第 36 节
作者:
铲除不公 更新:2021-10-21 08:52 字数:9322
more clearly did he perceive that he was in a very bad way。
On reflection he remembered that since Miss Johnson's departure his
appetite had decreased amazingly。 He had eaten in meat no more than
fourteen or fifteen ounces a day; but one…third of a quartern
pudding on an average; in vegetables only a small heap of potatoes
and half a York cabbage; and no gravy whatever; which; considering
the usual appetite of a seaman for fresh food at the end of a long
voyage; was no small index of the depression of his mind。 Then he
had waked once every night; and on one occasion twice。 While
dressing each morning since the gloomy day he had not whistled more
than seven bars of a hornpipe without stopping and falling into
thought of a most painful kind; and he had told none but absolutely
true stories of foreign parts to the neighbouring villagers when
they saluted and clustered about him; as usual; for anything he
chose to pour forthexcept that story of the whale whose eye was
about as large as the round pond in Derriman's ewe…leasewhich was
like tempting fate to set a seal for ever upon his tongue as a
traveller。 All this enervation; mental and physical; had been
produced by Matilda's departure。
He also considered what he had lost of the rational amusements of
manhood during these unfortunate days。 He might have gone to the
neighbouring fashionable resort every afternoon; stood before
Gloucester Lodge till the King and Queen came out; held his hat in
his hand; and enjoyed their Majesties' smiles at his homage all for
nothingwatched the picket…mounting; heard the different bands
strike up; observed the staff; and; above all; have seen the pretty
town girls go trip…trip…trip along the esplanade; deliberately
fixing their innocent eyes on the distant sea; the grey cliffs; and
the sky; and accidentally on the soldiers and himself。
'I'll raze out her image;' he said。 'She shall make a fool of me no
more。' And his resolve resulted in conduct which had elements of
real greatness。
He went back to his father; whom he found in the mill…loft。 ''Tis
true; father; what you say;' he observed: 'my brains will turn to
bilge…water if I think of her much longer。 By the oath of a
navigator; I wish I could sigh less and laugh more! She's gonewhy
can't I let her go; and be happy? But how begin?'
'Take it careless; my son;' said the miller; 'and lay yourself out
to enjoy snacks and cordials。'
'Ahthat's a thought!' said Bob。
'Baccy is good for't。 So is sperrits。 Though I don't advise thee
to drink neat。'
'BaccyI'd almost forgot it!' said Captain Loveday。
He went to his room; hastily untied the package of tobacco that he
had brought home; and began to make use of it in his own way;
calling to David for a bottle of the old household mead that had
lain in the cellar these eleven years。 He was discovered by his
father three…quarters of an hour later as a half…invisible object
behind a cloud of smoke。
The miller drew a breath of relief。 'Why; Bob;' he said; 'I thought
the house was a…fire!'
'I'm smoking rather fast to drown my reflections; father。 'Tis no
use to chaw。'
To tempt his attenuated appetite the unhappy mate made David cook an
omelet and bake a seed…cake; the latter so richly compounded that it
opened to the knife like a freckled buttercup。 With the same object
he stuck night…lines into the banks of the mill…pond; and drew up
next morning a family of fat eels; some of which were skinned and
prepared for his breakfast。 They were his favourite fish; but such
had been his condition that; until the moment of making this effort;
he had quite forgotten their existence at his father's back…door。
In a few days Bob Loveday had considerably improved in tone and
vigour。 One other obvious remedy for his dejection was to indulge
in the society of Miss Garland; love being so much more effectually
got rid of by displacement than by attempted annihilation。 But
Loveday's belief that he had offended her beyond forgiveness; and
his ever…present sense of her as a woman who by education and
antecedents was fitted to adorn a higher sphere than his own;
effectually kept him from going near her for a long time;
notwithstanding that they were inmates of one house。 The reserve
was; however; in some degree broken by the appearance one morning;
later in the season; of the point of a saw through the partition
which divided Anne's room from the Loveday half of the house。
Though she dined and supped with her mother and the Loveday family;
Miss Garland had still continued to occupy her old apartments;
because she found it more convenient there to pursue her hobbies of
wool…work and of copying her father's old pictures。 The division
wall had not as yet been broken down。
As the saw worked its way downwards under her astonished gaze Anne
jumped up from her drawing; and presently the temporary canvasing
and papering which had sealed up the old door of communication was
cut completely through。 The door burst open; and Bob stood revealed
on the other side; with the saw in his hand。
'I beg your ladyship's pardon;' he said; taking off the hat he had
been working in; as his handsome face expanded into a smile。 'I
didn't know this door opened into your private room。'
'Indeed; Captain Loveday!'
'I am pulling down the division on principle; as we are now one
family。 But I really thought the door opened into your passage。'
'It don't matter; I can get another room。'
'Not at all。 Father wouldn't let me turn you out。 I'll close it up
again。'
But Anne was so interested in the novelty of a new doorway that she
walked through it; and found herself in a dark low passage which she
had never seen before。
'It leads to the mill;' said Bob。 'Would you like to go in and see
it at work? But perhaps you have already。'
'Only into the ground floor。'
'Come all over it。 I am practising as grinder; you know; to help my
father。'
She followed him along the dark passage; in the side of which he
opened a little trap; when she saw a great slimy cavern; where the
long arms of the mill…wheel flung themselves slowly and distractedly
round; and splashing water…drops caught the little light that
strayed into the gloomy place; turning it into stars and flashes。 A
cold mist…laden puff of air came into their faces; and the roar from
within made it necessary for Anne to shout as she said; 'It is
dismal! let us go on。'
Bob shut the trap; the roar ceased; and they went on to the inner
part of the mill; where the air was warm and nutty; and pervaded by
a fog of flour。 Then they ascended the stairs; and saw the stones
lumbering round and round; and the yellow corn running down through
the hopper。 They climbed yet further to the top stage; where the
wheat lay in bins; and where long rays like feelers stretched in
from the sun through the little window; got nearly lost among
cobwebs and timber; and completed their course by marking the
opposite wall with a glowing patch of gold。
In his earnestness as an exhibitor Bob opened the bolter; which was
spinning rapidly round; the result being that a dense cloud of flour
rolled out in their faces; reminding Anne that her complexion was
probably much paler by this time than when she had entered the mill。
She thanked her companion for his trouble; and said she would now go
down。 He followed her with the same deference as hitherto; and with
a sudden and increasing sense that of all cures for his former
unhappy passion this would have been the nicest; the easiest; and
the most effectual; if he had only been fortunate enough to keep her
upon easy terms。 But Miss Garland showed no disposition to go
further than accept his services as a guide; she descended to the
open air; shook the flour from her like a bird; and went on into the
garden amid the September sunshine; whose rays lay level across the
blue haze which the earth gave forth。 The gnats were dancing up and
down in airy companies; the nasturtium flowers shone out in groups
from the dark hedge over which they climbed; and the mellow smell of
the decline of summer was exhaled by everything。 Bob followed her
as far as the gate; looked after her; thought of her as the same
girl who had half encouraged him years ago; when she seemed so
superior to him; though now they were almost equal she apparently
thought him beneath her。 It was with a new sense of pleasure that
his mind flew to the fact that she was now an inmate of his father's
house。
His obsequious bearing was continued during the next week。 In the
busy hours of the day they seldom met; but they regularly
encountered each other at meals; and these cheerful occasions began
to have an interest for him quite irrespective of dishes and cups。
When Anne entered and took her seat she was always loudly hailed by
Miller Loveday as he whetted his knife; but from Bob she
condescended to accept no such familiar greeting; and they often sat
down together as if each had a blind eye in the direction of the
other。 Bob sometimes told serious and correct stories about sea…
captains; pilots; boatswains; mates; able seamen; and other curious
fauna of the marine world; but these were dire