the trumpet-major-第50节

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written　to　him　at　Exonbury。

Bob　stood　perplexed；　and　then　a　suspicion　crossed　his　mind　that
John；　from　brotherly　goodness；　might　be　feigning　a　satisfaction　with
recent　events　which　he　did　not　feel。　　Bob　now　made　a　noise　with　the
shutters；　at　which　the　trumpet…major　rose　and　went　out；　Bob　at　once
following　him。

'Jack；'　said　the　sailor　ingenuously；　'I'm　terribly　sorry　that　I've
done　wrong。'

'How？'　asked　his　brother。

'In　courting　our　little　Anne。　　Well；　you　see；　John；　she　was　in　the
same　house　with　me；　and　somehow　or　other　I　made　myself　her　beau。
But　I　have　been　thinking　that　perhaps　you　had　the　first　claim　on
her；　and　if　so；　Jack；　I'll　make　way　for　'ee。　　II　don't　care　for
her　much；　you　knownot　so　very　much；　and　can　give　her　up　very　well。
It　is　nothing　serious　between　us　at　all。　　Yes；　John；　you　try　to　get
her；　I　can　look　elsewhere。'　　Bob　never　knew　how　much　he　loved　Anne
till　he　found　himself　making　this　speech　of　renunciation。

'O　Bob；　you　are　mistaken！'　said　the　trumpet…major；　who　was　not
deceived。　　'When　I　first　saw　her　I　admired　her；　and　I　admire　her
now；　and　like　her。　　I　like　her　so　well　that　I　shall　be　glad　to　see
you　marry　her。'

'But；'　replied　Bob；　with　hesitation；　'I　thought　I　saw　you　looking
very　sad；　as　if　you　were　in　love；　I　saw　you　take　out　a　letter；　in
short。　　That's　what　it　was　disturbed　me　and　made　me　come　to　you。'

'O；　I　see　your　mistake！'　said　John；　laughing　forcedly。

At　this　minute　Mrs。　Loveday　and　the　miller；　who　were　taking　a
twilight　walk　in　the　garden；　strolled　round　near　to　where　the
brothers　stood。　　She　talked　volubly　on　events　in　Budmouth；　as　most
people　did　at　this　time。　　'And　they　tell　me　that　the　theatre　has
been　painted　up　afresh；'　she　was　saying；　'and　that　the　actors　have
come　for　the　season；　with　the　most　lovely　actresses　that　ever　were
seen。'

When　they　had　passed　by　John　continued；　'I　AM　in　love；　Bob；　butnot
with　Anne。'

'Ah！　who　is　it　then？'　said　the　mate　hopefully。

'One　of　the　actresses　at　the　theatre；'　John　replied；　with　a
concoctive　look　at　the　vanishing　forms　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Loveday。
'She　is　a　very　lovely　woman；　you　know。　　But　we　won't　say　anything
more　about　itit　dashes　a　man　so。'

'O；　one　of　the　actresses！'　said　Bob；　with　open　mouth。

'But　don't　you　say　anything　about　it！'　continued　the　trumpet…major
heartily。　　'I　don't　want　it　known。'

'No；　noI　won't；　of　course。　　May　I　not　know　her　name？'

'No；　not　now；　Bob。　　I　cannot　tell　'ee；'　John　answered；　and　with
truth；　for　Loveday　did　not　know　the　name　of　any　actress　in　the
world。

When　his　brother　had　gone；　Captain　Bob　hastened　off　in　a　state　of
great　animation　to　Anne；　whom　he　found　on　the　top　of　a　neighbouring
hillock　which　the　daylight　had　scarcely　as　yet　deserted。

'You　have　been　a　long　time　coming；　sir；'　said　she；　in　sprightly
tones　of　reproach。

'Yes；　dearest；　and　you'll　be　glad　to　hear　why。　　I've　found　out　the
whole　mysteryyeswhy　he's　queer；　and　everything。'

Anne　looked　startled。

'He's　up　to　the　gunnel　in　love！　　We　must　try　to　help　him　on　in　it；
or　I　fear　he'll　go　melancholy…mad　like。'

'We　help　him？'　she　asked　faintly。

'He's　lost　his　heart　to　one　of　the　play…actresses　at　Budmouth；　and　I
think　she　slights　him。'

'O；　I　am　so　glad！'　she　exclaimed。

'Glad　that　his　venture　don't　prosper？'

'O　no；　glad　he's　so　sensible。　　How　long　is　it　since　that　alarm　of
the　French？'

'Six　weeks；　honey。　　Why　do　you　ask？'

'Men　can　forget　in　six　weeks；　can't　they；　Bob？'

The　impression　that　John　had　really　kissed　her　still　remained。

'Well；　some　men　might；'　observed　Bob　judicially。　　'_I_　couldn't。
Perhaps　John　might。　　I　couldn't　forget　YOU　in　twenty　times　as　long。
Do　you　know；　Anne；　I　half　thought　it　was　you　John　cared　about；　and
it　was　a　weight　off　my　heart　when　he　said　he　didn't。'

'Did　he　say　he　didn't？'

'Yes。　　He　assured　me　himself　that　the　only　person　in　the　hold　of　his
heart　was　this　lovely　play…actress；　and　nobody　else。'

'How　I　should　like　to　see　her！'

'Yes。　　So　should　I。'

'I　would　rather　it　had　been　one　of　our　own　neighbours'　girls；　whose
birth　and　breeding　we　know　of；　but　still；　if　that　is　his　taste；　I
hope　it　will　end　well　for　him。　　How　very　quick　he　has　been！　　I
certainly　wish　we　could　see　her。'

'I　don't　know　so　much　as　her　name。　　He　is　very　close；　and　wouldn't
tell　a　thing　about　her。'

'Couldn't　we　get　him　to　go　to　the　theatre　with　us？　and　then　we　could
watch　him；　and　easily　find　out　the　right　one。　　Then　we　would　learn
if　she　is　a　good　young　woman；　and　if　she　is；　could　we　not　ask　her
here；　and　so　make　it　smoother　for　him？　　He　has　been　very　gay　lately；
that　means　budding　love：　　and　sometimes　between　his　gaieties　he　has
had　melancholy　moments；　that　means　there's　difficulty。'

Bob　thought　her　plan　a　good　one；　and　resolved　to　put　it　in　practice
on　the　first　available　evening。　　Anne　was　very　curious　as　to　whether
John　did　really　cherish　a　new　passion；　the　story　having　quite
surprised　her。　　Possibly　it　was　true；　six　weeks　had　passed　since
John　had　shown　a　single　symptom　of　the　old　attachment；　and　what
could　not　that　space　of　time　effect　in　the　heart　of　a　soldier　whose
very　profession　it　was　to　leave　girls　behind　him？

After　this　John　Loveday　did　not　come　to　see　them　for　nearly　a　month；
a　neglect　which　was　set　down　by　Bob　as　an　additional　proof　that　his
brother's　affections　were　no　longer　exclusively　centred　in　his　old
home。　　When　at　last　he　did　arrive；　and　the　theatre…going　was
mentioned　to　him；　the　flush　of　consciousness　which　Anne　expected　to
see　upon　his　face　was　unaccountably　absent。

'Yes；　Bob；　I　should　very　well　like　to　go　to　the　theatre；'　he　replied
heartily。　　'Who　is　going　besides？'

'Only　Anne；'　Bob　told　him；　and　then　it　seemed　to　occur　to　the
trumpet…major　that　something　had　been　expected　of　him。　　He　rose　and
said　privately　to　Bob　with　some　confusion；　'O　yes；　of　course　we'll
go。　　As　I　am　connected　with　one　of　thein　short　I　can　get　you　in
for　nothing；　you　know。　　At　least　let　me　manage　everything。'

'Yes；　yes。　　I　wonder　you　didn't　propose　to　take　us　before；　Jack；　and
let　us　have　a　good　look　at　her。'

'I　ought　to　have。　　You　shall　go　on　a　King's　night。　　You　won't　want
me　to　point　her　out；　Bob；　I　have　my　reasons　at　present　for　asking
it？'

'We'll　be　content　with　guessing；'　said　his　brother。

When　the　gallant　John　was　gone；　Anne　observed；　　'Bob；　how　he　is
changed！　　I　watched　him。　　He　showed　no　feeling；　even　when　you　burst
upon　him　suddenly　with　the　subject　nearest　his　heart。'

'It　must　be　because　his　suit　don't　fay；'　said　Captain　Bob。



XXX。　　AT　THE　THEATRE　ROYAL

In　two　or　three　days　a　message　arrived　asking　them　to　attend　at　the
theatre　on　the　coming　evening；　with　the　added　request　that　they
would　dress　in　their　gayest　clothes；　to　do　justice　to　the　places
taken。　　Accordingly；　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon　they　drove　off；
Bob　having　clothed　himself　in　a　splendid　suit；　recently　purchased　as
an　attempt　to　bring　himself　nearer　to　Anne's　style　when　they
appeared　in　public　together。　　As　finished　off　by　this　dashing　and
really　fashionable　attire；　he　was　the　perfection　of　a　beau　in　the
dog…days；　pantaloons　and　boots　of　the　newest　make；　yards　and　yards
of　muslin　wound　round　his　neck；　forming　a　sort　of　asylum　for　the
lower　part　of　his　face；　two　fancy　waistcoats；　and　coat…buttons　like
circular　shaving　glasses。　　The　absurd　extreme　of　female　fashion；
which　was　to　wear　muslin　dresses　in　January；　was　at　this　time
equalled　by　that　of　the　men；　who　wore　clothes　enough　in　August　to
melt　them。　　Nobody　would　have　guessed　from　Bob's　presentation　now
that　he　had　ever　been　aloft　on　a　dark　night　in　the　Atlantic；　or　knew
the　hundred　ingenuities　that　could　be　performed　with　a　rope's　end
and　a　marline…spike　as　well　as　his　mother　tongue。

It　was　a　day　of　days。　　Anne　wore　her　celebrated　celestial　blue
pelisse；　her　Leghorn　hat；　and　her　muslin　dress　with　the　waist　under
the　arms；　the　latter　being　decorated　with　excellent　Honiton　lace
bought　of　the　woman　who　travelled　from　that　place　to　Overcombe　and
its　neighbourhood　with　a　basketful　of　her　own　manufacture；　and　a
cushion　on　which　she　worked　by　the　wayside。　　John　met　the　lovers　at
the　inn　outside　the　town；　and　after　stabling　the　horse　they　entered
the　town　together；　the　trumpet…major　informing　them　that　the
watering…place　had　never　been　so　full　before；　that　the　Court；　the
Prince　of　Wales；　and　everybody　of　consequence　was　there；　and　that　an
attic　could　scarcely　be　got　for　money。　　The　King　had　gone　for　a
cruise　in　his　yacht；　and　they　would　be　in　time　to　see　him　land。

Then　drums　and　fifes　were　heard；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　they　saw
Sergeant　Stanner　advancing　along　the　street　with　a　firm　countenance；
fiery　poll；　and　rigid　staring　eyes；　in　front　of　his
recruiting…party。　　The　sergeant's　sword　was　drawn；　and　at　intervals
of　two　or　three　inches　along　its　shining　blade　were　impaled
fluttering　one…pound　notes；　to　express　the　lavish　bounty　that　was
offered。　　He　gave　a　stern；　suppressed　nod　of　friendship　to　our
people；　and　passed　by。　　Next　they　came　up　to　a　waggon；　bowered　over
with　leaves　and　flowers；　so　that　the　men　inside　could　hardly　be
seen。

'Come　to　see　the　King；　hip…hip　hurrah！'　cried　a　voice　within；　and
turning　they　saw　thr