amy foster-第6章
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could not； however； break him of his habit of cross…
ing himself； but he went so far as to take off the
string with a couple of brass medals the size of a
sixpence； a tiny metal cross； and a square sort of
scapulary which he wore round his neck。 He hung
them on the wall by the side of his bed； and he was
still to be heard every evening reciting the Lord's
Prayer； in incomprehensible words and in a slow；
fervent tone； as he had heard his old father do at
the head of all the kneeling family； big and little；
on every evening of his life。 And though he wore
corduroys at work； and a slop…made pepper…and…
salt suit on Sundays； strangers would turn round
to look after him on the road。 His foreignness had
a peculiar and indelible stamp。 At last people be…
came used to see him。 But they never became used
to him。 His rapid； skimming walk； his swarthy
complexion； his hat cocked on the left ear； his hab…
it； on warm evenings； of wearing his coat over one
shoulder； like a hussar's dolman； his manner of
leaping over the stiles； not as a feat of agility； but
in the ordinary course of progressionall these
peculiarities were； as one may say； so many causes
of scorn and offence to the inhabitants of the vil…
lage。 They wouldn't in their dinner hour lie flat
on their backs on the grass to stare at the sky。
Neither did they go about the fields screaming dis…
mal tunes。 Many times have I heard his high…
pitched voice from behind the ridge of some slop…
ing sheep…walk； a voice light and soaring； like a
lark's； but with a melancholy human note； over our
fields that hear only the song of birds。 And I
should be startled myself。 Ah！ He was different：
innocent of heart； and full of good will； which no…
body wanted； this castaway； that； like a man trans…
planted into another planet； was separated by an
immense space from his past and by an immense
ignorance from his future。 His quick； fervent ut…
terance positively shocked everybody。 'An excit…
able devil；' they called him。 One evening； in the
tap…room of the Coach and Horses （having drunk
some whisky）； he upset them all by singing a love
song of his country。 They hooted him down； and
he was pained； but Preble； the lame wheelwright；
and Vincent； the fat blacksmith； and the other nota…
bles too； wanted to drink their evening beer in
peace。 On another occasion he tried to show them
how to dance。 The dust rose in clouds from the
sanded floor； he leaped straight up amongst the
deal tables； struck his heels together； squatted on
one heel in front of old Preble； shooting out the
other leg； uttered wild and exulting cries； jumped up
to whirl on one foot； snapping his fingers above his
headand a strange carter who was having a drink
in there began to swear； and cleared out with his
half…pint in his hand into the bar。 But when sud…
denly he sprang upon a table and continued to
dance among the glasses； the landlord interfered。
He didn't want any 'acrobat tricks in the tap…
room。' They laid their hands on him。 Having
had a glass or two； Mr。 Swaffer's foreigner tried
to expostulate： was ejected forcibly： got a black
eye。
〃I believe he felt the hostility of his human sur…
roundings。 But he was toughtough in spirit；
too； as well as in body。 Only the memory of the
sea frightened him； with that vague terror that is
left by a bad dream。 His home was far away； and
he did not want now to go to America。 I had often
explained to him that there is no place on earth
where true gold can be found lying ready and to be
got for the trouble of the picking up。 How then；
he asked； could he ever return home with empty
hands when there had been sold a cow； two ponies；
and a bit of land to pay for his going？ His eyes
would fill with tears； and； averting them from the
immense shimmer of the sea； he would throw him…
self face down on the grass。 But sometimes； cock…
ing his hat with a little conquering air； he would
defy my wisdom。 He had found his bit of true
gold。 That was Amy Foster's heart； which was 'a
golden heart； and soft to people's misery；' he
would say in the accents of overwhelming convic…
tion。
〃He was called Yanko。 He had explained that
this meant little John； but as he would also repeat
very often that he was a mountaineer （some word
sounding in the dialect of his country like Goorall）
he got it for his surname。 And this is the only
trace of him that the succeeding ages may find in
the marriage register of the parish。 There it
standsYanko Goorallin the rector's handwrit…
ing。 The crooked cross made by the castaway； a
cross whose tracing no doubt seemed to him the
most solemn part of the whole ceremony； is all that
remains now to perpetuate the memory of his name。
〃His courtship had lasted some timeever since
he got his precarious footing in the community。 It
began by his buying for Amy Foster a green satin
ribbon in Darnford。 This was what you did in his
country。 You bought a ribbon at a Jew's stall on
a fair…day。 I don't suppose the girl knew what to
do with it； but he seemed to think that his honoura…
ble intentions could not be mistaken。
〃It was only when he declared his purpose to
get married that I fully understood how； for a hun…
dred futile and inappreciable reasons； howshall
I say odious？he was to all the countryside。
Every old woman in the village was up in arms。
Smith； coming upon him near the farm； promised
to break his head for him if he found him about
again。 But he twisted his little black moustache
with such a bellicose air and rolled such big； black
fierce eyes at Smith that this promise came to noth…
ing。 Smith； however； told the girl that she must
be mad to take up with a man who was surely wrong
in his head。 All the same； when she heard him in
the gloaming whistle from beyond the orchard a
couple of bars of a weird and mournful tune； she
would drop whatever she had in her handshe
would leave Mrs。 Smith in the middle of a sentence
and she would run out to his call。 Mrs。 Smith
called her a shameless hussy。 She answered noth…
ing。 She said nothing at all to anybody； and went
on her way as if she had been deaf。 She and I alone
all in the land； I fancy； could see his very real
beauty。 He was very good…looking； and most
graceful in his bearing； with that something wild
as of a woodland creature in his aspect。 Her moth…
er moaned over her dismally whenever the girl came
to see her on her day out。 The father was surly；
but pretended not to know； and Mrs。 Finn once
told her plainly that 'this man； my dear； will do
you some harm some day yet。' And so it went on。
They could be seen on the roads； she tramping stol…
idly in her finerygrey dress； black feather； stout
boots； prominent white cotton gloves that caught
your eye a hundred yards away； and he； his coat
slung picturesquely over one shoulder； pacing by
her side； gallant of bearing and casting tender
glances upon the girl with the golden heart。 I
wonder whether he saw how plain she was。 Perhaps
among types so different from what he had ever
seen； he had not the power to judge； or perhaps
he was seduced by the divine quality of her
pity。
〃Yanko was in great trouble meantime。 In his
country you get an old man for an ambassador in
marriage affairs。 He did not know how to pro…
ceed。 However； one day in the midst of sheep in a
field （he was now Swaffer's under…shepherd with
Foster） he took off his hat to the father and de…
clared himself humbly。 'I daresay she's fool
enough to marry you；' was all Foster said。 'And
then；' he used to relate； 'he puts his hat on his head；
looks black at me as if he wanted to cut my throat；
whistles the dog； and off he goes； leaving me to do
the work。' The Fosters； of course； didn't like to
lose the wages the girl earned： Amy used to give all
her money to her mother。 But there was in Foster
a very genuine aversion to that match。 He con…
tended that the fellow was very good with sheep；
but was not fit for any girl to marry。 For one
thing； he used to go along the hedges muttering to
himself like a dam' fool； and then； these foreign…
ers behave very queerly to women sometimes。 And
perhaps he would want to carry her off somewhere
or run off himself。 It was not safe。 He
preached it to his daughter that the fellow might
ill…use her in some way。 She made no answer。 It
was； they said in the village； as if the man had done
something to her。 People discussed the matter。 It
was quite an excitement； and the two went on
'walking out' together in the face of opposition。
Then something unexpected happened。
〃I don't know whether old Swaffer ever under…
stood how much he was regarded in the light of a
father by his foreign retainer。 Anyway the rela…
tion was curiously feudal。 So when Yanko asked
formally for an interview'and the Miss too' （he
called the severe； deaf Miss Swaffer simply Miss）
it was to obtain their permission to marry。
Swaffer heard him unmoved； dismissed him by a
nod； and then shouted the intelligence into Miss
Swaffer's best ear。 She showed no surprise； and
only remarked grimly； in a veiled blank voice； 'He
certainly won't get any other girl to marry him。'
〃It is Miss Swaffer who has all the credit of the
munificence： but in a very few days it came out
that Mr。 Swaffer had presented Yanko with a cot…
tage （the cottage you've seen this morning） and
something like an acre of groundhad made it
over to him in absolute property。 Willcox expe…
dited the deed； and I remember him telling me he
had a great pleasure in making it ready。 It re…
cited： 'In consideration of saving the life of my
beloved grandchild； Bertha Willcox。'
〃Of course； after that no power on earth could
prevent them from getting married。
〃Her infatuation endured。 People saw her go…
ing out to meet him in the evening。 She stared
with unblinking； fascinated eyes up the road where
he was expected to appear； walking freely； with a
swing from the
