第 158 节
作者:温暖寒冬      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9178
  looked      at  her    uneasily。    Dinah;     he   thought;     had    seemed     to
  disapprove   him   somehow   lately;   she   had   not   been   so   kind   and
  open to him as she used to be。 He wanted her to look at him; and
  be as pleased as he was himself with doing this bit of playful work。
  But Dinah did not look at him—it was easy for her to avoid looking
  at the tall man—and when at last there was no more dusting to be
  done   and  no  further  excuse   for   him   to   linger  near   her;   he   could
  bear   it   no   longer;   and   said;   in  rather   a  pleading   tone;   “Dinah;
  you’re not displeased with me for anything; are you? I’ve not said
  or done anything to make you think ill of me?”
  The   question   surprised  her;   and   relieved   her   by   giving  a   new
  course to her feeling。 She looked up at him now; quite earnestly;
  almost with the tears coming; and said; “Oh; no; Adam! how could
  you think so?”
  “I couldn’t bear you not to feel as much a friend to me as I do to
  you;” said Adam。 “And you don’t know the value I set on the very
  thought  of you; Dinah。 That was what I meant yesterday; when I
  said I’d be content for you to go; if you thought right。 I meant; the
  thought of you was worth so much to me; I should feel I ought to
  be   thankful;   and   not   grumble;   if   you   see   right   to   go   away。   You
  know I do mind parting with you; Dinah?”
  “Yes;   dear   friend;”   said   Dinah;   trembling;   but   trying   to   speak
  George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics
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  Adam Bede                                       647
  calmly;   “I   know   you   have   a   brother’s   heart   towards   me;   and   we
  shall often be with one another in spirit; but at this season I am in
  heaviness through manifold temptations。 You must not mark me。 I
  feel   called   to   leave   my   kindred   for   a   while;   but   it   is   a   trial—the
  flesh is weak。”
  Adam saw that it pained her to be obliged to answer。
  “I   hurt   you   by   talking   about   it;   Dinah;”   he   said。   “I’ll   say   no
  more。 Let’s see if Seth’s ready with breakfast now。”
  That is a simple scene; reader。 But it is almost certain that you;
  too;   have   been   in   love—perhaps;   even;   more   than   once;   though
  you may not choose to say so to all your feminine friends。 If so; you
  will no more think the slight words; the timid looks; the tremulous
  touches;      by    which     two    human       souls    approach      each     other
  gradually;      like   two    little  quivering     rain…streams;       before    they
  mingle into one—you will no more think these things trivial than
  you   will   think    the  first…detected     signs   of  coming      spring   trivial;
  though they be but a faint indescribable something in the air and
  in the song of the birds; and the tiniest perceptible budding on the
  hedge…row   branches。   Those   slight   words   and   looks   and   touches
  are part of the soul’s language; and the finest language; I believe;
  is chiefly made up of unimposing words; such as “light;” “sound;”
  “stars;” “music”—words really not worth looking at; or hearing; in
  themselves;   any   more   than   “chips”   or   “sawdust。”   It   is   only   that
  they happen to be the signs of something  unspeakably  great  and
  beautiful。 I am of opinion that love is a great  and  beautiful   thing
  too; and if you agree with me;   the   smallest  signs   of it  will  not  be
  chips     and   sawdust     to  you:   they   will   rather   be   like  those    little
  words;     “light”    and   “music;”     stirring   the   long…winding      fibres   of
  your memory and enriching your present with your most precious
  George Eliot                                                          ElecBook Classics
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  Adam Bede                                       648
  past。
  George Eliot                                                          ElecBook Classics
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  Adam Bede                                       649
  Chapter LI
  Sunday Morning
  isbeth’s touch of rheumatism could not be made to appear
  Lserious   enough   to   detain   Dinah   another   night   from   the
  Hall   Farm; now   she   had   made   up   her   mind   to   leave   her
  aunt   so   soon;   and   at   evening   the   friends   must   part。   “For   a   long
  while;” Dinah had said; for she had told Lisbeth of her resolve。
  “Then   it’ll   be   for   all   my  life;   an’   I   shall   ne’er  see   thee   again;”
  said Lisbeth。 “Long while! I’n got no long while t’ live。 An’ I shall
  be took bad an’ die; an’ thee canst ne’er come a…nigh me; an’ I shall
  die a…longing for thee。”
  That had been the key…note of her wailing talk all day; for Adam
  was     not   in   the   house;    and    so   she   put    no   restraint    on   her
  complaining。   She   had   tried   poor   Dinah   by   returning   again   and
  again   to   the   question;     why   she   must   go   away;   and   refusing   to
  accept     reasons;     which     seemed     to  her    nothing     but   whim     and
  “contrairiness”; and still more; by regretting that she “couldna’ ha’
  one o’ the lads” and be her daughter。
  “Thee   couldstna       put   up   wi’  Seth;”   she    said。   “He   isna   cliver
  enough for thee; happen; but he’d ha’ been very good t’ thee—he’s
  as handy as can be at doin’ things for me when I’m bad; an’ he’s as
  fond   o’   the   Bible an’  chappellin’ as   thee   art   thysen。   But   happen;
  thee’dst   like   a   husband   better   as   isna   just   the   cut   o’   thysen:   the
  runnin’   brook      isna   athirst   for   th’  rain。  Adam     ’ud   ha’  done    for
  thee—I      know     he   would—an’       he   might     come    t’  like  thee    well
  enough;   if   thee’dst   stop。   But   he’s   as   stubborn   as   th’   iron   bar—
  George Eliot                                                          ElecBook Classics
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  Adam Bede                                      650
  there’s   no   bending   him   no   way   but   ’s   own。   But   he’d   be   a   fine
  husband   for  anybody; be   they  who  they  will;   so  looked…on an’   so
  cliver as he is。 And he’d be rare an’ lovin’: it does me good on’y a
  look o’ the lad’s eye when he means kind tow’rt me。”
  Dinah tried to escape from Lisbeth’s closest looks and questions
  by   finding  little   tasks   of   housework   that   kept   her   moving   about;
  and   as   soon   as   Seth   came   home   in   the   evening   she   put   on   her
  bonnet to go。 It touched Dinah keenly to say the last good…bye; and
  still more to look round on her way across   the   fields  and see   the
  old woman still standing at the door; gazing after her till she must
  have   been   the   faintest  speck   in   the   dim   aged   eyes。   “The   God   of
  love and peace be with them;” Dinah prayed; as she looked   back
  from the last stile。 “Make them glad according to the days wherein
  thou   hast   afflicted   them;   and   the   years   wherein   they   have   seen
  evil。 It is thy will that I should part from them; let me have no will
  but thine。”
  Lisbeth     turned    into   the   house    at  last  and   sat   down     in  the
  workshop   near  Seth;   who   was   busying   himself   there   with   fitting
  some bits of turned wood   he   had brought  from   the   village   into  a
  small work…box; which he meant to give to Dinah before she went
  away。
  “Thee ’t see her again o’ Sunday afore she goes;” were her first
  words。 “If thee wast good for anything; thee’dst make her come in
  again o’ Sunday night wi’ thee; and see me once more。”
  “Nay; Mother;” said Seth。 “Dinah ’ud be sure to come again if
  she saw right to come。 I should have no need to persuade her。 She
  only thinks it ’ud be troubling thee for nought; just to come in to
  say good…bye over again。”
  “She’d ne’er go away; I know; if   Adam   ’ud be   fond   on   her an’
  George Eliot                                                         ElecBook Classics
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  Adam Bede                                      651
  marry   her;     but   everything’s     so   contrairy;”   said   Lisbeth;    with   a
  burst of vexation。
  Seth paused a moment and looked up; with a slight blush; at his
  mother’s   face。   “What!  Has   she   said   anything  o’   that   sort   to   thee;
  Mot