the trumpet-major-第21节

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near；　and　soon　after　the　King；　accompanied　by　the　Dukes　of　Cambridge
and　Cumberland；　and　a　couple　of　generals；　appeared　on　horseback；
wearing　a　round　hat　turned　up　at　the　side；　with　a　cockade　and
military　feather。　　（Sensation　among　the　crowd。）　　Then　the　Queen　and
three　of　the　princesses　entered　the　field　in　a　great　coach　drawn　by
six　beautiful　cream…coloured　horses。　　Another　coach；　with　four
horses　of　the　same　sort；　brought　the　two　remaining　princesses。
（Confused　acclamations；　'There's　King　Jarge！'　'That's　Queen
Sharlett！'　'Princess　'Lizabeth！'　'Princesses　Sophiar　and　Meelyer！'
etc。；　from　the　surrounding　spectators。）

Anne　and　her　party　were　fortunate　enough　to　secure　a　position　on　the
top　of　one　of　the　barrows　which　rose　here　and　there　on　the　down；　and
the　miller　having　gallantly　constructed　a　little　cairn　of　flints；　he
placed　the　two　women　thereon；　by　which　means　they　were　enabled　to
see　over　the　heads；　horses；　and　coaches　of　the　multitudes　below　and
around。　　At　the　march…past　the　miller's　eye；　which　had　been
wandering　about　for　the　purpose；　discovered　his　son　in　his　place　by
the　trumpeters；　who　had　moved　forwards　in　two　ranks；　and　were
sounding　the　march。

'That's　John！'　he　cried　to　the　widow。　　'His　trumpet…sling　is　of　two
colours；　d'ye　see；　and　the　others　be　plain。'

Mrs。　Garland　too　saw　him　now；　and　enthusiastically　admired　him　from
her　hands　upwards；　and　Anne　silently　did　the　same。　　But　before　the
young　woman's　eyes　had　quite　left　the　trumpet…major　they　fell　upon
the　figure　of　Yeoman　Festus　riding　with　his　troop；　and　keeping　his
face　at　a　medium　between　haughtiness　and　mere　bravery。　　He　certainly
looked　as　soldierly　as　any　of　his　own　corps；　and　felt　more　soldierly
than　half…a…dozen；　as　anybody　could　see　by　observing　him。　　Anne　got
behind　the　miller；　in　case　Festus　should　discover　her；　and；
regardless　of　his　monarch；　rush　upon　her　in　a　rage　with；　'Why　the
devil　did　you　run　away　from　me　that　nighthey；　madam？'　　But　she
resolved　to　think　no　more　of　him　just　now；　and　to　stick　to　Loveday；
who　was　her　mother's　friend。　　In　this　she　was　helped　by　the　stirring
tones　which　burst　from　the　latter　gentleman　and　his　subordinates
from　time　to　time。

'Well；'　said　the　miller　complacently；　'there's　few　of　more
consequence　in　a　regiment　than　a　trumpeter。　　He's　the　chap　that
tells　'em　what　to　do；　after　all。　　Hey；　Mrs。　Garland？'

'So　he　is；　miller；'　said　she。

'They　could　no　more　do　without　Jack　and　his　men　than　they　could
without　generals。'

'Indeed　they　could　not；'　said　Mrs。　Garland　again；　in　a　tone　of
pleasant　agreement　with　any　one　in　Great　Britain　or　Ireland。

It　was　said　that　the　line　that　day　was　three　miles　long；　reaching
from　the　high　ground　on　the　right　of　where　the　people　stood　to　the
turnpike　road　on　the　left。　　After　the　review　came　a　sham　fight；
during　which　action　the　crowd　dispersed　more　widely　over　the　downs；
enabling　Widow　Garland　to　get　still　clearer　glimpses　of　the　King；
and　his　handsome　charger；　and　the　head　of　the　Queen；　and　the　elbows
and　shoulders　of　the　princesses　in　the　carriages；　and　fractional
parts　of　General　Garth　and　the　Duke　of　Cumberland；　which　sights　gave
her　great　gratification。　　She　tugged　at　her　daughter　at　every
opportunity；　exclaiming；　'Now　you　can　see　his　feather！'　'There's　her
hat！'　'There's　her　Majesty's　India　muslin　shawl！'　in　a　minor　form　of
ecstasy；　that　made　the　miller　think　her　more　girlish　and　animated
than　her　daughter　Anne。

In　those　military　manoeuvres　the　miller　followed　the　fortunes　of　one
man；　Anne　Garland　of　two。　　The　spectators；　who；　unlike　our　party；
had　no　personal　interest　in　the　soldiery；　saw　only　troops　and
battalions　in　the　concrete；　straight　lines　of　red；　straight　lines　of
blue；　white　lines　formed　of　innumerable　knee…breeches；　black　lines
formed　of　many　gaiters；　coming　and　going　in　kaleidoscopic　change。
Who　thought　of　every　point　in　the　line　as　an　isolated　man；　each
dwelling　all　to　himself　in　the　hermitage　of　his　own　mind？　　One
person　did；　a　young　man　far　removed　from　the　barrow　where　the
Garlands　and　Miller　Loveday　stood。　　The　natural　expression　of　his
face　was　somewhat　obscured　by　the　bronzing　effects　of　rough　weather；
but　the　lines　of　his　mouth　showed　that　affectionate　impulses　were
strong　within　himperhaps　stronger　than　judgment　well　could
regulate。　　He　wore　a　blue　jacket　with　little　brass　buttons；　and　was
plainly　a　seafaring　man。

Meanwhile；　in　the　part　of　the　plain　where　rose　the　tumulus　on　which
the　miller　had　established　himself；　a　broad…brimmed　tradesman　was
elbowing　his　way　along。　　He　saw　Mr。　Loveday　from　the　base　of　the
barrow；　and　beckoned　to　attract　his　attention。　　Loveday　went　halfway
down；　and　the　other　came　up　as　near　as　he　could。

'Miller；'　said　the　man；　'a　letter　has　been　lying　at　the　post…office
for　you　for　the　last　three　days。　　If　I　had　known　that　I　should　see
ye　here　I'd　have　brought　it　along　with　me。'

The　miller　thanked　him　for　the　news；　and　they　parted；　Loveday
returning　to　the　summit。　　'What　a　very　strange　thing！'　he　said　to
Mrs。　Garland；　who　had　looked　inquiringly　at　his　face；　now　very
grave。　　'That　was　Budmouth　postmaster；　and　he　says　there's　a　letter
for　me。　　Ah；　I　now　call　to　mind　that　there　WAS　a　letter　in　the
candle　three　days　ago　this　very　nighta　large　red　one；　but
foolish…like　I　thought　nothing　o't。　　Who　CAN　that　letter　be　from？'

A　letter　at　this　time　was　such　an　event　for　hamleteers；　even　of　the
miller's　respectable　standing；　that　Loveday　thenceforward　was　thrown
into　a　fit　of　abstraction　which　prevented　his　seeing　any　more　of　the
sham　fight；　or　the　people；　or　the　King。　　Mrs。　Garland　imbibed　some
of　his　concern；　and　suggested　that　the　letter　might　come　from　his
son　Robert。

'I　should　naturally　have　thought　that；'　said　Miller　Loveday；　'but　he
wrote　to　me　only　two　months　ago；　and　his　brother　John　heard　from　him
within　the　last　four　weeks；　when　he　was　just　about　starting　on
another　voyage。　　If　you'll　pardon　me；　Mrs。　Garland；　ma'am；　I'll　see
if　there's　any　Overcombe　man　here　who　is　going　to　Budmouth　to…day；
so　that　I　may　get　the　letter　by　night…time。　　I　cannot　possibly　go
myself。'

So　Mr。　Loveday　left　them　for　awhile；　and　as　they　were　so　near　home
Mrs。　Garland　did　not　wait　on　the　barrow　for　him　to　come　back；　but
walked　about　with　Anne　a　little　time；　until　they　should　be　disposed
to　trot　down　the　slope　to　their　own　door。　　They　listened　to　a　man
who　was　offering　one　guinea　to　receive　ten　in　case　Buonaparte　should
be　killed　in　three　months；　and　to　other　entertainments　of　that
nature；　which　at　this　time　were　not　rare。　　Once　during　their
peregrination　the　eyes　of　the　sailor　before…mentioned　fell　upon
Anne；　but　he　glanced　over　her　and　passed　her　unheedingly　by。
Loveday　the　elder　was　at　this　time　on　the　other　side　of　the　line；
looking　for　a　messenger　to　the　town。　　At　twelve　o'clock　the　review
was　over；　and　the　King　and　his　family　left　the　hill。　　The　troops
then　cleared　off　the　field；　the　spectators　followed；　and　by　one
o'clock　the　downs　were　again　bare。

They　still　spread　their　grassy　surface　to　the　sun　as　on　that
beautiful　morning　not；　historically　speaking；　so　very　long　ago；　but
the　King　and　his　fifteen　thousand　armed　men；　the　horses；　the　bands
of　music；　the　princesses；　the　cream…coloured　teamsthe　gorgeous
centre…piece；　in　short；　to　which　the　downs　were　but　the　mere　mount
or　marginhow　entirely　have　they　all　passed　and　gone！lying
scattered　about　the　world　as　military　and　other　dust；　some　at
Talavera；　Albuera；　Salamanca；　Vittoria；　Toulouse；　and　Waterloo；　some
in　home　churchyards；　and　a　few　small　handfuls　in　royal　vaults。

In　the　afternoon　John　Loveday；　lightened　of　his　trumpet　and
trappings；　appeared　at　the　old　mill…house　door；　and　beheld　Anne
standing　at　hers。

'I　saw　you；　Miss　Garland；'　said　the　soldier　gaily。

'Where　was　I？'　said　she；　smiling。

'On　the　top　of　the　big　moundto　the　right　of　the　King。'

'And　I　saw　you；　lots　of　times；'　she　rejoined。

Loveday　seemed　pleased。　　'Did　you　really　take　the　trouble　to　find
me？　　That　was　very　good　of　you。'

'Her　eyes　followed　you　everywhere；'　said　Mrs。　Garland　from　an　upper
window。

'Of　course　I　looked　at　the　dragoons　most；'　said　Anne；　disconcerted。
'And　when　I　looked　at　them　my　eyes　naturally　fell　upon　the　trumpets。
I　looked　at　the　dragoons　generally；　no　more。'

She　did　not　mean　to　show　any　vexation　to　the　trumpet…major；　but　he
fancied　otherwise；　and　stood　repressed。　　The　situation　was　relieved
by　the　arrival　of　the　miller；　still　looking　serious。

'I　am　very　much　concerned；　John；　I　did　not　go　to　the　review　for
nothing。　　There's　a　letter　a…waiting　for　me　at　Budmouth；　and　I　must
get　it　before　bedtime；　or　I　shan't　sleep　a　wink。'

'I'll　go；　of　course；'　said　John；　'and　perhaps　Miss　Garland　would
like　to　see　what's　doing　there　to…day？　　Everybody　is　gone　or　going；
the　road　is　like　a　fair。'

He　spoke　pleadingly；　but　Anne　was　not　won　to　assent。

'You　can　drive　in　the　gig；　'twill　do　Blossom　good；'　said　the　miller。

'Let　David　drive　Miss　Garland；'　said　the　trumpet…major；　not　wishing
to　coerce　her；　'I　would　just　as　soon　walk。'

Anne　joyfully　welcomed　this　arrangement；　and　a　time　was　fixed　for
the　start。



XIII。　　THE　CONVERSATION　IN　THE　CROWD

In　the　afterno