the trumpet-major-第16节

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Heywhat's　that？'

It　was　a　shout　from　within　the　walls　of　the　building；　and　Loveday
said

'Your　nephew　is　here；　and　has　company。'

'My　nephew　HERE？'　gasped　the　old　man。　　'Good　folks；　will　you　come　up
to　the　door　with　me？　　I　meanheeheejust　for　company！　　Dear　me；
I　thought　my　house　was　as　quiet　as　a　church？'

They　went　back　to　the　window；　and　the　farmer　looked　in；　his　mouth
falling　apart　to　a　greater　width　at　the　corners　than　in　the　middle；
and　his　fingers　assuming　a　state　of　radiation。

''Tis　my　best　silver　tankards　they've　got；　that　I've　never　used！　　O！
'tis　my　strong　beer！　　'Tis　eight　candles　guttering　away；　when　I've
used　nothing　but　twenties　myself　for　the　last　half…year！'

'You　didn't　know　he　was　here；　then？'　said　Loveday。

'O　no！'　said　the　farmer；　shaking　his　head　half…way。　　'Nothing's
known　to　poor　I！　　There's　my　best　rummers　jingling　as　careless　as　if
'twas　tin　cups；　and　my　table　scratched；　and　my　chairs　wrenched　out
of　joint。　　See　how　they　tilt　'em　on　the　two　back　legsand　that's
ruin　to　a　chair！　　Ah！　when　I　be　gone　he　won't　find　another　old　man
to　make　such　work　with；　and　provide　goods　for　his　breaking；　and
house…room　and　drink　for　his　tear…brass　set！'

'Comrades　and　fellow…soldiers；'　said　Festus　to　the　hot　farmers　and
yeomen　he　entertained　within；　'as　we　have　vowed　to　brave　danger　and
death　together；　so　we'll　share　the　couch　of　peace。　　You　shall　sleep
here　to…night；　for　it　is　getting　late。　　My　scram　blue…vinnied
gallicrow　of　an　uncle　takes　care　that　there　shan't　be　much　comfort
in　the　house；　but　you　can　curl　up　on　the　furniture　if　beds　run
short。　　As　for　my　sleep；　it　won't　be　much。　　I'm　melancholy！　　A　woman
has；　I　may　say；　got　my　heart　in　her　pocket；　and　I　have　hers　in　mine。
She's　not　muchto　other　folk；　I　meanbut　she　is　to　me。　　The　little
thing　came　in　my　way；　and　conquered　me。　　I　fancy　that　simple　girl！
I　ought　to　have　looked　higherI　know　it；　what　of　that？　　'Tis　a　fate
that　may　happen　to　the　greatest　men。'

'Whash　her　name？'　said　one　of　the　warriors；　whose　head　occasionally
drooped　upon　his　epaulettes；　and　whose　eyes　fell　together　in　the
casual　manner　characteristic　of　the　tired　soldier。　　（It　was　really
Farmer　Stubb；　of　Duddle　Hole。）

'Her　name？　　Well；　'tis　spelt；　A；　Nbut；　by　gad；　I　won't　give　ye　her
name　here　in　company。　　She　don't　live　a　hundred　miles　off；　however；
and　she　wears　the　prettiest　cap…ribbons　you　ever　saw。　　Well；　well；
'tis　weakness！　　She　has　little；　and　I　have　much；　but　I　do　adore　that
girl；　in　spite　of　myself！'

'Let's　go　on；'　said　Anne。

'Prithee　stand　by　an　old　man　till　he's　got　into　his　house！'　implored
Uncle　Benjy。　　'I　only　ask　ye　to　bide　within　call。　　Stand　back　under
the　trees；　and　I'll　do　my　poor　best　to　give　no　trouble。'

'I'll　stand　by　you　for　half…an…hour；　sir；'　said　Loveday。　　'After
that　I　must　bolt　to　camp。'

'Very　well；　bide　back　there　under　the　trees；'　said　Uncle　Benjy。　　'I
don't　want　to　spite　'em？'

'You'll　wait　a　few　minutes；　just　to　see　if　he　gets　in？'　said　the
trumpet…major　to　Anne　as　they　retired　from　the　old　man。

'I　want　to　get　home；'　said　Anne　anxiously。

When　they　had　quite　receded　behind　the　tree…trunks　and　he　stood
alone；　Uncle　Benjy；　to　their　surprise；　set　up　a　loud　shout；
altogether　beyond　the　imagined　power　of　his　lungs。

'Man　a…lost！　man　a…lost！'　he　cried；　repeating　the　exclamation
several　times；　and　then　ran　and　hid　himself　behind　a　corner　of　the
building。　　Soon　the　door　opened；　and　Festus　and　his　guests　came
tumbling　out　upon　the　green。

''Tis　our　duty　to　help　folks　in　distress；'　said　Festus。　　'Man
a…lost；　where　are　you？'

''Twas　across　there；'　said　one　of　his　friends。

'No！　'twas　here；'　said　another。

Meanwhile　Uncle　Benjy；　coming　from　his　hiding…place；　had　scampered
with　the　quickness　of　a　boy　up　to　the　door　they　had　quitted；　and
slipped　in。　　In　a　moment　the　door　flew　together；　and　Anne　heard　him
bolting　and　barring　it　inside。　　The　revellers；　however；　did　not
notice　this；　and　came　on　towards　the　spot　where　the　trumpet…major
and　Anne　were　standing。

'Here's　succour　at　hand；　friends；'　said　Festus。　　'We　are　all　king's
men；　do　not　fear　us。'

'Thank　you；'　said　Loveday；　'so　are　we。'　　He　explained　in　two　words
that　they　were　not　the　distressed　traveller　who　had　cried　out；　and
turned　to　go　on。

''Tis　she！　my　life；　'tis　she　said　Festus；　now　first　recognizing
Anne。　　'Fair　Anne；　I　will　not　part　from　you　till　I　see　you　safe　at
your　own　dear　door。'

'She's　in　my　hands；'　said　Loveday　civilly；　though　not　without
firmness；　'so　it　is　not　required；　thank　you。'

'Man；　had　I　but　my　sword'

'Come；'　said　Loveday；　'I　don't　want　to　quarrel。　　Let's　put　it　to
her。　　Whichever　of　us　she　likes　best；　he　shall　take　her　home。　　Miss
Anne；　which？'

Anne　would　much　rather　have　gone　home　alone；　but　seeing　the
remainder　of　the　yeomanry　party　staggering　up　she　thought　it　best　to
secure　a　protector　of　some　kind。　　How　to　choose　one　without
offending　the　other　and　provoking　a　quarrel　was　the　difficulty。

'You　must　both　walk　home　with　me；'　she　adroitly　said；　'one　on　one
side；　and　one　on　the　other。　　And　if　you　are　not　quite　civil　to　one
another　all　the　time；　I'll　never　speak　to　either　of　you　again。'

They　agreed　to　the　terms；　and　the　other　yeomen　arriving　at　this　time
said　they　would　go　also　as　rearguard。

'Very　well；'　said　Anne。　　'Now　go　and　get　your　hats；　and　don't　be
long。'

'Ah；　yes；　our　hats；'　said　the　yeomanry；　whose　heads　were　so　hot　that
they　had　forgotten　their　nakedness　till　then。

'You'll　wait　till　we've　got　'emwe　won't　be　a　moment；'　said　Festus
eagerly。

Anne　and　Loveday　said　yes；　and　Festus　ran　back　to　the　house；
followed　by　all　his　band。

'Now　let's　run　and　leave　'em；'　said　Anne；　when　they　were　out　of
hearing。

'But　we've　promised　to　wait！'　said　the　trumpet…major　in　surprise。

'Promised　to　wait！'　said　Anne　indignantly。　　'As　if　one　ought　to　keep
such　a　promise　to　drunken　men　as　that。　　You　can　do　as　you　like；　I
shall　go。'

'It　is　hardly　fair　to　leave　the　chaps；'　said　Loveday　reluctantly；
and　looking　back　at　them。　　But　she　heard　no　more；　and　flitting　off
under　the　trees；　was　soon　lost　to　his　sight。

Festus　and　the　rest　had　by　this　time　reached　Uncle　Benjy's　door；
which　they　were　discomfited　and　astonished　to　find　closed。　　They
began　to　knock；　and　then　to　kick　at　the　venerable　timber；　till　the
old　man's　head；　crowned　with　a　tasselled　nightcap；　appeared　at　an
upper　window；　followed　by　his　shoulders；　with　apparently　nothing　on
but　his　shirt；　though　it　was　in　truth　a　sheet　thrown　over　his　coat。

'Fie；　fie　upon　ye　all　for　making　such　a　hullaballoo　at　a　weak　old
man's　door；'　he　said；　yawning。　　'What's　in　ye　to　rouse　honest　folks
at　this　time　o'　night？'

'Hang　mewhyit's　Uncle　Benjy！　　Hawhawhaw　？'　said　Festus。
'Nunc；　why　how　the　devil's　this？　　'Tis　IFestuswanting　to　come
in。'

'O　no；　no；　my　clever　man；　whoever　you　be！'　said　Uncle　Benjy　in　a
tone　of　incredulous　integrity。　　'My　nephew；　dear　boy；　is　miles　away
at　quarters；　and　sound　asleep　by　this　time；　as　becomes　a　good
soldier。　　That　story　won't　do　to…night；　my　man；　not　at　all。'

'Upon　my　soul　'tis　I；'　said　Festus。

'Not　to…night；　my　man；　not　to…night！　　Anthony；　bring　my
blunderbuss；'　said　the　farmer；　turning　and　addressing　nobody　inside
the　room。

'Let's　break　in　the　window…shutters；'　said　one　of　the　others。

'My　wig；　and　we　will！'　said　Festus。　　'What　a　trick　of　the　old　man！'

'Get　some　big　stones；'　said　the　yeomen；　searching　under　the　wall。

'No；　forbear；　forbear；'　said　Festus；　beginning　to　he　frightened　at
the　spirit　he　had　raised。　　'I　forget；　we　should　drive　him　into　fits；
for　he's　subject　to　'em；　and　then　perhaps　'twould　be　manslaughter。
Comrades；　we　must　march！　　No；　we'll　lie　in　the　barn。　　I'll　see　into
this；　take　my　word　for　't。　　Our　honour　is　at　stake。　　Now　let's　back
to　see　my　beauty　home。'

'We　can't；　as　we　hav'n't　got　our　hats；'　said　one　of　his
fellow…troopersin　domestic　life　Jacob　Noakes；　of　Muckleford　Farm。

'No　more　we　can；'　said　Festus；　in　a　melancholy　tone。　　'But　I　must　go
to　her　and　tell　her　the　reason。　　She　pulls　me　in　spite　of　all。'

'She's　gone。　　I　saw　her　flee　across　park　while　we　were　knocking　at
the　door；'　said　another　of　the　yeomanry。

'Gone！'　said　Festus；　grinding　his　teeth　and　putting　himself　into　a
rigid　shape。　　'Then　'tis　my　enemyhe　has　tempted　her　away　with　him！
But　I　am　a　rich　man；　and　he's　poor；　and　rides　the　King's　horse　while
I　ride　my　own。　　Could　I　but　find　that　fellow；　that　regular；　that
common　man；　I　would'

'Yes？'　said　the　trumpet…major；　coming　up　behind　him。

'I；'said　Festus；　starting　round；'I　would　seize　him　by　the　hand
and　say；　〃Guard　her；　if　you　are　my　friend；　guard　her　from　all
harm！〃'

'A　good　speech。　　And　I　will；　too；'　said　Loveday　heartily。

'And　now　for　shelter；'　said　Festus　to　his　companions。

They　then　unceremoniously　left　Loveday；　without　wishing　him
good…night；　and　proceeded　towards　the　barn。　　He　crossed　the　park　and
ascended　the　down　to　the　camp；　grieved　that　he　had　given　Anne　cause
of　complaint；　and　fancying　that　she　held　him　of　slight　account
beside　his　wealthier　rival。



X。　THE　MATCH…MAKING　VIRTUES　OF　A　DOUBLE　GARDEN

Anne　was　so　flurried　by　the　military　incidents　attending　her　return
home　that　s