远离尘嚣- 第9部分

‘Oh　Gabriel！’she　said。　‘Be　more　careful！’Gabriel　knew　she　was　aware　that　she　herself　had　indirectly　caused　the　poor　sheep's　wound。　But　he　bravely　hid　his　hurt　feelings，and　watched　Boldwood　and　Bathsheba　ride　away，feeling　as　sure　as　the　other　workers　that　the　couple　would　soon　be　married。　

　



　


9

Bathsheba　meets　a　handsome　soldier

　

Farmers　always　gave　a　special　supper　to　the　sheep　shearers　when　they　had　finished　their　work。　This　year　Bathsheba　had　ordered　her　maids　to　put　a　long　table　in　the　garden，with　the　top　end　of　the　table　just　inside　the　house。　The　farm　workers　took　their　seats，and　she　sat　at　the　top　of　the　table，so　that　she　was　with　them，but　a　little　apart。　There　was　an　empty　place　at　the　bottom　of　the　table。　At　first　she　asked　Gabriel　to　sit　there，but　just　then　Mr　Boldwood　arrived，　apologizing　for　his　lateness。　‘Gabriel，’said　Bathsheba，‘will　you　move　again　please，　and　let　Mr　Boldwood　sit　there？’Gabriel　moved　away　in　silence　to　another　seat。　They　all　ate　and　drank，and　celebrated　the　end　of　the　sheep－shearing　by　singing　their　favourite　songs。　Mr　Boldwood　seemed　unusually　cheerful，and　at　the　end　of　the　meal　he　left　his　seat　and　went　to　join　Bathsheba　at　her　end　of　the　table，just　inside　the　sitting…room　。　It　was　growing　dark，but　Gabriel　and　the　other　men　could　not　avoid　noticing　how　Boldwood　looked　at　her。　It　was　clear　that　the　middle－aged　farmer　was　deeply　in　love。

After　a　while　Bathsheba　said　goodnight　to　her　farm　workers，and　closed　the　sitting－room　door　and　windows。　Now　she　and　Boldwood　were　alone。　Kneeling　in　front　of　her，he　took　her　hands。　

‘Tell　me，tell　me　what　you've　decided！’he　begged。　　‘I'll　try　to　love　you，’she　answered　in　a　trembling　voice。　‘And　if　you　think　I'll　make　a　good　wife，I'll　agree　to　marry　you　But，Mr　Boldwood，any　woman　would　hesitate　before　deciding　on　something　as　important　as　marriage。　Could　you　wait　a　few　weeks　until　I'm　sure？’

‘I'll　be　away　on　business　for　five　or　six　weeks　anyway。　Do　you　really　think　that　by　that　time　you　will…’

‘I　feel　almost　sure　that　when　you　come　back，at　harvest　time，I'll　be　able　to　promise　to　marry　you。　But，remember，I　can't　promise　yet。　’

‘I　don't　ask　for　anything　more。　I　can　wait。　Goodnight，　Miss　Everdene！’And　he　left　her。　　Bathsheba　now　realized　how　thoughtlessly　she　had　behaved　towards　him，and　understood　how　deeply　he　loved　her。　She　was　very　sorry　for　her　mistake　and　was　therefore　punishing　herself　by　agreeing　to　marry　him。

That　evening　she　went　round　the　farm　as　usual，lighting　her　lamp　whenever　necessary，to　check　that　all　the　animals　were　safe。　On　her　way　back，she　was　walking　along　the　narrow　public　path　which　led　to　her　house。　It　was　very　dark　there，　among　the　trees，and　she　was　a　little　surprised　to　hear　some　footsteps　coming　towards　her。　It　was　unfortunate　that　she　would　meet　the　traveller　at　the　darkest　point　of　the　path。　As　she　was　about　to　pass　the　dark　shape，something　seemed　to　attach　her　skirt　to　the　ground，and　she　had　to　stop　　‘What's　happened？Have　I　hurt　you，friend？'a　man　asked。

‘No，’said　Bathsheba，trying　to　pull　her　skirt　away。

‘Ah！You're　a　lady！The　spur　on　my　boot　has　got　tied　up　with　your　dress。　Have　you　got　a　lamp？I'll　light　it　for　you。　’

The　light　from　the　lamp　shone　suddenly　on　a　handsome　young　man　in　a　bright　red　and　gold　army　uniform。　He　looked　admiringly　at　Bathsheba。

‘Thank　you　for　letting　me　see　such　a　beautiful　face！’he　said。

‘I　didn't　want　to　show　it　to　you，’she　said　coldly，　blushing。　‘Please　undo　your　spur　quickly！’He　bent　down　to　pull　rather　lazily　at　his　boots。　‘You　are　making　it　even　worse，’she　accused　him　angrily，‘to　keep　me　here　longer！’

‘Oh　no，surely　not，’smiled　the　soldier。　‘Don't　be　angry。　I　was　doing　it　so　that　I　could　have　the　pleasure　of　apologizing　to　such　a　lovely　woman。　’　Bathsheba　had　no　idea　what　to　say。　She　wondered　whether　to　escape　by　pulling　the　material　away，but　did　not　want　to　tear　her　best　dress。

‘I've　seen　many　women　in　my　life，’continued　the　young　man，staring　into　her　face，‘but　I've　never　seen　a　woman　as　beautiful　as　you。　I　don't　care　if　you're　offended，that's　the　truth。　’

‘Who　are　you，then，if　you　don't　care　who　you　offend？’

‘People　know　me　in　Weatherbury。　My　name's　Sergeant　Troy。　Ah，you　see，your　skirt's　free　now！I　wish　you　and　I　　　　had　been　tied　together　for　ever！’

She　pulled　her　dress　quickly　away　from　his　spurs，and　ran　up　the　path　and　into　her　house。　The　next　day　she　discovered　from　Liddy　that　Sergeant　Troy's　supposed　father　was　a　doctor，but　people　said　his　real　father　was　a　nobleman。　He　had　been　brought　up　in　Weatherbury，and　was　well　known　as　a　young　soldier　with　a　great　interest　in　girls。　Bathsheba　could　not　remain　angry　for　long　with　someone　who　admired　her　as　much　as　he　obviously　did。　It　was　unfortunate　that　Boldwood，when　courting　her，had　forgotten　to　tell　her，even　once，that　she　was　beautiful。

Sergeant　Troy　was　certainly　an　unusual　man。　He　lived　only　in　the　present，caring　nothing　for　the　past　or　the　future。　Because　he　never　expected　anything，he　was　never　disappoint－ed。　To　men　he　usually　told　the　truth，but　to　women，never。　He　was　intelligent　and　well－educated，　and　proud　of　his　success　with　women。

A　week　or　two　after　the　sheep－shearing，Bathsheba　was　in　the　hayfields，where　her　workers　were　cutting　the　hay。　She　was　surprised　to　see　a　bright　red　figure　appear　from　behind　a　cart。　Sergeant　Troy　had　come　to　help　on　the　farm。　She　blushed　as　the　young　soldier　came　to　speak　to　her。

‘Miss　Everdene！’he　said。　‘I　didn't　realize　it　was　the　“Queen　of　Casterbridge　market”I　was　speaking　to　the　other　night。　I　apologize　for　expressing　my　feelings　so　strongly　to　you　102　then。　Of　course，I'm　not　a　stranger　here。　I　often　helped　your　uncle　on　the　farm，and　now　I'm　helping　you。　’

‘I　suppose　I　must　thank　you　for　that，’replied　the　Queen　of　Casterbridge　market　rather　ungratefully。

‘You're　cross　because　I　was　honest　when　I　spoke　to　you　that　night。　But　I　couldn't　look　at　you，and　say　you　aren't　beautiful！’

‘You　are　pretending，Sergeant　Troy！’said　Bathsheba，laughing　in　spite　of　herself　at　his　clever　way　of　talking。

‘No，Miss　Everdene，you　must　let　me　say　how　lovely　you　are！What's　wrong　with　that？’

‘It's　wrong　because—it　isn't　true，’she　said，hesitating。

‘But　you　know　that　everybody　notices　how　beautiful　you　are，don't　you？’

‘Well，no—that　is，I've　heard　Liddy　say　they　do，but…’She　paused。　She　had　never　intended　to　become　involved　in　this　kind　of　conversation　with　the　soldier，but　somehow　he　had　trapped　her　into　replying。　Thank　you　for　helping　the　men　with　the　hay，　she　continued。　‘But　please　don't　speak　to　me　again。　’

‘Oh　Miss　Bathsheba！That's　too　hard！I　won't　be　here　long。　I'm　going　back　to　the　army　in　a　month。　’

‘But　you　don't　really　care　about　a　word　from　me，do　you？

‘I　do，Miss　Everdene。　Perhaps　you　think　it's　foolish　of　me　to　want　just　a　“good　morning”，but　you　have　never　loved　a　beautiful　woman　like　yourself，as　I　do。　’

‘But　you　only　saw　me　the　other　night！I　don't　believe　you　could　fall　in　love　so　fast。　I　won't　listen　to　you　any　more。　I　wish　I　knew　what　t