05-04-远离尘嚣 [19]
Oh，it doesn't matter at all，’answered Gabriel，who had no secrets from anyone. He read this letter：
Dear friend，
I don't know your name，but I want to thank you for your kindness to me on the night I left Weatherbury. I'm also returning the money you gave me. I'm happy to say I'm going to marry the young man who has been courting me， Sergeant Troy. As he is a nobleman's son，I know he wouldn't like me to accept a gift from anyone. Please don't tell anyone about my marriage. We intend to surprise Weatherbury by arriuing there as husband and wife，very soon. Thank you again.
Fanny Robin.
‘You'd better read it，Mr Boldwood，’said Gabriel. ‘It's from Fanny Robin. She wants to keep this a secret but I know you're interested in her. I met her on my way to Weather- bury，but I didn't know then who she was. ’ When Mr Boldwood had finished reading the letter，he looked very serious. ‘Poor Fanny！’he said. ‘I don't think this Sergeant Troy will ever marry her. He's clever，and handsome，but he can't be trusted. What a silly girl Fanny is！’
‘I'm very sorry to hear that，’said Gabriel.
‘By the way，Oak，’said Mr Boldwood quietly，as he and the shepherd left the malthouse together，‘could you tell me whose writing this is？’He showed Gabriel the envelope containing the valentine.
Gabriel looked at it，and said simply，‘Miss Everdene’s. ’Then he realized that Bathsheba must have written to Mr Boldwood without signing her name，and he looked，puzzled， at the farmer.
Mr Boldwood replied rather too quickly to Gabriel's unspo－ ken question. ‘It's quite normal to try to discover who has written the——valentine. That's the——fun of it. ’There was no fun at all in his manner. ‘Goodbye，Oak，’he added，and walked slowly back to his empty house.
A few days later，in the town north of Weatherbury where the soldiers were staying，a wedding was arranged As the church clock in the square struck half-past eleven，a handsome young soldier marched into the church and spoke to the vicar Then he stood still in the centre of the church，waiting for his bride. The church was full of the women and girls who had at－ tended the morning service and had decided to wait to see the wedding. They watched the young man's straight back，whis－ pering among themselves. The soldier waited without moving a muscle. The church clock struck a quarter to twelve，and still the bride did not come. The whispers stopped，and there was silence. The young man stood as stiff and straight as the church columns around him. There was a little quiet laughter from some of the women，but soon they were silent again，waiting for the end.
As the church clock struck twelve，they listened to the heavy notes ringing out from the church tower. The vicar left his position near the soldier，and disappeared into a back room. Every woman in the church was waiting to see the young man's face，and he knew it. At last he turned，and marched bravely back the way he had come，through the rows of smiling women.
When he got outside and crossed the square，he met a girl hurrying towards the church. When she saw him，the anxiety on her face changed to terror.
‘Well’？’he said，staring coldly at her.
‘Oh Frank，I made a mistake！I thought it was the other church，he one near the market，and I waited there till a quarter to twelve，and then I realized my mistake. But it doesn't matter，because we can just as easily get married tomorrow. ’
‘You're a fool，to play games with me！’he replied angrily.
‘So shall we get married tomorrow，Frank？’she asked，not understanding how seriously she had offended him. ‘Tomorrow！’he repeated，and laughed. ‘I don't want another experience like that for a while，I can promise you！’
‘But Frank，’she begged in a trembling voice，‘it wasn't such a terrible mistake！Now，dear Frank，when will our wedding be
Dear friend，
I don't know your name，but I want to thank you for your kindness to me on the night I left Weatherbury. I'm also returning the money you gave me. I'm happy to say I'm going to marry the young man who has been courting me， Sergeant Troy. As he is a nobleman's son，I know he wouldn't like me to accept a gift from anyone. Please don't tell anyone about my marriage. We intend to surprise Weatherbury by arriuing there as husband and wife，very soon. Thank you again.
Fanny Robin.
‘You'd better read it，Mr Boldwood，’said Gabriel. ‘It's from Fanny Robin. She wants to keep this a secret but I know you're interested in her. I met her on my way to Weather- bury，but I didn't know then who she was. ’ When Mr Boldwood had finished reading the letter，he looked very serious. ‘Poor Fanny！’he said. ‘I don't think this Sergeant Troy will ever marry her. He's clever，and handsome，but he can't be trusted. What a silly girl Fanny is！’
‘I'm very sorry to hear that，’said Gabriel.
‘By the way，Oak，’said Mr Boldwood quietly，as he and the shepherd left the malthouse together，‘could you tell me whose writing this is？’He showed Gabriel the envelope containing the valentine.
Gabriel looked at it，and said simply，‘Miss Everdene’s. ’Then he realized that Bathsheba must have written to Mr Boldwood without signing her name，and he looked，puzzled， at the farmer.
Mr Boldwood replied rather too quickly to Gabriel's unspo－ ken question. ‘It's quite normal to try to discover who has written the——valentine. That's the——fun of it. ’There was no fun at all in his manner. ‘Goodbye，Oak，’he added，and walked slowly back to his empty house.
A few days later，in the town north of Weatherbury where the soldiers were staying，a wedding was arranged As the church clock in the square struck half-past eleven，a handsome young soldier marched into the church and spoke to the vicar Then he stood still in the centre of the church，waiting for his bride. The church was full of the women and girls who had at－ tended the morning service and had decided to wait to see the wedding. They watched the young man's straight back，whis－ pering among themselves. The soldier waited without moving a muscle. The church clock struck a quarter to twelve，and still the bride did not come. The whispers stopped，and there was silence. The young man stood as stiff and straight as the church columns around him. There was a little quiet laughter from some of the women，but soon they were silent again，waiting for the end.
As the church clock struck twelve，they listened to the heavy notes ringing out from the church tower. The vicar left his position near the soldier，and disappeared into a back room. Every woman in the church was waiting to see the young man's face，and he knew it. At last he turned，and marched bravely back the way he had come，through the rows of smiling women.
When he got outside and crossed the square，he met a girl hurrying towards the church. When she saw him，the anxiety on her face changed to terror.
‘Well’？’he said，staring coldly at her.
‘Oh Frank，I made a mistake！I thought it was the other church，he one near the market，and I waited there till a quarter to twelve，and then I realized my mistake. But it doesn't matter，because we can just as easily get married tomorrow. ’
‘You're a fool，to play games with me！’he replied angrily.
‘So shall we get married tomorrow，Frank？’she asked，not understanding how seriously she had offended him. ‘Tomorrow！’he repeated，and laughed. ‘I don't want another experience like that for a while，I can promise you！’
‘But Frank，’she begged in a trembling voice，‘it wasn't such a terrible mistake！Now，dear Frank，when will our wedding be