the trumpet-major-第13节

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he　had　made　himself　renowned　for　his　pleasant　habit　of　pouncing　down
upon　boys　smaller　and　poorer　than　himself；　and　knocking　their　birds'
nests　out　of　their　hands；　or　overturning　their　little　carts　of
apples；　or　pouring　water　down　their　backs；　but　his　conduct　became
singularly　the　reverse　of　aggressive　the　moment　the　little　boys'
mothers　ran　out　to　him；　brandishing　brooms；　frying…pans；　skimmers；
and　whatever　else　they　could　lay　hands　on　by　way　of　weapons。　　He
then　fled　and　hid　behind　bushes；　under　faggots；　or　in　pits　till　they
had　gone　away；　and　on　one　such　occasion　was　known　to　creep　into　a
badger's　hole　quite　out　of　sight；　maintaining　that　post　with　great
firmness　and　resolution　for　two　or　three　hours。　　He　had　brought　more
vulgar　exclamations　upon　the　tongues　of　respectable　parents　in　his
native　parish　than　any　other　boy　of　his　time。　　When　other　youngsters
snowballed　him　he　ran　into　a　place　of　shelter；　where　he　kneaded
snowballs　of　his　own；　with　a　stone　inside；　and　used　these　formidable
missiles　in　returning　their　pleasantry。　　Sometimes　he　got　fearfully
beaten　by　boys　his　own　age；　when　he　would　roar　most　lustily；　but
fight　on　in　the　midst　of　his　tears；　blood；　and　cries。

He　was　early　in　love；　and　had　at　the　time　of　the　story　suffered　from
the　ravages　of　that　passion　thirteen　distinct　times。　　He　could　not
love　lightly　and　gaily；　his　love　was　earnest；　cross…tempered；　and
even　savage。　　It　was　a　positive　agony　to　him　to　be　ridiculed　by　the
object　of　his　affections；　and　such　conduct　drove　him　into　a　frenzy
if　persisted　in。　　He　was　a　torment　to　those　who　behaved　humbly
towards　him；　cynical　with　those　who　denied　his　superiority；　and　a
very　nice　fellow　towards　those　who　had　the　courage　to　ill…use　him。

This　stalwart　gentleman　and　Anne　Garland　did　not　cross　each　other's
paths　again　for　a　week。　　Then　her　mother　began　as　before　about　the
newspaper；　and；　though　Anne　did　not　much　like　the　errand；　she　agreed
to　go　for　it　on　Mrs。　Garland　pressing　her　with　unusual　anxiety。　　Why
her　mother　was　so　persistent　on　so　small　a　matter　quite　puzzled　the
girl；　but　she　put　on　her　hat　and　started。

As　she　had　expected；　Festus　appeared　at　a　stile　over　which　she
sometimes　went　for　shortness'　sake；　and　showed　by　his　manner　that　he
awaited　her。　　When　she　saw　this　she　kept　straight　on；　as　if　she
would　not　enter　the　park　at　all。

'Surely　this　is　your　way？'　said　Festus。

'I　was　thinking　of　going　round　by　the　road；'　she　said。

'Why　is　that？'

She　paused；　as　if　she　were　not　inclined　to　say。　　'I　go　that　way　when
the　grass　is　wet；'　she　returned　at　last。

'It　is　not　wet　now；'　he　persisted；　'the　sun　has　been　shining　on　it
these　nine　hours。'　　The　fact　was　that　the　way　by　the　path　was　less
open　than　by　the　road；　and　Festus　wished　to　walk　with　her
uninterrupted。　　'But；　of　course；　it　is　nothing　to　me　what　you　do。'
He　flung　himself　from　the　stile　and　walked　away　towards　the　house。

Anne；　supposing　him　really　indifferent；　took　the　same　way；　upon
which　he　turned　his　head　and　waited　for　her　with　a　proud　smile。

'I　cannot　go　with　you；'　she　said　decisively。

'Nonsense；　you　foolish　girl！　　I　must　walk　along　with　you　down　to　the
corner。'

'No；　please；　Mr。　Derriman；　we　might　be　seen。'

'Now；　nowthat's　shyness！'　he　said　jocosely。

'No；　you　know　I　cannot　let　you。'

'But　I　must。'

'But　I　do　not　allow　it。'

'Allow　it　or　not；　I　will。'

'Then　you　are　unkind；　and　I　must　submit；'　she　said；　her　eyes
brimming　with　tears。

'Ho；　ho；　what　a　shame　of　me！　　My　wig；　I　won't　do　any　such　thing　for
the　world；'　said　the　repentant　yeoman。　　'Haw；　haw；　why；　I　thought
your　〃go　away〃　meant　〃come　on；〃　as　it　does　with　so　many　of　the　women
I　meet；　especially　in　these　clothes。　　Who　was　to　know　you　were　so
confoundedly　serious？'

As　he　did　not　go　Anne　stood　still　and　said　nothing。

'I　see　you　have　a　deal　more　caution　and　a　deal　less　good…nature　than
I　ever　thought　you　had；'　he　continued　emphatically。

'No；　sir；　it　is　not　any　planned　manner　of　mine　at　all；'　she　said
earnestly。　　'But　you　will　see；　I　am　sure；　that　I　could　not　go　down
to　the　hall　with　you　without　putting　myself　in　a　wrong　light。'

'Yes；　that's　it；　that's　it。　　I　am　only　a　fellow　in　the　yeomanry
cavalrya　plain　soldier；　I　may　say；　and　we　know　what　women　think　of
such：　　that　they　are　a　bad　lotmen　you　mustn't　speak　to　for　fear　of
losing　your　characterchaps　you　avoid　in　the　roadschaps　that　come
into　a　house　like　oxen；　daub　the　stairs　wi'　their　boots；　stain　the
furniture　wi'　their　drink；　talk　rubbish　to　the　servants；　abuse　all
that's　holy　and　righteous；　and　are　only　saved　from　being　carried　off
by　Old　Nick　because　they　are　wanted　for　Boney。'

'Indeed；　I　didn't　know　you　were　thought　so　bad　of　as　that；'　said　she
simply。

'What！　don't　my　uncle　complain　to　you　of　me？　　You　are　a　favourite　of
that　handsome；　nice　old　gaffer's；　I　know。'

'Never。'

'Well；　what　do　we　think　of　our　nice　trumpet…major；　hey？'

Anne　closed　her　mouth　up　tight；　built　it　up；　in　fact；　to　show　that
no　answer　was　coming　to　that　question。

'O　now；　come；　seriously；　Loveday　is　a　good　fellow；　and　so　is　his
father。'

'I　don't　know。'

'What　a　close　little　rogue　you　are！　　There　is　no　getting　anything
out　of　you。　　I　believe　you　would　say　〃I　don't　know；〃　to　every　mortal
question；　so　very　discreet　as　you　are。　　Upon　my　heart；　there　are
some　women　who　would　say　〃I　don't　know；〃　to　〃Will　ye　marry　me？〃'

The　brightness　upon　Anne's　cheek　and　in　her　eyes　during　this　remark
showed　that　there　was　a　fair　quantity　of　life　and　warmth　beneath　the
discretion　he　complained　of。　　Having　spoken　thus；　he　drew　aside　that
she　might　pass；　and　bowed　very　low。　　Anne　formally　inclined　herself
and　went　on。

She　had　been　at　vexation　point　all　the　time　that　he　was　present；
from　a　haunting　sense　that　he　would　not　have　spoken　to　her　so　freely
had　she　been　a　young　woman　with　thriving　male　relatives　to　keep
forward　admirers　in　check。　　But　she　had　been　struck；　now　as　at　their
previous　meeting；　with　the　power　she　possessed　of　working　him　up
either　to　irritation　or　to　complacency　at　will；　and　this
consciousness　of　being　able　to　play　upon　him　as　upon　an　instrument
disposed　her　to　a　humorous　considerateness；　and　made　her　tolerate
even　while　she　rebuffed　him。

When　Anne　got　to　the　hall　the　farmer；　as　usual；　insisted　upon　her
reading　what　he　had　been　unable　to　get　through；　and　held　the　paper
tightly　in　his　skinny　hand　till　she　had　agreed。　　He　sent　her　to　a
hard　chair　that　she　could　not　possibly　injure　to　the　extent　of　a
pennyworth　by　sitting　in　it　a　twelvemonth；　and　watched　her　from　the
outer　angle　of　his　near　eye　while　she　bent　over　the　paper。　　His　look
might　have　been　suggested　by　the　sight　that　he　had　witnessed　from
his　window　on　the　last　occasion　of　her　visit；　for　it　partook　of　the
nature　of　concern。　　The　old　man　was　afraid　of　his　nephew；　physically
and　morally；　and　he　began　to　regard　Anne　as　a　fellow…sufferer　under
the　same　despot。　　After　this　sly　and　curious　gaze　at　her　he　withdrew
his　eye　again；　so　that　when　she　casually　lifted　her　own　there　was
nothing　visible　but　his　keen　bluish　profile　as　before。

When　the　reading　was　about　half…way　through；　the　door　behind　them
opened；　and　footsteps　crossed　the　threshold。　　The　farmer　diminished
perceptibly　in　his　chair；　and　looked　fearful；　but　pretended　to　be
absorbed　in　the　reading；　and　quite　unconscious　of　an　intruder。　　Anne
felt　the　presence　of　the　swashing　Festus；　and　stopped　her　reading。

'Please　go　on；　Miss　Anne；'　he　said；　'I　am　not　going　to　speak　a
word。'　　He　withdrew　to　the　mantelpiece　and　leaned　against　it　at　his
ease。

'Go　on；　do　ye；　maidy　Anne；'　said　Uncle　Benjy；　keeping　down　his
tremblings　by　a　great　effort　to　half　their　natural　extent。

Anne's　voice　became　much　lower　now　that　there　were　two　listeners；
and　her　modesty　shrank　somewhat　from　exposing　to　Festus　the
appreciative　modulations　which　an　intelligent　interest　in　the
subject　drew　from　her　when　unembarrassed。　　But　she　still　went　on
that　he　might　not　suppose　her　to　be　disconcerted；　though　the　ensuing
ten　minutes　was　one　of　disquietude。　　She　knew　that　the　bothering
yeoman's　eyes　were　travelling　over　her　from　his　position　behind；
creeping　over　her　shoulders；　up　to　her　head；　and　across　her　arms　and
hands。　　Old　Benjy　on　his　part　knew　the　same　thing；　and　after　sundry
endeavours　to　peep　at　his　nephew　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he
could　bear　the　situation　no　longer。

'Do　ye　want　to　say　anything　to　me；　nephew？'　he　quaked。

'No；　uncle；　thank　ye；'　said　Festus　heartily。　　'I　like　to　stay　here；
thinking　of　you　and　looking　at　your　back　hair。'

The　nervous　old　man　writhed　under　this　vivisection；　and　Anne　read
on；　till；　to　the　relief　of　both；　the　gallant　fellow　grew　tired　of
his　amusement　and　went　out　of　the　room。　　Anne　soon　finished　her
paragraph　and　rose　to　go；　determined　never　to　come　again　as　long　as
Festus　haunted　the　precincts。　　Her　face　grew　warmer　as　she　thought
that　he　would　be　sure　to　waylay　her　on　her　journey　home　to…day。

On　this　account；　when　she　left　the　house；　instead　of　going　in　the
customary　direction；　she　bolted　round　to　the　further　side；　through
the　bushes；　along　under　the　kitchen…garden　wall；　and　through　a　door
leading　into　a　rutted　cart…track；