远离尘嚣- 第2部分

‘Yes，I　suppose　I　could，’said　Gabriel。　He　was　hoping　he　could　stay　there，close　to　her；　for　a　long　time　He　wanted　to　tell　her　so，but　he　knew　he　could　not　express　himself　well，so　he　stayed　silent。　‘How　did　you　find　me？’he　asked　in　the　end。

‘Oh，I　heard　your　dog　scratching　at　the　door，so　I　came　to　see　what　the　matter　was。　I　opened　the　door，and　found　you　unconscious。　It　must　have　been　the　smoke　from　the　stove。　’

‘I　believe　you　saved　my　life，Miss——I　don't　know　your　name。

‘There's　no　need　to　know　it。　I　probably　won't　see　you　again。　’

‘My　name　is　Gabriel　Oak。　’

‘Mine　isn't。　You　sound　very　proud　of　your　name。　’

‘Well，it's　the　only　one　I　shall　ever　have。　’

‘I　don't　like　mine。　’

‘I　should　think　you'll　soon　get　a　new　one。　’

‘Well！That's　my　business，Gabriel　Oak。　’

‘I'm　not　very　clever　at　talking，miss，but　I　want　to　thank　you。　Come，give　me　your　hand！’

She　hesitated，then　offered　her　hand。　He　took　it，but　held　it　for　only　a　moment。　‘I'm　sorry，’he　said。　‘I　didn't　mean　to　let　your　hand　go　so　quickly。　’

‘You　may　have　it　again　then。　Here　it　is。　’

Gabriel　held　it　longer　this　time。　‘How　soft　it　is，even　in　winter，not　rough　at　all！　’he　said。

‘there，that's　long　enough，’she　said，but　without　pulling　it　away。　‘But　I　suppose　you're　thinking　you'd　like　to　kiss　it？You　may　if　you　want　to。　’

‘I　wasn't　thinking　any　such　thing，’said　Gabriel，‘but—’

‘Oh　no　you　won't！’She　pulled　her　hand　sharply　away。　‘Now　discover　my　name，’she　added，laughing，and　left。　

　



　
2

Disaster　for　Gabriel　Oak

　

Young　Farmer　Oak　was　in　love。　He　waited　for　the　girl's　regular　visits　to　the　sick　cow　just　as　impatiently　as　his　dog　waited　to　be　fed。　He　discovered　that　her　name　was　Bathsheba　Everdene，and　that　she　lived　with　her　aunt，Mrs　Hurst。　His　head　was　so　full　of　her　that　he　could　think　of　nothing　else。

‘I'll　make　her　my　wife，’he　declared　to　himself，‘or　I'll　never　be　able　to　concentrate　on　work　again！’

When　she　stopped　coming　to　feed　the　sick　cow，he　had　to　find　a　reason　for　visiting　her。　So　he　took　a　young　lamb，whose　mother　had　died，and　carried　it　in　a　basket　across　the　fields　to　Mrs　Hurst's　house。

‘I've　brought　a　lamb　for　Miss　Everdene，’he　told　Bathshe－ba's　aunt。　‘Girls　usually　like　looking　after　lambs。　’

‘Thank　you，Mr　Oak，’replied　Mrs　Hurst，‘but　Bathsheba　is　only　a　visitor　here。　I　don't　know　if　she'll　keep　it。　’

‘To　tell　you　the　truth，Mrs　Hurst，the　lamb　isn't　my　real　reason　for　coming。　I　want　to　ask　Miss　Everdene　if　she'd　like　to　be　married。　’

‘Really？’asked　Mrs　Hurst，looking　closely　at　him。

‘Yes　Because　if　she　would，I'd　like　to　marry　her。　Do　you　know　if　she　has　any　other　young　men　courting　her　at　the　moment？’

‘Oh　yes，a　lot　of　young　men，’said　Mrs　Hurst。　‘You　see，Farmer　Oak，she's　so　handsome，and　so　well…educated　too。　Of　course；I　haven't　actually　seen　any　of　her　young　men，but　she　must　have　at　least　ten　or　twelve！’

‘That's　unfortunate，’said　Farmer　Oak，staring　sadly　at　the　floor。　‘I'm　just　a　very　ordinary　man，and　my　only　chance　was　being　the　first　to　ask　to　marry　her。　Well，that　was　all　I　came　for。　I'd　better　go　home　now，　Mrs　Hurst。　’

He　had　gone　halfway　across　the　first　field　when　he　heard　a　cry　behind　him。　He　turned，and　saw　a　girl　running　after　him。　It　was　Bathsheba。　Gabriel　blushed。

‘Farmer　Oak，’she　called　breathlessly，‘I　want　to　say——my　aunt　made　a　mistake　when　she　told　you　I　had　a　lot　of　young　men　courting　me。　In　fact，I　haven't　got　any，and　I've　never　had　any。　’

‘I　am　glad　to　hear　that！’said　Gabriel，with　a　wide　smile，holding　out　his　hand　to　take　hers。　But　she　pulled　her　hand　away　quickly。　‘I　have　a　nice　comfortable　little　farm，’he　added，a　little　less　confidently。　‘And　when　we　are　married，I'm　sure　I　can　work　twice　as　hard　as　I　do　now，and　earn　more。　’

He　stretched　out　his　arm　towards　her。　Bathsheba　moved　rapidly　behind　a　tree　to　avoid　him。　‘But，Farmer　Oak，’she　said　in　surprise，‘I　never　said　I　was　going　to　marry　you。　’

‘Well！’said　Gabriel，disappointed。　‘To　run　after　me　like　this，　and　then　say　you　don't　want　me！’

‘I　only　wanted　to　explain　that　my　aunt　was　wrong，’she　answered　eagerly。　‘Anyway，I　had　to　run　to　catch　up　with　you，so　I　didn't　have　time　to　decide　whetherl　wanted　to　marry　or　not。　’

‘Just　think　for　a　minute　or　two，’replied　Gabriel　hopefully。　‘I'll　wait　a　while，　Miss　Everdene。　Will　you　marry　me？　Do，Bathsheba。　I　love　you　very　much！’

‘I'll　try　to　think，’she　answered。　‘Give　me　time，’and　she　looked　away　from　him　at　the　distant　hills。

‘I　can　make　you　happy，’he　said　to　the　back　of　her　head　‘You　shall　have　a　piano，and　I'll　practise　the　flute　to　play　with　you　in　the　evenings。　’

‘Yes，I'd　like　that。　’

‘And　at　home　by　the　fire，whenever　you　look　up，there　I'll　be，and　whenever　I　look　up，　there　you'll　be。　’

‘Wait，let　me　think！’She　was　silent　for　a　while，and　then　turned　to　him。　‘No，’she　said，‘I　don't　want　to　marry　you。　It'd　be　nice　to　have　a　wedding，but　having　a　husband——well，he'd　always　be　there。　As　you　say，whenever　I　looked　up，there　he'd　be。　’

‘Of　course　he　would——it　would　be　me。　’

‘that's　the　problem。　I　wouldn't　mind　being　a　bride，if　I　could　be　one　without　having　a　husband。　But　as　a　woman　can't　be　a　bride　alone，I　won't　marry，at　least　not　yet。　’

‘What　a　silly　thing　for　a　girl　to　say！’　cried　Gabriel。　And　then　he　said　softly，‘But　darling，think　again！’He　moved　round　the　tree　to　reach　her。　‘Why　won't　you　have　me？’

‘Because　I　don't　love　you，’she　replied，　moving　away。

‘But　I　love　you——and　I'm　happy　to　be　liked，if　that's　all　you　feel　for　me。　’He　spoke　more　seriously　than　he　had　ever　spoken　before。　‘Only　one　thing　is　certain　in　this　life——I　shall　love　you，and　want　you，and　keep　on　wanting　you　until　I　die。　’His　feelings　were　plain　to　see　in　his　honest　face，and　his　large　brown　hands　were　trembling。

‘It　seems　wrong　not　to　accept　you　when　you　feel　so　strongly，’she　replied　unhappily。　‘I　wish　I　hadn't　run　after　you！But　we　wouldn't　be　happy　together，Mr　Oak。　I'm　too　independent。　I　need　a　husband　who　can　keep　me　in　order，　and　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　be　able　to　do　that。　’

Gabriel　looked　hopelessly　away　and　did　not　reply。

‘And，Mr　Oak，’she　continued　in　a　clear　voice，‘I'm　so　poor　that　my　aunt　has　to　provide　a　home　for　me。　You're　just　starting　your　farming　business。　It　would　be　much　more　sensi…ble　for　you　to　marry　a　woman　with　money。　Then　you　could　buy　more　sheep　and　improve　your　farm。　’

‘That's　just　what　I'd　been　thinking！’　answered　Gabriel　in　surprise。

What　common　sense　she　had，he　thought　admiringly。

‘Well　then，why　did　you　ask　to　marry　me？’she　said　angrily。

‘I　can't　do　what　I　think　would　be——sensible。　I　must　do　what　my　heart　tells　me。　’He　did　not　see　the　trap　she　had　set　for　him。　

‘Now　you've　confessed　that　marrying　me　wouldn't　be　sen－sible，　Mr　Oak。　Do　you　think　I'll　marry　you　after　that？’

‘Don't　mistake　my　meaning　like　that，’he　cried，‘just　because　I'm　honest　enough　to　tell　you　the　truth！I　know　you'd　be　a　good　wife　for　me。　You　speak　like　a　lady，everyone　says　so，