the trumpet-major-第49节

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upon　me！'　and　again　he　smacked　the　yeoman's　ears　and　cheeks。　　'Do
you　know　what　it　is　for；　eh？'

'No；　Mr。　Loveday；　siryes；　I　mean；　I　do。'

'What　is　it　for；　then？　　I　shall　keep　smacking　until　you　tell　me。
Gad！　if　you　weren't　drunk；　I'd　half　kill　you　here　to…night。'

'It　is　because　I　served　her　badly。　　Damned　if　I　care！　　I'll　do　it
again；　and　be　hanged　to　'ee！　　Where's　my　horse　Champion？　　Tell　me
that；'　and　he　hit　at　the　trumpet…major。

John　parried　this　attack；　and　taking　him　firmly　by　the　collar；
pushed　him　down　into　the　seat；　saying；　'Here　I　hold　'ee　till　you　beg
pardon　for　your　doings　to…day。　　Do　you　want　any　more　of　it；　do　you？'
And　he　shook　the　yeoman　to　a　sort　of　jelly。

'I　do　beg　pardonno；　I　don't。　　I　say　this；　that　you　shall　not　take
such　liberties　with　old　Squire　Derriman's　nephew；　you　dirty　miller's
son；　you　flour…worm；　you　smut　in　the　corn！　　I'll　call　you　out
to…morrow　morning；　and　have　my　revenge。'

'Of　course　you　will；　that's　what　I　came　for。'　　And　pushing　him　back
into　the　corner　of　the　settle；　Loveday　went　out　of　the　house；
feeling　considerable　satisfaction　at　having　got　himself　into　the
beginning　of　as　nice　a　quarrel　about　Anne　Garland　as　the　most
jealous　lover　could　desire。

But　of　one　feature　in　this　curious　adventure　he　had　not　the　least
notionthat　Festus　Derriman；　misled　by　the　darkness；　the　fumes　of
his　potations；　and　the　constant　sight　of　Anne　and　Bob　together；
never　once　supposed　his　assailant　to　be　any　other　man　than　Bob；
believing　the　trumpet…major　miles　away。

There　was　a　moon　during　the　early　part　of　John's　walk　home；　but　when
he　had　arrived　within　a　mile　of　Overcombe　the　sky　clouded　over；　and
rain　suddenly　began　to　fall　with　some　violence。　　Near　him　was　a
wooden　granary　on　tall　stone　staddles；　and　perceiving　that　the　rain
was　only　a　thunderstorm　which　would　soon　pass　away；　he　ascended　the
steps　and　entered　the　doorway；　where　he　stood　watching　the
half…obscured　moon　through　the　streaming　rain。　　Presently；　to　his
surprise；　he　beheld　a　female　figure　running　forward　with　great
rapidity；　not　towards　the　granary　for　shelter；　but　towards　open
ground。　　What　could　she　be　running　for　in　that　direction？　　The
answer　came　in　the　appearance　of　his　brother　Bob　from　that　quarter；
seated　on　the　back　of　his　father's　heavy　horse。　　As　soon　as　the
woman　met　him；　Bob　dismounted　and　caught　her　in　his　arms。　　They
stood　locked　together；　the　rain　beating　into　their　unconscious
forms；　and　the　horse　looking　on。

The　trumpet…major　fell　back　inside　the　granary；　and　threw　himself　on
a　heap　of　empty　sacks　which　lay　in　the　corner：　　he　had　recognized
the　woman　to　be　Anne。　　Here　he　reclined　in　a　stupor　till　he　was
aroused　by　the　sound　of　voices　under　him；　the　voices　of　Anne　and　his
brother；　who；　having　at　last　discovered　that　they　were　getting　wet；
had　taken　shelter　under　the　granary　floor。

'I　have　been　home；'　said　she。　　'Mother　and　Molly　have　both　got　back
long　ago。　　We　were　all　anxious　about　you；　and　I　came　out　to　look　for
you。　　O；　Bob；　I　am　so　glad　to　see　you　again！'

John　might　have　heard　every　word　of　the　conversation；　which　was
continued　in　the　same　strain　for　a　long　time；　but　he　stopped　his
ears；　and　would　not。　　Still　they　remained；　and　still　was　he
determined　that　they　should　not　see　him。　　With　the　conserved　hope　of
more　than　half　a　year　dashed　away　in　a　moment；　he　could　yet　feel
that　the　cruelty　of　a　protest　would　be　even　greater　than　its
inutility。　　It　was　absolutely　by　his　own　contrivance　that　the
situation　had　been　shaped。　　Bob；　left　to　himself；　would　long　ere
this　have　been　the　husband　of　another　woman。

The　rain　decreased；　and　the　lovers　went　on。　　John　looked　after　them
as　they　strolled；　aqua…tinted　by　the　weak　moon　and　mist。　　Bob　had
thrust　one　of　his　arms　through　the　rein　of　the　horse；　and　the　other
was　round　Anne's　waist。　　When　they　were　lost　behind　the　declivity
the　trumpet…major　came　out；　and　walked　homeward　even　more　slowly
than　they。　　As　he　went　on；　his　face　put　off　its　complexion　of
despair　for　one　of　serene　resolve。　　For　the　first　time　in　his
dealings　with　friends　he　entered　upon　a　course　of　counterfeiting；
set　his　features　to　conceal　his　thought；　and　instructed　his　tongue
to　do　likewise。　　He　threw　fictitiousness　into　his　very　gait；　even
now；　when　there　was　nobody　to　see　him；　and　struck　at　stems　of　wild
parsley　with　his　regimental　switch　as　he　had　used　to　do　when
soldiering　was　new　to　him；　and　life　in　general　a　charming
experience。

Thus　cloaking　his　sickly　thought；　he　descended　to　the　mill　as　the
others　had　done　before　him；　occasionally　looking　down　upon　the　wet
road　to　notice　how　close　Anne's　little　tracks　were　to　Bob's　all　the
way　along；　and　how　precisely　a　curve　in　his　course　was　followed　by　a
curve　in　hers。　　But　after　this　he　erected　his　head　and　walked　so
smartly　up　to　the　front　door　that　his　spurs　rang　through　the　court。

They　had　all　reached　home；　but　before　any　of　them　could　speak　he
cried　gaily；　'Ah；　Bob；　I　have　been　thinking　of　you！　　By　God；　how　are
you；　my　boy？　　No　French　cut…throats　after　all；　you　see。　　Here　we
are；　well　and　happy　together　again。'

'A　good　Providence　has　watched　over　us；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday
cheerfully。　　'Yes；　in　all　times　and　places　we　are　in　God's　hand。'

'So　we　be；　so　we　be！'　said　the　miller；　who　still　shone　in　all　the
fierceness　of　uniform。　　'Well；　now　we'll　ha'e　a　drop　o'　drink。'

'There's　none；'　said　David；　coming　forward　with　a　drawn　face。

'What！'　said　the　miller。

'Afore　I　went　to　church　for　a　pike　to　defend　my　native　country　from
Boney；　I　pulled　out　the　spigots　of　all　the　barrels；　maister；　for；
thinks　Idamn　him！since　we　can't　drink　it　ourselves；　he　shan't
have　it；　nor　none　of　his　men。'

'But　you　shouldn't　have　done　it　till　you　was　sure　he'd　come！'　said
the　miller；　aghast。

'Chok'　it　all；　I　was　sure！'　said　David。　　'I'd　sooner　see　churches
fall　than　good　drink　wasted；　but　how　was　I　to　know　better？'

'Well；　well；　what　with　one　thing　and　another　this　day　will　cost　me　a
pretty　penny！'　said　Loveday；　bustling　off　to　the　cellar；　which　he
found　to　be　several　inches　deep　in　stagnant　liquor。　　'John；　how　can
I　welcome　'ee？'　he　continued　hopelessly；　on　his　return　to　the　room。
'Only　go　and　see　what　he's　done！'

'I've　ladled　up　a　drap　wi'　a　spoon；　trumpet…major；'　said　David。
''Tisn't　bad　drinking；　though　it　do　taste　a　little　of　the　floor；
that's　true。'

John　said　that　he　did　not　require　anything　at　all；　and　then　they　all
sat　down　to　supper；　and　were　very　temperately　gay　with　a　drop　of
mild　elder…wine　which　Mrs。　Loveday　found　in　the　bottom　of　a　jar。
The　trumpet…major；　adhering　to　the　part　he　meant　to　play；　gave
humorous　accounts　of　his　adventures　since　he　had　last　sat　there。　　He
told　them　that　the　season　was　to　be　a　very　lively　onethat　the
royal　family　was　coming；　as　usual；　and　many　other　interesting
things；　so　that　when　he　left　them　to　return　to　barracks　few　would
have　supposed　the　British　army　to　contain　a　lighter…hearted　man。

Anne　was　the　only　one　who　doubted　the　reality　of　this　behaviour。
When　she　had　gone　up　to　her　bedroom　she　stood　for　some　time　looking
at　the　wick　of　the　candle　as　if　it　were　a　painful　object；　the
expression　of　her　face　being　shaped　by　the　conviction　that　John's
afternoon　words　when　he　helped　her　out　of　the　way　of　Champion　were
not　in　accordance　with　his　words　to…night；　and　that　the
dimly…realized　kiss　during　her　faintness　was　no　imaginary　one。　　But
in　the　blissful　circumstances　of　having　Bob　at　hand　again　she　took
optimist　views；　and　persuaded　herself　that　John　would　soon　begin　to
see　her　in　the　light　of　a　sister。



XXIX。　　A　DISSEMBLER

To　cursory　view；　John　Loveday　seemed　to　accomplish　this　with　amazing
ease。　　Whenever　he　came　from　barracks　to　Overcombe；　which　was　once
or　twice　a　week；　he　related　news　of　all　sorts　to　her　and　Bob　with
infinite　zest；　and　made　the　time　as　happy　a　one　as　had　ever　been
known　at　the　mill；　save　for　himself　alone。　　He　said　nothing　of
Festus；　except　so　far　as　to　inform　Anne　that　he　had　expected　to　see
him　and　been　disappointed。　　On　the　evening　after　the　King's　arrival
at　his　seaside　residence　John　appeared　again；　staying　to　supper　and
describing　the　royal　entry；　the　many　tasteful　illuminations　and
transparencies　which　had　been　exhibited；　the　quantities　of　tallow
candles　burnt　for　that　purpose；　and　the　swarms　of　aristocracy　who
had　followed　the　King　thither。

When　supper　was　over　Bob　went　outside　the　house　to　shut　the
shutters；　which　had；　as　was　often　the　case；　been　left　open　some　time
after　lights　were　kindled　within。　　John　still　sat　at　the　table　when
his　brother　approached　the　window；　though　the　others　had　risen　and
retired。　　Bob　was　struck　by　seeing　through　the　pane　how　John's　face
had　changed。　　Throughout　the　supper…time　he　had　been　talking　to　Anne
in　the　gay　tone　habitual　with　him　now；　which　gave　greater
strangeness　to　the　gloom　of　his　present　appearance。　　He　remained　in
thought　for　a　moment；　took　a　letter　from　his　breast…pocket；　opened
it；　and；　with　a　tender　smile　at　his　weakness；　kissed　the　writing
before　restoring　it　to　its　place。　　The　letter　was　one　that　Anne　had
written　to　him　at　Exonbury。

Bob　stood　perplexed；　and　then　a　suspicion　crossed　his　mind　that
John；　from