　but　that's　no

matter。〃



〃She's　not　dead；〃　said　her　mother；　with　low　earnestness。　　Will　took

no　notice　of　the　interruption。



〃We　will　all　go　to　Manchester　for　a　twelvemonth；　and　let　the　farm　to

Tom　Higginbotham。　　I'll　get　blacksmith's　work；　and　Tom　can　have　good

schooling　for　awhile；　which　he's　always　craving　for。　　At　the　end　of

the　year　you'll　come　back；　mother；　and　give　over　fretting　for　Lizzie；

and　think　with　me　that　she　is　deadand；　to　my　mind；　that　would　be

more　comfort　than　to　think　of　her　living；〃　he　dropped　his　voice　as　he

spoke　these　last　words。　　She　shook　her　head　but　made　no　answer。　　He

asked　again〃Will　you；　mother；　agree　to　this？〃



〃I'll　agree　to　it　a…this…ns；〃　said　she。　　〃If　I　hear　and　see　nought　of

her　for　a　twelvemonth；　me　being　in　Manchester　looking　out；　I'll　just

ha'　broken　my　heart　fairly　before　the　year's　ended；　and　then　I　shall

know　neither　love　nor　sorrow　for　her　any　more；　when　I'm　at　rest　in　my

grave。　　I'll　agree　to　that；　Will。〃



〃Well；　I　suppose　it　must　be　so。　　I　shall　not　tell　Tom；　mother；　why

we're　flitting　to　Manchester。　　Best　spare　him。〃



〃As　thou　wilt；〃　said　she；　sadly；　〃so　that　we　go；　that's　all。〃



Before　the　wild　daffodils　were　in　flower　in　the　sheltered　copses

round　Upclose　Farm；　the　Leighs　were　settled　in　their　Manchester　home；

if　they　could　ever　grow　to　consider　that　place　as　a　home；　where　there

was　no　garden　or　outbuilding；　no　fresh　breezy　outlet；　no　far…

stretching　view；　over　moor　and　hollow；　no　dumb　animals　to　be　tended；

and；　what　more　than　all　they　missed；　no　old　haunting　memories；　even

though　those　remembrances　told　of　sorrow；　and　the　dead　and　gone。



Mrs。　Leigh　heeded　the　loss　of　all　these　things　less　than　her　sons。

She　had　more　spirit　in　her　countenance　than　she　had　had　for　months；

because　now　she　had　hope；　of　a　sad　enough　kind；　to　be　sure；　but　still

it　was　hope。　　She　performed　all　her　household　duties；　strange　and

complicated　as　they　were；　and　bewildered　as　she　was　with　all　the　town

necessities　of　her　new　manner　of　life；　but　when　her　house　was

〃sided；〃　and　the　boys　come　home　from　their　work　in　the　evening；　she

would　put　on　her　things　and　steal　out；　unnoticed；　as　she　thought；　but

not　without　many　a　heavy　sigh　from　Will；　after　she　had　closed　the

house…door　and　departed。　　It　was　often　past　midnight　before　she　came

back；　pale　and　weary；　with　almost　a　guilty　look　upon　her　face；　but

that　face　so　full　of　disappointment　and　hope　deferred；　that　Will　had

never　the　heart　to　say　what　he　thought　of　the　folly　and　hopelessness

of　the　search。　　Night　after　night　it　was　renewed；　till　days　grew　to

weeks；　and　weeks　to　months。　　All　this　time　Will　did　his　duty　towards

her　as　well　as　he　could；　without　having　sympathy　with　her。　　He　stayed

at　home　in　the　evenings　for　Tom's　sake；　and　often　wished　he　had　Tom's

pleasure　in　reading；　for　the　time　hung　heavy　on　his　hands　as　he　sat

up　for　his　mother。



I　need　not　tell　you　how　the　mother　spent　the　weary　hours。　　And　yet　I

will　tell　you　something。　　She　used　to　wander　out；　at　first　as　if

without　a　purpose；　till　she　rallied　her　thoughts；　and　brought　all　her

energies　to　bear　on　the　one　point；　then　she　went　with　earnest

patience　along　the　least…known　ways　to　some　new　part　of　the　town；

looking　wistfully　with　dumb　entreaty　into　people's　faces；　sometimes

catching　a　glimpse　of　a　figure　which　had　a　kind　of　momentary　likeness

to　her　child's；　and　following　that　figure　with　never…wearying

perseverance；　till　some　light　from　shop　or　lamp　showed　the　cold

strange　face　which　was　not　her　daughter's。　　Once　or　twice　a　kind…

hearted　passer…by；　struck　by　her　look　of　yearning　woe；　turned　back

and　offered　help；　or　asked　her　what　she　wanted。　　When　so　spoken　to；

she　answered　only；　〃You　don't　know　a　poor　girl　they　call　Lizzie

Leigh；　do　you？〃　and　when　they　denied　all　knowledge；　she　shook　her

head；　and　went　on　again。　　I　think　they　believed　her　to　be　crazy。　　But

she　never　spoke　first　to　any　one。　　She　sometimes　took　a　few　minutes'

rest　on　the　door…steps；　and　sometimes　（very　seldom）　covered　her　face

and　cried；　but　she　could　not　afford　to　lose　time　and　chances　in　this

way；　while　her　eyes　were　blinded　with　tears；　the　lost　one　might　pass

by　unseen。



One　evening；　in　the　rich　time　of　shortening　autumn…days；　Will　saw　an

old　man；　who；　without　being　absolutely　drunk；　could　not　guide　himself

rightly　along　the　foot…path；　and　was　mocked　for　his　unsteadiness　of

gait　by　the　idle　boys　of　the　neighbourhood。　　For　his　father's　sake；

Will　regarded　old　age　with　tenderness；　even　when　most　degraded　and

removed　from　the　stern　virtues　which　dignified　that　father；　so　he

took　the　old　man　home；　and　seemed　to　believe　his　often…repeated

assertions；　that　he　drank　nothing　but　water。　　The　stranger　tried　to

stiffen　himself　up　into　steadiness　as　he　drew　nearer　home；　as　if

there　some　one　there　for　whose　respect　he　cared　even　in　his　half…

intoxicated　state；　or　whose　feelings　he　feared　to　grieve。　　His　home

was　exquisitely　clean　and　neat；　even　in　outside　appearance；

threshold；　window；　and　windowsill　were　outward　signs　of　some　spirit

of　purity　within。　　Will　was　rewarded　for　his　attention　by　a　bright

glance　of　thanks；　succeeded　by　a　blush　of　shame；　from　a　young　woman

of　twenty　or　thereabouts。　　She　did　not　speak　or　second　her　father's

hospitable　invitations　to　him　to　be　seated。　　She　seemed　unwilling

that　a　stranger　should　witness　her　father's　attempts　at　stately

sobriety；　and　Will　could　not　bear　to　stay　and　see　her　distress。　　But

when　the　old　man；　with　many　a　flabby　shake　of　the　hand；　kept　asking

him　to　come　again　some　other　evening；　and　see　them；　Will　sought　her

downcast　eyes；　and；　though　he　could　not　read　their　veiled　meaning；　he

answered；　timidly；　〃If　it's　agreeable　to　everybody；　I'll　come；　and

thank　ye。〃　　But　there　was　no　answer　from　the　girl；　to　whom　this

speech　was　in　reality　addressed；　and　Will　left　the　house；　liking　her

all　the　better　for　never　speaking。



He　thought　about　her　a　great　deal　for　the　next　day　or　two；　he　scolded

himself　for　being　so　foolish　as　to　think　of　her；　and　then　fell　to

with　fresh　vigour；　and　thought　of　her　more　than　ever。　　He　tried　to

depreciate　her：　　he　told　himself　she　was　not　pretty；　and　then　made

indignant　answer　that　he　liked　her　looks　much　better　than　any　beauty

of　them　all。　　He　wished　he　was　not　so　country…looking；　so　red…faced；

so　broad…shouldered；　while　she　was　like　a　lady；　with　her　smooth；

colourless　complexion；　her　bright　dark　hair；　and　her　spotless　dress。

Pretty　or　not　pretty　she　drew　his　footsteps　towards　her；　he　could　not

resist　the　impulse　that　made　him　wish　to　see　her　once　more；　and　find

out　some　fault　which　should　unloose　his　heart　from　her　unconscious

keeping。　　But　there　she　was；　pure　and　maidenly　as　before。　　He　sat　and

looked；　answering　her　father　at　cross…purposes；　while　she　drew　more

and　more　into　the　shadow　of　the　chimney…corner　out　of　sight。　　Then

the　spirit　that　possessed　him　（it　was　not　he　himself；　sure；　that　did

so　impudent　a　thing！）　made　him　get　up　and　carry　the　candle　to　a

different　place；　under　the　pretence　of　giving　her　more　light　at　her

sewing；　but　in　reality　to　be　able　to　see　her　better。　　She　could　not

stand　this　much　longer；　but　jumped　up　and　said　she　must　put　her

little　niece　to　bed；　and　surely　there　never　was；　before　or　since；　so

troublesome　a　child　of　two　years　old；　for　though　Will　stayed　an　hour

and　a　half　longer；　she　never　came　down　again。　　He　won　the　father's

heart；　though；　by　his　capacity　as　a　listener；　for　some　people　are　not

at　all　particular；　and；　so　that　they　themselves　may　talk　on

undisturbed；　are　not　so　unreasonable　as　to　expect　attention　to　what

they　say。



Will　did　gather　this　much；　however；　from　the　old　man's　talk。　　He　had

once　been　quite　in　a　genteel　line　of　business；　but　had　failed　for

more　money　than　any　greengrocer　he　had　heard　of；　at　least；　any　who

did　not　mix　up　fish　and　game　with　green…grocery　proper。　　This　grand

failure　seemed　to　have　been　the　event　of　his　life；　and　one　on　which

he　dwelt　with　a　strange　kind　of　pride。　　It　appeared　as　if　at　present

he　rested　from　his　past　exertions　（in　the　bankrupt　line）；　and

depended　on　his　daughter；　who　kept　a　small　school　for　very