the trumpet-major-第61节

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part　of　the　room；　where　she　was　the　very　embodiment　of　sweet　content
as　she　slightly　swayed　herself　without　speaking。　　A　little　tide　of
happiness　seemed　to　ebb　and　flow　through　her　in　listening　to　the
sailor's　words；　moving　her　figure　with　it。　　The　seaman　and　John　went
on　conversing。

'Bob　had　a　good　deal　to　do　with　barricading　the　hawse…holes　afore　we
were　in　action；　and　the　Adm'l　and　Cap'n　both　were　very　much　pleased
at　how　'twas　done。　　When　the　Adm'l　went　up　the　quarter…deck　ladder；
Cap'n　Hardy　said　a　word　or　two　to　Bob；　but　what　it　was　I　don't　know；
for　I　was　quartered　at　a　gun　some　ways　off。　　However；　Bob　saw　the
Adm'l　stagger　when　'a　was　wownded；　and　was　one　of　the　men　who
carried　him　to　the　cockpit。　　After　that　he　and　some　other　lads
jumped　aboard　the　French　ship；　and　I　believe　they　was　in　her　when
she　struck　her　flag。　　What　'a　did　next　I　can't　say；　for　the　wind　had
dropped；　and　the　smoke　was　like　a　cloud。　　But　'a　got　a　good　deal
talked　about；　and　they　say　there's　promotion　in　store　for'n。'

At　this　point　in　the　story　Jim　Cornick　stopped　to　drink；　and　a　low
unconscious　humming　came　from　Anne　in　her　distant　corner；　the　faint
melody　continued　more　or　less　when　the　conversation　between　the
sailor　and　the　Lovedays　was　renewed。

'We　heard　afore　that　the　Victory　was　near　knocked　to　pieces；'　said
the　miller。

'Knocked　to　pieces？　　You'd　say　so　if　so　be　you　could　see　her！　　Gad；
her　sides　be　battered　like　an　old　penny　piece；　the　shot　be　still
sticking　in　her　wales；　and　her　sails　be　like　so　many　clap…nets：　　we
have　run　all　the　way　home　under　jury　topmasts；　and　as　for　her　decks；
you　may　swab　wi'　hot　water；　and　you　may　swab　wi'　cold；　but　there's
the　blood…stains；　and　there　they'll　bide。　。　。　。　　The　Cap'n　had　a
narrow　escape；　like　many　o'　the　resta　shot　shaved　his　ankle　like　a
razor。　　You　should　have　seen　that　man's　face　in　the　het　o'　battle；
his　features　were　as　if　they'd　been　cast　in　steel。'

'We　rather　expected　a　letter　from　Bob　before　this。'

'Well；'　said　Jim　Cornick；　with　a　smile　of　toleration；　'you　must　make
allowances。　　The　truth　o't　is；　he's　engaged　just　now　at　Portsmouth；
like　a　good　many　of　the　rest　from　our　ship。　。　。　。　　'Tis　a　very　nice
young　woman　that　he's　a　courting　of；　and　I　make　no　doubt　that　she'll
be　an　excellent　wife　for　him。'

'Ah！'　said　Mrs。　Loveday；　in　a　warning　tone。

'Courtingwife？'　said　the　miller。

They　instinctively　looked　towards　Anne。　　Anne　had　started　as　if
shaken　by　an　invisible　hand；　and　a　thick　mist　of　doubt　seemed　to
obscure　the　intelligence　of　her　eyes。　　This　was　but　for　two　or　three
moments。　　Very　pale；　she　arose　and　went　right　up　to　the　seaman。
John　gently　tried　to　intercept　her；　but　she　passed　him　by。

'Do　you　speak　of　Robert　Loveday　as　courting　a　wife？'　she　asked；
without　the　least　betrayal　of　emotion。

'I　didn't　see　you；　miss；'　replied　Cornick；　turning。　　'Yes；　your
brother　hev'　his　eye　on　a　wife；　and　he　deserves　one。　　I　hope　you
don't　mind？'

'Not　in　the　least；'　she　said；　with　a　stage　laugh。　　'I　am　interested；
naturally。　　And　what　is　she？'

'A　very　nice　young　master…baker's　daughter；　honey。　　A　very　wise
choice　of　the　young　man's。'

'Is　she　fair　or　dark？'

'Her　hair　is　rather　light。'

'I　like　light　hair；　and　her　name？'

'Her　name　is　Caroline。　　But　can　it　be　that　my　story　hurts　ye？　　If
so'

'Yes；　yes；'　said　John；　interposing　anxiously。　　'We　don't　care　for
more　just　at　this　moment。'

'We　DO　care　for　more！'　said　Anne　vehemently。　　'Tell　it　all；　sailor。
That　is　a　very　pretty　name；　Caroline。　　When　are　they　going　to　be
married？'

'I　don't　know　as　how　the　day　is　settled；'　answered　Jim；　even　now
scarcely　conscious　of　the　devastation　he　was　causing　in　one　fair
breast。　　'But　from　the　rate　the　courting　is　scudding　along　at；　I
should　say　it　won't　be　long　first。'

'If　you　see　him　when　you　go　back；　give　him　my　best　wishes；'　she
lightly　said；　as　she　moved　away。　　'And；'　she　added；　with　solemn
bitterness；　'say　that　I　am　glad　to　hear　he　is　making　such　good　use
of　the　first　days　of　his　escape　from　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of
Death！'　　She　went　away；　expressing　indifference　by　audibly　singing
in　the　distance

　　　　　'Shall　we　go　dance　the　round；　the　round；　the　round；
　　　　　　　　　　Shall　we　go　dance　the　round？'

'Your　sister　is　lively　at　the　news；'　observed　Jim　Cornick。

'Yes；'　murmured　John　gloomily；　as　he　gnawed　his　lower　lip　and　kept
his　eyes　fixed　on　the　fire。

'Well；'　continued　the　man　from　the　Victory；　'I　won't　say　that　your
brother's　intended　ha'n't　got　some　ballast；　which　is　very　lucky
for'n；　as　he　might　have　picked　up　with　a　girl　without　a　single
copper　nail。　　To　be　sure　there　was　a　time　we　had　when　we　got　into
port！　　It　was　open　house　for　us　all！'　　And　after　mentally　regarding
the　scene　for　a　few　seconds　Jim　emptied　his　cup　and　rose　to　go。

The　miller　was　saying　some　last　words　to　him　outside　the　house；
Anne's　voice　had　hardly　ceased　singing　upstairs；　John　was　standing
by　the　fireplace；　and　Mrs。　Loveday　was　crossing　the　room　to　join　her
daughter；　whose　manner　had　given　her　some　uneasiness；　when　a　noise
came　from　above　the　ceiling；　as　of　some　heavy　body　falling。　　Mrs。
Loveday　rushed　to　the　staircase；　saying；　'Ah；　I　feared　something！'
and　she　was　followed　by　John。

When　they　entered　Anne's　room；　which　they　both　did　almost　at　one
moment；　they　found　her　lying　insensible　upon　the　floor。　　The
trumpet…major；　his　lips　tightly　closed；　lifted　her　in　his　arms；　and
laid　her　upon　the　bed；　after　which　he　went　back　to　the　door　to　give
room　to　her　mother；　who　was　bending　over　the　girl　with　some
hartshorn。

Presently　Mrs。　Loveday　looked　up　and　said　to　him；　'She　is　only　in　a
faint；　John；　and　her　colour　is　coming　back。　　Now　leave　her　to　me；　I
will　be　downstairs　in　a　few　minutes；　and　tell　you　how　she　is。'

John　left　the　room。　　When　he　gained　the　lower　apartment　his　father
was　standing　by　the　chimney…piece；　the　sailor　having　gone。　　The
trumpet…major　went　up　to　the　fire；　and；　grasping　the　edge　of　the
high　chimney…shelf；　stood　silent。

'Did　I　hear　a　noise　when　I　went　out？'　asked　the　elder；　in　a　tone　of
misgiving。

'Yes；　you　did；'　said　John。　　'It　was　she；　but　her　mother　says　she　is
better　now。　　Father；'　he　added　impetuously；　'Bob　is　a　worthless
blockhead！　　If　there　had　been　any　good　in　him　he　would　have　been
drowned　years　ago！'

'John；　Johnnot　too　fast；'　said　the　miller。　　'That's　a　hard　thing
to　say　of　your　brother；　and　you　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　it。'

'Well；　he　tries　me　more　than　I　can　bear。　　Good　God！　what　can　a　man
be　made　of　to　go　on　as　he　does？　　Why　didn't　he　come　home；　or　if　he
couldn't　get　leave　why　didn't　he　write？　　'Tis　scandalous　of　him　to
serve　a　woman　like　that！'

'Gently；　gently。　　The　chap　hev　done　his　duty　as　a　sailor；　and　though
there　might　have　been　something　between　him　and　Anne；　her　mother；　in
talking　it　over　with　me；　has　said　many　times　that　she　couldn't　think
of　their　marrying　till　Bob　had　settled　down　in　business　with　me。
Folks　that　gain　victories　must　have　a　little　liberty　allowed　'em。
Look　at　the　Admiral　himself；　for　that　matter。'

John　continued　looking　at　the　red　coals；　till　hearing　Mrs。　Loveday's
foot　on　the　staircase；　he　went　to　meet　her。

'She　is　better；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday；　'but　she　won't　come　down　again
to…day。'

Could　John　have　heard　what　the　poor　girl　was　moaning　to　herself　at
that　moment　as　she　lay　writhing　on　the　bed；　he　would　have　doubted
her　mother's　assurance。　　'If　he　had　been　dead　I　could　have　borne　it；
but　this　I　cannot　bear！'



XXXVI。　　DERRIMAN　SEES　CHANCES

Meanwhile　Sailor　Cornick　had　gone　on　his　way　as　far　as　the　forking
roads；　where　he　met　Festus　Derriman　on　foot。　　The　latter；　attracted
by　the　seaman's　dress；　and　by　seeing　him　come　from　the　mill；　at　once
accosted　him。　　Jim；　with　the　greatest　readiness；　fell　into
conversation；　and　told　the　same　story　as　that　he　had　related　at　the
mill。

'Bob　Loveday　going　to　be　married？'　repeated　Festus。

'You　all　seem　struck　of　a　heap　wi'　that。'

'No；　I　never　heard　news　that　pleased　me　more。'

When　Cornick　was　gone；　Festus；　instead　of　passing　straight　on；
halted　on　the　little　bridge　and　meditated。　　Bob；　being　now
interested　elsewhere；　would　probably　not　resent　the　siege　of　Anne's
heart　by　another；　there　could；　at　any　rate；　be　no　further
possibility　of　that　looming　duel　which　had　troubled　the　yeoman's
mind　ever　since　his　horse…play　on　Anne　at　the　house　on　the　down。　　To
march　into　the　mill　and　propose　to　Mrs。　Loveday　for　Anne　before
John's　interest　could　revive　in　her　was；　to　this　hero's　thinking；
excellent　discretion。

The　day　had　already　begun　to　darken　when　he　entered；　and　the
cheerful　fire　shone　red　upon　the　floor　and　walls。　　Mrs。　Loveday
received　him　alone；　and　asked　him　to　take　a　seat　by　the
chimney…corner；　a　little　of　the　old　hankering　for　him　as　a
son…in…law　having　permanently　remained　with　her。

'Your　servant；　Mrs。　Loveday；'　he　said；　'and　I　will　tell　you　at　once
what　I　come　for。　　You　will　say　that　I　take　time　by　the　forelock　when
I　inform　you　that　it　is　to　push　on　my　long…wished…for　alliance　wi'
your　daughter；　as　I　believe　she　is　now　a　free　woman　again。'

'Thank　you；　Mr。　Derriman；'　said　the　mother　placably。　　'But　she　is
ill　at　present。　　I'll　mention　it　to　her　when