第68章 ALICIA'S DIARY(43)

'In the front of the house a square greene court,and a curious gatehouse with lodgings in it,standing with the front of the house to the south;in a large outer court three stables,a coach-house,a large barne,and a stable for oxen and kyne,and all houses necessary.

'Without the gatehouse,paled in,a large square greene,in which standeth a faire chappell;of the south-east side of the greene court,towards the river,a large garden.

'Of the south-west side of the greene court is a large bowling greene,with fower mounted walks about it,all walled about with a batteled wall,and sett with all sorts of fruit;and out of it into the feildes there are large walks under many tall elmes orderly planted.'Then follows a deion of the orchards and gardens;the servants'

offices,brewhouse,bakehouse,dairy,pigeon-houses,and corn-mill;the river and its abundance of fish;the warren,the coppices,the walks;ending thus -'And all the country north of the house,open champaign,sandy feildes,very dry and pleasant for all kindes of recreation,huntinge,and hawkinge,and profitble for tillage ...The house hath a large prospect east,south,and west,over a very large and pleasant vale ...is seated from the good markett towns of Sherton Abbas three miles,and Ivel a mile,that plentifully yield all manner of provision;and within twelve miles of the south sea.'

It was on the grass before this seductive and picturesque structure that the sailor stood at gaze under the elms in the dim dawn of Sunday morning,and saw to his surprise his sister's lover and horse vanish within the court of the building.

Perplexed and weary,Roger slowly retreated,more than ever convinced that something was wrong in his sister's position.He crossed the bowling green to the avenue of elms,and,bent on further research,was about to climb into one of these,when,looking below,he saw a heap of hay apparently for horses or deer.Into this he crept,and,having eaten a crust of bread which he had hastily thrust into his pocket at the inn,he curled up and fell asleep,the hay forming a comfortable bed,and quite covering him over.

He slept soundly and long,and was awakened by the sound of a bell.

On peering from the hay he found the time had advanced to full day;the sun was shining brightly.The bell was that of the 'faire chappell'on the green outside the gatehouse,and it was calling to matins.Presently the priest crossed the green to a little side-door in the chancel,and then from the gateway of the mansion emerged the household,the tall man whom Roger had seen with his sister on the previous night,on his arm being a portly dame,and,running beside the pair,two little girls and a boy.These all entered the chapel,and the bell having ceased and the environs become clear,the sailor crept out from his hiding.

He sauntered towards the chapel,the opening words of the service being audible within.While standing by the porch he saw a belated servitor approaching from the kitchen-court to attend the service also.Roger carelessly accosted him,and asked,as an idle wanderer,the name of the family he had just seen cross over from the mansion.

'Od zounds!if ye modden be a stranger here in very truth,goodman.

That wer Sir John and his dame,and his children Elizabeth,Mary,and John.'

'I be from foreign parts.Sir John what d'ye call'n?'

'Master John Horseleigh,Knight,who had a'most as much lond by inheritance of his mother as 'a had by his father,and likewise some by his wife.Why,bain't his arms dree goolden horses'heads,and idden his lady the daughter of Master Richard Phelipson,of Montislope,in Nether Wessex,known to us all?'

'It mid be so,and yet it mid not.However,th''lt miss thy prayers for such an honest knight's welfare,and I have to traipse seaward many miles.'He went onward,and as he walked continued saying to himself,'Now to that poor wronged fool Edy.The fond thing!I thought it;'twas too quick--she was ever amorous.What's to become of her!God wot!How be I going to face her with the news,and how be I to hold it from her?To bring this disgrace on my father's honoured name,a double-tongued knave!'He turned and shook his fist at the chapel and all in it,and resumed his way.

Perhaps it was owing to the perplexity of his mind that,instead of returning by the direct road towards his sister's obscure lodging in the next county,he followed the highway to Casterbridge,some fifteen miles off,where he remained drinking hard all that afternoon and evening,and where he lay that and two or three succeeding nights,wandering thence along the Anglebury road to some village that way,and lying the Friday night after at his native place of Havenpool.The sight of the familiar objects there seems to have stirred him anew to action,and the next morning he was observed pursuing the way to Oozewood that he had followed on the Saturday previous,reckoning,no doubt,that Saturday night would,as before,be a time for finding Sir John with his sister again.

He delayed to reach the place till just before sunset.His sister was walking in the meadows at the foot of the garden,with a nursemaid who carried the baby,and she looked up pensively when he approached.Anxiety as to her position had already told upon her once rosy cheeks and lucid eyes.But concern for herself and child was displaced for the moment by her regard of Roger's worn and haggard face.

'Why--you are sick,Roger--you are tired!Where have you been these many days?Why not keep me company a bit--my husband is much away?

And we have hardly spoke at all of dear father and of your voyage to the New Land.Why did you go away so suddenly?There is a spare chamber at my lodging.'

'Come indoors,'he said.'We'll talk now--talk a good deal.As for him [nodding to the child],better heave him into the river;better for him and you!'She forced a laugh,as if she tried to see a good joke in the remark,and they went silently indoors.

'A miserable hole!'said Roger,looking round the room.

'Nay,but 'tis very pretty!'