the trumpet-major-第14节

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the　bushes；　along　under　the　kitchen…garden　wall；　and　through　a　door
leading　into　a　rutted　cart…track；　which　had　been　a　pleasant
gravelled　drive　when　the　fine　old　hall　was　in　its　prosperity。　　Once
out　of　sight　of　the　windows　she　ran　with　all　her　might　till　she　had
quitted　the　park　by　a　route　directly　opposite　to　that　towards　her
home。　　Why　she　was　so　seriously　bent　upon　doing　this　she　could
hardly　tell　but　the　instinct　to　run　was　irresistible。

It　was　necessary　now　to　clamber　over　the　down　to　the　left　of　the
camp；　and　make　a　complete　circuit　round　the　latterinfantry；
cavalry；　sutlers；　and　alldescending　to　her　house　on　the　other
side。　　This　tremendous　walk　she　performed　at　a　rapid　rate；　never
once　turning　her　head；　and　avoiding　every　beaten　track　to　keep　clear
of　the　knots　of　soldiers　taking　a　walk。　　When　she　at　last　got　down
to　the　levels　again　she　paused　to　fetch　breath；　and　murmured；　'Why
did　I　take　so　much　trouble？　　He　would　not；　after　all；　have　hurt　me。'

As　she　neared　the　mill　an　erect　figure　with　a　blue　body　and　white
thighs　descended　before　her　from　the　down　towards　the　village；　and
went　past　the　mill　to　a　stile　beyond；　over　which　she　usually
returned　to　her　house。　　Here　he　lingered。　　On　coming　nearer　Anne
discovered　this　person　to　be　Trumpet…major　Loveday；　and　not　wishing
to　meet　anybody　just　now　Anne　passed　quickly　on；　and　entered　the
house　by　the　garden　door。

'My　dear　Anne；　what　a　time　you　have　been　gone！'　said　her　mother。

'Yes；　I　have　been　round　by　another　road。'

'Why　did　you　do　that？'

Anne　looked　thoughtful　and　reticent；　for　her　reason　was　almost　too
silly　a　one　to　confess。　　'Well；　I　wanted　to　avoid　a　person　who　is
very　busy　trying　to　meet　methat's　all；'　she　said。

Her　mother　glanced　out　of　the　window。　　'And　there　he　is；　I　suppose；'
she　said；　as　John　Loveday；　tired　of　looking　for　Anne　at　the　stile；
passed　the　house　on　his　way　to　his　father's　door。　　He　could　not　help
casting　his　eyes　towards　their　window；　and；　seeing　them；　he　smiled。

Anne's　reluctance　to　mention　Festus　was　such　that　she　did　not
correct　her　mother's　error；　and　the　dame　went　on：　　'Well；　you　are
quite　right；　my　dear。　　Be　friendly　with　him；　but　no　more　at　present。
I　have　heard　of　your　other　affair；　and　think　it　is　a　very　wise
choice。　　I　am　sure　you　have　my　best　wishes　in　it；　and　I　only　hope　it
will　come　to　a　point。'

'What's　that？'　said　the　astonished　Anne。

'You　and　Mr。　Festus　Derriman；　dear。　　You　need　not　mind　me；　I　have
known　it　for　several　days。　　Old　Granny　Seamore　called　here　Saturday；
and　told　me　she　saw　him　coming　home　with　you　across　Park　Close　last
week；　when　you　went　for　the　newspaper；　so　I　thought　I'd　send　you
again　to…day；　and　give　you　another　chance。'

'Then　you　didn't　want　the　paperand　it　was　only　for　that！'

'He's　a　very　fine　young　fellow；　he　looks　a　thorough　woman's
protector。'

'He　may　look　it；'　said　Anne。

'He　has　given　up　the　freehold　farm　his　father　held　at　Pitstock；　and
lives　in　independence　on　what　the　land　brings　him。　　And　when　Farmer
Derriman　dies；　he'll　have　all　the　old　man's；　for　certain。　　He'll　be
worth　ten　thousand　pounds；　if　a　penny；　in　money；　besides　sixteen
horses；　cart　and　hack；　a　fifty…cow　dairy；　and　at　least　five　hundred
sheep。'

Anne　turned　away；　and　instead　of　informing　her　mother　that　she　had
been　running　like　a　doe　to　escape　the　interesting　heir…presumptive
alluded　to；　merely　said　'Mother；　I　don't　like　this　at　all。'



IX。　　ANNE　IS　KINDLY　FETCHED　BY　THE　TRUMPET…MAJOR

After　this；　Anne　would　on　no　account　walk　in　the　direction　of　the
hall　for　fear　of　another　encounter　with　young　Derriman。　　In　the
course　of　a　few　days　it　was　told　in　the　village　that　the　old　farmer
had　actually　gone　for　a　week's　holiday　and　change　of　air　to　the
Royal　watering…place　near　at　hand；　at　the　instance　of　his　nephew
Festus。　　This　was　a　wonderful　thing　to　hear　of　Uncle　Benjy；　who　had
not　slept　outside　the　walls　of　Oxwell　Hall　for　many　a　long　year
before；　and　Anne　well　imagined　what　extraordinary　pressure　must　have
been　put　upon　him　to　induce　him　to　take　such　a　step。　　She　pictured
his　unhappiness　at　the　bustling　watering…place；　and　hoped　no　harm
would　come　to　him。

She　spent　much　of　her　time　indoors　or　in　the　garden；　hearing　little
of　the　camp　movements　beyond　the　periodical　Ta…ta…ta…taa　of　the
trumpeters　sounding　their　various　ingenious　calls　for　watch…setting；
stables；　feed；　boot…and…saddle；　parade；　and　so　on；　which　made　her
think　how　clever　her　friend　the　trumpet…major　must　be　to　teach　his
pupils　to　play　those　pretty　little　tunes　so　well。

On　the　third　morning　after　Uncle　Benjy's　departure；　she　was
disturbed　as　usual　while　dressing　by　the　tramp　of　the　troops　down
the　slope　to　the　mill…pond；　and　during　the　now　familiar　stamping　and
splashing　which　followed　there　sounded　upon　the　glass　of　the　window
a　slight　smack；　which　might　have　been　caused　by　a　whip　or　switch。
She　listened　more　particularly；　and　it　was　repeated。

As　John　Loveday　was　the　only　dragoon　likely　to　be　aware　that　she
slept　in　that　particular　apartment；　she　imagined　the　signal　to　come
from　him；　though　wondering　that　he　should　venture　upon　such　a　freak
of　familiarity。

Wrapping　herself　up　in　a　red　cloak；　she　went　to　the　window；　gently
drew　up　a　corner　of　the　curtain；　and　peeped　out；　as　she　had　done
many　times　before。　　Nobody　who　was　not　quite　close　beneath　her
window　could　see　her　face；　but　as　it　happened；　somebody　was　close。
The　soldiers　whose　floundering　Anne　had　heard　were　not　Loveday's
dragoons；　but　a　troop　of　the　York　Hussars；　quite　oblivious　of　her
existence。　　They　had　passed　on　out　of　the　water；　and　instead　of　them
there　sat　Festus　Derriman　alone　on　his　horse；　and　in　plain　clothes；
the　water　reaching　up　to　the　animal's　belly；　and　Festus'　heels
elevated　over　the　saddle　to　keep　them　out　of　the　stream；　which
threatened　to　wash　rider　and　horse　into　the　deep　mill…head　just
below。　　It　was　plainly　he　who　had　struck　her　lattice；　for　in　a
moment　he　looked　up；　and　their　eyes　met。　　Festus　laughed　loudly；　and
slapped　her　window　again；　and　just　at　that　moment　the　dragoons　began
prancing　down　the　slope　in　review　order。　　She　could　not　but　wait　a
minute　or　two　to　see　them　pass。　　While　doing　so　she　was　suddenly　led
to　draw　back；　drop　the　corner　of　the　curtain；　and　blush　privately　in
her　room。　　She　had　not　only　been　seen　by　Festus　Derriman；　but　by
John　Loveday；　who；　riding　along　with　his　trumpet　slung　up　behind
him；　had　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　phenomenon　of　Derriman
beneath　Anne's　bedroom　window　and　seemed　quite　astounded　at　the
sight。

She　was　quite　vexed　at　the　conjunction　of　incidents；　and　went　no
more　to　the　window　till　the　dragoons　had　ridden　far　away　and　she　had
heard　Festus's　horse　laboriously　wade　on　to　dry　land。　　When　she
looked　out　there　was　nobody　left　but　Miller　Loveday；　who　usually
stood　in　the　garden　at　this　time　of　the　morning　to　say　a　word　or　two
to　the　soldiers；　of　whom　he　already　knew　so　many；　and　was　in　a　fair
way　of　knowing　many　more；　from　the　liberality　with　which　he　handed
round　mugs　of　cheering　liquor　whenever　parties　of　them　walked　that
way。

In　the　afternoon　of　this　day　Anne　walked　to　a　christening　party　at　a
neighbour's　in　the　adjoining　parish　of　Springham；　intending　to　walk
home　again　before　it　got　dark；　but　there　was　a　slight　fall　of　rain
towards　evening；　and　she　was　pressed　by　the　people　of　the　house　to
stay　over　the　night。　　With　some　hesitation　she　accepted　their
hospitality；　but　at　ten　o'clock；　when　they　were　thinking　of　going　to
bed；　they　were　startled　by　a　smart　rap　at　the　door；　and　on　it　being
unbolted　a　man's　form　was　seen　in　the　shadows　outside。

'Is　Miss　Garland　here？'　the　visitor　inquired；　at　which　Anne
suspended　her　breath。

'Yes；'　said　Anne's　entertainer；　warily。

'Her　mother　is　very　anxious　to　know　what's　become　of　her。　　She
promised　to　come　home。'　　To　her　great　relief　Anne　recognized　the
voice　as　John　Loveday's；　and　not　Festus　Derriman's。

'Yes；　I　did；　Mr。　Loveday；'　said　she；　coming　forward；　'but　it　rained；
and　I　thought　my　mother　would　guess　where　I　was。'

Loveday　said　with　diffidence　that　it　had　not　rained　anything　to
speak　of　at　the　camp；　or　at　the　mill；　so　that　her　mother　was　rather
alarmed。

'And　she　asked　you　to　come　for　me？'　Anne　inquired。

This　was　a　question　which　the　trumpet…major　had　been　dreading　during
the　whole　of　his　walk　thither。　　'Well；　she　didn't　exactly　ask　me；'
he　said　rather　lamely；　but　still　in　a　manner　to　show　that　Mrs。
Garland　had　indirectly　signified　such　to　be　her　wish。　　In　reality
Mrs。　Garland　had　not　addressed　him　at　all　on　the　subject。　　She　had
merely　spoken　to　his　father　on　finding　that　her　daughter　did　not
return；　and　received　an　assurance　from　the　miller　that　the　precious
girl　was　doubtless　quite　safe。　　John　heard　of　this　inquiry；　and；
having　a　pass　that　evening；　resolved　to　relieve　Mrs。　Garland's　mind
on　his　own　responsibility。　　Ever　since　his　morning　view　of　Festus
under　her　window　he　had　been　on　thorns　of　anxiety；　and　his　thrilling
hope　now　was　that　she　would　walk　back　with　him。

He　shifted　his　foot　nervously　as　he　made　the　bold　request。　　Anne
felt　at　once　that　she　would　go。　　There　was　nobody　in　the　world　whose
care　she　would　more　readily