第 64 节
作者:温暖寒冬      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9296
  besides; she knew the funeral psalm was going to be sung for him。
  She felt this counter…excitement to her sorrow still more strongly
  as she walked with her sons towards the church door; and saw the
  friendly sympathetic nods of their fellow…parishioners。
  The   mother  and   sons passed into  the   church;   and   one   by   one
  the loiterers followed; though some still lingered without; the sight
  of  Mr。   Donnithorne’s   carriage;   which   was   winding   slowly   up   the
  hill; perhaps helping to make them feel that there was no need for
  haste。
  George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics
  … Page 258…
  Adam Bede                                      258
  But    presently    the   sound    of  the  bassoon     and    the  key…bugles
  burst forth; the evening  hymn;  which always   opened   the  service;
  had begun; and every one must now enter and take his place。
  I   cannot     say   that   the    interior    of  Hayslope      Church      was
  remarkable       for   anything     except   for   the  grey    age   of  its  oaken
  pews—great square pews mostly; ranged on each side of a narrow
  aisle。   It   was   free;   indeed;   from   the   modern   blemish   of   galleries。
  The choir had two narrow pews to themselves in the middle of the
  right…hand row; so that it was a short process for Joshua Rann to
  take   his   place   among   them   as   principal   bass;   and   return   to   his
  desk after the singing was over。 The pulpit and desk; grey and old
  as the pews; stood on one side of the arch leading into the chancel;
  which also had its grey square pews for Mr。 Donnithorne’s family
  and   servants。   Yet   I   assure   you   these   grey   pews;   with   the   buff…
  washed   walls;   gave   a   very   pleasing   tone   to   this   shabby   interior;
  and     agreed    extremely      well   with    the   ruddy    faces   and    bright
  waistcoats。 And there were liberal touches of crimson toward the
  chancel;     for   the   pulpit   and    Mr。   Donnithorne’s       own    pew    had
  handsome   crimson   cloth   cushions;   and;   to   close   the   vista;   there
  was a crimson altar…cloth; embroidered with golden   rays by  Miss
  Lydia’s own hand。
  But even without the crimson cloth; the effect must have been
  warm   and   cheering   when         Mr。   Irwine    was   in  the  desk;   looking
  benignly   round   on   that   simple   congregation—on   the            hardy   old
  men; with bent knees and shoulders; perhaps; but with vigour left
  for much hedge…clipping and thatching; on the tall stalwart frames
  and roughly cut bronzed faces of the stone…cutters and carpenters;
  on    the  half…dozen     well…to…do    farmers;     with   their  apple…cheeked
  families;    and    on   the  clean    old  women;      mostly    farm…labourers’
  George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics
  … Page 259…
  Adam Bede                                       259
  wives;   with   their   bit   of   snow…white   cap…border   under   their   black
  bonnets;      and    with   their   withered      arms;    bare   from    the   elbow;
  folded passively over their chests。 For none of the old people held
  books—why   should   they?   Not   one   of   them   could   read。   But   they
  knew   a   few   “good   words”   by   heart;   and   their   withered   lips   now
  and   then   moved   silently;   following   the   service   without   any   very
  clear comprehension indeed; but with a simple faith in its efficacy
  to   ward    off  harm     and    bring   blessing。    And    now    all  faces   were
  visible;   for   all   were   standing   up—the   little   children   on   the   seats
  peeping over the edge of the grey pews; while good Bishop Ken’s
  evening  hymn   was being  sung  to  one  of  those  lively psalm…tunes
  which      died   out   with   the   last  generation      of  rectors    and    choral
  parish clerks。 Melodies die out; like the pipe of Pan; with the ears
  that   love   them   and   listen   for   them。   Adam   was   not   in   his   usual
  place   among   the   singers   to…day;   for   he   sat   with   his   mother   and
  Seth; and he noticed with surprise that Bartle Massey was absent
  too—all the more agreeable for Mr。 Joshua Rann; who gave out his
  bass   notes   with   unusual   complacency   and   threw   an   extra   ray   of
  severity into the glances he sent over his spectacles at the recusant
  Will Maskery。
  I  beseech   you   to     imagine     Mr。   Irwine    looking     round    on   this
  scene; in his ample white surplice that became   him   so  well;   with
  his   powdered   hair  thrown   back;   his   rich  brown   complexion;   and
  his finely cut nostril and upper lip; for there was a certain virtue in
  that benignant yet keen countenance as there is in all human faces
  from which a generous soul beams out。 And over all streamed the
  delicious      June    sunshine      through     the   old   windows;      with    their
  desultory   patches   of   yellow;   red;   and   blue;   that   threw   pleasant
  touches of colour on the opposite wall。
  George Eliot                                                           ElecBook Classics
  … Page 260…
  Adam Bede                                       260
  I   think; as   Mr。   Irwine   looked   round   to…day;   his   eyes   rested   an
  instant longer  than   usual   on   the   square   pew  occupied   by  Martin
  Poyser   and   his   family。   And   there   was   another   pair   of   dark   eyes
  that   found   it   impossible   not   to   wander   thither;   and   rest   on   that
  round pink…and…white figure。 But Hetty was at that moment quite
  careless   of    any   glances—she        was    absorbed     in  the   thought   that
  Arthur   Donnithorne   would   soon   be   coming   into   church;   for   the
  carriage must surely be at the church…gate by  this   time。  She   had
  never     seen    him    since    she    parted    with    him    in   the   wood     on
  Thursday evening; and oh; how long the time had seemed! Things
  had gone on just the same as ever since that evening; the wonders
  that had happened then had brought no changes after them; they
  were     already     like  a  dream。     When     she    heard    the   church     door
  swinging;   her  heart  beat  so;  she   dared not   look   up。   She   felt   that
  her aunt was curtsying; she curtsied herself。 That must be old Mr。
  Donnithorne—he always  came   first;   the   wrinkled   small   old   man;
  peering      round     with    short…sighted      glances     at  the   bowing      and
  curtsying   congregation;   then   she   knew   Miss   Lydia   was   passing;
  and   though   Hetty   liked   so   much   to   look   at   her   fashionable   little
  coal…scuttle   bonnet;   with   the   wreath   of   small   roses   round   it;   she
  didn’t mind it to…day。 But there were no more curtsies—no; he was
  not   come;   she   felt   sure   there   was   nothing   else   passing   the   pew
  door   but   the   house…keeper’s   black   bonnet   and   the   lady’s   maid’s
  beautiful straw hat that had once been Miss Lydia’s; and then the
  powdered heads of the butler and footman。 No; he was not there;
  yet she would look now—she might be mistaken—for; after all; she
  had not looked。 So she lifted up her eyelids and glanced timidly at
  the cushioned pew in the chancel—there was no one but old Mr。
  Donnithorne   rubbing  his spectacles   with  his   white   handkerchief;
  George Eliot                                                           ElecBook Classics
  … Page 261…
  Adam Bede                                      261
  and Miss Lydia opening the large gilt…edged prayer…book。 The chill
  disappointment was too hard to bear。 She felt herself turning pale;
  her lips trembling; she was ready to cry。 Oh; what should she do?
  Everybody   would         know    the   reason;    they   would     know    she   was
  crying   because   Arthur   was        not   there。   And    Mr。  Craig;    with   the
  wonderful   hothouse   plant   in   his   button…hole;   was   staring   at   her;
  she   knew。   It   was   dreadfully   long   before   the   General   Confession
  began; so that she   could kneel   down。   Two  great  drops would   fall
  then;   but   no   one   saw   them   except   good…natured   Molly;   for   her
  aunt and uncle knelt with their backs towards her。 Molly; unable
  to imagine any cause for tears in church except faintness; of which
  she had a vague traditional knowledge;  drew  out  of  her  pocket  a
  queer     little  flat   blue  smelling…bottle;     and   after   much    labour    in
  pulling     the