Chapter 44.docx

Chapter 44.docx

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Chapter44

Chapter4

Rolliver'sinn,thesinglealehouseatthisendofthelongandbrokenvillage,couldonlyboastofanoff-license;licence,asnobodycouldlegallydrinkonthepremises,theamountofovertaccommodationforconsumerswasstrictlylimitedtoalittleboardaboutsixincheswideandtwoyardslong,fixedtothegardenpalingsbypiecesofwire,soastoformaledge.Onthisboardthirstystrangersdepositedtheircupsastheystoodintheroadanddrank,andthrewthedregsonthedustygroundtothepatternofPolynesia,andwishedtheycouldhavearestfulseatinside.

Thusthestrangers.Buttherewerealsolocalcustomerswhofeltthesamewish;andwherethere'sawillthere'saway.

Inalargebedroomupstairs,thewindowofwhichwasthicklycurtainedwithagreatwoollenshawllatelydiscardedbythelandladyMrsRolliver,weregatheredonthiseveningnearlyadozenpersons,allseekingbeatitude;alloldinhabitantsofthenearerendofMarlott,andfrequentersofthisretreat.NotonlydidthedistancetoThePureDrop,thefully-licensedtavernatthefurtherpartofthedispersedvillage,renderitsaccommodationpracticallyunavailablefordwellersatthisend;butthefarmoreseriousquestion,thequalityoftheliquor,confirmedtheprevalentopinionthatitwasbettertodrinkwithRolliverinacornerofthehousetopthanwiththeotherlandlordinawidehouse.

Agauntfour-postbedsteadwhichstoodintheroomaffordedsitting-spaceforseveralpersonsgatheredroundthreeofitssides;acouplemoremenhadelevatedthemselvesonachestofdrawers;anotherrestedontheoak-carved`cwoffer';twoonthewashstand;anotheronthestool;andthusallwere,somehow,seatedattheirease.Thestageofmentalcomforttowhichtheyhadarrivedathishourwasonewhereintheirsoulsexpandedbeyondtheirskins,andspreadtheirpersonalitieswarmlythroughtheroom.Inthisprocessthechamberanditsfurnituregrewmoreandmoredignifiedandluxurious;theshawlhangingatthewindowtookuponitselftherichnessoftapestry;thebrasshandlesofthechestofdrawerswereasgoldenknockers;andthecarvedbed-postsseemedtohavesomekinshipwiththemagnificentpillarsofSolomon'stemple.

MrsDurbeyfield,havingquicklywalkedhitherwardafterpartingfromTess,openedthefrontdoor,crossedthedownstairsroom,whichwasindeepgloom,andthenunfastenedthestair-doorlikeonewhosefingersknewthetricksofthelatcheswell.Herascentofthecrookedstaircasewasaslowerprocess,andherface,asitroseintothelightabovethelaststair,encounteredthegazeofallthepartyassembledinthebedroom.

`------BeingafewprivatefriendsI'veaskedintokeepupclubwalkingatmyownexpense,'thelandladyexclaimedatthesoundoffootsteps,asgliblyasachildrepeatingtheCatechism,whileshepeeredoverthestairs.`Oh,`tisyou,MrsDurbeyfield-Lard-howyoufrightenedme!

IthoughtitmightbesomegaffersentbyGovernment.'

MrsDurbeyfieldwaswelcomedwithglancesandnodsbytheremainderoftheconclave,andturnedtowhereherhusbandsat.Hewashummingabsentlytohimself,inalowtone:

`Ibeasgoodassomefolkshereandthere!

I'vegotagreatfamilyvaultatKingsbere-sub-Greenhill,andfinerskillentonsthananymaninWessex!

'

`I'vesomethingtotell`eethat'scomeintomyheadaboutthatagrandprojick!

'whisperedhischeerfulwife.`Here,John,don't`eeseeme?

'Shenudgedhim,whilehe,lookingthroughherasthroughawindowpane,wentonwithhisrecitative.

`Hush!

Don't`eesingsoloud,mygoodman,'saidthelandlady;incaseanymemberoftheGovernmentshouldbepassing,andtakeawaymylicense.'

`He'stold`eewhat'shappenedtous,Isuppose?

'askedMrsDurbeyfield.

`Yes-inaway.D'yethinkthere'sanymoneyhangingbyit?

'

`Ah,that'sthesecret,'saidJoanDurbeyfieldsagely.`However,tiswelltobekintoacoach,evenifyoudon'tridein`en.'Shedroppedherpublicvoice,andcontinuedinalowtonetoherhusband:

`I'vebeenthinkingsinceyoubroughtthenewsthatthere'sagreatrichladyoutbyTrantridge,ontheedgeo'TheChase,ofthenameofd'Urberville.'

`Hey-what'sthat?

'saidSirJohn.

Sherepeatedtheinformation.`Thatladymustbeourrelation,'shesaid.`AndmyprojickistosendTesstoclaimkin.'

`Thereisaladyofthename,nowyoumentionit,'saidDurbeyfield.`Pa'sonTringhamdidn'tthinkofthat.Butshe'snothingbesidewe-ajuniorbranchofus,nodoubt,hailinglongsinceKingNorman'sday.'

Whilethisquestionwasbeingdiscussedneitherofthepairnoticed,intheirpreoccupation,thatlittleAbrahamhadcreptintotheroom,andwasawaitinganopportunityofaskingthemtoreturn.

`Sheisrich,andshe'dbesuretotakenoticeo'themaid,'continuedMrsDurbeyfield;`and`twillbeaverygoodthing.Idon'tseewhytwobrancheso'onefamilyshouldnotbeonvisitingterms.'

`Yes;andwe'llallclaimkin!

'saidAbrahambrightlyfromunderthebedstead.`Andwe'llallgoandseeherwhenTesshasgonetolivewithher;andwe'llrideinhercoachandwearblackclothes!

'

`Howdoyoucomehere,child?

Whatnonsensebeyetalking!

Goaway,andplayonthestairstillfatherandmotherbeready!

Well,Tessoughttogotothisothermemberofourfamily.She'dbesuretowinthelady-Tesswould;andlikelyenoughItwouldleadtosomenoblegentlemanmarryingher.Inshort,Iknowit.'

`How?

'

`ItriedherfateintheFortune-Teller,anditbroughtoutthatverything!

Youshouldha'seenhowprettyshelookedtoday;herskinisassumpleasaduchess's.'

`Whatsaysthemaidherselftogoing?

'

`I'venotaskedher.Shedon'tknowthereisanysuchladyrelationyet.Butitwouldcertainlyputherinthewayofagrandmarriage,andshewon'tsaynaytogoing.'

`Tessisqueer.'

`Butshe'stractableatbottom.Leavehertome.'

Thoughthisconversationhadbeenprivate,sufficientofitsimportreachedtheunderstandingsofthosearoundtosuggesttothemthattheDurbeyfieldshadweightierconcernstotalkofnowthancommonfolkshad,andthatTess,theirprettyeldestdaughterhadfineprospectsinstore.

`Tessisafinefigureo'fun,asIsaidtomyselftodaywhenIzeedhervampingroundparishwiththerest,'observedoneoftheelderlyboozersinanundertone.'ButJoanDurbeyfieldmustmindthatshedon'tgetgreenmaltinfloor.'Itwasalocalphrasewhichhadapeculiarmeaning,andtherewasnoreply.

Theconversationbecameinclusive,andpresentlyotherfootstepswereheardcrossingtheroombelow.

`------Beingafewprivatefriendsaskedintonighttokeepupclub-walkingatmyownexpense.'ThelandladyhadrapidlyreusedtheformulashekeptonhandforintrudersbeforesherecognizedthatthenewcomerwasTess.

Eventohermother'sgazethegirl'syoungfeatureslookedsadlyoutofplaceamidthealcoholicvapourswhichfloatedhereasnounsuitablemediumforwrinkledmiddle-age;andhardlywasareproachfulflashfromTess'sdarkeyesneededtomakeherfatherandmotherrisefromtheirseats,hastilyfinishtheirale,anddescendthestairsbehindher,MrsRolliver'scautionfollowingtheirfootsteps.

`Nonoise,please,ifyellbesogood,mydearsorImidlosemylicense,andbesummons'd,andIdon'tknowwhatall!

`Nightt'ye!

'

Theywenthometogether,Tessholdingonearmofherfather,andMrsDurbeyfieldtheother.Hehad,intruth,drunkverylittle-notafourthofthequantitywhichasystematictipplercouldcarrytochurchonaSundayafternoonwithoutahitchinhiseastingsorgenuflections;buttheweaknessofSirJohn'sconstitutionmademountainsofhispettysinsinthiskind.OnreachingthefreshairhewassufficientlyunsteadytoinclinetherowofthreeatonemomentasiftheyweremarchingtoLondon,andatanotherasiftheyweremarchingtoBath-whichproducedacomicaleffect,frequentenoughinfamiliesonnocturnalhomegoings;and,likemostcomicaleffects,notquitesocomicafterall.ThetwowomenvaliantlydisguisedtheseforcedexcursionsandcountermarchesaswellastheycouldfromDurbeyfieldtheircause,andfromAbraham,andfromthemselves;andsotheyapproachedbydegreestheirowndoor,theheadofthefamilyburstingsuddenlyintohisformerrefrainashedrewnear,asiftofortifyhissoulatsightofthesmallnessofhispresentresidence--

`I'vegotafam-ilyvaultatKingsbere!

'

`Hush-don'tbesosilly,Jacky,'saidhiswife.`Yoursisnottheonlyfamilythatwasof`countinwolddays.LookattheAnktells,andHorseys,andtheTringhamsthemselvesgonetoseedalmostasmuchasyou-thoughyouwasbiggerfolksthanthey,that'strue.ThankGod,Iwasneverofnofamily,andhavenothingtobeashamedofinthatway!

'

`Don'tyoubesosureo'that.Fromyourfather`tismybeliefyou'vedisgracedyourselvesmorethananyo'us,andwaskingsandqueensoutrightatonetime.'

Tessturnedthesubjectbysayingwhatwasfarmoreprominentinherownmindatthemomentthanthoughtsofherancestry--

`Iamafraidfatherwon'tbeabletotakethejourneywiththebeehivestomorrowsoearly.'

`I?

Ishallbeallrightinanhourortwo,'saidDurbeyfield.

Itwaseleveno'clockbeforethefamilywereallinbed,andtwoo'clocknextmorningwasthelatesthourforstartingwiththebeehivesiftheyweretobedeliveredtotheretailersinCaster-bridgebeforetheSaturdaymarketbegan,thewaythitherlyingbybadroadsoveradistanceofbetweentwentyandthirtymiles,andthehorseandwaggonbeingoftheslowest.Athalf-pastoneMrsDurbeyfieldcameintothelargebedroomwhereTessandallherlittlebrothersandsistersslept.

`Thepoormancan'tgo,'shesaidtohereldestdaughter,whosegreateyeshadopenedthemomenthermother'shandtouchedthedoor