Chapter 17 Chapter Five Through the Moonlight

The next night, the masqueraders gathered in the same place, waiting for the appearance of the Turkish knight. The clock at the Lady's was twenty past eight, and Charlie hadn't come. The clock in Hualuo Village is also ten past eight. Master Cantor's watch read ten minutes to eight. The clock at the old captain's house said five past eight. On the Moor of Eden there is no exact hour of day.Different villages say different things about time at any given moment.At the beginning, some villages had the same view of time, but gradually changed, while some villages were very different from the beginning.West Eden Moor believes in the time of Whispering Village, and East Eden obeys the time of Lady's Shop.For many years, many people kept time by Mr. Canter's watch, but as he got older, the degree of trust in his watch changed.In this way, the masquerade actors scattered in different places gather at different times in the morning and evening according to the time they believe, and they only need to wait a little longer to obtain the same time.

Through the little hole in the wall, Eustacia had seen the assembled actors; and realizing that this was the most opportune time for her appearance, she left the side room, and boldly threw back the bolt of the woodshed.At the moment her grandfather is safe and sound in the lady's shop. Charlie is here at last!Charlie, why are you here so late. I'm not Charlie, replied the Turkish knight behind his visor, I'm Miss Veil's cousin, and I'm curious to play for Charlie.Charley was sent to find the pony that ran off into the meadow, and I agreed to play for him, because he knew he wouldn't be back tonight.I know the character as well as he does.

Her graceful gait, excellent figure, and generally awe-inspiring manner immediately made the actor in the masque feel that if only the newcomer could play his part well It would be to their advantage to change someone else. That's okay as long as you're not too young.St. George said.Eustacia's voice sounded somewhat younger and softer than Charlie's. I tell you, I know every word of the play, said Eustacia decisively.Resoluteness was her guarantee of success tonight, so she carried herself as the occasion demanded.Come on guys, give it a try.I don't believe any of you can find fault with me.

The play was hastily rehearsed, and the other actors were delighted at the arrival of the new knight.At half past eight they blew out the candles, came to the moor, and walked in the direction of Mrs. Yeobright's house in Hualuo Village. There was a slight frost in the evening, and the moon, though not quite half a circle, cast a seductive and refreshing light on the shadowy figures of the masquerade troupe, and as they marched, their Feathers and satins rustled like autumn leaves.The path they took now was not over the Rain Tomb, but down a valley that deviated slightly from the ancient ruins and headed west.At the bottom of the valley was a green lawn about ten yards wide, the leaves of which glistened with hoarfrost and seemed to be moving along with the figures around them.The great expanses of gorse and heather to the left and right were still black; such a half-moon seemed too feeble to silver the dark shadows.

Walking and talking in this way, after half an hour they came to a place at the bottom of the valley, where the grass widened to the front of the house.Eustacia, who had been suspicious from time to time when she had walked with these young people, renewed her joy at the sight of the place, and felt that the adventure was beginning.She had come here to see a man who might well have the strength to free her soul from an almost suffocating depression.How about Wildford?He's attractive, but far from perfect.She might meet a real hero tonight. Getting closer and closer to the house, the group of masquerade actors could hear music playing and lively dancing in the house.From time to time, there was a long low note from the serpentine horn, the main wind instrument at that time. The sound reached them all the way to them; then the louder-than-usual tap-dance of a dancer also reached them.When you get closer, all these sounds are mixed together, and the most obvious sound is the tune called "Nancy's Dream".

Of course he was there.Who is dancing with him?Perhaps it was some woman she didn't know, who was far inferior to her in culture, but at this moment was using the most subtle temptation to change his fate.To dance with a man meant, for one brief moment, to focus on him all the usual passions of twelve months.For those who linger on this shortcut, the right to form association without acquaintance, and marriage without association, is reserved exclusively for them.She would watch them closely, to see where his heart was. The ambitious woman followed the masqueraders through the white fenced gate and stood before the exposed porch.The roof of the house is covered with thick thatch, which hangs down to the upper windows.The moonlight fell directly in front of the windows, which were once whitewashed, but were now mostly darkened by a thick firethorn.

It was obvious that the dancing people were just inside the door, and there was no other room in between.Through the door you could hear the rubbing of skirts and elbows, and sometimes the bumping of shoulders.Although Eustacia's home was not more than two miles from here, she had never seen what it was like in this strange old house.Captain Vey, a stranger who had just bought the long-vacant house in Misty Heights shortly before the death of Mrs Yeobright's husband, had never been on good terms with the Yeobrights; Due to the death of her husband and the absence of her son, even any friendship will be completely severed.

So, there is no way in the door?asked Eustacia, as they entered the porch. No, replied the boy playing the Muslim.As soon as the door opened, there was the front living room, where a party was going on at the moment. In this way, as soon as we open the door, we will stop the dancing inside. That's what happened.We had to wait for them to finish because they always locked the back door after dark. They won't dance for long, said Santa.However, the development of the matter is completely contrary to his assertion.When the instrument had finished playing the piece, it began to play again, with more enthusiasm and joy, as if it had just been playing the first piece.The atmosphere is as if there is no beginning, middle, or end at all, and of all the dances provoked by a passionate violinist, perhaps this dance best expresses the sense of endlessness, now playing The dance music is the famous "Devil's Dream".Infected by the frenetic tones, the dancers danced with ecstasy, and whenever the people in the room were circling faster than usual, their heels and toes would now and then knock against the door, This allowed the group of people standing outside in the moonlight to have a rough idea of ​​the situation.

This group of masquerade performers listened outside the door for five minutes at first, and they still found it quite interesting.But five minutes dragged on to ten minutes, and then another quarter of an hour passed; but there was still no sign of stopping this happy dream song.The sound of knocking and knocking on the door, laughter, and stomping were still as lively as before. At this time, the interest in standing outside the door to listen was obviously weakened. Why is Mrs. Yeobright having such a dance?asked Eustacia, somewhat surprised to hear such a sustained hilarity.It wasn't exactly the best living room party she'd had.She indiscriminately

Neighbors and laborers called here, just wanting to let them have a good dinner.Her son and she personally entertained these people. I see, said Eustacia. I think this is the last song.said St. George, putting his ear to the door.A young man and woman just turned this corner, and he was talking to her, ah, what a pity, my sweetheart, this time our dance is coming to an end. Thank goodness!said the Turkish knight, stomping his feet as he removed from the wall the traditional spear that every actor carried.The leather of her boots was thinner than these young men's, and hoarfrost had left her feet soaked and icy cold.

God knows, we'll have to wait another ten minutes, the brave soldier said, looking through the keyhole of the door, only to hear the tune inside being changed to another one without stopping.Uncle Cantor was standing in this corner, waiting for his turn. It won't be long, it's a six-reel dance, the doctor said. Whether it dances or not, why don't we go in?They called us, the Muslim said. Of course not, said Eustacia, rather dignifiedly.While walking gracefully back and forth from the house door to the courtyard door, he warmed himself up.Then we'd be in the middle of the dancers and make them stop, which is very unseemly. He thinks he's somebody because he's read a little more than us, said the doctor. Go to hell!said Eustacia. Three or four of the group whispered something, and then one of them turned to her. Can you tell us one thing?he said very politely.Are you Miss Vey?We think you must be. Think what you will, said Eustacia calmly.But a decent boy wouldn't say anything to a lady. We won't say anything, miss.Swear on our honor. Thank you, she replied. At this moment, the violins blew out a piercing screech, then stopped, and the serpentine blew out a note so high that it almost knocked the roof off.Judging by the relative silence in the room, the masqueraders guessed that the dancers had already taken their seats, so Santa stepped forward, lifted the latch, and poked his head through the door. Ah, it's a masquerade, a masquerade!Several guests shouted immediately.Clear a place for them quickly. The hunched Santa Claus now let his whole body into the room, waving his big stick, and in the usual way cleared a suitable place for the actors, while, whether they liked it or not, he gave a A witty ditty announced his arrival to them all, and at the end he sang thus: Get out of the way, out of the way, mighty boys, Make room for us to perform; We come to play St. George's play, Just in time for Christmas. At this moment, the guests were gathered in a corner of the room, the violinist was adjusting a string, the serpentine trumpeter was clearing his mouthpiece, and the performance began.The first to enter from the outside was the warrior, who defended St. George: Here I come, brave soldier; My name is Slasher; Sing like this.The play ends with a challenge to the heretics, and as soon as he sings it is Eustacia's turn as the Turkish knight.Up to this point, she had been in the moonlight on the front porch with the other actors who hadn't played yet.She entered the stage easily and without flinching, opening her mouth to sing: Here I come, a Turkish knight, I learned to fight in Turkey; I will fight this man bravely; Even if his blood is hot I'll make it cold! While reciting the passage, Eustacia held her head upright, and spoke as roughly as she could, with the conviction that no one would show her.But in playing this role, she needs to take great pains to avoid being seen through, the new and strange environment, the flickering candlelight, and the dazzling sight she sees through the gaps in the frieze that hides her face. The scene made it impossible for her to see who was watching the performance.On a table with candles in the far corner of the room, she saw a few faces, that was all. At the same time, Jim who plays the brave soldier.Starks had stepped forward, glanced at the Turk, and replied: So you are the Turkish knight, Draw your sword, let's fight to the death! They fought; and the result of the fight was that the valiant soldier was inexplicably slain by Eustacia's ill-footed stab, and Jim in his armor was so brilliantly acted that, like a log, he faced He fell on the flagstone floor with such force that he could have dislocated his shoulder.Then the Turkish knight read a few more lines, but too lightly, and announced that he was going to duel St. George and all his retinue, when St. George, very pompous, entered the stage, saying, with his famous hyperbole, road: Here I come, brave St. George, With drawn sword and spear, I defeated the dragon and slew it, I thus won fair Sabara, daughter of the king of Egypt, With my sword in hand, which villain would dare to come out and fight to the death with me? St. George was played by the lad who first recognized Eustacia; and when she, who was now a Turkish knight, answered him with the contempt required by the plot, the two wrestled at once, the lad as peculiar as possible. Carefully swinging his sword.According to the requirements of the plot, the knight was injured and knelt down on one knee.At this moment the doctor entered, poured out a dose of medicine from the bottle he carried with him, and gave the knight a dose of medicine, which revived him, and the fight resumed.Little by little the Turkish knight's strength was exhausted, until at last he was completely conquered, and died wounded and wounded in this touching drama, as he was told to do on this day. The fact that the character wears out and dies is one reason Eustacia feels that playing the Turkish warrior (despite a long-running role) is best for her.To a girl, a samurai falling flat to his death (as all other dueling characters do) seems unrefined and undignified.And it's easier to play like a Turk who dies a little bit of exhaustion. Eustacia was now among those killed, though she was not lying on the flagstones, for she had managed to fall into an oblique angle near the clock base, so that her head remained straight. hold on.The play was continued by St. George, the Moslems, the Physician, and Santa Claus, and Eustacia, having run out of plays, had for the first time sufficient leisure to look about her surroundings for that which had drawn her here. people.