the trumpet-major-第30节

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father。　　The　old　man　had　at　last　apparently　brought　the　tin　box　of
private　papers　that　he　wished　the　miller　to　take　charge　of　during
Derriman's　absence；　and　it　being　a　calm　night；　John　could　hear；
though　he　little　heeded；　Uncle　Benjy's　reiterated　supplications　to
Loveday　to　keep　it　safe　from　fire　and　thieves。　　Then　Uncle　Benjy
left；　and　John's　father　went　upstairs　to　deposit　the　box　in　a　place
of　security；　the　whole　proceeding　reaching　John's　preoccupied
comprehension　merely　as　voices　during　sleep。

The　next　thing　was　the　appearance　of　a　light　in　the　bedroom　which
had　been　assigned　to　Matilda　Johnson。　　This　effectually　aroused　the
trumpet…major；　and　with　a　stealthiness　unusual　in　him　he　went
indoors。　　No　light　was　in　the　lower　rooms；　his　father；　Mrs。　Garland；
and　Anne　having　gone　out　on　the　bridge　to　look　at　the　new　moon。
John　went　upstairs　on　tip…toe；　and　along　the　uneven　passage　till　he
came　to　her　door。　　It　was　standing　ajar；　a　band　of　candlelight
shining　across　the　passage　and　up　the　opposite　wall。　　As　soon　as　he
entered　the　radiance　he　saw　her。　　She　was　standing　before　the
looking…glass；　apparently　lost　in　thought；　her　fingers　being　clasped
behind　her　head　in　abstraction；　and　the　light　falling　full　upon　her
face。

'I　must　speak　to　you；'　said　the　trumpet…major。

She　started；　turned　and　grew　paler　than　before；　and　then；　as　if
moved　by　a　sudden　impulse；　she　swung　the　door　wide　open；　and；　coming
out；　said　quite　collectedly　and　with　apparent　pleasantness；　'O　yes；
you　are　my　Bob's　brother！　　I　didn't；　for　a　moment；　recognize　you。'

'But　you　do　now？'

'As　Bob's　brother。'

'You　have　not　seen　me　before？'

'I　have　not；'　she　answered；　with　a　face　as　impassible　as
Talleyrand's。

'Good　God！'

'I　have　not！'　she　repeated。

'Nor　any　of　the　th　Dragoons？　　Captain　Jolly；　for　instance？'

'No。'

'You　mistake。　　I'll　remind　you　of　particulars；'　he　said　drily。　　And
he　did　remind　her　at　some　length。

'Never！'　she　said　desperately。

But　she　had　miscalculated　her　staying　powers；　and　her　adversary's
character。　　Five　minutes　after　that　she　was　in　tears；　and　the
conversation　had　resolved　itself　into　words；　which；　on　the　soldier's
part；　were　of　the　nature　of　commands；　tempered　by　pity；　and　were　a
mere　series　of　entreaties　on　hers。

The　whole　scene　did　not　last　ten　minutes。　　When　it　was　over；　the
trumpet…major　walked　from　the　doorway　where　they　had　been　standing；
and　brushed　moisture　from　his　eyes。　　Reaching　a　dark　lumber…room；　he
stood　still　there　to　calm　himself；　and　then　descended　by　a　Flemish…
ladder　to　the　bakehouse；　instead　of　by　the　front　stairs。　　He　found
that　the　others；　including　Bob；　had　gathered　in　the　parlour　during
his　absence　and　lighted　the　candles。

Miss　Johnson；　having　sent　down　some　time　before　John　re…entered　the
house　to　say　that　she　would　prefer　to　keep　her　room　that　evening；
was　not　expected　to　join　them；　and　on　this　account　Bob　showed　less
than　his　customary　liveliness。　　The　miller　wishing　to　keep　up　his
son's　spirits；　expressed　his　regret　that；　it　being　Sunday　night；
they　could　have　no　songs　to　make　the　evening　cheerful；　when　Mrs。
Garland　proposed　that　they　should　sing　psalms　which；　by　choosing
lively　tunes　and　not　thinking　of　the　words；　would　be　almost　as　good
as　ballads。

This　they　did；　the　trumpet…major　appearing　to　join　in　with　the　rest；
but　as　a　matter　of　fact　no　sound　came　from　his　moving　lips。　　His
mind　was　in　such　a　state　that　he　derived　no　pleasure　even　from　Anne
Garland's　presence；　though　he　held　a　corner　of　the　same　book　with
her；　and　was　treated　in　a　winsome　way　which　it　was　not　her　usual
practice　to　indulge　in。　　She　saw　that　his　mind　was　clouded；　and；　far
from　guessing　the　reason　why；　was　doing　her　best　to　clear　it。

At　length　the　Garlands　found　that　it　was　the　hour　for　them　to　leave；
and　John　Loveday　at　the　same　time　wished　his　father　and　Bob
good…night；　and　went　as　far　as　Mrs。　Garland's　door　with　her。

He　had　said　not　a　word　to　show　that　he　was　free　to　remain　out　of
camp；　for　the　reason　that　there　was　painful　work　to　be　done；　which
it　would　be　best　to　do　in　secret　and　alone。　　He　lingered　near　the
house　till　its　reflected　window…lights　ceased　to　glimmer　upon　the
mill…pond；　and　all　within　the　dwelling　was　dark　and　still。　　Then　he
entered　the　garden　and　waited　there　till　the　back　door　opened；　and　a
woman's　figure　timorously　came　forward。　　John　Loveday　at　once　went
up　to　her；　and　they　began　to　talk　in　low　yet　dissentient　tones。

They　had　conversed　about　ten　minutes；　and　were　parting　as　if　they
had　come　to　some　painful　arrangement；　Miss　Johnson　sobbing　bitterly；
when　a　head　stealthily　arose　above　the　dense　hedgerow；　and　in　a
moment　a　shout　burst　from　its　owner。

'Thieves！　thieves！my　tin　box！thieves！　thieves！'

Matilda　vanished　into　the　house；　and　John　Loveday　hastened　to　the
hedge。　　'For　heaven's　sake；　hold　your　tongue；　Mr。　Derriman！'　he
exclaimed。

'My　tin　box！'　said　Uncle　Benjy。　　'O；　only　the　trumpet…major！'

'Your　box　is　safe　enough；　I　assure　you。　　It　was　only'here　the
trumpet…major　gave　vent　to　an　artificial　laugh'only　a　sly　bit　of
courting；　you　know。'

'Ha；　ha；　I　see！'　said　the　relieved　old　squireen。　　'Courting　Miss
Anne！　　Then　you've　ousted　my　nephew；　trumpet…major！　　Well；　so　much
the　better。　　As　for　myself；　the　truth　on't　is　that　I　haven't　been
able　to　go　to　bed　easy；　for　thinking　that　possibly　your　father　might
not　take　care　of　what　I　put　under　his　charge；　and　at　last　I　thought
I　would　just　step　over　and　see　if　all　was　safe　here　before　I　turned
in。　　And　when　I　saw　your　two　shapes　my　poor　nerves　magnified　ye　to
housebreakers；　and　Boneys；　and　I　don't　know　what　all。'

'You　have　alarmed　the　house；'　said　the　trumpet…major；　hearing　the
clicking　of　flint　and　steel　in　his　father's　bedroom；　followed　in　a
moment　by　the　rise　of　a　light　in　the　window　of　the　same　apartment。
'You　have　got　me　into　difficulty；'　he　added　gloomily；　as　his　father
opened　the　casement。

'I　am　sorry　for　that；'　said　Uncle　Benjy。　　'But　step　back；　I'll　put
it　all　right　again。'

'What；　for　heaven's　sake；　is　the　matter？'　said　the　miller；　his
tasselled　nightcap　appearing　in　the　opening。

'Nothing；　nothing！'　said　the　farmer。　　'I　was　uneasy　about　my　few
bonds　and　documents；　and　I　walked　this　way；　miller；　before　going　to
bed；　as　I　start　from　home　to…morrow　morning。　　When　I　came　down　by
your　garden…hedge；　I　thought　I　saw　thieves；　but　it　turned　out　to　be…
…to　be'

Here　a　lump　of　earth　from　the　trumpet…major's　hand　struck　Uncle
Benjy　in　the　back　as　a　reminder。

'To　bethe　bough　of　a　cherry…tree　a…waving　in　the　wind。
Good…night。'

'No　thieves　are　like　to　try　my　house；'　said　Miller　Loveday。　　'Now
don't　you　come　alarming　us　like　this　again；　farmer；　or　you　shall
keep　your　box　yourself；　begging　your　pardon　for　saying　so。
Good…night　t'　ye！'

'Miller；　will　ye　just　look；　since　I　am　herejust　look　and　see　if
the　box　is　all　right？　there's　a　good　man！　　I　am　old；　you　know；　and
my　poor　remains　are　not　what　my　original　self　was。　　Look　and　see　if
it　is　where　you　put　it；　there's　a　good；　kind　man。'

'Very　well；'　said　the　miller　good…humouredly。

'Neighbour　Loveday！　on　second　thoughts　I　will　take　my　box　home
again；　after　all；　if　you　don't　mind。　　You　won't　deem　it　ill　of　me？
I　have　no　suspicion；　of　course；　but　now　I　think　on't　there's　rivalry
between　my　nephew　and　your　son；　and　if　Festus　should　take　it　into
his　head　to　set　your　house　on　fire　in　his　enmity；　'twould　be　bad　for
my　deeds　and　documents。　　No　offence；　miller；　but　I'll　take　the　box；
if　you　don't　mind。'

'Faith！　I　don't　mind；'　said　Loveday。　　'But　your　nephew　had　better
think　twice　before　he　lets　his　enmity　take　that　colour。'　　Receding
from　the　window；　he　took　the　candle　to　a　back　part　of　the　room　and
soon　reappeared　with　the　tin　box。

'I　won't　trouble　ye　to　dress；'　said　Derriman　considerately；　'let　en
down　by　anything　you　have　at　hand。'

The　box　was　lowered　by　a　cord；　and　the　old　man　clasped　it　in　his
arms。　　'Thank　ye！'　he　said　with　heartfelt　gratitude。　　'Good…night！'

The　miller　replied　and　closed　the　window；　and　the　light　went　out。

'There；　now　I　hope　you　are　satisfied；　sir？'　said　the　trumpet…major。

'Quite；　quite！'　said　Derriman；　and；　leaning　on　his　walking…stick；　he
pursued　his　lonely　way。

That　night　Anne　lay　awake　in　her　bed；　musing　on　the　traits　of　the
new　friend　who　had　come　to　her　neighbour's　house。　　She　would　not　be
critical；　it　was　ungenerous　and　wrong；　but　she　could　not　help
thinking　of　what　interested　her。　　And　were　there；　she　silently
asked；　in　Miss　Johnson's　mind　and　person　such　rare　qualities　as
placed　that　lady　altogether　beyond　comparison　with　herself？　　O　yes；
there　must　be；　for　had　not　Captain　Bob　singled　out　Matilda　from
among　all　other　women；　herself　included？　　Of　course；　with　his
world…wide　experience；　he　knew　best。

When　the　moon　had　set；　and　only　the　summer　stars　threw　their　light
into　the　great　damp　garden；　she　fancied　that　she　heard　voices　in
that　direction。　　Perhaps　they　were　the　voices　of　Bob　and　Matilda
taking　a　lover's　walk　before　retiring。　　If　so；　how　sleepy　they　would
be　next　day；　and　how　absurd　it　was　of　Matilda　to　pretend　she　was
tired！　　Ruminating　in　this　way；　and　saying　to　herself　that　she　hoped
they　woul