Вдалині від божевільного натовпу

XXVII. Hiving the Bees

           "

           Soawhimsicalfateorderedthatherhatshouldbetakenoffveilandallattachedandplaceduponhishead,Troytossinghisownintoagooseberrybush.Thentheveilhadtobetiedatitsloweredgeroundhiscollarandtheglovesputonhim.

           Helookedsuchanextraordinaryobjectinthisguisethat,flurriedasshewas,shecouldnotavoidlaughingoutright.Itwastheremovalofyetanotherstakefromthepalisadeofcoldmannerswhichhadkepthimoff.

           Bathshebalookedonfromthegroundwhilsthewasbusysweepingandshakingthebeesfromthetree,holdingupthehivewiththeotherhandforthemtofallinto.Shemadeuseofanunobservedminutewhilsthisattentionwasabsorbedintheoperationtoarrangeherplumesalittle.Hecamedownholdingthehiveatarm’slength,behindwhichtrailedacloudofbees.

           "Uponmylife,"saidTroy,throughtheveil,"holdingupthishivemakesone’sarmacheworsethanaweekofsword-exercise."Whenthemanœuvrewascompleteheapproachedher."Wouldyoubegoodenoughtountiemeandletmeout?Iamnearlystifledinsidethissilkcage."

           Tohideherembarrassmentduringtheunwontedprocessofuntyingthestringabouthisneck,shesaid:

           "Ihaveneverseenthatyouspokeof."

           "What?"

           "Thesword-exercise."

           "Ah!wouldyouliketo?"saidTroy.

           Bathshebahesitated.ShehadheardwondrousreportsfromtimetotimebydwellersinWeatherbury,whohadbychancesojournedawhileinCasterbridge,nearthebarracks,ofthisstrangeandgloriousperformance,thesword-exercise

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 235 з 522