# ■ 6 Fanny's mistake

At the malthouse the men were discussing Bathsheba. ‘How's she getting on without a farm manager？’the old maltster asked the younger men.

‘She can't manage the farm alone，’replied Jacob，‘and she won't listen to our advice. Proud，she is. I've often said it，’

‘You have，Jacob，you have，that's true，’agreed little Joseph Poorgrass.

‘But she's intelligent，’said Billy Smallbury，‘and must have some common sense. ’

‘It seems her old uncle's furniture wasn't good enough for her，’said the maltster‘I hear she's bought new beds，chairs and a piano！If she's a farmer，why does she want a piano？ ’

Just then they heard a heavy footstep outside，and a voice called，‘Neighbours，can I bring a few lambs in there？’

‘Of course，shepherd，’they all replied.

Gabriel appeared in the doorway，his cheeks red and his healthy face shining. On his shoulders were four half－dead lambs，which he put down carefully，close to the fire.

‘I haven't got a shepherd's hut here，as I used to have at Norcombe，’he explained. ‘These new lambs would die if I couldn't keep them warm for a while. It's very kind of you，maltster，to let me bring them in here. ’

‘We've been talking of the mistress，and her strange behaviour，shepherd，’said the maltster.

‘What have you been saying about her？’asked Gabriel sharply，turning to the others. ‘I suppose you've been speak- ing against her？’he added angrily to Joseph Poorgrass.

‘No，no，not a word，’said Joseph，trembling and blushing with terror.

‘well，look here，neighbours. ’Gabriel，although normally one of the quietest and most gentle men on earth，had sudden－ly become aggressive. ‘The first man I hear saying anything bad about our mistress will receive this in his face，’and he banged his great heavy hand down on the maltster's table.

‘Now don't get so angry，shepherd，and sit down！’said Jacob.

‘We hear you're a very clever man，shepherd，’added Joseph Poorgrass from behind the maltster's bed，where he had been hiding. ‘We all wish we were as clever as you，don't we，neighbours？’There was general agreement.

‘I think mistress ought to have made you her farm manager，you're so suitable for the job，’continued Joseph. He could see that Gabriel was no longer angry.

‘I don't mind confessing I was hoping to be her farm man－ ager，’said Gabriel in his honest way. ‘But Miss Everdene can do as she likes，and she's chosen to manage her own farm—and keep me as an ordinary shepherd only. ’He sounded rather depressed，and looked sadly into the fire.

Before anyone could reply，the door opened and Mr Bold－ wood came in. He greeted them all and handed the letter to Gabriel.

‘I opened this by mistake，Oak，’he said，‘but it must be for you. I'm sorry. ’

‘Oh，it doesn't matter at all，’answered Gabriel，who had no secrets from anyone. He read this letter：

Dear friend，

I don't know your name，but I want to thank you for your kindness to me on the night I left Weatherbury. I'm also returning the money you gave me. I'm happy to say I'm going to marry the young man who has been courting me， Sergeant Troy. As he is a nobleman's son，I know he wouldn't like me to accept a gift from anyone. Please don't tell anyone about my marriage. We intend to surprise Weatherbury by arriuing there as husband and wife，very soon. Thank you again.

Fanny Robin.

‘You'd better read it，Mr Boldwood，’said Gabriel. ‘It's from Fanny Robin. She wants to keep this a secret but I know you're interested in her. I met her on my way to Weather- bury，but I didn't know then who she was. ’ When Mr Boldwood had finished reading the letter，he looked very serious. ‘Poor Fanny！’he said. ‘I don't think this Sergeant Troy will ever marry her. He's clever，and handsome，but he can't be trusted. What a silly girl Fanny is！’

‘I'm very sorry to hear that，’said Gabriel.

‘By the way，Oak，’said Mr Boldwood quietly，as he and the shepherd left the malthouse together，‘could you tell me whose writing this is？’He showed Gabriel the envelope containing the valentine.

Gabriel looked at it，and said simply，‘Miss Everdene’s. ’Then he realized that Bathsheba must have written to Mr Boldwood without signing her name，and he looked，puzzled， at the farmer.

Mr Boldwood replied rather too quickly to Gabriel's unspo－ ken question. ‘It's quite normal to try to discover who has written the——valentine. That's the——fun of it. ’There was no fun at all in his manner. ‘Goodbye，Oak，’he added，and walked slowly back to his empty house.

A few days later，in the town north of Weatherbury where the soldiers were staying，a wedding was arranged As the church clock in the square struck half-past eleven，a handsome young soldier marched into the church and spoke to the vicar Then he stood still in the centre of the church，waiting for his bride. The church was full of the women and girls who had at－ tended the morning service and had decided to wait to see the wedding. They watched the young man's straight back，whis－ pering among themselves. The soldier waited without moving a muscle. The church clock struck a quarter to twelve，and still the bride did not come. The whispers stopped，and there was silence. The young man stood as stiff and straight as the church columns around him. There was a little quiet laughter from some of the women，but soon they were silent again，waiting for the end.

As the church clock struck twelve，they listened to the heavy notes ringing out from the church tower. The vicar left his position near the soldier，and disappeared into a back room. Every woman in the church was waiting to see the young man's face，and he knew it. At last he turned，and marched bravely back the way he had come，through the rows of smiling women.

When he got outside and crossed the square，he met a girl hurrying towards the church. When she saw him，the anxiety on her face changed to terror.

‘Well’？’he said，staring coldly at her.

‘Oh Frank，I made a mistake！I thought it was the other church，he one near the market，and I waited there till a quarter to twelve，and then I realized my mistake. But it doesn't matter，because we can just as easily get married tomorrow. ’

‘You're a fool，to play games with me！’he replied angrily.

‘So shall we get married tomorrow，Frank？’she asked，not understanding how seriously she had offended him. ‘Tomorrow！’he repeated，and laughed. ‘I don't want another experience like that for a while，I can promise you！’

‘But Frank，’she begged in a trembling voice，‘it wasn't such a terrible mistake！Now，dear Frank，when will our wedding be？’

‘Ah，when？God knows！’he said，and turning away from her，walked rapidly away.

■ 6 範妮的錯誤

酒店裡，人們正在議論芭絲謝芭。

“沒有農場經理，她怎麼辦呢？”年老的酒店老闆問年輕的人們。

“她一個人搞不好農場，”雅各布說，“她不聽我們的勸告。我總說，她很驕傲。”

“你是這樣說的，雅各布，你是這樣說的，你說得對，”矮小的約瑟夫·普格拉斯贊同地說。

“可是她很聰明，”比利·斯摩伯裡說，“她一定很有見識。”

“好像她對她年老的叔叔的傢俱不滿意，”酒店老闆說。“聽說她買了新床、新椅子，還有一架鋼琴！如果她要當農場主，她幹嗎要鋼琴呢？”

就在這時，他們聽到門外重重的腳步聲，一個聲音喊道，“鄉親們，我可以把這幾隻羊羔帶進去嗎？”

“當然可以，牧羊人，”他們一起答道。

蓋伯瑞爾出現在門口，他兩頰通紅，健康的臉龐放著光。在他的肩上有四隻半死的羊羔，他小心翼翼地把它們放在靠近火的地方。

“我在這兒沒有牧羊人小屋，過去在諾科姆我有一個，”他解釋說。“如果不讓這幾隻新生的羊羔暖和一會兒，他們會死的。老闆，你讓我把它們帶進來，真是太感謝你了。”

“牧羊人，我們正在談論女主人以及她的不尋常的所作所為，”酒店老闆說。

“你們在說她什麼呢？”蓋伯瑞爾轉向眾人厲聲問。“我想你們是在說她的壞話吧？”他對著約瑟夫·普格拉斯，生氣地又問了一句。

“沒有，沒有，一句壞話也沒說。”約瑟夫說。由於害怕顫抖起來，臉也漲紅了。

“哼，告訴你們，鄰居們，”蓋伯瑞爾，這個世上最安靜、最溫柔的人，突然變得咄咄逼人。“我要是聽到誰說女主人的壞話，他的臉上首先就會嚐到這個，”接著他把他的大手重重地擊在了酒店老闆的桌子上。

“牧羊人，別生氣，坐下！”雅各布說。

“牧羊人，我們聽說你是個很聰明的人，”約瑟夫·普格拉斯從酒店老闆的床後邊接口說，他一直躲在那兒。“我們都希望我們像你一樣聰明，是吧，鄰居們？”人們都表示同意。

“我認為女主人應該讓你當她的農場經理，你太適合幹這個工作了，”約瑟夫接著說。他能看出蓋伯瑞爾已不生氣了。

“我可以坦白我很希望給她當農場經理，”蓋伯瑞爾誠實地說。“不過，伊芙丁小姐有權做自己願做的事情，她已決定要自己管理農場，而只要我做個普通的牧羊人。”聽起來他很沮喪，眼睛悲傷地盯著火。

別人正要答話，門開了，伯德伍德走了進來。他和大家打過招呼，把信遞給了蓋伯瑞爾。

“奧克，我開錯了信，”他說，“這信一定是給你的。我很抱歉。”

“咳，沒關係，”蓋伯瑞爾對誰也沒有要保密的，說著，他看起信來：

親愛的朋友，

我不知道你的名字，但我想謝謝你，因為在我離開威瑟伯裡的那天夜裡，你對我非常好。我也想把你給我的錢還給你。我很高興地告訴你，我就要與追求我的年輕人託伊中士結婚了。他是一個貴族的兒子，我知道他不喜歡我接受別人的禮物。請不要告訴別人我結婚的事。我們打算不久將以夫妻的身份出現在威瑟伯裡，讓人們大吃一驚。再一次的感謝你。

範妮·羅賓

“你最好讀一讀這封信，伯德伍德先生，”蓋伯瑞爾說。“是範妮·羅賓寫來的。她不想讓別人知道，可我知道你很關心她。我在來威瑟伯裡的路上碰到了她，那時我不知道她是誰。”

伯德伍德看完信後，臉上的表情很嚴肅。“可憐的範妮！”他說。“我認為這個託伊中士不會和她結婚。他聰明英俊，但無法讓人信賴。範妮是個多麼傻的姑娘啊！”

“聽你這麼說我很難過，”蓋伯瑞爾說。

“順便問一下，奧克，”伯德伍德和牧羊人一同離開酒店時，他平靜地說，“你能告訴我這是誰的字跡嗎？”他讓蓋伯瑞爾看那個裝著情人卡的信封。

蓋伯瑞爾看了看信封，只是說，“伊芙丁小姐的字跡。”隨後他意識到芭絲謝芭一定是給伯德伍德先生寫了一封沒有署名的信。他迷惑不解地看著這位農場主。

蓋伯瑞爾的問題還沒出口，伯德伍德先生就搶著回答說，“想弄清楚是誰寫的情人卡是很正常的，這就是樂趣。”他的態度卻沒有顯示出任何樂趣。“再見，奧克，”他說著慢慢走回了他的空屋子。

幾天後，在士兵們駐紮的威瑟伯裡以北的一個鎮上，一場婚禮正在籌備之中。廣場上教堂的鐘在十一點半敲響時，一個年輕英俊的士兵向教堂走去，他向牧師講明瞭情況，然後靜靜地站在教堂中央，等待著他的新娘。教堂裡滿是參加早禱的女人和姑娘們，她們想等著看婚禮。她們望著年輕人筆直的後背，悄聲議論著。這個士兵一動不動地等待著。教堂十二點差一刻的鐘聲敲響了，新娘還是沒有到。竊竊私語聲停止了，教堂裡寂靜無聲。那個年輕人僵直地站著，就像他身邊教堂裡的柱子。有些女人發出低低的笑聲，但她們很快就又安靜了下來，等待著最後的結果。

教堂的鐘聲敲響了十二點，人們聽到教堂塔頂傳出低沉的音調。牧師從位於士兵身旁的他的位置上離開，走進了後房。那個年輕人知道教堂中所有的女人都在等著看他臉上的表情。終於，他轉過身來，穿過一排排面帶譏笑的女人，勇敢地從來的路上走了回去。

出了教堂，穿過廣場時，他碰上一個急急忙忙往教堂趕來的姑娘。她看到他時，臉上的焦急變成了恐懼。

“好啊？”他瞪著她冷冷地說。

“唉，弗蘭克，我弄錯了。我以為是另一個教堂，是靠近集市的那個教堂，我在那兒一直等到差一刻十二點，後來意識到我搞錯了。不過，沒關係。明天我們也能一樣容易地結婚。”

“你真蠢，跟我玩這種遊戲！”他生氣地答道。

“弗蘭克，那我們明天結婚嗎？”她問道，並不明白她已惹怒了他。

“明天！”他重複說，大笑起來。“告訴你，我可不想再要一次這樣的經歷！”

“可是，弗蘭克，”她用顫抖的聲音懇求說，“這也不是什麼大不了的錯！親愛的弗蘭克，我們什麼時候舉行婚禮？”

“哼，什麼時候？天知道！”他說著，迅速轉身走了。