the trumpet-major-第11节

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'Shall　you　want　any　more　reading；　Mr。　Derriman？'　said　she；
interrupting　the　younger　man　in　his　remarks。　　'If　not；　I'll　go
homeward。'

'Don't　let　me　hinder　you　longer；'　said　Festus。　　'I'm　off　in　a　minute
or　two；　when　your　man　has　cleaned　my　boots。'

'Ye　don't　hinder　us；　nephew。　　She　must　have　the　paper：　　'tis　the　day
for　her　to　have　'n。　　She　might　read　a　little　more；　as　I　have　had　so
little　profit　out　o'　en　hitherto。　　Well；　why　don't　ye　speak？　　Will
ye；　or　won't　ye；　my　dear？'

'Not　to　two；'　she　said。

'Ho；　ho！　damn　it；　I　must　go　then；　I　suppose；'　said　Festus；　laughing；
and　unable　to　get　a　further　glance　from　her　he　left　the　room　and
clanked　into　the　back　yard；　where　he　saw　a　man；　holding　up　his　hand
he　cried；　'Anthony　Cripplestraw！'

Cripplestraw　came　up　in　a　trot；　moved　a　lock　of　his　hair　and
replaced　it；　and　said；　'Yes；　Maister　Derriman。'　　He　was　old　Mr。
Derriman's　odd　hand　in　the　yard　and　garden；　and　like　his　employer
had　no　great　pretensions　to　manly　beauty；　owing　to　a　limpness　of
backbone　and　speciality　of　mouth；　which　opened　on　one　side　only；
giving　him　a　triangular　smile。

'Well；　Cripplestraw；　how　is　it　to…day？'　said　Festus；　with
socially…superior　heartiness。

'Middlin'；　considering；　Maister　Derriman。　　And　how's　yerself？'

'Fairish。　　Well；　now；　see　and　clean　these　military　boots　of　mine。
I'll　cock　my　foot　up　on　this　bench。　　This　pigsty　of　my　uncle's　is
not　fit　for　a　soldier　to　come　into。'

'Yes；　Maister　Derriman；　I　will。　　No；　'tis　not　fit；　Maister
Derriman。'

'What　stock　has　uncle　lost　this　year；　Cripplestraw？'

'Well；　let's　see；　sir。　　I　can　call　to　mind　that　we've　lost　three
chickens；　a　tom…pigeon；　and　a　weakly　sucking…pig；　one　of　a　fare　of
ten。　　I　can't　think　of　no　more；　Maister　Derriman。'

'H'm；　not　a　large　quantity　of　cattle。　　The　old　rascal！'

'No；　'tis　not　a　large　quantity。　　Old　what　did　you　say；　sir？'

'O　nothing。　　He's　within　there。'　　Festus　flung　his　forehead　in　the
direction　of　a　right　line　towards　the　inner　apartment。　　'He's　a
regular　sniche　one。'

'Hee；　hee；　fie；　fie；　Master　Derriman！'　said　Cripplestraw；　shaking
his　head　in　delighted　censure。　　'Gentlefolks　shouldn't　talk　so。　　And
an　officer；　Mr。　Derriman！　　'Tis　the　duty　of　all　cavalry　gentlemen　to
bear　in　mind　that　their　blood　is　a　knowed　thing　in　the　country；　and
not　to　speak　ill　o't。'

'He's　close…fisted。'

'Well；　maister；　he　isI　own　he　is　a　little。　　'Tis　the　nater　of　some
old　venerable　gentlemen　to　be　so。　　We'll　hope　he'll　treat　ye　well　in
yer　fortune；　sir。'

'Hope　he　will。　　Do　people　talk　about　me　here；　Cripplestraw？'　asked
the　yeoman；　as　the　other　continued　busy　with　his　boots。

'Well；　yes；　sir；　they　do　off　and　on；　you　know。　　They　says　you　be　as
fine　a　piece　of　calvery　flesh　and　bones　as　was　ever　growed　on
fallow…ground；　in　short；　all　owns　that　you　be　a　fine　fellow；　sir。　　I
wish　I　wasn't　no　more　afraid　of　the　French　than　you　be；　but　being　in
the　Locals；　Maister　Derriman；　I　assure　ye　I　dream　of　having　to
defend　my　country　every　night；　and　I　don't　like　the　dream　at　all。'

'You　should　take　it　careless；　Cripplestraw；　as　I　do；　and　'twould
soon　come　natural　to　you　not　to　mind　it　at　all。　　Well；　a　fine　fellow
is　not　everything；　you　know。　　O　no。　　There's　as　good　as　I　in　the
army；　and　even　better。'

'And　they　say　that　when　you　fall　this　summer；　you'll　die　like　a
man。'

'When　I　fall？'

'Yes；　sure；　Maister　Derriman。　　Poor　soul　o'　thee！　　I　shan't　forget
'ee　as　you　lie　mouldering　in　yer　soldier's　grave。'

'Hey？'　said　the　warrior　uneasily。　　'What　makes　'em　think　I　am　going
to　fall？'

'Well；　sir；　by　all　accounts　the　yeomanry　will　be　put　in　front。'

'Front！　　That's　what　my　uncle　has　been　saying。'

'Yes；　and　by　all　accounts　'tis　true。　　And　naterelly　they'll　be　mowed
down　like　grass；　and　you　among　'em；　poor　young　galliant　officer！'

'Look　here；　Cripplestraw。　　This　is　a　reg'lar　foolish　report。　　How
can　yeomanry　be　put　in　front？　　Nobody's　put　in　front。　　We　yeomanry
have　nothing　to　do　with　Buonaparte's　landing。　　We　shall　be　away　in　a
safe　place；　guarding　the　possessions　and　jewels。　　Now；　can　you　see；
Cripplestraw；　any　way　at　all　that　the　yeomanry　can　be　put　in　front？
Do　you　think　they　really　can？'

'Well；　maister；　I　am　afraid　I　do；'　said　the　cheering　Cripplestraw。
'And　I　know　a　great　warrior　like　you　is　only　too　glad　o'　the　chance。
'Twill　be　a　great　thing　for　ye；　death　and　glory！　　In　short；　I　hope
from　my　heart　you　will　be；　and　I　say　so　very　often　to　folkin　fact；
I　pray　at　night　for't。'

'O！　cuss　you！　you　needn't　pray　about　it。'

'No；　Maister　Derriman；　I　won't。'

'Of　course　my　sword　will　do　its　duty。　　That's　enough。　　And　now　be
off　with　ye。'

Festus　gloomily　returned　to　his　uncle's　room　and　found　that　Anne　was
just　leaving。　　He　was　inclined　to　follow　her　at　once；　but　as　she
gave　him　no　opportunity　for　doing　this　he　went　to　the　window；　and
remained　tapping　his　fingers　against　the　shutter　while　she　crossed
the　yard。

'Well；　nephy；　you　are　not　gone　yet？'　said　the　farmer；　looking
dubiously　at　Festus　from　under　one　eyelid。　　'You　see　how　I　am。　　Not
by　any　means　better；　you　see；　so　I　can't　entertain　'ee　as　well　as　I
would。'

'You　can't；　nunc；　you　can't。　　I　don't　think　you　are　worseif　I　do；
dash　my　wig。　　But　you'll　have　plenty　of　opportunities　to　make　me
welcome　when　you　are　better。　　If　you　are　not　so　brisk　inwardly　as
you　was；　why　not　try　change　of　air？　　This　is　a　dull；　damp　hole。'

''Tis；　Festus；　and　I　am　thinking　of　moving。'

'Ah；　where　to？'　said　Festus；　with　surprise　and　interest。

'Up　into　the　garret　in　the　north　corner。　　There　is　no　fireplace　in
the　room；　but　I　shan't　want　that；　poor　soul　o'　me。'

''Tis　not　moving　far。'

''Tis　not。　　But　I　have　not　a　soul　belonging　to　me　within　ten　mile；
and　you　know　very　well　that　I　couldn't　afford　to　go　to　lodgings　that
I　had　to　pay　for。'

'I　know　itI　know　it；　Uncle　Benjy！　　Well；　don't　be　disturbed。　　I'll
come　and　manage　for　you　as　soon　as　ever　this　Boney　alarm　is　over；
but　when　a　man's　country　calls　he　must　obey；　if　he　is　a　man。'

'A　splendid　spirit！'　said　Uncle　Benjy；　with　much　admiration　on　the
surface　of　his　countenance。　　'I　never　had　it。　　How　could　it　have　got
into　the　boy？'

'From　my　mother's　side；　perhaps。'

'Perhaps　so。　　Well；　take　care　of　yourself；　nephy；'　said　the　farmer；
waving　his　hand　impressively。　　'Take　care！　　In　these　warlike　times
your　spirit　may　carry　ye　into　the　arms　of　the　enemy；　and　you　are　the
last　of　the　family。　　You　should　think　of　this；　and　not　let　your
bravery　carry　ye　away。'

'Don't　be　disturbed；　uncle；　I'll　control　myself；'　said　Festus；
betrayed　into　self…complacency　against　his　will。　　'At　least　I'll　do
what　I　can；　but　nature　will　out　sometimes。　　Well；　I'm　off。'　　He
began　humming　'Brighton　Camp；'　and；　promising　to　come　again　soon；
retired　with　assurance；　each　yard　of　his　retreat　adding　private
joyousness　to　his　uncle's　form。

When　the　bulky　young　man　had　disappeared　through　the　porter's　lodge；
Uncle　Benjy　showed　preternatural　activity　for　one　in　his　invalid
state；　jumping　up　quickly　without　his　stick；　at　the　same　time
opening　and　shutting　his　mouth　quite　silently　like　a　thirsty　frog；
which　was　his　way　of　expressing　mirth。　　He　ran　upstairs　as　quick　as
an　old　squirrel；　and　went　to　a　dormer　window　which　commanded　a　view
of　the　grounds　beyond　the　gate；　and　the　footpath　that　stretched
across　them　to　the　village。

'Yes；　yes！'　he　said　in　a　suppressed　scream；　dancing　up　and　down；
'he's　after　her：　　she've　hit　en！'　　For　there　appeared　upon　the　path
the　figure　of　Anne　Garland；　and；　hastening　on　at　some　little
distance　behind　her；　the　swaggering　shape　of　Festus。　　She　became
conscious　of　his　approach；　and　moved　more　quickly。　　He　moved　more
quickly　still；　and　overtook　her。　　She　turned　as　if　in　answer　to　a
call　from　him；　and　he　walked　on　beside　her；　till　they　were　out　of
sight。　　The　old　man　then　played　upon　an　imaginary　fiddle　for　about
half　a　minute；　and；　suddenly　discontinuing　these　signs　of　pleasure；
went　downstairs　again。



VII。　　HOW　THEY　TALKED　IN　THE　PASTURES

'You　often　come　this　way？'　said　Festus　to　Anne　rather　before　he　had
overtaken　her。

'I　come　for　the　newspaper　and　other　things；'　she　said；　perplexed　by
a　doubt　whether　he　were　there　by　accident　or　design。

They　moved　on　in　silence；　Festus　beating　the　grass　with　his　switch
in　a　masterful　way。　　'Did　you　speak；　Mis'ess　Anne？'　he　asked。

'No；'　said　Anne。

'Ten　thousand　pardons。　　I　thought　you　did。　　Now　don't　let　me　drive
you　out　of　the　path。　　I　can　walk　among　the　high　grass　and　giltycups…
…they　will　not　yellow　my　stockings　as　they　will　yours。　　Well；　what
do　you　think　of　a　lot　of　soldiers　coming　to　the　neighbourhood　in
this　way？'

'I　think　it　is　very　lively；　and　a　great　change；'　she　said　with
demure　seriousness。

'Perhaps　you　don't　like　us　warriors　as　a　body？'

Anne　smiled　without　replying。

'Why；　you　are　laughing！'　said　the　yeoman；　looking　searchingly　at　her
and　blushing　like　a　little　fire。　　'What　do　you　see　to　laugh　at？'

'Did　I　laugh？'　said　Anne；　a　little　scared　at　his　sudden
mortification。

'Why；　yes；　you　know　you　did；　you　young　sneerer；'　he　said　like　a
cross　baby。　　'You　are　laughing　at　methat's　who　you　are　laughing
at！　　I　should　like　to　know　what　you　would