the trumpet-major-第12节

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cross　baby。　　'You　are　laughing　at　methat's　who　you　are　laughing
at！　　I　should　like　to　know　what　you　would　do　without　such　as　me　if
the　French　were　to　drop　in　upon　ye　any　night？'

'Would　you　help　to　beat　them　off？'　said　she。

'Can　you　ask　such　a　question？　　What　are　we　for？　　But　you　don't　think
anything　of　soldiers。'

O　yes；　she　liked　soldiers；　she　said；　especially　when　they　came　home
from　the　wars；　covered　with　glory；　though　when　she　thought　what
doings　had　won　them　that　glory　she　did　not　like　them　quite　so　well。
The　gallant　and　appeased　yeoman　said　he　supposed　her　to　mean
chopping　off　heads；　blowing　out　brains；　and　that　kind　of　business；
and　thought　it　quite　right　that　a　tender…hearted　thing　like　her
should　feel　a　little　horrified。　　But　as　for　him；　he　should　not　mind
such　another　Blenheim　this　summer　as　the　army　had　fought　a　hundred
years　ago；　or　whenever　it　wasdash　his　wig　if　he　should　mind　it　at
all。　　'Hullo！　now　you　are　laughing　again；　yes；　I　saw　you！'　　And　the
choleric　Festus　turned　his　blue　eyes　and　flushed　face　upon　her　as
though　he　would　read　her　through。　　Anne　strove　valiantly　to　look
calmly　back；　but　her　eyes　could　not　face　his；　and　they　fell。　　'You
did　laugh！'　he　repeated。

'It　was　only　a　tiny　little　one；'　she　murmured。

'AhI　knew　you　did！'　thundered　he。　　'Now　what　was　it　you　laughed
at？'

'I　onlythought　that　you　weremerely　in　the　yeomanry；'　she
murmured　slily。

'And　what　of　that？'

'And　the　yeomanry　only　seem　farmers　that　have　lost　their　senses。'

'Yes；　yes！　　I　knew　you　meant　some　jeering　o'　that　sort；　Mistress
Anne。　　But　I　suppose　'tis　the　way　of　women；　and　I　take　no　notice。
I'll　confess　that　some　of　us　are　no　great　things：　　but　I　know　how　to
draw　a　sword；　don't　I？say　I　don't　just　to　provoke　me。'

'I　am　sure　you　do；'　said　Anne　sweetly。　　'If　a　Frenchman　came　up　to
you；　Mr。　Derriman；　would　you　take　him　on　the　hip；　or　on　the　thigh？'

'Now　you　are　flattering！'　he　said；　his　white　teeth　uncovering
themselves　in　a　smile。　　'Well；　of　course　I　should　draw　my　swordno；
I　mean　my　sword　would　be　already　drawn；　and　I　should　put　spurs　to　my
horsecharger；　as　we　call　it　in　the　army；　and　I　should　ride　up　to
him　and　sayno；　I　shouldn't　say　anything；　of　coursemen　never
waste　words　in　battle；　I　should　take　him　with　the　third　guard；　low
point；　and　then　coming　back　to　the　second　guard'

'But　that　would　be　taking　care　of　yourselfnot　hitting　at　him。'

'How　can　you　say　that！'　he　cried；　the　beams　upon　his　face　turning　to
a　lurid　cloud　in　a　moment。　　'How　can　you　understand　military　terms
who've　never　had　a　sword　in　your　life？　　I　shouldn't　take　him　with
the　sword　at　all。'　　He　went　on　with　eager　sulkiness；　'I　should　take
him　with　my　pistol。　　I　should　pull　off　my　right　glove；　and　throw
back　my　goat…skin；　then　I　should　open　my　priming…pan；　prime；　and
cast　aboutno；　I　shouldn't；　that's　wrong；　I　should　draw　my　right
pistol；　and　as　soon　as　loaded；　seize　the　weapon　by　the　butt；　then　at
the　word　〃Cock　your　pistol〃　I　should'

'Then　there　is　plenty　of　time　to　give　such　words　of　command　in　the
heat　of　battle？'　said　Anne　innocently。

'No！'　said　the　yeoman；　his　face　again　in　flames。　　'Why；　of　course　I
am　only　telling　you　what　WOULD　be　the　word　of　command　IFthere　now！
you　la'

'I　didn't；　'pon　my　word　I　didn't！'

'No；　I　don't　think　you　did；　it　was　my　mistake。　　Well；　then　I　come
smartly　to　Present；　looking　well　along　the　barrelalong　the　barrel…
…and　fire。　　Of　course　I　know　well　enough　how　to　engage　the　enemy！
But　I　expect　my　old　uncle　has　been　setting　you　against　me。'

'He　has　not　said　a　word；'　replied　Anne；　'though　I　have　heard　of　you；
of　course。'

'What　have　you　heard？　　Nothing　good；　I　dare　say。　　It　makes　my　blood
boil　within　me！'

'O；　nothing　bad；'　said　she　assuringly。　　'Just　a　word　now　and　then。'

'Now；　come；　tell　me；　there's　a　dear。　　I　don't　like　to　be　crossed。
It　shall　be　a　sacred　secret　between　us。　　Come；　now！'

Anne　was　embarrassed；　and　her　smile　was　uncomfortable。　　'I　shall　not
tell　you；'　she　said　at　last。

'There　it　is　again！'　said　the　yeoman；　throwing　himself　into　a
despair。　　'I　shall　soon　begin　to　believe　that　my　name　is　not　worth
sixpence　about　here！'

'I　tell　you　'twas　nothing　against　you；'　repeated　Anne。

'That　means　it　might　have　been　for　me；'　said　Festus；　in　a　mollified
tone。　　'Well；　though；　to　speak　the　truth；　I　have　a　good　many　faults；
some　people　will　praise　me；　I　suppose。　　'Twas　praise？'

'It　was。'

'Well；　I　am　not　much　at　farming；　and　I　am　not　much　in　company；　and　I
am　not　much　at　figures；　but　perhaps　I　must　own；　since　it　is　forced
upon　me；　that　I　can　show　as　fine　a　soldier's　figure　on　the　Esplanade
as　any　man　of　the　cavalry。'

'You　can；'　said　Anne；　for　though　her　flesh　crept　in　mortal　terror　of
his　irascibility；　she　could　not　resist　the　fearful　pleasure　of
leading　him　on。　　'You　look　very　well；　and　some　say；　you　are'

'What？　　Well；　they　say　I　am　good…looking。　　I　don't　make　myself；　so
'tis　no　praise。　　Hullo！　what　are　you　looking　across　there　for？'

'Only　at　a　bird　that　I　saw　fly　out　of　that　tree；'　said　Anne。

'What？　　Only　at　a　bird；　do　you　say？'　he　heaved　out　in　a　voice　of
thunder。　　'I　see　your　shoulders　a…shaking；　young　madam。　　Now　don't
you　provoke　me　with　that　laughing！　　By　God；　it　won't　do！'

'Then　go　away！'　said　Anne；　changed　from　mirthfulness　to　irritation
by　his　rough　manner。　　'I　don't　want　your　company；　you　great　bragging
thing！　　You　are　so　touchy　there's　no　bearing　with　you。　　Go　away！'

'No；　no；　Anne；　I　am　wrong　to　speak　to　you　so。　　I　give　you　free
liberty　to　say　what　you　will　to　me。　　Say　I　am　not　a　bit　of　a
soldier；　or　anything！　　Abuse　medo　now；　there's　a　dear。　　I'm　scum；
I'm　froth；　I'm　dirt　before　the　besomyes！'

'I　have　nothing　to　say；　sir。　　Stay　where　you　are　till　I　am　out　of
this　field。'

'Well；　there's　such　command　in　your　looks　that　I　ha'n't　heart　to　go
against　you。　　You　will　come　this　way　to…morrow　at　the　same　time？
Now；　don't　be　uncivil。'

She　was　too　generous　not　to　forgive　him；　but　the　short　little　lip
murmured　that　she　did　not　think　it　at　all　likely　she　should　come
that　way　to…morrow。

'Then　Sunday？'　he　said。

'Not　Sunday；'　said　she。

'Then　MondayTuesdayWednesday；　surely？'　he　went　on
experimentally。

She　answered　that　she　should　probably　not　see　him　on　either　day；
and；　cutting　short　the　argument；　went　through　the　wicket　into　the
other　field。　　Festus　paused；　looking　after　her；　and　when　he　could　no
longer　see　her　slight　figure　he　swept　away　his　deliberations；　began
singing；　and　turned　off　in　the　other　direction。



VIII。　　ANNE　MAKES　A　CIRCUIT　OF　THE　CAMP

When　Anne　was　crossing　the　last　field；　she　saw　approaching　her　an
old　woman　with　wrinkled　cheeks；　who　surveyed　the　earth　and　its
inhabitants　through　the　medium　of　brass…rimmed　spectacles。　　Shaking
her　head　at　Anne　till　the　glasses　shone　like　two　moons；　she　said；
'Ah；　ah；　I　zeed　ye！　　If　I　had　only　kept　on　my　short　ones　that　I　use
for　reading　the　Collect　and　Gospel　I　shouldn't　have　zeed　ye；　but
thinks　I；　I　be　going　out　o'　doors；　and　I'll　put　on　my　long　ones；
little　thinking　what　they'd　show　me。　　Ay；　I　can　tell　folk　at　any
distance　with　these'tis　a　beautiful　pair　for　out　o'　doors；　though
my　short　ones　be　best　for　close　work；　such　as　darning；　and　catching
fleas；　that's　true。'

'What　have　you　seen；　Granny　Seamore？'　said　Anne。

'Fie；　fie；　Miss　Nancy！　you　know；'　said　Granny　Seamore；　shaking　her
head　still。　　'But　he's　a　fine　young　feller；　and　will　have　all　his
uncle's　money　when　'a's　gone。'　　Anne　said　nothing　to　this；　and
looking　ahead　with　a　smile　passed　Granny　Seamore　by。

Festus；　the　subject　of　the　remark；　was　at　this　time　about
three…and…twenty；　a　fine　fellow　as　to　feet　and　inches；　and　of　a
remarkably　warm　tone　in　skin　and　hair。　　Symptoms　of　beard　and
whiskers　had　appeared　upon　him　at　a　very　early　age；　owing　to　his
persistent　use　of　the　razor　before　there　was　any　necessity　for　its
operation。　　The　brave　boy　had　scraped　unseen　in　the　out…house；　in
the　cellar；　in　the　wood…shed；　in　the　stable；　in　the　unused　parlour；
in　the　cow…stalls；　in　the　barn；　and　wherever　he　could　set　up　his
triangular　bit　of　looking…glass　without　observation；　or　extemporize
a　mirror　by　sticking　up　his　hat　on　the　outside　of　a　window…pane。
The　result　now　was　that；　did　he　neglect　to　use　the　instrument　he
once　had　trifled　with；　a　fine　rust　broke　out　upon　his　countenance　on
the　first　day；　a　golden　lichen　on　the　second；　and　a　fiery　stubble　on
the　third　to　a　degree　which　admitted　of　no　further　postponement。

His　disposition　divided　naturally　into　two；　the　boastful　and　the
cantankerous。　　When　Festus　put　on　the　big　pot；　as　it　is　classically
called；　he　was　quite　blinded　ipso　facto　to　the　diverting　effect　of
that　mood　and　manner　upon　others；　but　when　disposed　to　be　envious　or
quarrelsome　he　was　rather　shrewd　than　otherwise；　and　could　do　some
pretty　strokes　of　satire。　　He　was　both　liked　and　abused　by　the　girls
who　knew　him；　and　though　they　were　pleased　by　his　attentions；　they
never　failed　to　ridicule　him　behind　his　back。　　In　his　cups　（he　knew
those　vessels；　though　only　twenty…three）　he　first　became　noisy；　then
excessively　friendly；　and　then　invariably　nagging。　　During　childhood
he　had　made　himself　renowned　for　his　pleasant　habit　of