the trumpet-major-第28节

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'my　dear　Matilda；　why　didn't　you　come　by　the　coach；　having　the　money
for't　and　all？'

'That's　my　scrimping！'　said　Matilda　in　a　delightful　gush。　　'I　know
you　won't　be　offended　when　you　know　I　did　it　to　save　against　a　rainy
day！'

Bob；　of　course；　was　not　offended；　though　the　glory　of　meeting　her
had　been　less；　and　even　if　vexation　were　possible；　it　would　have
been　out　of　place　to　say　so。　　Still；　he　would　have　experienced　no
little　surprise　had　he　learnt　the　real　reason　of　his　Matilda's
change　of　plan。　　That　angel　had；　in　short；　so　wildly　spent　Bob's　and
her　own　money　in　the　adornment　of　her　person　before　setting　out；
that　she　found　herself　without　a　sufficient　margin　for　her　fare　by
coach；　and　had　scrimped　from　sheer　necessity；

'Well；　I　have　got　the　trap　out　at　the　Greyhound；'　said　Bob。　　'I
don't　know　whether　it　will　hold　your　luggage　and　us　too；　but　it
looked　more　respectable　than　the　waggon　on　a　Sunday；　and　if　there's
not　room　for　the　boxes　I　can　walk　alongside。'

'I　think　there　will　be　room；'　said　Miss　Johnson　mildly。　　And　it　was
soon　very　evident　that　she　spoke　the　truth；　for　when　her　property
was　deposited　on　the　pavement；　it　consisted　of　a　trunk　about
eighteen　inches　long；　and　nothing　more。

'Othat's　all！'　said　Captain　Loveday；　surprised。

'That's　all；'　said　the　young　woman　assuringly。　　'I　didn't　want　to
give　trouble；　you　know；　and　what　I　have　besides　I　have　left　at　my
aunt's。'

'Yes；　of　course；'　he　answered　readily。　　'And　as　it's　no　bigger；　I
can　carry　it　in　my　hand　to　the　inn；　and　so　it　will　be　no　trouble　at
all。'

He　caught　up　the　little　box；　and　they　went　side　by　side　to　the
Greyhound；　and　in　ten　minutes　they　were　trotting　up　the　Southern
Road。

Bob　did　not　hurry　the　horse；　there　being　many　things　to　say　and
hear；　for　which　the　present　situation　was　admirably　suited。　　The　sun
shone　occasionally　into　Matilda's　face　as　they　drove　on；　its　rays
picking　out　all　her　features　to　a　great　nicety。　　Her　eyes　would　have
been　called　brown；　but　they　were　really　eel…colour；　like　many　other
nice　brown　eyes；　they　were　well…shaped　and　rather　bright；　though
they　had　more　of　a　broad　shine　than　a　sparkle。　　She　had　a　firm；
sufficient　nose；　which　seemed　to　say　of　itself　that　it　was　good　as
noses　go。　　She　had　rather　a　picturesque　way　of　wrapping　her　upper　in
her　lower　lip；　so　that　the　red　of　the　latter　showed　strongly。
Whenever　she　gazed　against　the　sun　towards　the　distant　hills；　she
brought　into　her　forehead；　without　knowing　it；　three　short　vertical
linesnot　there　at　other　timesgiving　her　for　the　moment　rather　a
hard　look。　　And　in　turning　her　head　round　to　a　far　angle；　to　stare
at　something　or　other　that　he　pointed　out；　the　drawn　flesh　of　her
neck　became　a　mass　of　lines。　　But　Bob　did　not　look　at　these　things；
which；　of　course；　were　of　no　significance；　for　had　she　not　told　him；
when　they　compared　ages；　that　she　was　a　little　over　two…and…twenty？

As　Nature　was　hardly　invented　at　this　early　point　of　the　century；
Bob's　Matilda　could　not　say　much　about　the　glamour　of　the　hills；　or
the　shimmering　of　the　foliage；　or　the　wealth　of　glory　in　the　distant
sea；　as　she　would　doubtless　have　done　had　she　lived　later　on；　but
she　did　her　best　to　be　interesting；　asking　Bob　about　matters　of
social　interest　in　the　neighbourhood；　to　which　she　seemed　quite　a
stranger。

'Is　your　watering…place　a　large　city？'　she　inquired　when　they
mounted　the　hill　where　the　Overcombe　folk　had　waited　for　the　King。

'Bless　you；　my　dearno！　'Twould　be　nothing　if　it　wasn't　for　the
Royal　Family；　and　the　lords　and　ladies；　and　the　regiments　of
soldiers；　and　the　frigates；　and　the　King's　messengers；　and　the
actors　and　actresses；　and　the　games　that　go　on。'

At　the　words　'actors　and　actresses；'　the　innocent　young　thing
pricked　up　her　ears。

'Does　Elliston　pay　as　good　salaries　this　summer　as　in？'

'O；　you　know　about　it　then？　　I　thought'

'O　no；　no！　　I　have　heard　of　Budmouthread　in　the　papers；　you　know；
dear　Robert；　about　the　doings　there；　and　the　actors　and　actresses；
you　know。'

'Yes；　yes；　I　see。　　Well；　I　have　been　away　from　England　a　long　time；
and　don't　know　much　about　the　theatre　in　the　town；　but　I'll　take　you
there　some　day。　　Would　it　be　a　treat　to　you？'

'O；　an　amazing　treat！'　said　Miss　Johnson；　with　an　ecstasy　in　which　a
close　observer　might　have　discovered　a　tinge　of　ghastliness。

'You've　never　been　into　one　perhaps；　dear？'

'Nnever；'　said　Matilda　flatly。　　'Whatever　do　I　see　yondera　row
of　white　things　on　the　down？'

'Yes；　that's　a　part　of　the　encampment　above　Overcombe。　　Lots　of
soldiers　are　encamped　about　here；　those　are　the　white　tops　of　their
tents。'

He　pointed　to　a　wing　of　the　camp　that　had　become　visible。　　Matilda
was　much　interested。

'It　will　make　it　very　lively　for　us；'　he　added；　'especially　as　John
is　there。'

She　thought　so　too；　and　thus　they　chatted　on。



XVII。　　TWO　FAINTING　FITS　AND　A　BEWILDERMENT

Meanwhile　Miller　Loveday　was　expecting　the　pair　with　interest；　and
about　five　o'clock；　after　repeated　outlooks；　he　saw　two　specks　the
size　of　caraway　seeds　on　the　far　line　of　ridge　where　the　sunlit
white　of　the　road　met　the　blue　of　the　sky。　　Then　the　remainder　parts
of　Bob　and　his　lady　became　visible；　and　then　the　whole　vehicle；　end
on；　and　he　heard　the　dry　rattle　of　the　wheels　on　the　dusty　road。
Miller　Loveday's　plan；　as　far　as　he　had　formed　any；　was　that　Robert
and　his　wife　should　live　with　him　in　the　millhouse　until　Mrs。
Garland　made　up　her　mind　to　join　him　there；　in　which　event　her
present　house　would　be　made　over　to　the　young　couple。　　Upon　all
grounds；　he　wished　to　welcome　becomingly　the　woman　of　his　son's
choice；　and　came　forward　promptly　as　they　drew　up　at　the　door。

'What　a　lovely　place　you've　got　here！'　said　Miss　Johnson；　when　the
miller　had　received　her　from　the　captain。　　'A　real　stream　of　water；
a　real　mill…wheel；　and　real　fowls；　and　everything！'

'Yes；　'tis　real　enough；'　said　Loveday；　looking　at　the　river　with
balanced　sentiments；　'and　so　you　will　say　when　you've　lived　here　a
bit　as　mis'ess；　and　had　the　trouble　of　claning　the　furniture。'

At　this　Miss　Johnson　looked　modest；　and　continued　to　do　so　till
Anne；　not　knowing　they　were　there；　came　round　the　corner　of　the
house；　with　her　prayer…book　in　her　hand；　having　just　arrived　from
church。　　Bob　turned　and　smiled　to　her；　at　which　Miss　Johnson　looked
glum。　　How　long　she　would　have　remained　in　that　phase　is　unknown；
for　just　then　her　ears　were　assailed　by　a　loud　bass　note　from　the
other　side；　causing　her　to　jump　round。

'O　la！　what　dreadful　thing　is　it？'　she　exclaimed；　and　beheld　a　cow
of　Loveday's；　of　the　name　of　Crumpler；　standing　close　to　her
shoulder。　　It　being　about　milking…time；　she　had　come　to　look　up
David　and　hasten　on　the　operation。

'O；　what　a　horrid　bull！it　did　frighten　me　so。　　I　hope　I　shan't
faint；'　said　Matilda。

The　miller　immediately　used　the　formula　which　has　been　uttered　by
the　proprietors　of　live　stock　ever　since　Noah's　time。　　'She　won't
hurt　ye。　　Hoosh；　Crumpler！　　She's　as　timid　as　a　mouse；　ma'am。'

But　as　Crumpler　persisted　in　making　another　terrific　inquiry　for
David；　Matilda　could　not　help　closing　her　eyes　and　saying；　'O；　I
shall　be　gored　to　death！'　her　head　falling　back　upon　Bob's　shoulder；
whichseeing　the　urgent　circumstances；　and　knowing　her　delicate
naturehe　had　providentially　placed　in　a　position　to　catch　her。
Anne　Garland；　who　had　been　standing　at　the　corner　of　the　house；　not
knowing　whether　to　go　back　or　come　on；　at　this　felt　her　womanly
sympathies　aroused。　　She　ran　and　dipped　her　handkerchief　into　the
splashing　mill…tail；　and　with　it　damped　Matilda's　face。　　But　as　her
eyes　still　remained　closed；　Bob；　to　increase　the　effect；　took　the
handkerchief　from　Anne　and　wrung　it　out　on　the　bridge　of　Matilda's
nose；　whence　it　ran　over　the　rest　of　her　face　in　a　stream。

'O；　Captain　Loveday！'　said　Anne；　'the　water　is　running　over　her
green　silk　handkerchief；　and　into　her　pretty　reticule！'

'Thereif　I　didn't　think　so！'　exclaimed　Matilda；　opening　her　eyes；
starting　up；　and　promptly　pulling　out　her　own　handkerchief；　with
which　she　wiped　away　the　drops；　and　an　unimportant　trifle　of　her
complexion；　assisted　by　Anne；　who；　in　spite　of　her　background　of
antagonistic　emotions；　could　not　help　being　interested。

'That's　right！'　said　the　miller；　his　spirits　reviving　with　the
revival　of　Matilda。　　'The　lady　is　not　used　to　country　life；　are　you；
ma'am？'

'I　am　not；'　replied　the　sufferer。　　'All　is　so　strange　about　here！'

Suddenly　there　spread　into　the　firmament；　from　the　direction　of　the
down：

　　　　　'Ra；　ta；　ta！　　Ta…ta…ta…ta…ta！　　Ra；　ta；　ta！'

'O　dear；　dear！　more　hideous　country　sounds；　I　suppose？'　she
inquired；　with　another　start。

'O　no；'　said　the　miller　cheerfully。　　''Tis　only　my　son　John's
trumpeter　chaps　at　the　camp　of　dragoons　just　above　us；　a…blowing
Mess；　or　Feed；　or　Picket；　or　some　other　of　their　vagaries。　　John
will　be　much　pleased　to　tell　you　the　meaning　on't　when　he　comes
down。　　He's　trumpet…major；　as　you　may　know；　ma'am。'

'O　yes；　you　mean　Captain　Loveday's　brother。　　Dear　Bob　has　mentioned
him。'

'If　you　come　round　to　Widow　Garland's　side　of　the　house；　you　can　see
the　camp；'　said　the　miller。

'Don't　force　her；　she's　t