the trumpet-major-第15节

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felt　at　once　that　she　would　go。　　There　was　nobody　in　the　world　whose
care　she　would　more　readily　be　under　than　the　trumpet…major's　in　a
case　like　the　present。　　He　was　their　nearest　neighbour's　son；　and
she　had　liked　his　single…minded　ingenuousness　from　the　first　moment
of　his　return　home。

When　they　had　started　on　their　walk；　Anne　said　in　a　practical　way；
to　show　that　there　was　no　sentiment　whatever　in　her　acceptance　of
his　company；　'Mother　was　much　alarmed　about　me；　perhaps？'

'Yes；　she　was　uneasy；'　he　said；　and　then　was　compelled　by　conscience
to　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。　　'I　know　she　was　uneasy；　because　my
father　said　so。　　But　I　did　not　see　her　myself。　　The　truth　is；　she
doesn't　know　I　am　come。'

Anne　now　saw　how　the　matter　stood；　but　she　was　not　offended　with
him。　　What　woman　could　have　been？　　They　walked　on　in　silence；　the
respectful　trumpet…major　keeping　a　yard　off　on　her　right　as
precisely　as　if　that　measure　had　been　fixed　between　them。　　She　had　a
great　feeling　of　civility　toward　him　this　evening；　and　spoke　again。
'I　often　hear　your　trumpeters　blowing　the　calls。　　They　do　it
beautifully；　I　think。'

'Pretty　fair；　they　might　do　better；'　said　he；　as　one　too
well…mannered　to　make　much　of　an　accomplishment　in　which　he　had　a
hand。

'And　you　taught　them　how　to　do　it？'

'Yes；　I　taught　them。'

'It　must　require　wonderful　practice　to　get　them　into　the　way　of
beginning　and　finishing　so　exactly　at　one　time。　　It　is　like　one
throat　doing　it　all。　　How　came　you　to　be　a　trumpeter；　Mr。　Loveday？'

'Well；　I　took　to　it　naturally　when　I　was　a　little　boy；'　said　he；
betrayed　into　quite　a　gushing　state　by　her　delightful　interest。　　'I
used　to　make　trumpets　of　paper；　eldersticks；　eltrot　stems；　and　even
stinging…nettle　stalks；　you　know。　　Then　father　set　me　to　keep　the
birds　off　that　little　barley…ground　of　his；　and　gave　me　an　old　horn
to　frighten　'em　with。　　I　learnt　to　blow　that　horn　so　that　you　could
hear　me　for　miles　and　miles。　　Then　he　bought　me　a　clarionet；　and
when　I　could　play　that　I　borrowed　a　serpent；　and　I　learned　to　play　a
tolerable　bass。　　So　when　I　'listed　I　was　picked　out　for　training　as
trumpeter　at　once。'

'Of　course　you　were。'

'Sometimes；　however；　I　wish　I　had　never　joined　the　army。　　My　father
gave　me　a　very　fair　education；　and　your　father　showed　me　how　to　draw
horses…on　a　slate；　I　mean。　　Yes；　I　ought　to　have　done　more　than　I
have。'

'What；　did　you　know　my　father？'　she　asked　with　new　interest。

'O　yes；　for　years。　　You　were　a　little　mite　of　a　thing　then；　and　you
used　to　cry　when　we　big　boys　looked　at　you；　and　made　pig's　eyes　at
you；　which　we　did　sometimes。　　Many　and　many　a　time　have　I　stood　by
your　poor　father　while　he　worked。　　Ah；　you　don't　remember　much　about
him；　but　I　do！'

Anne　remained　thoughtful；　and　the　moon　broke　from　behind　the　clouds；
lighting　up　the　wet　foliage　with　a　twinkling　brightness；　and　lending
to　each　of　the　trumpet…major's　buttons　and　spurs　a　little　ray　of　its
own。　　They　had　come　to　Oxwell　park　gate；　and　he　said；　'Do　you　like
going　across；　or　round　by　the　lane？'

'We　may　as　well　go　by　the　nearest　road；'　said　Anne。

They　entered　the　park；　following　the　half…obliterated　drive　till
they　came　almost　opposite　the　hall；　when　they　entered　a　footpath
leading　on　to　the　village。　　While　hereabout　they　heard　a　shout；　or
chorus　of　exclamation；　apparently　from　within　the　walls　of　the　dark
buildings　near　them。

'What　was　that？'　said　Anne。

'I　don't　know；'　said　her　companion。　　'I'll　go　and　see。'

He　went　round　the　intervening　swamp　of　watercress　and　brooklime
which　had　once　been　the　fish…pond；　crossed　by　a　culvert　the
trickling　brook　that　still　flowed　that　way；　and　advanced　to　the　wall
of　the　house。　　Boisterous　noises　were　resounding　from　within；　and　he
was　tempted　to　go　round　the　corner；　where　the　low　windows　were；　and
look　through　a　chink　into　the　room　whence　the　sounds　proceeded。

It　was　the　room　in　which　the　owner　dinedtraditionally　called　the
great　parlourand　within　it　sat　about　a　dozen　young　men　of　the
yeomanry　cavalry；　one　of　them　being　Festus。　　They　were　drinking；
laughing；　singing；　thumping　their　fists　on　the　tables；　and　enjoying
themselves　in　the　very　perfection　of　confusion。　　The　candles；　blown
by　the　breeze　from　the　partly　opened　window；　had　guttered　into
coffin　handles　and　shrouds；　and；　choked　by　their　long　black　wicks
for　want　of　snuffing；　gave　out　a　smoky　yellow　light。　　One　of　the
young　men　might　possibly　have　been　in　a　maudlin　state；　for　he　had
his　arm　round　the　neck　of　his　next　neighbour。　　Another　was　making　an
incoherent　speech　to　which　nobody　was　listening。　　Some　of　their
faces　were　red；　some　were　sallow；　some　were　sleepy；　some　wide　awake。
The　only　one　among　them　who　appeared　in　his　usual　frame　of　mind　was
Festus；　whose　huge；　burly　form　rose　at　the　head　of　the　table；
enjoying　with　a　serene　and　triumphant　aspect　the　difference　between
his　own　condition　and　that　of　his　neighbours。　　While　the
trumpet…major　looked；　a　young　woman；　niece　of　Anthony　Cripplestraw；
and　one　of　Uncle　Benjy's　servants；　was　called　in　by　one　of　the　crew；
and　much　against　her　will　a　fiddle　was　placed　in　her　hands；　from
which　they　made　her　produce　discordant　screeches。

The　absence　of　Uncle　Benjy　had；　in　fact；　been　contrived　by　young
Derriman　that　he　might　make　use　of　the　hall　on　his　own　account。
Cripplestraw　had　been　left　in　charge；　and　Festus　had　found　no
difficulty　in　forcing　from　that　dependent　the　keys　of　whatever　he
required。　　John　Loveday　turned　his　eyes　from　the　scene　to　the
neighbouring　moonlit　path；　where　Anne　still　stood　waiting。　　Then　he
looked　into　the　room；　then　at　Anne　again。　　It　was　an　opportunity　of
advancing　his　own　cause　with　her　by　exposing　Festus；　for　whom　he
began　to　entertain　hostile　feelings　of　no　mean　force。

'No；　I　can't　do　it；'　he　said。　　''Tis　underhand。　　Let　things　take
their　chance。'

He　moved　away；　and　then　perceived　that　Anne；　tired　of　waiting；　had
crossed　the　stream；　and　almost　come　up　with　him。

'What　is　the　noise　about？'　she　said。

'There's　company　in　the　house；'　said　Loveday。

'Company？　　Farmer　Derriman　is　not　at　home；'　said　Anne；　and　went　on
to　the　window　whence　the　rays　of　light　leaked　out；　the　trumpet…major
standing　where　he　was。　　He　saw　her　face　enter　the　beam　of
candlelight；　stay　there　for　a　moment；　and　quickly　withdraw。　　She
came　back　to　him　at　once。　　'Let　us　go　on；'　she　said。

Loveday　imagined　from　her　tone　that　she　must　have　an　interest　in
Derriman；　and　said　sadly；　'You　blame　me　for　going　across　to　the
window；　and　leading　you　to　follow　me。'

'Not　a　bit；'　said　Anne；　seeing　his　mistake　as　to　the　state　of　her
heart；　and　being　rather　angry　with　him　for　it。　　'I　think　it　was　most
natural；　considering　the　noise。'

Silence　again。　　'Derriman　is　sober　as　a　judge；'　said　Loveday；　as
they　turned　to　go。　　'It　was　only　the　others　who　were　noisy。'

'Whether　he　is　sober　or　not　is　nothing　whatever　to　me；'　said　Anne。

'Of　course　not。　　I　know　it；'　said　the　trumpet…major；　in　accents
expressing　unhappiness　at　her　somewhat　curt　tone；　and　some　doubt　of
her　assurance。

Before　they　had　emerged　from　the　shadow　of　the　hall　some　persons
were　seen　moving　along　the　road。　　Loveday　was　for　going　on　just　the
same；　but　Anne；　from　a　shy　feeling　that　it　was　as　well　not　to　be
seen　walking　alone　with　a　man　who　was　not　her　lover；　said

'Mr。　Loveday；　let　us　wait　here　a　minute　till　they　have　passed。'

On　nearer　view　the　group　was　seen　to　comprise　a　man　on　a　piebald
horse；　and　another　man　walking　beside　him。　　When　they　were　opposite
the　house　they　halted；　and　the　rider　dismounted；　whereupon　a　dispute
between　him　and　the　other　man　ensued；　apparently　on　a　question　of
money。

''Tis　old　Mr。　Derriman　come　home！'　said　Anne。　　'He　has　hired　that
horse　from　the　bathing…machine　to　bring　him。　　Only　fancy！'

Before　they　had　gone　many　steps　further　the　farmer　and　his　companion
had　ended　their　dispute；　and　the　latter　mounted　the　horse　and
cantered　away；　Uncle　Benjy　coming　on　to　the　house　at　a　nimble　pace。
As　soon　as　he　observed　Loveday　and　Anne；　he　fell　into　a　feebler
gait；　when　they　came　up　he　recognized　Anne。

'And　you　have　torn　yourself　away　from　King　George's　Esplanade　so
soon；　Farmer　Derriman？'　said　she。

'Yes；　faith！　　I　couldn't　bide　at　such　a　ruination　place；'　said　the
farmer。　　'Your　hand　in　your　pocket　every　minute　of　the　day。　　'Tis　a
shilling　for　this；　half…a…crown　for　that；　if　you　only　eat　one　egg；
or　even　a　poor　windfall　of　an　apple；　you've　got　to　pay；　and　a　bunch
o'　radishes　is　a　halfpenny；　and　a　quart　o'　cider　a　good　tuppence
three…farthings　at　lowest　reckoning。　　Nothing　without　paying！　　I
couldn't　even　get　a　ride　homeward　upon　that　screw　without　the　man
wanting　a　shilling　for　it；　when　my　weight　didn't　take　a　penny　out　of
the　beast。　　I've　saved　a　penn'orth　or　so　of　shoeleather　to　be　sure；
but　the　saddle　was　so　rough　wi'　patches　that　'a　took　twopence　out　of
the　seat　of　my　best　breeches。　　King　George　hev'　ruined　the　town　for
other　folks。　　More　than　that；　my　nephew　promised　to　come　there
to…morrow　to　see　me；　and　if　I　had　stayed　I　must　have　treated　en。
Heywhat's　that？'

It　was　a　shout　from　within　the　walls　of　the　building；　and　Loveday
said

'Your　nephew　is　here；　and　has