the trumpet-major-第67节

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'However；　try　to　make　up　for　lost　time。'

'All　right。　　And　whatever　you　do；　Jack；　don't　say　a　word　about　this
other　girl。　　Hang　the　girl！I　was　a　great　fool；　I　know；　still；　it
is　over　now；　and　I　am　come　to　my　senses。　　I　suppose　Anne　never
caught　a　capful　of　wind　from　that　quarter？'

'She　knows　all　about　it；'　said　John　seriously。

'Knows？　　By　George；　then；　I'm　ruined！'　said　Bob；　standing
stock…still　in　the　road　as　if　he　meant　to　remain　there　all　night。

'That's　what　I　meant　by　saying　it　would　be　a　hard　battle　for　'ee；'
returned　John；　with　the　same　quietness　as　before。

Bob　sighed　and　moved　on。　　'I　don't　deserve　that　woman！'　he　cried
passionately；　thumping　his　three　upper　ribs　with　his　fist。

'I've　thought　as　much　myself；'　observed　John；　with　a　dryness　which
was　almost　bitter。　　'But　it　depends　on　how　thou'st　behave　in
future。'

'John；'　said　Bob；　taking　his　brother's　hand；　'I'll　be　a　new　man。　　I
solemnly　swear　by　that　eternal　milestone　staring　at　me　there　that
I'll　never　look　at　another　woman　with　the　thought　of　marrying　her
whilst　that　darling　is　freeno；　not　if　she　be　a　mermaiden　of　light！
It's　a　lucky　thing　that　I'm　slipped　in　on　the　quarterdeck！　it　may
help　me　with　herhey？'

'It　may　with　her　mother；　I　don't　think　it　will　make　much　difference
with　Anne。　　Still；　it　is　a　good　thing；　and　I　hope　that　some　day
you'll　command　a　big　ship。'

Bob　shook　his　head。　　'Officers　are　scarce；　but　I'm　afraid　my　luck
won't　carry　me　so　far　as　that。'

'Did　she　ever　tell　you　that　she　mentioned　your　name　to　the　King？'

The　seaman　stood　still　again。　　'Never！'　he　said。　　'How　did　such　a
thing　as　that　happen；　in　Heaven's　name？'

John　described　in　detail；　and　they　walked　on；　lost　in　conjecture。

As　soon　as　they　entered　the　house　the　returned　officer　of　the　navy
was　welcomed　with　acclamation　by　his　father　and　David；　with　mild
approval　by　Mrs。　Loveday；　and　by　Anne　not　at　allthat　discreet
maiden　having　carefully　retired　to　her　own　room　some　time　earlier　in
the　evening。　　Bob　did　not　dare　to　ask　for　her　in　any　positive
manner；　he　just　inquired　about　her　health；　and　that　was　all。

'Why；　what's　the　matter　with　thy　face；　my　son？'　said　the　miller；
staring。　　'David；　show　a　light　here。'　　And　a　candle　was　thrust
against　Bob's　cheek；　where　there　appeared　a　jagged　streak　like　the
geological　remains　of　a　lobster。

'Othat's　where　that　rascally　Frenchman's　grenade　busted　and　hit　me
from　the　Redoubtable；　you　know；　as　I　told　'ee　in　my　letter。'

'Not　a　word！'

'What；　didn't　I　tell　'ee？　　Ah；　no；　I　meant　to；　but　I　forgot　it。'

'And　here's　a　sort　of　dint　in　yer　forehead　too；　what　do　that　mean；
my　dear　boy？'　said　the　miller；　putting　his　finger　in　a　chasm　in
Bob's　skull。

'That　was　done　in　the　Indies。　　Yes；　that　was　rather　a　troublesome
chopa　cutlass　did　it。　　I　should　have　told　'ee；　but　I　found　'twould
make　my　letter　so　long　that　I　put　it　off；　and　put　it　off；　and　at
last　thought　it　wasn't　worth　while。'

John　soon　rose　to　take　his　departure。

'It's　all　up　with　me　and　her；　you　see；'　said　Bob　to　him　outside　the
door。　　'She's　not　even　going　to　see　me。'

'Wait　a　little；'　said　the　trumpet…major。　　It　was　easy　enough　on　the
night　of　the　arrival；　in　the　midst　of　excitement；　when　blood　was
warm；　for　Anne　to　be　resolute　in　her　avoidance　of　Bob　Loveday。　　But
in　the　morning　determination　is　apt　to　grow　invertebrate；　rules　of
pugnacity　are　less　easily　acted　up　to；　and　a　feeling　of　live　and　let
live　takes　possession　of　the　gentle　soul。　　Anne　had　not　meant　even
to　sit　down　to　the　same　breakfast…table　with　Bob；　but　when　the　rest
were　assembled；　and　had　got　some　way　through　the　substantial　repast
which　was　served　at　this　hour　in　the　miller's　house；　Anne　entered。
She　came　silently　as　a　phantom；　her　eyes　cast　down；　her　cheeks　pale。
It　was　a　good　long　walk　from　the　door　to　the　table；　and　Bob　made　a
full　inspection　of　her　as　she　came　up　to　a　chair　at　the　remotest
corner；　in　the　direct　rays　of　the　morning　light；　where　she　dumbly
sat　herself　down。

It　was　altogether　different　from　how　she　had　expected。　　Here　was
she；　who　had　done　nothing；　feeling　all　the　embarrassment；　and　Bob；
who　had　done　the　wrong；　feeling　apparently　quite　at　ease。

'You'll　speak　to　Bob；　won't　you；　honey？'　said　the　miller　after　a
silence。　　To　meet　Bob　like　this　after　an　absence　seemed　irregular　in
his　eyes。

'If　he　wish　me　to；'　she　replied；　so　addressing　the　miller　that　no
part；　scrap；　or　outlying　beam　whatever　of　her　glance　passed　near　the
subject　of　her　remark。

'He's　a　lieutenant；　you　know；　dear；'　said　her　mother　on　the　same
side；　'and　he's　been　dreadfully　wounded。'

'Oh？'　said　Anne；　turning　a　little　towards　the　false　one；　at　which
Bob　felt　it　to　be　time　for　him　to　put　in　a　spoke　for　himself。

'I　am　glad　to　see　you；'　he　said　contritely；　'and　how　do　you　do？'

'Very　well；　thank　you。'

He　extended　his　hand。　　She　allowed　him　to　take　hers；　but　only　to　the
extent　of　a　niggardly　inch　or　so。　　At　the　same　moment　she　glanced　up
at　him；　when　their　eyes　met；　and　hers　were　again　withdrawn。

The　hitch　between　the　two　younger　members　of　the　household　tended　to
make　the　breakfast　a　dull　one。　　Bob　was　so　depressed　by　her
unforgiving　manner　that　he　could　not　throw　that　sparkle　into　his
stories　which　their　substance　naturally　required；　and　when　the　meal
was　over；　and　they　went　about　their　different　businesses；　the　pair
resembled　the　two　Dromios　in　seldom　or　never　being；　thanks　to　Anne's
subtle　contrivances；　both　in　the　same　room　at　the　same　time。

This　kind　of　performance　repeated　itself　during　several　days。　　At
last；　after　dogging　her　hither　and　thither；　leaning　with　a　wrinkled
forehead　against　doorposts；　taking　an　oblique　view　into　the　room
where　she　happened　to　be；　picking　up　worsted　balls　and　getting　no
thanks；　placing　a　splinter　from　the　Victory；　several　bullets　from
the　Redoubtable；　a　strip　of　the　flag；　and　other　interesting　relics；
carefully　labelled；　upon　her　table；　and　hearing　no　more　about　them
than　if　they　had　been　pebbles　from　the　nearest　brook；　he　hit　upon　a
new　plan。　　To　avoid　him　she　frequently　sat　upstairs　in　a　window
overlooking　the　garden。　　Lieutenant　Loveday　carefully　dressed
himself　in　a　new　uniform；　which　he　had　caused　to　be　sent　some　days
before；　to　dazzle　admiring　friends；　but　which　he　had　never　as　yet
put　on　in　public　or　mentioned　to　a　soul。　　When　arrayed　he　entered
the　sunny　garden；　and　there　walked　slowly　up　and　down　as　he　had　seen
Nelson　and　Captain　Hardy　do　on　the　quarter…deck；　but　keeping　his
right　shoulder；　on　which　his　one　epaulette　was　fixed；　as　much
towards　Anne's　window　as　possible。

But　she　made　no　sign；　though　there　was　not　the　least　question　that
she　saw　him。　　At　the　end　of　half…an…hour　he　went　in；　took　off　his
clothes；　and　gave　himself　up　to　doubt　and　the　best　tobacco。

He　repeated　the　programme　on　the　next　afternoon；　and　on　the　next；
never　saying　a　word　within　doors　about　his　doings　or　his　notice。

Meanwhile　the　results　in　Anne's　chamber　were　not　uninteresting。　　She
had　been　looking　out　on　the　first　day；　and　was　duly　amazed　to　see　a
naval　officer　in　full　uniform　promenading　in　the　path。　　Finding　it
to　be　Bob；　she　left　the　window　with　a　sense　that　the　scene　was　not
for　her；　then；　from　mere　curiosity；　peeped　out　from　behind　the
curtain。　　Well；　he　was　a　pretty　spectacle；　she　admitted；　relieved　as
his　figure　was　by　a　dense　mass　of　sunny；　close…trimmed　hedge；　over
which　nasturtiums　climbed　in　wild　luxuriance；　and　if　she　could　care
for　him　one　bit；　which　she　couldn't；　his　form　would　have　been　a
delightful　study；　surpassing　in　interest　even　its　splendour　on　the
memorable　day　of　their　visit　to　the　town　theatre。　　She　called　her
mother；　Mrs。　Loveday　came　promptly。

'O；　it　is　nothing；'　said　Anne　indifferently；　'only　that　Bob　has　got
his　uniform。'

Mrs。　Loveday　peeped　out；　and　raised　her　hands　with　delight。　　'And　he
has　not　said　a　word　to　us　about　it！　　What　a　lovely　epaulette！　　I
must　call　his　father。'

'No；　indeed。　　As　I　take　no　interest　in　him　I　shall　not　let　people
come　into　my　room　to　admire　him。'

'Well；　you　called　me；'　said　her　mother。

'It　was　because　I　thought　you　liked　fine　clothes。　　It　is　what　I
don't　care　for。'

Notwithstanding　this　assertion　she　again　looked　out　at　Bob　the　next
afternoon　when　his　footsteps　rustled　on　the　gravel；　and　studied　his
appearance　under　all　the　varying　angles　of　the　sunlight；　as　if　fine
clothes　and　uniforms　were　not　altogether　a　matter　of　indifference。
He　certainly　was　a　splendid；　gentlemanly；　and　gallant　sailor　from
end　to　end　of　him；　but　then；　what　were　a　dashing　presentment；　a
naval　rank；　and　telling　scars；　if　a　man　was　fickle…hearted？
However；　she　peeped　on　till　the　fourth　day；　and　then　she　did　not
peep。　　The　window　was　open；　she　looked　right　out；　and　Bob　knew　that
he　had　got　a　rise　to　his　bait　at　last。　　He　touched　his　hat　to　her；
keeping　his　right　shoulder　forwards；　and　said；　'Good…day；　Miss
Garland；'　with　a　smile。

Anne　replied；　'Good…day；'　with　funereal　seriousness；　and　the
acquaintance　thus　revived　led　to　the　interchange　of　a　few　words　at
supper…time；　at　which　Mrs。　　Loveday　nodded　with　satisfaction。　　But
Anne　took　especial　care　that　he　should　never　meet　her　alone；　and　to
insure　this　her　ingenuity　was