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forgetting that the worst of bold strokes is the disastrous
consequences they involve if they fail。
〃I've come on purpose to speak to you very particular； Mr。 Day；〃 he
said； with a crushing emphasis intended for the ears of Mr。 Shiner；
who was vanishing round the door…post at that moment。
〃Well； I've been forced to go upstairs and unrind myself； and shake
some bees out o' me〃 said Geoffrey； walking slowly towards the open
door； and standing on the threshold。 〃The young rascals got into my
shirt and wouldn't be quiet nohow。〃
Dick followed him to the door。
〃I've come to speak a word to you；〃 he repeated； looking out at the
pale mist creeping up from the gloom of the valley。 〃You may
perhaps guess what it is about。〃
The keeper lowered his hands into the depths of his pockets； twirled
his eyes； balanced himself on his toes； looked as perpendicularly
downward as if his glance were a plumb…line； then horizontally；
collecting together the cracks that lay about his face till they
were all in the neighbourhood of his eyes。
〃Maybe I don't know；〃 he replied。
Dick said nothing； and the stillness was disturbed only by some
small bird that was being killed by an owl in the adjoining wood；
whose cry passed into the silence without mingling with it。
〃I've left my hat up in chammer；〃 said Geoffrey； 〃wait while I step
up and get en。〃
〃I'll be in the garden；〃 said Dick。
He went round by a side wicket into the garden； and Geoffrey went
upstairs。 It was the custom in Mellstock and its vicinity to
discuss matters of pleasure and ordinary business inside the house；
and to reserve the garden for very important affairs： a custom
which； as is supposed； originated in the desirability of getting
away at such times from the other members of the family when there
was only one room for living in； though it was now quite as
frequently practised by those who suffered from no such limitation
to the size of their domiciles。
The head…keeper's form appeared in the dusky garden； and Dick walked
towards him。 The elder paused and leant over the rail of a piggery
that stood on the left of the path； upon which Dick did the same；
and they both contemplated a whitish shadowy shape that was moving
about and grunting among the straw of the interior。
〃I've come to ask for Fancy；〃 said Dick。
〃I'd as lief you hadn't。〃
〃Why should that be； Mr。 Day？〃
〃Because it makes me say that you've come to ask what ye be'n't
likely to have。 Have ye come for anything else？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Then I'll just tell 'ee you've come on a very foolish errand。 D'ye
know what her mother was？〃
〃No。〃
〃A teacher in a landed family's nursery； who was foolish enough to
marry the keeper of the same establishment； for I was only a keeper
then； though now I've a dozen other irons in the fire as steward
here for my lord； what with the timber sales and the yearly
fellings； and the gravel and sand sales and one thing and 'tother。
However； d'ye think Fancy picked up her good manners； the smooth
turn of her tongue； her musical notes； and her knowledge of books；
in a homely hole like this？〃
〃No。〃
〃D'ye know where？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； when I went a…wandering after her mother's death； she lived
with her aunt； who kept a boarding…school； till her aunt married
Lawyer Greena man as sharp as a needleand the school was broke
up。 Did ye know that then she went to the training…school； and that
her name stood first among the Queen's scholars of her year？〃
〃I've heard so。〃
〃And that when she sat for her certificate as Government teacher；
she had the highest of the first class？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Well； and do ye know what I live in such a miserly way for when
I've got enough to do without it； and why I make her work as a
schoolmistress instead of living here？〃
〃No。〃
〃That if any gentleman； who sees her to be his equal in polish；
should want to marry her； and she want to marry him； he sha'n't be
superior to her in pocket。 Now do ye think after this that you be
good enough for her？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then good…night t'ee； Master Dewy。〃
〃Good…night； Mr。 Day。〃
Modest Dick's reply had faltered upon his tongue； and he turned away
wondering at his presumption in asking for a woman whom he had seen
from the beginning to be so superior to him。
CHAPTER III： FANCY IN THE RAIN
The next scene is a tempestuous afternoon in the following month；
and Fancy Day is discovered walking from her father's home towards
Mellstock。
A single vast gray cloud covered the country； from which the small
rain and mist had just begun to blow down in wavy sheets；
alternately thick and thin。 The trees of the fields and plantations
writhed like miserable men as the air wound its way swiftly among
them： the lowest portions of their trunks； that had hardly ever
been known to move； were visibly rocked by the fiercer gusts；
distressing the mind by its painful unwontedness； as when a strong
man is seen to shed tears。 Low…hanging boughs went up and down；
high and erect boughs went to and fro； the blasts being so
irregular； and divided into so many crosscurrents； that
neighbouring branches of the same tree swept the skies in
independent motions； crossed each other； or became entangled。
Across the open spaces flew flocks of green and yellowish leaves；
which； after travelling a long distance from their parent trees；
reached the ground； and lay there with their undersides upward。
As the rain and wind increased； and Fancy's bonnetribbons leapt
more and more snappishly against her chin； she paused on entering
Mellstock Lane to consider her latitude； and the distance to a place
of shelter。 The nearest house was Elizabeth Endorfield's； in Higher
Mellstock； whose cottage and garden stood not far from the junction
of that hamlet with the road she followed。 Fancy hastened onward；
and in five minutes entered a gate； which shed upon her toes a flood
of water…drops as she opened it。
〃Come in； chiel！〃 a voice exclaimed； before Fancy had knocked： a
promptness that would have surprised her had she not known that Mrs。
Endorfield was an exceedingly and exceptionally sharp woman in the
use of her eyes and ears。
Fancy went in and sat down。 Elizabeth was paring potatoes for her
husband's supper。
Scrape； scrape； scrape； then a toss； and splash went a potato into a
bucket of water。
Now； as Fancy listlessly noted these proceedings of the dame； she
began to reconsider an old subject that hay uppermost in her heart。
Since the interview between her father and Dick； the days had been
melancholy days for her。 Geoffrey's firm opposition to the notion
of Dick as a son…in…law was more than she had expected。 She had
frequently seen her lover since that time； it is true； and had loved
him more for the opposition than she would have otherwise dreamt of
doingwhich was a happin