poor miss finch-第2章

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The　poor　young　lady　had　one　great　pleasure　to　illumine　her　dark
lifeMusic。　Her　companion　was　wanted　to　play　from　the　book；　and　play
worthily；　the　works　of　the　great　masters　（whom　this　young　creature
adored）and　she；　listening；　would　take　her　place　next　at　the　piano；　and
reproduce　the　music　morsel　by　morsel；　by　ear。　A　professor　was　appointed
to　pronounce　sentence　on　me；　and　declare　if　I　could　be　trusted　not　to
misinterpret　Mozart；　Beethoven；　and　the　other　masters　who　have　written
for　the　piano。　Through　this　ordeal　I　passed　with　success。　As　for　my
references；　they　spoke　for　themselves。　Not　even　the　lawyer　（though　he
tried　hard）　could　pick　holes　in　them。　It　was　arranged　on　both　sides　that
I　should；　in　the　first　instance；　go　on　a　month's　visit　to　the　young　lady。
If　we　both　wished　it　at　the　end　of　the　time；　I　was　to　stay；　on　terms
arranged　to　my　perfect　satisfaction。　There　was　our　treaty！

The　next　day　I　started　for　my　visit　by　the　railway。

My　instructions　directed　me　to　travel　to　the　town　of　Lewes　in　Sussex。
Arrived　there；　I　was　to　ask　for　the　pony…chaise　of　my　young　lady's
fatherdescribed　on　his　card　as　Reverend　Tertius　Finch。　The　chaise　was
to　take　me　to　the　rectory…house　in　the　village　of　Dimchurch。　And　the
village　of　Dimchurch　was　situated　among　the　South　Down　Hills；　three　or
four　miles　from　the　coast。

When　I　stepped　into　the　railway　carriage；　this　was　all　I　knew。　After　my
adventurous　lifeafter　the　volcanic　agitations　of　my　republican　career
in　the　Doctor's　timewas　I　about　to　bury　myself　in　a　remote　English
village；　and　live　a　life　as　monotonous　as　the　life　of　a　sheep　on　a　hill？
Ah；　with　all　my　experience；　I　had　yet　to　learn　that　the　narrowest　human
limits　are　wide　enough　to　contain　the　grandest　human　emotions。　I　had　seen
the　Drama　of　Life　amid　the　turmoil　of　tropical　revolutions。　I　was　to　see
it　again；　with　all　its　palpitating　interest；　in　the　breezy　solitudes　of
the　South　Down　Hills。

CHAPTER　THE　SECOND

Madame　Pratolungo　makes　a　Voyage　on　Land

A　WELL…FED　boy；　with　yellow　Saxon　hair；　a　little　shabby　green　chaise；　and
a　rough　brown　ponythese　objects　confronted　me　at　the　Lewes　Station。　I
said　to　the　boy；　〃Are　you　Reverend　Finch's　servant？〃　And　the　boy
answered；　〃I　be　he。〃

We　drove　through　the　towna　hilly　town　of　desolate　clean　houses。　No
living　creatures　visible　behind　the　jealously…shut　windows。　No　living
creatures　entering　or　departing　through　the　sad…colored　closed　doors。　No
theater；　no　place　of　amusement　except　an　empty　town…hall；　with　a　sad
policeman　meditating　on　its　spruce　white　steps。　No　customers　in　the
shops；　and　nobody　to　serve　them　behind　the　counter；　even　if　they　had
turned　up。　Here　and　there　on　the　pavements；　an　inhabitant　with　a　capacity
for　staring；　and　（apparently）　a　capacity　for　nothing　else。　I　said　to
Reverend　Finch's　boy；　〃Is　this　a　rich　place？〃　Reverend　Finch's　boy
brightened　and　answered；　〃That　it　be！〃　Good。　At　any　rate；　they　don't
enjoy　themselves　herethe　infamous　rich！

Leaving　this　town　of　unamused　citizens　immured　in　domestic　tombs；　we　got
on　a　fine　high　roadstill　ascendingwith　a　spacious　open　country　on
either　side　of　it。

A　spacious　open　country　is　a　country　soon　exhausted　by　a　sight…seer's
eye。　I　have　learnt　from　my　poor　Pratolungo　the　habit　of　searching　for　the
political　convictions　of　my　fellow…creatures；　when　I　find　myself　in
contact　with　them　in　strange　places。　Having　nothing　else　to　do；　I
searched　Finch's　boy。　His　political　programme；　I　found　to　be：As　much
meat　and　beer　as　I　can　contain；　and　as　little　work　to　do　for　it　as
possible。　In　return　for　this；　to　touch　my　hat　when　I　meet　the　Squire；　and
to　be　content　with　the　station　to　which　it　has　pleased　God　to　call　me。
Miserable　Finch's　boy！

We　reached　the　highest　point　of　the　road。　On　our　right　hand；　the　ground
sloped　away　gently　into　a　fertile　valleywith　a　village　and　a　church　in
it；　and　beyond；　an　abominable　privileged　enclosure　of　grass　and　trees
torn　from　the　community　by　a　tyrant；　and　called　a　Park；　with　the　palace
in　which　this　enemy　of　mankind　caroused　and　fattened；　standing　in　the
midst。　On　our　left　hand；　spread　the　open　countrya　magnificent　prospect
of　grand　grassy　hills；　rolling　away　to　the　horizon；　bounded　only　by　the
sky。　To　my　surprise；　Finch's　boy　descended；　took　the　pony　by　the　head；
and　deliberately　led　him　off　the　high　road；　and　on　to　the　wilderness　of
grassy　hills；　on　which　not　so　much　as　a　footpath　was　discernible
anywhere；　far　or　near。　The　chaise　began　to　heave　and　roll　like　a　ship　on
the　sea。　It　became　necessary　to　hold　with　both　hands　to　keep　my　place。　I
thought　first　of　my　luggagethen　of　myself。

〃How　much　is　there　of　this？〃　I　asked。

〃Three　mile　on't；〃　answered　Finch's　boy。

I　insisted　on　stopping　the　shipI　mean　the　chaiseand　on　getting　out。
We　tied　my　luggage　fast　with　a　rope；　and　then　we　went　on　again；　the　boy
at　the　pony's　head；　and　I　after　them　on　foot。

Ah；　what　a　walk　it　was！　What　air　over　my　head；　what　grass　under　my　feet！
The　sweetness　of　the　inner　land；　and　the　crisp　saltness　of　the　distant
sea；　were　mixed　in　that　delicious　breeze。　The　short　turf；　fragrant　with
odorous　herbs；　rose　and　fell　elastic；　underfoot。　The　mountain…piles　of
white　cloud　moved　in　sublime　procession　along　the　blue　field　of　heaven；
overhead。　The　wild　growth　of　prickly　bushes；　spread　in　great　patches　over
the　grass；　was　in　a　glory　of　yellow　bloom。　On　we　went；　now　up；　now　down；
now　bending　to　the　right；　and　now　turning　to　the　left。　I　looked　about　me。
No　house；　no　road；　no　paths；　fences；　hedges；　walls；　no　land…marks　of　any
sort。　All　round　us；　turn　which　way　we　might；　nothing　was　to　be　seen　but
the　majestic　solitude　of　the　hills。　No　living　creatures　appeared　but　the
white　dots　of　sheep　scattered　over　the　soft　green　distance；　and　the
skylark　singing　his　hymn　of　happiness；　a　speck　above　my　head。　Truly　a
wonderful　place！　Distant　not　more　than　a　morning's　drive　from　noisy　and
populous　Brightona　stranger　to　this　neighborhood　could　only　have　found
his　way　by　the　compass；　exactly　as　if　he　had　been　sailing　on　the　sea！　The
farther　we　penetrated　on　our　land…voyage；　the　more　wild　and　the　more
beautiful　the　solitary　landscape　grew。　The　boy　picked　his　way　as　he
chosethere　were　no　barriers　here。　Plodding　behind；　I　saw　nothing；　at
one　time；　but　the　back　of　the　chaise；　tilted　up　in　the　air；　both　boy　and
pony　being　invisibly　buried　in　the　steep　descent　of　the　hill。　At　other
times；　the　pitch　was　all　the　contrary　way；　the　whole　interior　of　the
ascending　chaise　was　disclosed　to　my　view；　and　above　the　chaise　the　pony；
and　above　the　pony　the　boyand；　ah；　my　luggage　swaying　and　rocking　in
the　frail　embraces　of　the　rope　that　held　it。　Twenty　times　did　I
confidently　expect　to　see　baggage；　chaise；　pony；　boy；　all　rolling　down
into　the　bottom　of　a　valley　together。　But　no！　Not　the　least　little
accident　happened　to　spoil　my　enjoyment　of　the　day。　Politically
contemptible；　Finch's　boy　had　his　merithe　was　master　of　his　subject　as
guide　and　pony…leader　among　the　South　Down　Hills。

Arrived　at　the　top　of　（as　it　seemed　to　me）　our　fiftieth　grassy　summit；　I
began　to　look　about　for　signs　of　the　village。

Behind　me；　rolled　back　the　long　undulations　of　the　hills；　with　the
cloud…shadows　moving　over　the　solitudes　that　we　had　left。　Before　me；　at　a
break　in　the　purple　distance；　I　saw　the　soft　white　line　of　the　sea。
Beneath　me；　at　my　feet；　opened　the　deepest　valley　I　had　noticed　yetwith
one　first　sign　of　the　presence　of　Man　scored　hideously　on　the　face　of
Nature；　in　the　shape　of　a　square　brown　patch　of　cleared　and　ploughed　land
on　the　grassy　slope。　I　asked　if　we　were　getting　near　the　village　now。
Finch's　boy　winked；　and　answered；　〃Yes；　we　be。〃

Astonishing　Finch's　boy！　Ask　him　what　questions　I　might；　the　resources　of
his　vocabulary　remained　invariably　the　same。　Still　this　youthful　Oracle
answered　always　in　three　monosyllabic　words！

We　plunged　into　the　valley。

Arrived　at　the　bottom；　I　discovered　another　sign　of　Man。　Behold　the　first
road　I　had　seen　yeta　rough　wagon…road　ploughed　deep　in　the　chalky　soil！
We　crossed　this；　and　turned　a　corner　of　a　hill。　More　signs　of　human　life。
Two　small　boys　started　up　out　of　a　ditchapparently　posted　as　scouts　to
give　notice　of　our　approach。　They　yelled；　and　set　off　running　before　us；
by　some　short　cut；　known　only　to　themselves。　We　turned　again；　round
another　winding　of　the　valley；　and　crossed　a　brook。　I　considered　it　my
duty　to　make　myself　acquainted　with　the　local　names。　What　was　the　brook
called？　It　was　called　〃The　Cockshoot〃！　And　the　great　hill；　here；　on　my
right？　It　was　called　〃The　Overblow〃！　Five　minutes　more；　and　we　saw　our
first　houselonely　and　littlebuilt　of　mortar　and　flint　from　the　hills。
A　name　to　this　also？　Certainly。　Name　of　〃Browndown。〃　Another　ten　minutes
of　walking；　involving　us　more　and　more　deeply　in　the　mysterious　green
windings　of　the　valleyand　the　great　event　of　the　day　happened　at　last。
Finch's　boy　pointed　before　him　with　his　whip；　and　said　（even　at　this
supreme　moment；　still　in　three　monosyllabic　words）：

〃Here　we　be！〃

So　this　is　Dimchurch！　I　shake　out　the　chalk…dust　from　the　skirts　of　my
dress。　I　long　（quite　vainly）　for　the　least　bit　of　looking…glass　to　see
myself　in。　Here　is　the　population　（to　the　number　of　at　least　five　or
six）；　gathered　together；　informed　by　the　scoutsand　it　is　my　woman's
business　to　produce　the　best　impression　of　myself　that　I　can。　We　advance
along　the　little　road。　I　smile　upon　the　population。　The　population　stares
at　me　in　return。　On　one　side；　I　remark　three　or　four　cottages；　and　a　bit
of　open　ground；　also　an　inn　named　〃The　Cross…Hands；〃　and　a　bit　more　of
open　ground；　also　a　tiny；　tiny　butcher's　shop；　with　sanguinary　insides　of
sheep　on　one　blue　pie…dish　in　the　window；　and　no　other　meat　than　that；
and　nothing　to　see　beyond；　but　again　the　open　ground；　and　again　the
hills；　indicating　the　end　of　the　village　this　side。　On　the　other　side
there　appears；　for　some　distance；　nothing　but　a　long　flint　wall　guarding
the　outhouses　of　a　farm。　Beyond　this；　comes　another　little　group　of
cottages；　with　the　seal　of　civilization　set　on　them；　in　the　form　of　a
post…office。　The　post…office　deals　in　general　commoditiesin　boots　and
bacon；　biscuits　and　flannel；　crinoline　petticoats　and　religious　tracts。
Farther　on；　behold　another　flint　wall；　a　garden；　and　a　private
dwelling…house；　proclaiming　itself　as　the　rectory。　Farther　yet；　on　rising
ground；　a　little　desolate　church；　with　a　tiny　white　circular　steeple；
topped　by　an　extinguisher　in　red　tiles。　Beyond　this；　the　hills　and　the
heavens　once　more。　And　there　is　Dimchurch！

As　for　the　inhabitantswhat　am　I　to　say？　I　suppose　I　must　tell　the
truth。

I　remarked　one　born　gentleman　among　the　inhabitants；　and　he　was　a
sheep…dog。　He　alone　did　the　honors　of　the　place。　He　had　a　stump　of　a
tail；　which　he　wagged　at　me　with　extreme　difficulty；　and　a　good　honest
white　and　black　face　which　he　poked　companionably　into　my　hand。　〃Welcome；
Madame　Pratolungo；　to　Dimchurch；　and　excuse　these　male　and　female
laborers　who　stand　and　stare　at　you。　The　good　God　who　makes　us　all　has
made　them　too；　but　has　not　succeeded　so　well　as　with　you　and　me。〃　I
happen　to　be　one　of　the　few　people　who　can　read　dogs'　language　as　written
in　dogs'　faces。　I　correctly　r