the trumpet-major-第1节

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The　Trumpet…Major

by　Thomas　Hardy






being　a　tale　of　the　Trumpet…Major；　John　Loveday；　a　soldier　in　the
war　with　Buonaparte；　and　Robert；　his　brother；　first　mate　in　the
Merchant　Service。





PREFACE

The　present　tale　is　founded　more　largely　on　testimonyoral　and
writtenthan　any　other　in　this　series。　　The　external　incidents
which　direct　its　course　are　mostly　an　unexaggerated　reproduction　of
the　recollections　of　old　persons　well　known　to　the　author　in
childhood；　but　now　long　dead；　who　were　eye…witnesses　of　those
scenes。　　If　wholly　transcribed　their　recollections　would　have　filled
a　volume　thrice　the　length　of　'The　Trumpet…Major。'

Down　to　the　middle　of　this　century；　and　later；　there　were　not
wanting；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　places　more　or　less　clearly
indicated　herein；　casual　relics　of　the　circumstances　amid　which　the
action　movesour　preparations　for　defence　against　the　threatened
invasion　of　England　by　Buonaparte。　　An　outhouse　door　riddled　with
bullet…holes；　which　had　been　extemporized　by　a　solitary　man　as　a
target　for　firelock　practice　when　the　landing　was　hourly　expected；　a
heap　of　bricks　and　clods　on　a　beacon…hill；　which　had　formed　the
chimney　and　walls　of　the　hut　occupied　by　the　beacon…keeper；
worm…eaten　shafts　and　iron　heads　of　pikes　for　the　use　of　those　who
had　no　better　weapons；　ridges　on　the　down　thrown　up　during　the
encampment；　fragments　of　volunteer　uniform；　and　other　such　lingering
remains；　brought　to　my　imagination　in　early　childhood　the　state　of
affairs　at　the　date　of　the　war　more　vividly　than　volumes　of　history
could　have　done。

Those　who　have　attempted　to　construct　a　coherent　narrative　of　past
times　from　the　fragmentary　information　furnished　by　survivors；　are
aware　of　the　difficulty　of　ascertaining　the　true　sequence　of　events
indiscriminately　recalled。　　For　this　purpose　the　newspapers　of　the
date　were　indispensable。　　Of　other　documents　consulted　I　may
mention；　for　the　satisfaction　of　those　who　love　a　true　story；　that
the　'Address　to　all　Ranks　and　Descriptions　of　Englishmen'　was
transcribed　from　an　original　copy　in　a　local　museum；　that　the
hieroglyphic　portrait　of　Napoleon　existed　as　a　print　down　to　the
present　day　in　an　old　woman's　cottage　near　'Overcombe；'　that　the
particulars　of　the　King's　doings　at　his　favourite　watering…place
were　augmented　by　details　from　records　of　the　time。　　The　drilling
scene　of　the　local　militia　received　some　additions　from　an　account
given　in　so　grave　a　work　as　Gifford's　'History　of　the　Wars　of　the
French　Revolution'　（London；　1817）。　　But　on　reference　to　the　History
I　find　I　was　mistaken　in　supposing　the　account　to　be　advanced　as
authentic；　or　to　refer　to　rural　England。　　However；　it　does　in　a
large　degree　accord　with　the　local　traditions　of　such　scenes　that　I
have　heard　recounted；　times　without　number；　and　the　system　of　drill
was　tested　by　reference　to　the　Army　Regulations　of　1801；　and　other
military　handbooks。　　Almost　the　whole　narrative　of　the　supposed
landing　of　the　French　in　the　Bay　is　from　oral　relation　as　aforesaid。
Other　proofs　of　the　veracity　of　this　chronicle　have　escaped　my
recollection。

T。　H。

OCTOBER　1895。






CONTENTS

I。　　　　　　　　WHAT　WAS　SEEN　FROM　THE　WINDOW　OVERLOOKING　THE　DOWN
II。　　　　　　　SOMEBODY　KNOCKS　AND　COMES　IN
III。　　　　　　THE　MILL　BECOMES　AN　IMPORTANT　CENTRE　OF　OPERATIONS
IV。　　　　　　　WHO　WERE　PRESENT　AT　THE　MILLER'S　LITTLE　ENTERTAINMENT
V。　　　　　　　　THE　SONG　AND　THE　STRANGER
VI。　　　　　　　OLD　MR。　DERRIMAN　OF　OXWELL　HALL
VII。　　　　　　HOW　THEY　TALKED　IN　THE　PASTURES
VIII。　　　　　ANNE　MAKES　A　CIRCUIT　OF　THE　CAMP
IX。　　　　　　　ANNE　IS　KINDLY　FETCHED　BY　THE　TRUMPET　MAJOR
X。　　　　　　　　THE　MATCH…MAKING　VIRTUES　OF　A　DOUBLE　GARDEN
XI。　　　　　　　OUR　PEOPLE　ARE　AFFECTED　BY　THE　PRESENCE　OF　ROYALTY
XII。　　　　　　HOW　EVERYBODY；　GREAT　AND　SMALL；　CLIMBED　TO　THE　TOP　OF　THE
DOWNS
XIII。　　　　　THE　CONVERSATION　IN　THE　CROWD
XIV。　　　　　　LATER　IN　THE　EVENING　OF　THE　SAME　DAY
XV。　　　　　　　'CAPTAIN'　BOB　LOVEDAY；　OF　THE　MERCHANT　SERVICE
XVI。　　　　　　THEY　MAKE　READY　FOR　THE　ILLUSTRIOUS　STRANGER
XVII。　　　　　TWO　FAINTING　FITS　AND　A　BEWILDERMENT
XVIII。　　　　THE　NIGHT　AFTER　THE　ARRIVAL
XIX。　　　　　　MISS　JOHNSON'S　BEHAVIOUR　CAUSES　NO　LITTLE　SURPRISE
XX。　　　　　　　HOW　THEY　LESSENED　THE　EFFECT　OF　THE　CALAMITY
XXI。　　　　　　'UPON　THE　HILL　HE　TURNED'
XXII。　　　　　THE　TWO　HOUSEHOLDS　UNITED
XXIII。　　　　MILITARY　PREPARATIONS　ON　AN　EXTENDED　SCALE
XXIV。　　　　　A　LETTER；　A　VISITOR；　AND　A　TIN　BOX
XXV。　　　　　　FESTUS　SHOWS　HIS　LOVE
XXVI。　　　　　THE　ALARM
XXVII。　　　　DANGER　TO　ANNE
XXVIII。　　　ANNIE　DOES　WONDERS
XXIX。　　　　　A　DISSEMBLER
XXX。　　　　　　AT　THE　THEATRE　ROYAL
XXXI。　　　　　MIDNIGHT　VISITORS
XXXII。　　　　DELIVERANCE
XXXIII。　　　A　DISCOVERY　TURNS　THE　SCALE
XXXIV。　　　　A　SPECK　ON　THE　SEA
XXXV。　　　　　A　SAILOR　ENTERS
XXXVI。　　　　DERRIMAN　SEES　CHANCES
XXXVII。　　　REACTION
XXXVIII。　　A　DELICATE　SITUATION
XXXIX。　　　　BOB　LOVEDAY　STRUTS　UP　AND　DOWN
XL。　　　　　　　A　CALL　ON　BUSINESS
XLI。　　　　　　JOHN　MARCHES　INTO　THE　NIGHT



I。　　WHAT　WAS　SEEN　FROM　THE　WINDOW　OVERLOOKING　THE　DOWN

In　the　days　of　high…waisted　and　muslin…gowned　women；　when　the　vast
amount　of　soldiering　going　on　in　the　country　was　a　cause　of　much
trembling　to　the　sex；　there　lived　in　a　village　near　the　Wessex　coast
two　ladies　of　good　report；　though　unfortunately　of　limited　means。
The　elder　was　a　Mrs。　Martha　Garland；　a　landscape…painter's　widow；
and　the　other　was　her　only　daughter　Anne。

Anne　was　fair；　very　fair；　in　a　poetical　sense；　but　in　complexion　she
was　of　that　particular　tint　between　blonde　and　brunette　which　is
inconveniently　left　without　a　name。　　Her　eyes　were　honest　and
inquiring；　her　mouth　cleanly　cut　and　yet　not　classical；　the　middle
point　of　her　upper　lip　scarcely　descending　so　far　as　it　should　have
done　by　rights；　so　that　at　the　merest　pleasant　thought；　not　to
mention　a　smile；　portions　of　two　or　three　white　teeth　were　uncovered
whether　she　would　or　not。　　Some　people　said　that　this　was　very
attractive。　　She　was　graceful　and　slender；　and；　though　but　little
above　five　feet　in　height；　could　draw　herself　up　to　look　tall。　　In
her　manner；　in　her　comings　and　goings；　in　her　'I'll　do　this；'　or
'I'll　do　that；'　she　combined　dignity　with　sweetness　as　no　other　girl
could　do；　and　any　impressionable　stranger　youths　who　passed　by　were
led　to　yearn　for　a　windfall　of　speech　from　her；　and　to　see　at　the
same　time　that　they　would　not　get　it。　　In　short；　beneath　all　that
was　charming　and　simple　in　this　young　woman　there　lurked　a　real
firmness；　unperceived　at　first；　as　the　speck　of　colour　lurks
unperceived　in　the　heart　of　the　palest　parsley　flower。

She　wore　a　white　handkerchief　to　cover　her　white　neck；　and　a　cap　on
her　head　with　a　pink　ribbon　round　it；　tied　in　a　bow　at　the　front。
She　had　a　great　variety　of　these　cap…ribbons；　the　young　men　being
fond　of　sending　them　to　her　as　presents　until　they　fell　definitely
in　love　with　a　special　sweetheart　elsewhere；　when　they　left　off
doing　so。　　Between　the　border　of　her　cap　and　her　forehead　were
ranged　a　row　of　round　brown　curls；　like　swallows'　nests　under　eaves。

She　lived　with　her　widowed　mother　in　a　portion　of　an　ancient
building　formerly　a　manor…house；　but　now　a　mill；　which；　being　too
large　for　his　own　requirements；　the　miller　had　found　it　convenient
to　divide　and　appropriate　in　part　to　these　highly　respectable
tenants。　　In　this　dwelling　Mrs。　Garland's　and　Anne's　ears　were
soothed　morning；　noon；　and　night　by　the　music　of　the　mill；　the
wheels　and　cogs　of　which；　being　of　wood；　produced　notes　that　might
have　borne　in　their　minds　a　remote　resemblance　to　the　wooden　tones
of　the　stopped　diapason　in　an　organ。　Occasionally；　when　the　miller
was　bolting；　there　was　added　to　these　continuous　sounds　the　cheerful
clicking　of　the　hopper；　which　did　not　deprive　them　of　rest　except
when　it　was　kept　going　all　night；　and　over　and　above　all　this　they
had　the　pleasure　of　knowing　that　there　crept　in　through　every
crevice；　door；　and　window　of　their　dwelling；　however　tightly　closed；
a　subtle　mist　of　superfine　flour　from　the　grinding　room；　quite
invisible；　but　making　its　presence　known　in　the　course　of　time　by
giving　a　pallid　and　ghostly　look　to　the　best　furniture。　　The　miller
frequently　apologized　to　his　tenants　for　the　intrusion　of　this
insidious　dry　fog；　but　the　widow　was　of　a　friendly　and　thankful
nature；　and　she　said　that　she　did　not　mind　it　at　all；　being　as　it
was；　not　nasty　dirt；　but　the　blessed　staff　of　life。

By　good…humour　of　this　sort；　and　in　other　ways；　Mrs。　Garland
acknowledged　her　friendship　for　her　neighbour；　with　whom　Anne　and
herself　associated　to　an　extent　which　she　never　could　have
anticipated　when；　tempted　by　the　lowness　of　the　rent；　they　first
removed　thither　after　her　husband's　death　from　a　larger　house　at　the
other　end　of　the　village。　　Those　who　have　lived　in　remote　places
where　there　is　what　is　called　no　society　will　comprehend　the　gradual
levelling　of　distinctions　that　went　on　in　this　case　at　some
sacrifice　of　gentility　on　the　part　of　one　household。　　The　widow　was
sometimes　sorry　to　find　with　what　readiness　Anne　caught　up　some
dialect…word　or　accent　from　the　miller　and　his　friends；　but　he　was
so　good　and　true…hearted　a　man；　and　she　so　easy…minded；　unambitious
a　woman；　that　she　would　not　make　life　a　solitude　for　fastidious
reaso