our village-第12部分
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charing； and spends it in other luxuries than tidiness；… …in green tea； and gin； and snuff。 Her husband lives in a great family； ten miles off。 He is a capital gardeneror rather he would be so； if he were not too ambitious。 He undertakes all things； and finishes none。 But a smooth tongue； a knowing look； and a great capacity of labour； carry him through。 Let him but like his ale and his master and he will do work enough for four。 Give him his own way； and his full quantum； and nothing comes amiss to him。
Ah； May is bounding forward！ Her silly heart leaps at the sight of the old placeand so in good truth does mine。 What a pretty place it wasor rather； how pretty I thought it！ I suppose I should have thought any place so where I had spent eighteen happy years。 But it was really pretty。 A large； heavy； white house； in the simplest style； surrounded by fine oaks and elms； and tall massy plantations shaded down into a beautiful lawn by wild overgrown shrubs； bowery acacias； ragged sweet…briers； promontories of dogwood； and Portugal laurel； and bays； over…hung by laburnum and bird…cherry； a long piece of water letting light into the picture； and looking just like a natural stream； the banks as rude and wild as the shrubbery； interspersed with broom； and furze； and bramble； and pollard oaks covered with ivy and honeysuckle； the whole enclosed by an old mossy park paling； and terminating in a series of rich meadows； richly planted。 This is an exact description of the home which； three years ago； it nearly broke my heart to leave。 What a tearing up by the root it was！ I have pitied cabbage…plants and celery； and all transplantable things； ever since； though； in common with them； and with other vegetables； the first agony of the transportation being over； I have taken such firm and tenacious hold of my new soil； that I would not for the world be pulled up again； even to be restored to the old beloved ground；not even if its beauty were undiminished； which is by no means the case； for in those three years it has thrice changed masters； and every successive possessor has brought the curse of improvement upon the place； so that between filling up the water to cure dampness； cutting down trees to let in prospects； planting to keep them out； shutting up windows to darken the inside of the house （by which means one end looks precisely as an eight of spades would do that should have the misfortune to lose one of his corner pips）； and building colonnades to lighten the out； added to a general clearance of pollards； and brambles； and ivy； and honeysuckles； and park palings； and irregular shrubs； the poor place is so transmogrified； that if it had its old looking…glass； the water； back again； it would not know its own face。 And yet I love to haunt round about it： so does May。 Her particular attraction is a certain broken bank full of rabbit burrows； into which she insinuates her long pliant head and neck； and tears her pretty feet by vain scratchings： mine is a warm sunny hedgerow； in the same remote field； famous for early flowers。 Never was a spot more variously flowery： primroses yellow； lilac white； violets of either hue； cowslips； oxslips； arums； orchises； wild hyacinths； ground ivy； pansies； strawberries； heart's…ease； formed a small part of the Flora of that wild hedgerow。 How profusely they covered the sunny open slope under the weeping birch； 'the lady of the woods'and how often have I started to see the early innocent brown snake； who loved the spot as well as I did； winding along the young blossoms； or rustling amongst the fallen leaves！ There are primrose leaves already； and short green buds； but no flowers； not even in that furze cradle so full of roots； where they used to blow as in a basket。 No； my May； no rabbits！ no primroses！ We may as well get over the gate into the woody winding lane； which will bring us home again。
Here we are making the best of our way between the old elms that arch so solemnly over head； dark and sheltered even now。 They say that a spirit haunts this deep poola white lady without a head。 I cannot say that I have seen her； often as I have paced this lane at deep midnight； to hear the nightingales； and look at the glow…worms；but there； better and rarer than a thousand ghosts； dearer even than nightingales or glow…worms； there is a primrose； the first of the year； a tuft of primroses； springing in yonder sheltered nook； from the mossy roots of an old willow； and living again in the clear bright pool。 Oh； how beautiful they arethree fully blown； and two bursting buds！ How glad I am I came this way！ They are not to be reached。 Even Jack Rapley's love of the difficult and the unattainable would fail him here： May herself could not stand on that steep bank。 So much the better。 Who would wish to disturb them？ There they live in their innocent and fragrant beauty； sheltered from the storms； and rejoicing in the sunshine； and looking as if they could feel their happiness。 Who would disturb them？ Oh； how glad I am I came this way home！
VIOLETING。
March 27th。It is a dull gray morning； with a dewy feeling in the air； fresh； but not windy； cool； but not cold；the very day for a person newly arrived from the heat； the glare； the noise； and the fever of London； to plunge into the remotest labyrinths of the country； and regain the repose of mind； the calmness of heart； which has been lost in that great Babel。 I must go violetingit is a necessityand I must go alone： the sound of a voice； even my Lizzy's； the touch of Mayflower's head； even the bounding of her elastic foot； would disturb the serenity of feeling which I am trying to recover。 I shall go quite alone； with my little basket； twisted like a bee…hive； which I love so well； because SHE gave it to me； and kept sacred to violets and to those whom I love； and I shall get out of the high…road the moment I can。 I would not meet any one just now； even of those whom I best like to meet。
Ha！Is not that groupa gentleman on a blood…horse； a lady keeping pace with him so gracefully and easilysee how prettily her veil waves in the wind created by her own rapid motion！and that gay； gallant boy； on the gallant white Arabian； curveting at their side； but ready to spring before them every instantis not that chivalrous…looking party Mr。 and Mrs。 M。 and dear R？ No！ the servant is in a different livery。 It is some of the ducal family； and one of their young Etonians。 I may go on。 I shall meet no one now； for I have fairly left the road； and am crossing the lea by one of those wandering paths； amidst the gorse； and the heath； and the low broom； which the sheep and lambs have madea path turfy； elastic； thymy； and sweet； even at this season。
We have the good fortune to live in an unenclosed parish； and may thank the wise obstinacy of two or three sturdy farmers； and the lucky unpopularity of a ranting madcap lord of the manor； for preserving the delicious green patches； the islets of wilderness amidst cultivation； which form； perhaps； the peculiar beauty of English scenery。 The common that I am passing nowthe lea； as it is calledis one of the loveliest of these favoured spots。 It is a little sheltered scene； retiring； as it were； from the village； sunk amidst higher lands； hills would be almost too grand a word； edged on one side by one gay high…road； and intersected by another； and surrounded by a most picturesque confusion of meadows； cottages； farms； and orchards； with a great pond in one corner； unusually bright and clear； giving a delightful cheerfulness and daylight to the picture。 The swallows haunt that pond； so do the children。 There is a merry group round it now； I have seldom seen it without one。 Children love water； clear； bright； sparkling water； it excites and feeds their curiosity； it is motion and life。
The path that I am treading leads to a less lively spot； to that large heavy building on one side of the common； whose solid wings； jutting out far beyond the main body； occupy three sides of a square； and give a cold； shadowy look to the court。 On one side is a gloomy garden； with an old man digging in it； laid out in straight dark beds of vegetables； potatoes； cabbages； onions； beans； all earthy and mouldy as a newly…dug grave。 Not a flower or flowering shrub！ Not a rose…tree or currant…bush！ Nothing but for sober； melancholy use。 Oh； different from the long irregular slips of the cottage…gardens； with their gay bunches of polyanthuses and crocuses； their wallflowers sending sweet odours through the narrow casement； and their gooseberry…trees bursting into a brilliancy of leaf； whose vivid greenness has the effect of a blossom on the eye！ Oh； how different！ On the other side of this gloomy abode is a meadow of that deep； intense emerald hue； which denotes the presence of stagnant water； surrounded by willows at regular distances； and like the garden； separated from the common by a wide； moat…like ditch。 That is the parish workhouse。 All about it is solid； substantial； useful；but so dreary！ so cold！ so dark！ There are children in the court； and yet all is silent。 I always hurry past that place as if it were a prison。 Restraint； sickness； age； extreme poverty； misery； which I have no power to remove or alleviate；these are the ideas； the feelings； which the sight of those walls excites； yet； perhaps； if not certainly； they contain less of that extreme desolation than the morbid fancy is apt to paint。 There will be found order； cleanliness； food； clothing； warmth； refuge for the homeless； medicine and attendance for the sick； rest and sufficiency for old age； and sympathy； the true and active sympathy which the poor show to the poor； for the unhappy。 There may be worse places than a parish workhouseand yet I hurry past it。 The feeling； the prejudice； will not be controlled。
The end of the dreary garden edges off into a close…sheltered lane； wandering and winding； like a rivulet； in gentle 'sinuosities' （to use a word once applied by Mr。 Wilberforce to the Thames at Henley）； amidst green meadows； all alive with cattle； sheep； and beautiful lambs； in the very spring and pride of their tottering prettiness； or fields of arable land； more lively still with troops of stooping bean…setters； women and children； in
