Chapter 10 Chapter Nine Love Makes a Wise Man Stray

Old-fashioned red clay dealers are now rare.Thanks to the opening of the railway, the farmers of Wessex no longer need these Mephistopheles. This kind of bright dye was originally needed by the shepherds when they were preparing to send their sheep to the market. Now they can obtain it through other means.At that time, engaging in this occupation meant traveling regularly to dig red soil in the quarry. Except for the cold winter and the twelfth lunar month, he had to live in the wild for several months a year. Although they lived a life of Arab nomads, the steady income kept their pockets bulging and kept them in a respectable position. , and today, although such people still exist, they are losing the poetic way of life of the past.

Everything that touches red clay acquires that bright tint, and anyone who has been working with it for half an hour leaves an unmistakable imprint, like Cain's.In the Old Testament, Cain killed Abel, God expelled him from his homeland, and made a mark on him, indicating that he was a murderer. 】Same. Seeing a red clay dealer for the first time is no small event in a child's life.Since a young mind has imagination, in the nightmares he has, a blood-red human figure is the acme of nightmares.For ages Wessex mothers have terrorized their children with the phrase that the red clay dealers are coming for you.For some time at the beginning of the century he was successfully supplanted in this position by Bonaparte. ]; however, as time passed and the latter began to lose its fortunes, the old saying regained the prominence it had enjoyed in its early days.And now it was the turn of the red-monger to follow in the footsteps of Bonaparte, in his land, which was always haunted by stale ghosts, full of modern inventions.

The red-clay dealer lived like a gypsy; but he despised the gypsies.His business was almost as prosperous as that of the wandering basket-weavers, but he had no dealings with them.His parentage, his upbringing, were much better than those of the cattle dealers who kept coming and going around him as he roamed about, and the cattle dealers just nodded to him.His goods were much more expensive than those of the itinerant peddlers; but these peddlers did not think so, and when they passed his carriage, the peddlers always looked straight ahead without even looking at him.His color was so unusual that, compared with him, it seemed that the people who ran the field and the people in the wax exhibition could be called almost gentlemen; but he didn't bother to be with such people. , the result is always a powerful and unconstrained style going alone.The red-clay dealer always finds his place among the various people who pass by on the high road, but he does not belong to them.His profession always isolated him, and he often seemed alone.

It is sometimes heard that the red-clay dealers are sinners who, when they commit crimes, make others suffer wrongfully for their sins, and though they escape the punishment of the law, they cannot escape the condemnation of their conscience. , As a result, he chose this industry as his lifelong act of atonement.Otherwise, why did they choose this industry?In the present circumstances, it is particularly pertinent to ask such a question.For this red-clay dealer who came into Eden Moor this afternoon is an example of such a grotesque occupation that even an ugly man would have sufficed for, and yet he is such a pleasant fellow that he would spoil himself for it. this profession.One reason the red-clay dealer looked formidable was the color of his body.Without this color, he is a pleasing, down-to-earth ordinary person, just like the ordinary people we often see.A sharp-eyed observer cannot help thinking that, in truth, this observation is somehow true. The reason he has given up his proper place in life is because he has lost interest in it.And more than that, after seeing him, one would venture to guess that he was a man of innocence and sensitivity (though not to the point of treachery).

He was mending his socks, lost in thought, his face expressionless.Then his face relaxed, and then came back the sympathetic sadness which had been on his face that afternoon as he drove up the high road in his carriage.After a while, his needle stopped.He put down the socks in his hand, stood up, and took a leather bag from a hook in the corner of the cart.There were many things in the bag, and there was a brown paper bag in it. From the folded and damaged state of the paper bag, it seemed that the paper bag had been carefully opened and closed many times.Sitting on the only three-legged milking stool in the car, by the light of a candle, he carefully examined his paper package, then took out a very old letter from it, and spread it out.The letter had originally been written on a sheet of white paper, but its accidental circumstances had now given it a tinge of red; and the black lettering looked like the twigs of a winter hedge against the blood-red sun.The date of signing the letter was a certain day two years ago, signed by Thomasy.About Bright.The content of the letter is as follows:

Dear Digory.Wayne I was surprised when you caught up with me on my way home from Pound Court and asked me that question, so I'm afraid I didn't get you quite right then.Of course, if my aunt hadn't come to pick me up, I could have explained everything to you right away, but when my aunt came, I didn't have the chance.Since then, I have been anxious, because you know I don't want to hurt you at all, but I am afraid that what I am doing now will be contrary to my original intention at the time.Digory, I cannot marry you, nor can I imagine you calling me your sweetheart.Really, Digory, I cannot.I say this, I hope you don't take it too seriously, and don't feel very painful.It pains me very much to think of the consequences of this, for I am very fond of you, and you are always in my heart, except my cousin Clem.There are so many reasons why we cannot marry that I cannot list them all in one letter.When you followed me, I never expected you to say such a thing, because I never regarded you as my lover at all.You mustn't scold me for laughing when you're talking; you're mistaken if you think I'm laughing at you like you're a fool.I'm laughing because I think that's such a weird idea, and I'm not laughing at you at all.Personally speaking, the biggest thing that keeps you from proposing to me is that I never have the satisfaction of a woman who is going to be your wife when I walk with you.Contrary to what you might think, there is no one else in my heart, because I have not encouraged anyone to woo me, I have never had such a person in my life.Another reason is my aunt.I know that even if I want to accept you, she will not agree.She likes you very much, but she wants me to marry a man of higher status than a little dairyman, and she wants me to marry a professional man.I hope you don't hold me against me for writing so frankly, but I sense that you might want to see me again, but it's best we don't.I will always regard you as a good person and wish you well.I ask Jane.The little Orchard girl brings this letter to you, Digory, and I will always be your faithful friend.

Thomasy.Job Bright To the Dairy Farmer Mr Wayne This was the first time the red-clay monger and Thomasy had seen each other since receiving this letter that autumn morning long ago.During this time he had gotten into the business of selling red clay, which put him at a greater distance from her than before, but he had been on good terms.Seriously, he spends only a quarter of his income, which might make him a rich man. A man whose marriage proposal is rejected is, of course, forced to wander like a bee that has lost its hive; and the profession to which he was drawn, out of misanthropy, was in many ways well suited to him.But because he couldn't get rid of the entanglement of his old love, the direction of his roaming was always near the Eden Moor. Although she always attracted him, he never bothered her.Although he couldn't see Thomasy, being in the same wilderness with her and being so close to her made him feel as happy as having his favorite thing.

At this time, this unexpected encounter in the daytime happened, and the red earth dealer who still loved her wholeheartedly could provide her with such unexpected help at this critical moment, which made him extremely excited, and he vowed that he would spare no effort for her. , and will never stay far away from her as before, standing by and watching.From what had happened it was impossible for him not to doubt the honesty of Wildoff's intentions.It was clear, though, that her hope still rested on him; Wayne decided to set aside his regrets and find ways to help her achieve happiness.Of all the practices, this was the most painful to him, and the most difficult to carry out; but the love of the red clay dealer was great.

His first act of guardianship in Thomasy's interest was taken at about seven o'clock the next evening, based on what he had learned from the unfortunate boy.Hearing about the secret meeting between Eustacia and Wildeff, Wayne immediately understood that the reason Wildeff was so careless about marriage had something to do with Eustacia.But he didn't expect that it was the news brought home by Eustacia's grandfather that had a subtle influence on this smart and lonely beauty, which prompted her to light the love signal to Wildeff.He instinctively felt that she was the conspirator who deprived Thomasy of his happiness, but he didn't realize that she was originally an obstacle to Tomasy's happiness.

All day long he had been exceedingly anxious to know what was going on with Tomasy, but he dared not venture a step further, for he was a stranger to the Tomasys, especially in such an embarrassing situation. moment.So he took the time to drive his pony and took the goods to another part of the moor, which was east of his original position, where he deliberately chose a shelter from the wind and rain, and it seemed that This means that he wants to stay here for a relatively long time.When he was settled, he walked back the same way, and towards dusk he turned into a fork on the left, and he came not twenty yards from Rain Mounds until he came to a point on the edge of a depression. He stopped by a honeysuckle bush.

He watched for an appointment that would show up there, but he waited in vain.No one had been near the place that night except him. Despite all the energy spent in vain, it can't have any influence on the red clay dealers.His situation is like that of Tantalus. The fruit is blown away by the wind. 】In that way, it seems to have to go through countless disappointments, and regard this as a natural and necessary stage in the realization of all wishes. It is amazing that wishes can be realized without passing through this stage. The next night at the same time, he was seen in the same place again; but the two expected trysts, Eustacia and Wildeff, were nowhere to be seen. He waited like this for another four nights, but to no avail.But the next night, exactly a week after their previous tryst, he saw the figure of a woman floating along the ridge, while the silhouette of a young man climbed up the valley.They met at a small ditch that surrounded the ancient mound, which was formed by the ancient English people from mounding rain mounds, and it still looks the same today. The red clay dealer was full of suspicion, thinking that this matter would be very detrimental to Thomasy, so he immediately came up with a plan.He immediately left the bushes and crawled forward.As he crept as close as he could, while making sure that he would not be seen, he found that, owing to the effect of the headwind, he could not hear the conversation of the trysts. Around him, as in so many places on the moor, were scattered heaps of peat, turned or lying on their sides, waiting for Timothy.Fareway moved away before winter.There he lay, and dragged two lumps of peat, and covered his head and shoulders with one, and his back and legs with the other.In this way, the red clay dealer is completely invisible, even in daylight; the peat covering him and the heather on it look exactly as if they had grown there.He crawled forward again, and the peat on his body moved forward with him.Had he not been covered by anything, he might not have been discovered, as he was nearing twilight; he crawled forward in this way, as if digging forward under the ground.In this way he crawled very close to them both. Want to hear my opinion on this matter?It was Eustacia who had reached his ears.Vey's mellow and impulsive voice.Ask me for advice?You're insulting me by talking to me like that, and I can't take it anymore!She began to sob, I love you, and have confessed my love to you, and it makes me so sorry; and you come and say so coldly, you want my opinion, and Thomas Would it be better for Akane to marry.Better will of course be better.Go marry her, she is more in line with your status than me in real life. Yes, yes, very well indeed, said Wildoff hastily.But we have to look at the problem realistically.No matter what humiliation it may bring me at this point, Thomasy is in a much worse position than you are now.I just wanted to tell you that I am really caught between two sides right now. But you shouldn't have come to tell me!You have to understand that this is just torturing me.Damon, you didn't do a good job, you know exactly what I mean.But you don't deserve my kindness to you. This is the kindness of a woman who loves you. She has always had greater ambitions.But it was Thomasy's fault.She took you from me, and she deserves to pay for it.where is she nowI don't care about her, I don't even care where I am.Oh, how glad she would be if I were dead or gone!I ask you, where is she? Thomasy was now at her aunt's house, shutting herself up in her bedroom, seeing no one.he said indifferently. I don't think you care much about her now, said Eustacia, suddenly cheering up: if you cared about her, you wouldn't talk about her so indifferently.Was it the same indifference when you talked to her about me?Ah, I think you are!Why didn't you leave me in the first place?I feel that I can never forgive you, except that once you abandoned me, you come back to me and feel sorry for what you did to me. I never wanted to abandon you. I can't thank you for that.I just hate plain love.Honestly, I think I'd rather like you and throw me off after a while.If the lover is sincere, then this kind of love is the most boring thing.Oh, it's shameless to say that, but that's the way it is!She laughed a few times.Just thinking about it makes me depressed.Don't just love me so obediently and docilely, or you'd better go away! I wish Tansy wasn't such an overly nice little girl, said Wildoff, so I could be faithful to you and not feel like I was hurting another sweetie.After all, I'm the only one to blame for this, and I really don't deserve either of you in the slightest. But you should never sacrifice yourself for her, and it's not just from any point of view, Eustacia quickly added, if you don't love her, then in the long run you leave her, Let her go, that is the most merciful.That's always the best way to solve the problem.I think, looking at me now, I really don't look like a woman all the time.After you left me, I was always angry with myself because the things I said to you were so unfeminine. Wildoff took a step or two on the heather without saying a word.In the short silence, only the rustling of a bramble tree with its top cut off against the wind can be heard, and the slightest breeze passes through its strong branches, like passing through a tight net.It sounded like the night was gritting its teeth and singing a dirge. She spoke again, a little sadly, and once or twice since we last saw each other it occurred to me that maybe it wasn't out of love for me that you didn't marry her.Tell me the truth, Damon, and I'll try to bear it.Anyway, I have nothing to do with it, do I? Do you want me to speak out? Yes, I must know.I feel like I've always believed in my own power too much. Well, the main reason is that the marriage license is not applicable there, and she ran away before I could get another one.Speaking of which, you have nothing to do with it.The way her aunt spoke to me after this happened really repelled me. Yeah, yeah, I have nothing to do with it I have nothing to do with it.You are just teasing me.God, I'm Eustacia.How could Vey think so highly of you! No, don't be so sentimental Eustacia, but think how we walked among these bushes last year, when the weather began to cool, and we walked in the valley, with the shadows of the hills all around us, and no one could see us. She was in a gloomy mood and kept silent until finally she said, Yes, I was always laughing at you, how dare you look up at me all the time!But how much you have made me suffer since then. Yes, you were always so cruel to me, and then I thought, I have found someone more handsome than you, Eustacia, and that is a blessed discovery to me. Do you still think you have found someone more beautiful than me? Sometimes I think so, sometimes I don't.Two people have exactly the same weight on the scale of the soul, and it only needs to add a feather to one side to make it surpass the other. But you really don't care if I see you or not?she asked slowly. I care a little, but not enough to disturb my whole mood, replied the lad listlessly.No, it's all over.I thought there was only one flower, but there were two.There may be three, four, or even countless flowers that are as beautiful as the first flower. The fate of my being is too strange.Who would have thought that all this could happen to me? She held back her anger which could have been provoked by anger or by love Interrupted, do you still love me now? Who can tell? Tell me, I must know! I love, I don't love, he said maliciously, that is to say, I have my time and integrity.Sometimes you're too high, sometimes you're too idle, now you're too melancholy, now you're too sad, sometimes I can't tell what's wrong with you, I just know you're not what you used to be, you're no longer It's my whole world, my dearest.You're still a delightful lady, though, and it's a pleasure to meet you, and, if I venture to say it, you're still as lovely as ever, or so. Eustacia fell silent, turned away, and said at last in a voice which was temporarily subdued in authority, I'm going to walk, and that's the way I'll go. Well, I'll follow you, or it will be worse. No matter what mood you're in, whatever changes you make, you know, there's nothing else you can do!She said very arrogantly.Tell me, what are you going to do, answer me as much as you can, you will leave me in every possible way but you will never forget me.You will love me all your life.If you could marry me, you'd be jumping and jumping for joy! I will!said Wildoff, Eustacia, I have had this whim now and then; and now it comes again.I know you've always hated this wasteland so much. I hate, she murmured deeply, here is my cross, my shame, death to me! I hated it too, he said, how sad the wind is blowing past us now! She has no interface.The sound of the wind is indeed very bleak, infiltrating everything.Let their senses feel the interlaced and bleak sounds, and it is possible to see the surrounding scenery with their ears alone.In spite of the darkness all around, all kinds of acoustic pictures are produced: they can hear where the large heather begins and ends; where the bramble bushes grow thin and tall; in which direction the fir groves grow, and how near the lowlands with the honeysuckle; as these various plants have their shapes and hues, so do they utter their own voices. God, how lonely it is here!Wildoff resumed, "For us, we can't see anything. What poetry is there in gullies and clouds?"Why are we still here?Would you like to go to America with me?I have relatives in Wisconsin. This has to be carefully considered. Nothing seems possible here, unless you're a wild bird or a landscape painter.how is it Give me a moment, she said softly, taking his hand.America is too far away.Would you like to take a walk with me? When Eustacia had finished speaking, she came out from under the Rain Tomb, followed by Wildoff, so that the red-monger could hear nothing. He shook off the peat and stood up.Their figures gradually disappeared under the sky.The moor was like a lazy snail, and the two of them were like a pair of tentacles protruding from the top of the snail, and now the antennae retracted. The red clay dealer walked across the valley and back to the other valley where he parked his cart. From the way he walked, he hardly looked like a slender young man of only twenty-four years old.He was restless and in great pain.Walking like this, the breeze blowing past his mouth seemed to make a threatening sound. He got into the cart, and the fire was still burning in the stove.Instead of lighting a candle, he sank down on the three-legged stool, ruminating over the situations he had seen and heard involving people he still loved dearly.He made a sound, neither a sigh nor a sob, but one that conveyed something far more disturbing than either of those sounds. My Tansy, he whispered heavily.What can I do?Yes, I must see that Eustacia.vey.