the trumpet-major-第17节

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Anne　was　so　flurried　by　the　military　incidents　attending　her　return
home　that　she　was　almost　afraid　to　venture　alone　outside　her
mother's　premises。　　Moreover；　the　numerous　soldiers；　regular　and
otherwise；　that　haunted　Overcombe　and　its　neighbourhood；　were
getting　better　acquainted　with　the　villagers；　and　the　result　was
that　they　were　always　standing　at　garden　gates；　walking　in　the
orchards；　or　sitting　gossiping　just　within　cottage　doors；　with　the
bowls　of　their　tobacco…pipes　thrust　outside　for　politeness'　sake；
that　they　might　not　defile　the　air　of　the　household。　　Being
gentlemen　of　a　gallant　and　most　affectionate　nature；　they　naturally
turned　their　heads　and　smiled　if　a　pretty　girl　passed　by；　which　was
rather　disconcerting　to　the　latter　if　she　were　unused　to　society。
Every　belle　in　the　village　soon　had　a　lover；　and　when　the　belles
were　all　allotted　those　who　scarcely　deserved　that　title　had　their
turn；　many　of　the　soldiers　being　not　at　all　particular　about
half…an…inch　of　nose　more　or　less；　a　trifling　deficiency　of　teeth；
or　a　larger　crop　of　freckles　than　is　customary　in　the　Saxon　race。
Thus；　with　one　and　another；　courtship　began　to　be　practised　in
Overcombe　on　rather　a　large　scale；　and　the　dispossessed　young　men
who　had　been　born　in　the　place　were　left　to　take　their　walks　alone；
where；　instead　of　studying　the　works　of　nature；　they　meditated　gross
outrages　on　the　brave　men　who　had　been　so　good　as　to　visit　their
village。

Anne　watched　these　romantic　proceedings　from　her　window　with　much
interest；　and　when　she　saw　how　triumphantly　other　handsome　girls　of
the　neighbourhood　walked　by　on　the　gorgeous　arms　of　Lieutenant
Knockheelmann；　Cornet　Flitzenhart；　and　Captain　Klaspenkissen；　of　the
thrilling　York　Hussars；　who　swore　the　most　picturesque　foreign
oaths；　and　had　a　wonderful　sort　of　estate　or　property　called　the
Vaterland　in　their　country　across　the　sea；　she　was　filled　with　a
sense　of　her　own　loneliness。　　It　made　her　think　of　things　which　she
tried　to　forget；　and　to　look　into　a　little　drawer　at　something　soft
and　brown　that　lay　in　a　curl　there；　wrapped　in　paper。　　At　last　she
could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　went　downstairs。

'Where　are　you　going？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'To　see　the　folks；　because　I　am　so　gloomy！'

'Certainly　not　at　present；　Anne。'

'Why　not；　mother？'　said　Anne；　blushing　with　an　indefinite　sense　of
being　very　wicked。

'Because　you　must　not。　　I　have　been　going　to　tell　you　several　times
not　to　go　into　the　street　at　this　time　of　day。　　Why　not　walk　in　the
morning？　　There's　young　Mr。　Derriman　would　be　glad　to'

'Don't　mention　him；　mother；　don't！'

'Well　then；　dear；　walk　in　the　garden。'

So　poor　Anne；　who　really　had　not　the　slightest　wish　to　throw　her
heart　away　upon　a　soldier；　but　merely　wanted　to　displace　old
thoughts　by　new；　turned　into　the　inner　garden　from　day　to　day；　and
passed　a　good　many　hours　there；　the　pleasant　birds　singing　to　her；
and　the　delightful　butterflies　alighting　on　her　hat；　and　the　horrid
ants　running　up　her　stockings。

This　garden　was　undivided　from　Loveday's；　the　two　having　originally
been　the　single　garden　of　the　whole　house。　　It　was　a　quaint　old
place；　enclosed　by　a　thorn　hedge　so　shapely　and　dense　from　incessant
clipping　that　the　mill…boy　could　walk　along　the　top　without　sinking
ina　feat　which　he　often　performed　as　a　means　of　filling　out　his
day's　work。　　The　soil　within　was　of　that　intense　fat　blackness　which
is　only　seen　after　a　century　of　constant　cultivation。　　The　paths
were　grassed　over；　so　that　people　came　and　went　upon　them　without
being　heard。　　The　grass　harboured　slugs；　and　on　this　account　the
miller　was　going　to　replace　it　by　gravel　as　soon　as　he　had　time；　but
as　he　had　said　this　for　thirty　years　without　doing　it；　the　grass　and
the　slugs　seemed　likely　to　remain。

The　miller's　man　attended　to　Mrs。　Garland's　piece　of　the　garden　as
well　as　to　the　larger　portion；　digging；　planting；　and　weeding
indifferently　in　both；　the　miller　observing　with　reason　that　it　was
not　worth　while　for　a　helpless　widow　lady　to　hire　a　man　for　her
little　plot　when　his　man；　working　alongside；　could　tend　it　without
much　addition　to　his　labour。　　The　two　households　were　on　this
account　even　more　closely　united　in　the　garden　than　within　the　mill。
Out　there　they　were　almost　one　family；　and　they　talked　from　plot　to
plot　with　a　zest　and　animation　which　Mrs。　Garland　could　never　have
anticipated　when　she　first　removed　thither　after　her　husband's
death。

The　lower　half　of　the　garden；　farthest　from　the　road；　was　the　most
snug　and　sheltered　part　of　this　snug　and　sheltered　enclosure；　and　it
was　well　watered　as　the　land　of　Lot。　　Three　small　brooks；　about　a
yard　wide；　ran　with　a　tinkling　sound　from　side　to　side　between　the
plots；　crossing　the　path　under　wood　slabs　laid　as　bridges；　and
passing　out　of　the　garden　through　little　tunnels　in　the　hedge。　　The
brooks　were　so　far　overhung　at　their　brinks　by　grass　and　garden
produce　that；　had　it　not　been　for　their　perpetual　babbling；　few
would　have　noticed　that　they　were　there。　　This　was　where　Anne　liked
best　to　linger　when　her　excursions　became　restricted　to　her　own
premises；　and　in　a　spot　of　the　garden　not　far　removed　the
trumpet…major　loved　to　linger　also。

Having　by　virtue　of　his　office　no　stable　duty　to　perform；　he　came
down　from　the　camp　to　the　mill　almost　every　day；　and　Anne；　finding
that　he　adroitly　walked　and　sat　in　his　father's　portion　of　the
garden　whenever　she　did　so　in　the　other　half；　could　not　help　smiling
and　speaking　to　him。　　So　his　epaulettes　and　blue　jacket；　and　Anne's
yellow　gipsy　hat；　were　often　seen　in　different　parts　of　the　garden
at　the　same　time；　but　he　never　intruded　into　her　part　of　the
enclosure；　nor　did　she　into　Loveday's。　　She　always　spoke　to　him　when
she　saw　him　there；　and　he　replied　in　deep；　firm　accents　across　the
gooseberry　bushes；　or　through　the　tall　rows　of　flowering　peas；　as
the　case　might　be。　　He　thus　gave　her　accounts　at　fifteen　paces　of
his　experiences　in　camp；　in　quarters；　in　Flanders；　and　elsewhere；　of
the　difference　between　line　and　column；　of　forced　marches；
billeting；　and　such…like；　together　with　his　hopes　of　promotion。
Anne　listened　at　first　indifferently；　but　knowing　no　one　else　so
good…natured　and　experienced；　she　grew　interested　in　him　as　in　a
brother。　　By　degrees　his　gold　lace；　buckles；　and　spurs　lost　all
their　strangeness　and　were　as　familiar　to　her　as　her　own　clothes。

At　last　Mrs。　Garland　noticed　this　growing　friendship；　and　began　to
despair　of　her　motherly　scheme　of　uniting　Anne　to　the　moneyed
Festus。　　Why　she　could　not　take　prompt　steps　to　check　interference
with　her　plans　arose　partly　from　her　nature；　which　was　the　reverse
of　managing；　and　partly　from　a　new　emotional　circumstance　with　which
she　found　it　difficult　to　reckon。　　The　near　neighbourhood　that　had
produced　the　friendship　of　Anne　for　John　Loveday　was　slowly
effecting　a　warmer　liking　between　her　mother　and　his　father。

Thus　the　month　of　July　passed。　　The　troop　horses　came　with　the
regularity　of　clockwork　twice　a　day　down　to　drink　under　her　window；
and；　as　the　weather　grew　hotter；　kicked　up　their　heels　and　shook
their　heads　furiously　under　the　maddening　sting　of　the　dun…fly。　　The
green　leaves　in　the　garden　became　of　a　darker　dye；　the　gooseberries
ripened；　and　the　three　brooks　were　reduced　to　half　their　winter
volume。

At　length　the　earnest　trumpet…major　obtained　Mrs。　Garland's　consent
to　take　her　and　her　daughter　to　the　camp；　which　they　had　not　yet
viewed　from　any　closer　point　than　their　own　windows。　　So　one
afternoon　they　went；　the　miller　being　one　of　the　party。　　The
villagers　were　by　this　time　driving　a　roaring　trade　with　the
soldiers；　who　purchased　of　them　every　description　of　garden　produce；
milk；　butter；　and　eggs　at　liberal　prices。　　The　figures　of　these
rural　sutlers　could　be　seen　creeping　up　the　slopes；　laden　like　bees；
to　a　spot　in　the　rear　of　the　camp；　where　there　was　a　kind　of
market…place　on　the　greensward。

Mrs。　Garland；　Anne；　and　the　miller　were　conducted　from　one　place　to
another；　and　on　to　the　quarter　where　the　soldiers'　wives　lived　who
had　not　been　able　to　get　lodgings　in　the　cottages　near。　　The　most
sheltered　place　had　been　chosen　for　them；　and　snug　huts　had　been
built　for　their　use　by　their　husbands；　of　clods；　hurdles；　a　little
thatch；　or　whatever　they　could　lay　hands　on。　　The　trumpet…major
conducted　his　friends　thence　to　the　large　barn　which　had　been
appropriated　as　a　hospital；　and　to　the　cottage　with　its　windows
bricked　up；　that　was　used　as　the　magazine；　then　they　inspected　the
lines　of　shining　dark　horses　（each　representing　the　then　high　figure
of　two…and…twenty　guineas　purchase　money）；　standing　patiently　at　the
ropes　which　stretched　from　one　picket…post　to　another；　a　bank　being
thrown　up　in　front　of　them　as　a　protection　at　night。

They　passed　on　to　the　tents　of　the　German　Legion；　a　well…grown　and
rather　dandy　set　of　men；　with　a　poetical　look　about　their　faces
which　rendered　them　interesting　to　feminine　eyes。　　Hanoverians；
Saxons；　Prussians；　Swedes；　Hungarians；　and　other　foreigners　were
numbered　in　their　ranks。　　They　were　cleaning　arms；　which　they　leant
carefully　against　a　rail　when　the　work　was　complete。

On　their