第 36 节
作者:铲除不公      更新:2021-10-21 08:52      字数:9322
  more clearly did he perceive that he was in a very bad way。
  On reflection he remembered that since Miss Johnson's departure his
  appetite had decreased amazingly。  He had eaten in meat no more than
  fourteen or fifteen ounces a day; but one…third of a quartern
  pudding on an average; in vegetables only a small heap of potatoes
  and half a York cabbage; and no gravy whatever; which; considering
  the usual appetite of a seaman for fresh food at the end of a long
  voyage; was no small index of the depression of his mind。  Then he
  had waked once every night; and on one occasion twice。  While
  dressing each morning since the gloomy day he had not whistled more
  than seven bars of a hornpipe without stopping and falling into
  thought of a most painful kind; and he had told none but absolutely
  true stories of foreign parts to the neighbouring villagers when
  they saluted and clustered about him; as usual; for anything he
  chose to pour forthexcept that story of the whale whose eye was
  about as large as the round pond in Derriman's ewe…leasewhich was
  like tempting fate to set a seal for ever upon his tongue as a
  traveller。  All this enervation; mental and physical; had been
  produced by Matilda's departure。
  He also considered what he had lost of the rational amusements of
  manhood during these unfortunate days。  He might have gone to the
  neighbouring fashionable resort every afternoon; stood before
  Gloucester Lodge till the King and Queen came out; held his hat in
  his hand; and enjoyed their Majesties' smiles at his homage all for
  nothingwatched the picket…mounting; heard the different bands
  strike up; observed the staff; and; above all; have seen the pretty
  town girls go trip…trip…trip along the esplanade; deliberately
  fixing their innocent eyes on the distant sea; the grey cliffs; and
  the sky; and accidentally on the soldiers and himself。
  'I'll raze out her image;' he said。  'She shall make a fool of me no
  more。'  And his resolve resulted in conduct which had elements of
  real greatness。
  He went back to his father; whom he found in the mill…loft。  ''Tis
  true; father; what you say;' he observed:  'my brains will turn to
  bilge…water if I think of her much longer。  By the oath of a
  navigator; I wish I could sigh less and laugh more! She's gonewhy
  can't I let her go; and be happy?  But how begin?'
  'Take it careless; my son;' said the miller; 'and lay yourself out
  to enjoy snacks and cordials。'
  'Ahthat's a thought!' said Bob。
  'Baccy is good for't。  So is sperrits。  Though I don't advise thee
  to drink neat。'
  'BaccyI'd almost forgot it!' said Captain Loveday。
  He went to his room; hastily untied the package of tobacco that he
  had brought home; and began to make use of it in his own way;
  calling to David for a bottle of the old household mead that had
  lain in the cellar these eleven years。  He was discovered by his
  father three…quarters of an hour later as a half…invisible object
  behind a cloud of smoke。
  The miller drew a breath of relief。  'Why; Bob;' he said; 'I thought
  the house was a…fire!'
  'I'm smoking rather fast to drown my reflections; father。  'Tis no
  use to chaw。'
  To tempt his attenuated appetite the unhappy mate made David cook an
  omelet and bake a seed…cake; the latter so richly compounded that it
  opened to the knife like a freckled buttercup。  With the same object
  he stuck night…lines into the banks of the mill…pond; and drew up
  next morning a family of fat eels; some of which were skinned and
  prepared for his breakfast。  They were his favourite fish; but such
  had been his condition that; until the moment of making this effort;
  he had quite forgotten their existence at his father's back…door。
  In a few days Bob Loveday had considerably improved in tone and
  vigour。  One other obvious remedy for his dejection was to indulge
  in the society of Miss Garland; love being so much more effectually
  got rid of by displacement than by attempted annihilation。  But
  Loveday's belief that he had offended her beyond forgiveness; and
  his ever…present sense of her as a woman who by education and
  antecedents was fitted to adorn a higher sphere than his own;
  effectually kept him from going near her for a long time;
  notwithstanding that they were inmates of one house。  The reserve
  was; however; in some degree broken by the appearance one morning;
  later in the season; of the point of a saw through the partition
  which divided Anne's room from the Loveday half of the house。
  Though she dined and supped with her mother and the Loveday family;
  Miss Garland had still continued to occupy her old apartments;
  because she found it more convenient there to pursue her hobbies of
  wool…work and of copying her father's old pictures。  The division
  wall had not as yet been broken down。
  As the saw worked its way downwards under her astonished gaze Anne
  jumped up from her drawing; and presently the temporary canvasing
  and papering which had sealed up the old door of communication was
  cut completely through。  The door burst open; and Bob stood revealed
  on the other side; with the saw in his hand。
  'I beg your ladyship's pardon;' he said; taking off the hat he had
  been working in; as his handsome face expanded into a smile。  'I
  didn't know this door opened into your private room。'
  'Indeed; Captain Loveday!'
  'I am pulling down the division on principle; as we are now one
  family。  But I really thought the door opened into your passage。'
  'It don't matter; I can get another room。'
  'Not at all。  Father wouldn't let me turn you out。  I'll close it up
  again。'
  But Anne was so interested in the novelty of a new doorway that she
  walked through it; and found herself in a dark low passage which she
  had never seen before。
  'It leads to the mill;' said Bob。  'Would you like to go in and see
  it at work?  But perhaps you have already。'
  'Only into the ground floor。'
  'Come all over it。  I am practising as grinder; you know; to help my
  father。'
  She followed him along the dark passage; in the side of which he
  opened a little trap; when she saw a great slimy cavern; where the
  long arms of the mill…wheel flung themselves slowly and distractedly
  round; and splashing water…drops caught the little light that
  strayed into the gloomy place; turning it into stars and flashes。  A
  cold mist…laden puff of air came into their faces; and the roar from
  within made it necessary for Anne to shout as she said; 'It is
  dismal! let us go on。'
  Bob shut the trap; the roar ceased; and they went on to the inner
  part of the mill; where the air was warm and nutty; and pervaded by
  a fog of flour。  Then they ascended the stairs; and saw the stones
  lumbering round and round; and the yellow corn running down through
  the hopper。  They climbed yet further to the top stage; where the
  wheat lay in bins; and where long rays like feelers stretched in
  from the sun through the little window; got nearly lost among
  cobwebs and timber; and completed their course by marking the
  opposite wall with a glowing patch of gold。
  In his earnestness as an exhibitor Bob opened the bolter; which was
  spinning rapidly round; the result being that a dense cloud of flour
  rolled out in their faces; reminding Anne that her complexion was
  probably much paler by this time than when she had entered the mill。
  She thanked her companion for his trouble; and said she would now go
  down。  He followed her with the same deference as hitherto; and with
  a sudden and increasing sense that of all cures for his former
  unhappy passion this would have been the nicest; the easiest; and
  the most effectual; if he had only been fortunate enough to keep her
  upon easy terms。  But Miss Garland showed no disposition to go
  further than accept his services as a guide; she descended to the
  open air; shook the flour from her like a bird; and went on into the
  garden amid the September sunshine; whose rays lay level across the
  blue haze which the earth gave forth。  The gnats were dancing up and
  down in airy companies; the nasturtium flowers shone out in groups
  from the dark hedge over which they climbed; and the mellow smell of
  the decline of summer was exhaled by everything。  Bob followed her
  as far as the gate; looked after her; thought of her as the same
  girl who had half encouraged him years ago; when she seemed so
  superior to him; though now they were almost equal she apparently
  thought him beneath her。  It was with a new sense of pleasure that
  his mind flew to the fact that she was now an inmate of his father's
  house。
  His obsequious bearing was continued during the next week。  In the
  busy hours of the day they seldom met; but they regularly
  encountered each other at meals; and these cheerful occasions began
  to have an interest for him quite irrespective of dishes and cups。
  When Anne entered and took her seat she was always loudly hailed by
  Miller Loveday as he whetted his knife; but from Bob she
  condescended to accept no such familiar greeting; and they often sat
  down together as if each had a blind eye in the direction of the
  other。  Bob sometimes told serious and correct stories about sea…
  captains; pilots; boatswains; mates; able seamen; and other curious
  fauna of the marine world; but these were dire