# ■ 14 Bathsheba discovers the truth

Summer turned into autumn and one Saturday evening in October Bathsheba and her husband were riding home from Casterbridge market.

‘Yes，if it hadn't rained so hard，I'd have won two hundred pounds easily，my love，’Troy was saying. ‘The horse I put my money on fell over in the mud，you see. Such bad luck！’

‘But Frank，’said Bathsheba miserably，‘do you realize you've lost more than a hundred pounds in a month with this awful horse-racing？It's foolish of you to spend my money like that！You'll promise not to go to the next race，on Monday，won't you？’

‘It doesn't matter whether I go or not. I've already put money on an excellent horse in the Monday race. Don't cry，Bathsheba！If I'd known you were so cautious，I'd never have—’

He did not finish what he was saying. Just then they noticed a woman walking towards them. Although it was almost dark，they could see that she was poorly dressed.

‘Please，sir，do you know what time the Casterbridge workhouse closes？’she asked in a voice of extreme sadness.

Troy jumped in surprise，but kept his face turned away from her before replying，‘I don't know. ’

When the woman hear him speak，and looked up to his face，her expression showed both pain and happiness. She gave a cry，and fell to the ground，unconscious.

‘Oh poor thing！’cried Bathsheba. ‘I'll help her！’

‘No，stay on your horse，and take mine！’ordered Troy，jumping down. ‘Take the horses to the top of the hill. ’

Bathsheba obeyed，and moved away. Troy lifted up the woman.

‘I thought you were far away，or dead！’he told her，in a strangely gentle voice. ‘Why didn't you write to me，Fanny？’

‘I was afraid to. ’

‘Have you any money？No？Here's all I have，it's not much. I can't ask my wife for any more at the moment. ’The woman said nothing. ’Listen，’continued Troy，‘I'll have to leave you now. You're going to the Casterbridge workhouse？Well，stay there for tonight and tomorrow anyway，but I'll find somewhere better for you. I'll meet you on Monday morning at ten o'clock on the bridge just outside town. I'll bring you all the money I can. Goodbye！’

At the top of the hill Bathsheba turned and saw the woman walking slowly on towards Casterbridge. Troy soon caught up with his wife. He looked very upset.

‘Who is that woman？Bathsheba looked closely into his face.

‘She's not important to either of us，’he replied coldly.

‘I think you know her，’Bathsheba went on.

‘I don't care what you think！’he answered，and they continued their ride in silence.

The two miles to Casterbridge seemed a very long way to the woman，who was tired and ill. Sometimes she walked，sometimes she rested a little，beside the road. All through the night her eyes were fixed on the lights of Casterbridge，the end of her journey. At six o'clock the next morning she finally fell in front of the door of the workhouse，and the people there took her in.

Bathsheba and her husband did not speak much that evening，or the following day. But on Sunday evening Troy said suddenly，‘Bathsheba，could you let me have twenty pounds？I need it. ’

‘Ah！’she said sadly，‘for the races tomorrow. Oh，Frank，only a few weeks ago you said I was far sweeter than all your other pleasures！Now won't you stop risking money on horses，which is more a worry than a pleasure？Say yes to your wife，Frank，say yes！’Her beautiful face would have persuaded most men，including Troy if he had not been married to her，but he no longer loved her enough to agree to anything she wanted.

‘Well，the money isn't for racing anyway，’he said. ‘Don't keep me short of money，Bathsheba，or you'll be sorry. ’

‘I'm sorry already，’she replied，‘sorry that our love has come to an end. ’

‘Love always ends after marriage. I think you hate me. ’

‘No，not you. I only hate your faults. ’

‘Then why not help me to improve？Come，let's be friends. Just give me the twenty pounds. ’

‘Well，here's the money. Take it. ’

‘Thank you. I expect I'll be away before breakfast tomor-row. ’

‘Must you go，Frank？Stay with me！There was a time when you used to call me darling. Now you don't care how I spend my time. ’

‘I must go，’said Troy，taking out his watch. He opened the back of the watch case，and Bathsheba，who happened to be looking，saw that there was a curl of hair hidden inside.

‘Oh Frank！’she gasped. ‘A woman's hair！Whose is it？’

Troy closed the watch immediately and replied carelessly，‘Why，yours of course. I'd quite forgotten I had it. ’

‘You're lying，Frank. It's yellow hair. Mine is darker. ’

‘Well，all right，if I must tell you，it's the hair of a young woman I was going to marry before I met you. ’

‘Tell me her name！Is she married？’

‘I can't tell you her name，but she's single. ’

‘Is she alive？Is she pretty？’

‘Yes to both questions. ’

‘How can she be pretty，poor thing，with hair that colour？’

‘Her hair has been admired by everybody who's seen her. It's beautiful hair！Don't be jealous，Bathsheba！You shouldn't have married me if you didn't trust me！’

‘This is all I get for loving you so much！’cried Bathsheba bitterly. ‘I would have died for you when I married you，and now you laugh at my foolishness in marrying you！But you'll burn that hair，won't you，Frank，to please me？’

Troy only answered，‘I have a duty to someone in my past. Mistakes were made which I must put right. That's more important than my relationship with you. If you're sorry you married me，well，so am I！’

‘Frank，I'm only sorry if you love another woman more than me，’said Bathsheba in a trembling voice. ‘You like the woman with that pretty hair. Yes，it is pretty！Was she the woman we met on the road last night？’

‘Well，yes. Now you know the truth，I hope you're happy. ’

‘You haven't told me everything. Tell me the whole truth，’she said，looking bravely into his face. ‘I never thought I'd beg a man to do anything，but my pride has all gone！’

‘Don't be so desperate！’said Troy crossly. He left the room.

Bathsheba was in deep despair. She knew that she had lost her independence as a woman，which she had been so proud of. She hated herself for falling in love so easily with her hand-some husband，who，she now realized，could not be trusted.

The next morning Troy left the house early. Bathsheba was walking in her garden，when she noticed Gabriel Oak and Mr Boldwood deep in conversation in the road. They called to Joseph Poorgrass，who was picking apples，and soon he came along the path to Bathsheba's house.

‘Well，what's the message，Joseph？’she asked，curious.

‘I'm afraid Fanny Robin's dead，ma'am. Dead in the Casterbridge workhouse.

‘No！Why？What did she die from？’

‘I don't know，ma'am，but she was never very strong. Mr Boldwood is sending a cart to bring her back to be buried here. ’

‘Oh，I won't let Mr Boldwood do that！Fanny was my uncle's maid，and mine too How very sad to die in a work-house！Tell Mr Boldwood that you will drive my new cart over to Casterbridge this afternoon to fetch her body. And Joseph，put flowers on the cart for poor Fanny. How long was she in the workhouse？’

‘Only a day，ma'am. She arrived，ill and exhausted，on Sunday morning. She came on foot through Weatherbury. ’

The colour left Bathsheba's face at one. ‘Along the road from Weatherbury to Casterbridge？’she asked eagerly. ‘When did she pass Weatherbury？’

‘Last Saturday night it was，ma'am. ’

‘Thank you，Joseph，you may go. ’

Later that afternoon Bathsheba asked Liddy，‘What was the colour of poor Fanny Robin's hair？I only saw her for a day or two. ’

‘She used to keep it covered，but it was lovely golden hair，ma'am. ’

‘Her young man was a soldier，wasn't he？’

‘Yes，and Mr Troy knows him well. ’

‘What？Mr Troy told you that？’

‘Yes. One day I asked him if he knew Fanny's young man，and he said he knew him as well as he knew himself！’

‘That's enough，Liddy！’said Bathsheba，her anxiety mak-ing her unusually cross.

■ 14 芭絲謝芭發現真相

夏去秋來。十月份一個星期六的傍晚，芭絲謝芭夫婦倆從卡斯特橋市場騎馬回家。

“真是的，如果不是下大雨，我可以輕輕鬆鬆地掙200鎊，親愛的，”託伊說道。“我押賭注的那匹馬在泥地上摔倒了。真是背運！”

“可是，弗蘭克，”芭絲謝芭痛苦地說，“你有沒有想過，一個月內你就在這要命的賽馬場輸掉100多鎊？你這樣花錢太愚蠢！你得保證不去下星期一的賽馬會，行嗎？”

“我去不去都沒關係，我已經把錢押在星期一參賽的一匹好馬身上了。別哭啊，芭絲謝芭！如果我早知道你這麼謹小慎微，那我決不會——”

他沒有把話說完。就在這時，他們看到一個女人向他們走來。雖然天已快黑了，可他還是能看得出，她衣著破舊。

“請問一下，先生，您知不知道卡斯特橋濟貧院多會兒關門？”她問道，聲音中透出極度的悲傷。

託伊吃了一驚，扭過臉避開她，然後才答道，“我不知道。”

那個女人聽到他說話，又抬頭看看他的臉，顯得既痛苦又幸福。她發出一聲喊叫，倒在地上不省人事了。

“啊，可憐的人！”芭絲謝芭喊道。“我得幫幫她！”

“別去，你騎在你的馬上，把我的馬拉住。”託伊一邊發令，一邊跳下馬來。“把馬牽到山頂去。”

芭絲謝芭聽從吩咐走了。託伊把那女人扶了起來。

“我還以為你遠走高飛了，或是死了呢！”他對她說，話語中奇怪地透著溫柔。”你為什麼不給我寫信呢，範妮？”

“我不敢寫。”

“你有錢嗎？沒有？我身上的錢都在這兒，不多。我此刻不能再向我妻子要了。”那女人一言不發。“聽著，”託伊接著說，“現在我得走了。你是要去卡斯特橋濟貧院嗎？好吧，就先在那裡過了今晚和明天，完了我給你找個好點的地方。星期一上午十點我在城外橋上等你。我會帶儘可能多的錢。再見！”

上了山頂，芭絲謝芭轉過身來，看見那女人緩緩地向卡斯特橋走去。託伊很快追上了他的妻子，臉上顯得忐忑不安。

“那個女人是誰呀？”芭絲謝芭仔細端詳著他的臉問。

“她對我倆都無關緊要。”他冷冷答道。

“我想你認識她吧，”芭絲謝芭又說。

“你愛怎麼想就怎麼想！”他答道。接著他們默默地向前騎著。

那個女人既勞累，又生著病，對她來說，到卡斯特橋的兩英里似乎特別遙遠，她沿著大道停停走走。一整夜，她的眼睛都盯著目的地卡斯特橋的燈光。早上六點，她終於倒在濟貧院門前，那兒的人們把她接了進去。

那天晚上，或者說第二天，芭絲謝芭和她丈夫之間都沒有什麼話可說。但是，到了星期天晚上，託伊忽然說，“芭絲謝芭，我需要20英鎊，你能給我嗎？”

“啊，”她傷心地說，“準備明天的賽馬吧？弗蘭克，你不是說我比你的其它樂事更令你快活嗎？這才幾個星期啊！你能不能不再賭馬，讓人提心掉膽啊！答應你的妻子，弗蘭克，說你不去了！”她那美麗的面龐能勸服大多數男人。如果託伊沒有結婚，他也會動搖，但是現在，他對她的愛已有所減弱，不再對她言聽計從了。

“好吧，我不用這錢去賭馬，”他說。“別讓我缺錢花，芭絲謝芭，要不你會遺憾的。”

“我已經有遺憾了，”她答道。“遺憾我們倆的愛情已經到頭。”

“愛情總是隨著婚姻而結束。你恨我了吧。”

“我不恨你，我只恨你犯的錯誤。”

“那幹嗎不幫我改正呢？來吧，咱們是好朋友。就給我20鎊。”

“好吧，錢在這兒。拿著。”

“謝謝。明天早飯後我得出去。”

“你必須走嗎，弗蘭克？留下陪我吧！過去你總叫我親愛的，現在你並不在乎我怎樣打發時光了。”

“我必須走，”託伊說著，取出他的表來。他打開表的後蓋，芭絲謝芭恰巧看見了表裡藏著一綹頭髮。

“哎呀，弗蘭克！”她叫道。“那是女人的頭髮？誰的呀？”

託伊趕緊合上表蓋，漫不經心地答道，“怎麼了，你的唄。我都快忘了這頭髮了。”

“你撒謊，弗蘭克。那是黃頭髮，我的頭髮是深色的。”

“好啦，好啦，如果一定要說，我告訴你。那頭髮是我見到你以前準備娶的一個年輕姑娘的。”

“告訴我她的名字？她結婚了嗎？”

“我不能說出她的名字，不過，她還是單身。”

“她還活著嗎？漂亮嗎？”

“活著，漂亮。”

“那可憐的人兒長著那樣的頭髮怎麼能好看呢？”

“她的頭髮人見人愛，真漂亮啊！別嫉妒呀，芭絲謝芭。你要是不信任我，就不該嫁給我！”

“我那麼愛你，這就是你對我的報答！”芭絲謝芭痛苦地哭道。“我嫁給你的時候，願為你而死，現在你卻笑我嫁你是犯傻！你願不願意讓我高興，把那綹頭髮燒掉，弗蘭克？”

託伊只是說，“我對以前碰到的人負有責任。我必須糾正過去所犯的錯誤，這比我倆之間的關係更重要。如果你後悔和我結婚，好，我還後悔呢！”

“弗蘭克，我只是遺憾你愛另一個女人勝過愛我，”芭絲謝芭聲音顫抖著說。“你喜歡長著漂亮頭髮的女人。是，很好看！她是不是昨晚咱們在路上碰到的那個女人？”

“沒錯，是的。現在你知道真相了，高興了吧。”

“你並沒有告訴我全部經過。快把全部真相告訴我，”她說，大膽地盯著他的臉。“我從未想過我會求一個男人做什麼事，我的自尊全沒了！”

“別這麼不顧一切嘛！”託伊怒衝衝地說著出了門。

芭絲謝芭陷入深深的絕望之中。她知道她已失去作為一個女人的獨立自主，這曾經是令她引以自豪的。她恨自己那麼輕率地愛上了自己這位英俊的丈夫，現在她意識到，他這人並不可靠。

次日一早，託伊早早就離開了家。芭絲謝芭正在花園裡散步，忽然注意到蓋伯瑞爾·奧克和伯德伍德先生正埋頭說著話。他們喊約瑟夫·普格拉斯，正在摘蘋果的普格拉斯很快沿著通向芭絲謝芭房屋的小路走來。

“喂，約瑟夫！什麼事？”她好奇地問。

“好象範妮·羅賓死了，死在卡斯特橋濟貧院裡了。”

“是嗎！怎麼死的？”

“我也不知道，太太。不過她本來身體就不結實。伯德伍德先生準備派一輛馬車把她拉回來葬在這兒。”

“啊，不能讓伯德伍德先生派馬車，範妮是我叔叔的使女，也是我的。死在濟貧院多慘哪！你去對伯德伍德先生說，你今天下午要趕我的新馬車去卡斯特橋把她的遺體拉回來。還有，約瑟夫，在馬車上給可憐的範妮放些花。她在濟貧院呆了多久了？”

“剛一天，太太。她星期天上午到那裡時就有病，又累得要命。她步行穿過威瑟伯裡。”

芭絲謝芭臉上立時失去了血色。“沿路從威瑟伯裡到了卡斯特橋？”她急切地問道。“她什麼時候路經威瑟伯裡的呢？”

“上星期六晚上，太太。”

“謝謝你，約瑟夫，你可以走了。”

下午晚些時候，芭絲謝芭問利蒂：“可憐的範妮·羅賓的頭髮是什麼顏色？我只見過她一兩天。”

“她那會兒總把頭髮包起來，是漂亮的金髮，太太。”

“她的那個年輕男人是個士兵，對不？”

“對，託伊先生和他很熟。”

“你說什麼？託伊先生對你說過嗎？”

“對呀。有一天我問他認不認識範妮的男人，他說他和那人熟得不得了。”

“夠了，利蒂！”芭絲謝芭說，她焦慮不安，異乎尋常地發了脾氣。