登陆注册
37898200000007

第7章

As usual, Mrs Durbeyfield was balanced on one foot beside the tub, the other being engaged in the aforesaid business of rocking her youngest child.

The cradle-rockers had done hard duty for so many years, under the weight of so many children, on that flagstone floor, that they were worn nearly flat, in consequence of which a huge jerk accompanied each swing of the cot, flinging the baby from side to side like a weaver's shuttle, as Mrs Durbeyfield, excited by her song, trod the rocker with all the spring that was left in her after a long day's seething in the suds.

Nick-knock, nick-knock, went the cradle; the candle-flame stretched itself tall, and began jigging up and down; the water dribbled from the matron's elbows, and the song galloped on to the end of the verse, Mrs Durbeyfield regarding her daughter the while.Even now, when burdened with a young family, Joan Durbeyfield was a passionate lover of tune.No ditty floated into Blackmoor Vale from the outer world but Tess's mother caught up its notation in a week.

There still faintly beamed from the woman's features something of the freshness, and even the prettiness, of her youth; rendering it probable that the personal charms which Tess could boast of were in main part her mother's gift, and therefore unknightly, unhistorical.

`I'll rock the cradle for 'ee, mother,' said the daughter gently.

`Or I'll take off my best frock and help you wring up? I thought you had finished long ago.'

Her mother bore Tess no ill-will for leaving the house-work to her single-handed efforts for so long; indeed, Joan seldom up-braided her thereon at any time, feeling but slightly the lack of Tess's assistance whilst her instinctive plan for relieving herself of her labours lay in postponing them.To-night, however, she wis even in a blither mood than usual.There was a dreaminess, a preoccupation, an exaltation, in the maternal look which the girl could not understand.

`Well, I'm glad you've come,' her mother said, as soon as the last note had passed out of her.`I want to go and fetch your father; but what's more'n that, I want to tell 'ee what have happened.Y'll be fess enough, my poppet, when th'st know!' (Mrs Durbeyfield habitually spoke the dialect;her daughter, who had passed the Sixth Standard in the National School under a London-trained mistress, spoke two languages; the dialect at home, more or less; ordinary English abroad and to persons of quality.)`Since I've been away?' Tess asked.

`Ay!'

`Had it anything to do with father's ****** such a mommet of himself in thik carriage this afternoon? Why did 'er? I felt inclined to sink into the ground with shame!'

`That wer all a part of the larry! We've been found to be the greatest gentlefolk in the whole county - reaching all back long before Oliver Grumble's time - to the days of the Pagan Turks - with monuments, and vaults, and crests, and `scutcheons, and the Lord knows what all.In Saint Charles's days we was made Knights o' the Royal Oak, our real name being d'Urberville!...

Don't that make your bosom plim? 'Twas on this account that your father rode home in the vlee; not because he'd been drinking, as people supposed.'

`I'm glad of that.Will it do us any good, mother?'

`O yes! 'Tis thoughted that great things may come o't.No doubt a mampus of volk of our own rank will be down here in their carriages as soon as 'tis known.Your father learnt it on his way hwome from Shaston, and he has been telling me the whole pedigree of the matter.'

`Where is father now?' asked Tess suddenly.

Her mother gave irrelevant information by way of answer: `He called to see the doctor to-day in Shaston.It is not consumption at all, it seems.

It is fat round his heart, 'a says.There, it is like this.' Joan Durbeyfield, as she spoke, curved a sodden thumb and forefinger to the shape of the letter C, and used the other forefinger as a pointer.` "At the present moment," he says to your father, "your heart is enclosed all round there, and all round there; this space is still open," 'a says."As soon as it do meet, so," ` - Mrs Durbeyfield closed her fingers into a circle complete"off you will go like a shadder, Mr Durbeyfield," 'a says."You mid last ten years; you mid go off in ten months, or ten days." '

Tess looked alarmed.Her father possibly to go behind the eternal cloud so soon, notwithstanding this sudden greatness!

`But where is father?' she asked again.

Her mother put on a deprecating look.`Now don't you be bursting out angry! The poor man - he felt so rafted after his uplifting by the pa'son's news - that he went up to Rolliver's half an hour ago.He do want to get up his strength for his journey to-morrow with that load of beehives, which must be delivered, family or no.He'll have to start shortly after twelve to-night, as the distance is so long.'

`Get up his strength!' said Tess impetuously, the tears welling to her eyes.`O my God! Go to a public-house to get up his strength! And you as well agreed as he, mother!'

Her rebuke and her mood seemed to fill the whole room, and to impart a cowed look to the furniture, and candle, and children playing about, and to her mother's face.

`No,' said the latter touchily, `I be not agreed.I have been waiting for 'ee to bide and keep house while I go to fetch him.'

`I'll go.'

`O no, Tess.You see, it would be no use.'

Tess did not expostulate.She knew what her mother's objection meant.

Mrs Durbeyfield's jacket and bonnet were already hanging slily upon a chair by her side, in readiness for this contemplated jaunt, the reason for which the matron deplored more than its necessity.

`And take the Compleat Fortune-Teller to the outhouse,' Joan continued, rapidly wiping her hands, and donning the garments.

The Compleat Fortune-Teller was an old thick volume, which lay on a table at her elbow, so worn by pocketing that the margins had reached the edge of the type.Tess took it up, and her mother started.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 盛世回眸,倾城邪魅妃

    盛世回眸,倾城邪魅妃

    上一世,上天饶了她,但是却被自己最信赖的人所算计,没关系。这一世,换一重身份在一个陌生的世界里,靠自己!看着她一步一步走向世界顶端。“天若逆我,我必定覆了这天!”她也因为她所做的事情,被世人成为女恶魔。及其护短的她,却被一个来历不明的男人纠缠,这…TMD是闹哪样!
  • 天君重临

    天君重临

    意气风发,睥睨天下的君主,惨被奸人所害,且看他如何重返巅峰,开启神挂,再创传奇!
  • 山川河海余生是你

    山川河海余生是你

    做了5年的夫妻最后还是走到尽头,后来顾惜死后,叶琛在想回头时已经晚了,叶琛本想下去陪顾惜,一觉醒来就已经重生,回到大学,还没有和顾惜认识,一切还没有发生,误会也没有产生,这辈子叶琛只想追顾惜,早点拐回家,没想到顾惜也回来了小剧场:叶琛:小姐,充话费,拿出100顾惜玩游戏太入迷听见有人来充话费,连忙说:报号码叶琛:18872×1××××顾惜一愣抬头准备说先生你的号码错了,因为号码是和自己是一样的,看到是叶琛时口水咽了咽,只见叶琛说:话费还欠吗!·····(大家好我是新来的,各位小仙女请多多关照,写的不好,欢迎指正)简介无能???!(??????)??缘来缘余生还是你
  • 思想大狂潮

    思想大狂潮

    思想决定着人的性格,性格决定着行动。获得异能的林枫行走在寻找伙伴的道路上,却不经意间插手着各种大师,影响着整个世界的秩序。
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 拾光中有你

    拾光中有你

    季雨婷:在遇到他之前,自卑、堕落,已经成为了她的代名词。遇到他之后,她的生活终于又重新充满了色彩。秦穆天:对待别人高冷,一位名副其实的大佬,别人惹不起的存在只有季雨婷知道他内心的脆弱。而季雨婷也是他秦穆天这一辈子,唯一的、最大的软肋。他们都惊艳了彼此的时光!
  • 相公个个太腹黑

    相公个个太腹黑

    敢说本姑娘只是棋子?哼哼,我也觉得被这个臭男人的臭手捏过了我这颗棋子,脏死了!呀呵,皇上美人的脸摸着皮肤真不错,什么?怀疑我不是女人?哇啊,美人爹爹,蹭蹭!嗯哼?这个美人胸口怎么是平的呢?莫非是太平公主?
  • 魅王独宠:绝品天才七小姐

    魅王独宠:绝品天才七小姐

    天生废柴体质遭人人唾弃?只能像乞丐一样祈求家人的怜悯?卑微?懦弱?对于二十一世纪的绝品特工她来说。没有自由算个what!喂!那只神兽九尾狐,就算你修炼成了极品美男。也只能也不许钻我被窝!(说完看向某只腹黑)“至于你嘛。说要娶我?你还是怎么远怎么滚好了。。。我还没看够天下美男呢。”他一挑眉“哦?那为夫就去把你看上的都杀了。到时候你也只能是我的。”“。。。。你赢了”
  • 人类历史未解之谜(全集)

    人类历史未解之谜(全集)

    本书立志向广大读者介绍一些人类历史未解的谜团,分别从外国军史谜团、中国军史谜团、历史疑云、名人疑案、古老的文明、传说中的历史、迷雾重重的宝藏这七个方面向读者一一展示了人类历史所存在的扑朔迷离、神秘奠测的谜团。此外,本书具有很强的可读性、趣味性,将一个个人们耳熟能详的历史谜题以及众多富有传奇色彩的话题,借助简明的体例,精练的文字,新颖的版式,精美的图片等,描绘得栩栩如生,从而披露出大量鲜为人知的历史细节,再现历史的丰富与变幻。