远离尘嚣- 第13部分

‘You　black－hearted　dog！I'll　punish　you　one　day，remember　that！’cried　the　broken　man。　Troy　laughed　loudly　as　he　closed　Bathsheba's　front　door。

Through　the　whole　of　the　long　night　that　followed，Boldwood's　dark　figure　could　be　seen　walking　over　the　hills　of　Weatherbury　like　a　ghost。

Just　before　the　clock　struck　five　the　next　morning，Gabriel　and　Coggan　were　walking　to　the　hayfields　past　their　mistress's　house，when　they　saw　a　surprising　sight。　Bathsheba's　bedroom　window　was　open，and　looking　out　of　it　was　a　hand…some　man，with　his　red　jacket　undone。　It　was　Sergeant　Troy。　

‘She's　married　him！’whispered　Coggan。　Gabriel　said　nothing，but　he　felt　so　ill　that　he　had　to　rest　on　the　gate　for　a　moment。　He　thought　with　pity　of　her　future，as　he　knew　her　marriage　to　Troy　could　not　be　happy　for　long。

‘Good　morning，friends！’shouted　Troy　cheerfully　to　the　men。

‘We　must　be　polite　to　him，’whispered　Coggan，‘if　he's　married　the　mistress。　’

‘Good　morning，Sergeant　Troy，’said　Gabriel　miserably。

‘Now　that　I've　left　the　army，I'll　soon　be　down　in　the　fields　with　you　again，’said　Troy　lightly。　‘My　new　position　won't　change　that，and　I'll　be　friendly　with　you　all，just　as　before。　Drink　to　my　health，men。　’And　he　threw　a　coin　towards　Gabriel，who　refused　to　pick　it　up。　Coggan，however，put　it　in　his　pocket。

As　they　went　on　their　way，they　noticed　Mr　Boldwood　riding　past　them。　Gabriel　forgot　his　own　sadness　when　he　saw　the　bitterness　and　deep　despair　on　the　farmer's　face。　

　



　


13

The　storm

　

There　was　always　a　harvest　supper　for　the　farm　workers　after　all　the　hay　and　wheat　had　been　cut。　On　behalf　of　his　wife，Sergeant　Troy　decided　to　have　it　one　evening　at　the　end　of　August，in　the　great　barn。　The　weather　was　unpleas…antly　warm　that　night。　On　his　way　to　the　harvest　supper　Gabriel　stopped　to　check　the　eight　huge　hay－and　wheat－ricks。　If，as　he　suspected，there　was　a　storm，the　ricks，which　were　all　uncovered，would　be　badly　damaged。

He　went　on　to　the　barn，where　the　farm　workers　had　already　finished　eating　and　started　dancing。　Gabriel　had　to　wait　until　Sergeant　Troy　had　finished　his　dance　with　Bathshe…ba　before　he　could　warn　him　about　possible　damage　to　the　ricks。　Troy，however，was　enjoying　himself　too　much　to　listen　to　Gabriel's　message。

‘Friends，’he　was　saying，‘I've　ordered　brandy　to　be　served　to　you　all，so　that　we　can　celebrate　my　wedding　properly。　’

‘No，Frank，don't　give　them　brandy，’begged　Bathsheba，‘it　will　only　do　them　harm！’

‘Don't　be　silly！’said　Troy。　‘Friends，let's　send　the　women　home！Then　we　men　can　drink　and　sing　as　much　as　we　like！’Angrily，Bathsheba　left　the　barn，followed　by　the　other　women。　

Gabriel　left　soon　afterwards　Later，when　he　went　to　check　that　Bathsheba's　sheep　were　safe，he　noticed　that　they　looked　very　frightened。　They　were　crowded　together　in　a　corner，their　tails　pointing　the　same　way。　To　the　shepherd　this　meant　they　were　expecting　a　storm。　He　went　to　look　at　the　ricks　again。　Should　the　whole　harvest　of　the　farm，worth　at　least　seven　hundred　and　fifty　pounds，be　lost　because　of　a　woman's　weakness？Never，if　I　can　prevent　it！thought　Gabriel。

He　returned　to　the　barn　to　ask　the　other　farm　workers　to　help　him　cover　the　ricks。　But　the　only　noise　he　could　hear　coming　from　the　barn　was　the　men's　loud　and　regular　breathing，and　when　he　entered，he　found　them　all　asleep，in…cluding　Troy。　The　brandy，which　they　had　been　too　polite　to　refuse，had　made　them　drunk　in　a　very　short　time，as　they　were　not　used　to　drinking　anything　stronger　than　beer。　It　was　useless　trying　to　wake　them。

Gabriel　left　the　barn，and　returned　to　the　ricks，two　of　which　he　managed　to　cover　with　the　heavy　material　kept　on　the　farm　for　this　purpose。　The　only　way　to　cover　the　other　six　ricks　was　by　thatching　them　with　straw，and　this　was　a　long　and　difficult　job　to　do　alone。

The　moon　disappeared，and　there　was　a　slow，light　wind，like　the　breath　of　a　dying　man，as　Gabriel　climbed　the　ladder　and　started　thatching　high　up　on　top　of　the　third　rick。　Light－ning　flashed　in　the　sky，and　there　was　a　loud　crash　of　thunder。　In　the　sudden　brightness　Gabriel　could　see　every　tree　around　him，until　the　light　disappeared　just　as　suddenly，leaving　him　in　the　blackest　darkness。　He　knew　his　position　was　dangerous，but　considered　his　life　was　not　valuable　enough　to　worry　about。

Another　flash　of　lightning　allowed　him　to　see　the　figure　of　a　woman　running　towards　the　rick。　Was　it　Bathsheba？

‘Is　that　you，ma'am？’he　called　to　the　darkness。

‘Who's　there？’said　Bathsheba's　voice。

‘It's　Gabriel。　I'm　on　the　rick，thatching。　’

‘Oh　Gabriel！I'm　so　worried　about　the　ricks！Can　we　save　them？The　thunder　woke　me。　I　can't　find　my　husband。　Is　he　there？’

‘No，he　isn't。　He's—asleep　in　the　barn。　’

‘He　promised　me　the　ricks　would　be　covered，and　he　hasn't　done　it！Can　I　help　you？Let　me　help！’

‘You　can　bring　the　straw　up　to　me　in　armfuls，if　you　aren't　afraid　to　climb　the　ladder　in　the　dark，’said　Gabriel。

‘I'll　do　anything　to　help！’she　said。　She　started　to　go　up　and　down　the　ladder，carrying　the　straw。　In　the　brightness　of　the　lightning　Gabriel　saw　their　two　shadows，wildly　enlarged，on　the　hill　in　front　of　him。　Then　came　the　loudest　crash　so　far。

‘How　terrible！’cried　Bathsheba，and　held　on　to　his　arm。　The　lightning　flashed　in　a　wild　dance　of　death，and　thunder　came　from　every　part　of　the　huge　sky。　Bathsheba　and　Gabriel　could　only　stare，and　tremble　at　the　strange　and　dangerous　beauty　of　the　storm。　

As　they　watched，a　tall　tree　in　front　of　them　seemed　to　be　burning　with　a　white　flame。　There　was　a　final，violent　crash　of　thunder，and　in　the　bright　light　they　saw　that　the　tree　had　been　torn　in　half　by　the　lightning。

‘That　was　close　to　us！’said　Gabriel。　‘We'd　better　go　down。　’They　climbed　down　and　stood　together　in　the　darkness，Bathsheba　seeming　to　think　only　of　the　storm，Gabriel　thinking　only　of　her。

At　last　he　said，‘The　storm　appears　to　have　passed，but　the　rain　will　be　coming　soon。　I'll　go　up　and　finish　thatching　the　ricks。　’

‘Gabriel，you　are　kind　to　me！Oh　why　aren't　the　others　here？Don't　tell　me，I　know。　They're　all　drunk　in　the　barn，aren't　they？It　was　my　husband's　fault。　Gabriel，I　want　to　tell　you　something。　’The　soft　flashes　of　the　dying　lightning　showed　her　face，very　white　against　the　black　sky。　‘I　care　about　your　good　opinion　of　me，so　I　want　to　explain　why　I　went　to　Bath　that　night。　It　wasn't　to　marry　Troy，it　was　to　break　off　my　relationship　with　him。　Perhaps　you　wonder　why　I　married　him　then？Well，I　suppose　I　must　tell　you。　It　was　because　he　told　me　he　had　seen　a　woman　more　beautiful　than　me，and　said　that　if　I　wanted　him　as　a　husband，I　must　marry　him　at　once！I　was　wild　with　love　and　jealousy，so　I　married　him！’Gabriel　did　not　reply。

‘I'll　bring　some　more　straw　up　to　you，shall　I？’she　offered。

She　made　several　more　journeys　before　he　noticed　her　tired－ness。　‘I　think　you'd　better　go　indoors　now，’he　said，as　gently　as　a　mother。　‘I'll　finish　the　work　alone。　’

‘If　I'm　useless，I'll　go，’said　Bathsheba。　‘But，oh，if　you　fell…！’

‘You　aren't　useless，but　you're　tir