按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
roadside grass by the Brenzett carrier； who actually
got down to have a nearer look； but drew back； in…
timidated by the perfect immobility； and by some…
thing queer in the aspect of that tramp； sleeping
so still under the showers。 As the day advanced；
some children came dashing into school at Norton
in such a fright that the schoolmistress went out
and spoke indignantly to a 'horrid…looking man'
on the road。 He edged away； hanging his head；
for a few steps； and then suddenly ran off with ex…
traordinary fleetness。 The driver of Mr。 Brad…
ley's milk…cart made no secret of it that he had
lashed with his whip at a hairy sort of gipsy fel…
low who； jumping up at a turn of the road by the
Vents； made a snatch at the pony's bridle。 And
he caught him a good one too； right over the face；
he said； that made him drop down in the mud a
jolly sight quicker than he had jumped up； but it
was a good half…a…mile before he could stop the
pony。 Maybe that in his desperate endeavours to
get help； and in his need to get in touch with some
one； the poor devil had tried to stop the cart。 Also
three boys confessed afterwards to throwing stones
at a funny tramp； knocking about all wet and
muddy； and； it seemed； very drunk； in the narrow
deep lane by the limekilns。 All this was the talk of
three villages for days； but we have Mrs。 Finn's
（the wife of Smith's waggoner） unimpeachable
testimony that she saw him get over the low wall of
Hammond's pig…pound and lurch straight at her；
babbling aloud in a voice that was enough to make
one die of fright。 Having the baby with her in a
perambulator； Mrs。 Finn called out to him to go
away； and as he persisted in coming nearer； she hit
him courageously with her umbrella over the head
and； without once looking back； ran like the wind
with the perambulator as far as the first house in
the village。 She stopped then； out of breath； and
spoke to old Lewis； hammering there at a heap of
stones； and the old chap； taking off his immense
black wire goggles； got up on his shaky legs to
look where she pointed。 Together they followed
with their eyes the figure of the man running over
a field； they saw him fall down； pick himself up；
and run on again； staggering and waving his long
arms above his head； in the direction of the New
Barns Farm。 From that moment he is plainly in
the toils of his obscure and touching destiny。
There is no doubt after this of what happened to
him。 All is certain now： Mrs。 Smith's intense ter…
ror； Amy Foster's stolid conviction held against
the other's nervous attack； that the man 'meant no
harm'； Smith's exasperation （on his return from
Darnford Market） at finding the dog barking
himself into a fit； the back…door locked； his wife in
hysterics； and all for an unfortunate dirty tramp；
supposed to be even then lurking in his stackyard。
Was he？ He would teach him to frighten women。
〃Smith is notoriously hot…tempered； but the
sight of some nondescript and miry creature sitting
crosslegged amongst a lot of loose straw； and
swinging itself to and fro like a bear in a cage；
made him pause。 Then this tramp stood up si…
lently before him； one mass of mud and filth from
head to foot。 Smith； alone amongst his stacks with
this apparition； in the stormy twilight ringing with
the infuriated barking of the dog； felt the dread
of an inexplicable strangeness。 But when that be…
ing； parting with his black hands the long matted
locks that hung before his face； as you part the two
halves of a curtain； looked out at him with glisten…
ing； wild； black…and…white eyes； the weirdness of
this silent encounter fairly staggered him。 He had
admitted since （for the story has been a legitimate
subject of conversation about here for years） that
he made more than one step backwards。 Then a
sudden burst of rapid； senseless speech persuaded
him at once that he had to do with an escaped luna…
tic。 In fact； that impression never wore off com…
pletely。 Smith has not in his heart given up his
secret conviction of the man's essential insanity to
this very day。
〃As the creature approached him； jabbering in
a most discomposing manner； Smith （unaware that
he was being addressed as 'gracious lord；' and ad…
jured in God's name to afford food and shelter）
kept on speaking firmly but gently to it； and re…
treating all the time into the other yard。 At last；
watching his chance； by a sudden charge he bun…
dled him headlong into the wood…lodge； and in…
stantly shot the bolt。 Thereupon he wiped his
brow； though the day was cold。 He had done his
duty to the community by shutting up a wander…
ing and probably dangerous maniac。 Smith isn't
a hard man at all； but he had room in his brain only
for that one idea of lunacy。 He was not imagina…
tive enough to ask himself whether the man might
not be perishing with cold and hunger。 Meantime；
at first； the maniac made a great deal of noise in
the lodge。 Mrs。 Smith was screaming upstairs；
where she had locked herself in her bedroom； but
Amy Foster sobbed piteously at the kitchen door；
wringing her hands and muttering； 'Don't！
don't！' I daresay Smith had a rough time of it
that evening with one noise and another； and this
insane； disturbing voice crying obstinately through
the door only added to his irritation。 He couldn't
possibly have connected this troublesome lunatic
with the sinking of a ship in Eastbay； of which
there had been a rumour in the Darnford market…
place。 And I daresay the man inside had been very
near to insanity on that night。 Before his excite…
ment collapsed and he became unconscious he was
throwing himself violently about in the dark； roll…
ing on some dirty sacks； and biting his fists with
rage； cold； hunger； amazement； and despair。
〃He was a mountaineer of the eastern range of
the Carpathians； and the vessel sunk the night be…
fore in Eastbay was the Hamburg emigrant…ship
Herzogin Sophia…Dorothea； of appalling mem…
ory。
〃A few months later we could read in the papers
the accounts of the bogus 'Emigration Agencies'
among the Sclavonian peasantry in the more re…
mote provinces of Austria。 The object of these
scoundrels was to get hold of the poor ignorant
people's homesteads； and they were in league with
the local usurers。 They exported their victims
through Hamburg mostly。 As to the ship； I had
watched her out of this very window