رودخانه‌ی فلاس

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The River Floss

One day in early June, Maggie and Lucy were talking.

‘Maggie, I have some good news,’ Lucy said. ‘My father and Mr Guest are going to buy Dorlcote Mill. Tom will be the miller. Aunt Tulliver will live at the mill with Tom.’

‘And Philip has told his father about you, Maggie,’ Lucy said. ‘Mr Wakem wants to meet you. You and Philip will get married!’

‘I am happy about the mill,’ Maggie said. ‘But I will not marry Philip. I am going to leave St Ogg’s at the end of June.’

‘Leave St Ogg’s’ said Lucy. ‘Why, Maggie?’ ‘I must work. I must get a job,’ Maggie replied.

So Tom and Mrs Tulliver went to live at Dorlcote Mill again. Stephen came to the Deanes’ house every day. Philip was often there too.

In the evenings, the four young people often sang together. Stephen sang love songs. He did not sing them for Lucy. He sang them for Maggie. But Lucy did not understand.

One evening in late June, Lucy said, ‘Let’s go in the boat tomorrow. We will go down the river. We will go to Luckreth.’

‘Four people in the boat is too many,’ Stephen said.

‘Philip, you go tomorrow with Lucy and Maggie. I will go with them the next day.’

‘Then Maggie and I will meet you tomorrow, Philip,’ Lucy said. ‘Come at half-past ten.’

But the next morning, Lucy had to go with her father to another town. At half-past ten, Stephen Guest came into the house. Maggie was alone.

‘Where is Philip’ Maggie asked.

‘He is ill. He cannot come,’ Stephen replied. ‘Where is Lucy?’

‘Lucy is not here,’ Maggie said. ‘She is with her father. We cannot go without her.’

‘Please come, Maggie,’ Stephen said. ‘You are going away soon. I will not see you again. Let’s go on the river for an hour.’

‘I will come with you for an hour, Stephen,’ Maggie replied. ‘After that, we must not be alone again.’

They walked down to the river and got into the boat. The sun was shining. Stephen rowed the boat and it moved quickly over the water.

‘Lucy will come back this afternoon,’ said Maggie. ‘We must come back before two o’clock.’

The sun was hot. Stephen stopped rowing. The water carried the boat along. Stephen and Maggie were very happy. They did not think about the time.

But much later, Maggie cried out, ‘We have passed Luckreth! Where are we? It is very late. What will Lucy say? We must go back!’

Stephen held Maggie’s hand. She was crying.

‘Let’s not go back! Let’s get married’ Stephen said. Maggie did not answer. She could not speak. She could not think.

‘We must get married, Maggie’ Stephen said. ‘We are together now - forever.’

Stephen started rowing again. He did not turn the boat round. The river was wide. The water rushed past. There were no villages next to the river. Suddenly, Stephen saw a steamboat. ‘Look, Maggie,’ he said. ‘The steamboat is going to Mudport. We will get onto the steamboat. We will get married in Mudport!’

Maggie was very unhappy.

Stephen and Maggie got onto the steamboat. Stephen spoke to the captain of the steamboat.

‘This lady - my wife - is very tired,’ Stephen said. ‘Please take us to Mudport. I will pay you well.’

Maggie sat down and she went to sleep. Night came. All night, Stephen sat next to Maggie.