the trumpet-major-第18节

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numbered　in　their　ranks。　　They　were　cleaning　arms；　which　they　leant
carefully　against　a　rail　when　the　work　was　complete。

On　their　return　they　passed　the　mess…house；　a　temporary　wooden
building　with　a　brick　chimney。　　As　Anne　and　her　companions　went　by；
a　group　of　three　or　four　of　the　hussars　were　standing　at　the　door
talking　to　a　dashing　young　man；　who　was　expatiating　on　the　qualities
of　a　horse　that　one　was　inclined　to　buy。　　Anne　recognized　Festus
Derriman　in　the　seller；　and　Cripplestraw　was　trotting　the　animal　up
and　down。　　As　soon　as　she　caught　the　yeoman's　eye　he　came　forward；
making　some　friendly　remark　to　the　miller；　and　then　turning　to　Miss
Garland；　who　kept　her　eyes　steadily　fixed　on　the　distant　landscape
till　he　got　so　near　that　it　was　impossible　to　do　so　longer。　　Festus
looked　from　Anne　to　the　trumpet…major；　and　from　the　trumpet…major
back　to　Anne；　with　a　dark　expression　of　face；　as　if　he　suspected
that　there　might　be　a　tender　understanding　between　them。

'Are　you　offended　with　me？'　he　said　to　her　in　a　low　voice　of
repressed　resentment。

'No；'　said　Anne。

'When　are　you　coming　to　the　hall　again？'

'Never；　perhaps。'

'Nonsense；　Anne；'　said　Mrs。　Garland；　who　had　come　near；　and　smiled
pleasantly　on　Festus。　　'You　can　go　at　any　time；　as　usual。'

'Let　her　come　with　me　now；　Mrs。　Garland；　I　should　be　pleased　to　walk
along　with　her。　　My　man　can　lead　home　the　horse。'

'Thank　you；　but　I　shall　not　come；'　said　Miss　Anne　coldly。

The　widow　looked　unhappily　in　her　daughter's　face；　distressed
between　her　desire　that　Anne　should　encourage　Festus；　and　her　wish
to　consult　Anne's　own　feelings。

'Leave　her　alone；　leave　her　alone；'　said　Festus；　his　gaze
blackening。　　'Now　I　think　of　it　I　am　glad　she　can't　come　with　me；
for　I　am　engaged；'　and　he　stalked　away。

Anne　moved　on　with　her　mother；　young　Loveday　silently　following；　and
they　began　to　descend　the　hill。

'Well；　where's　Mr。　Loveday？'　asked　Mrs。　Garland。

'Father's　behind；'　said　John。

Mrs。　Garland　looked　behind　her　solicitously；　and　the　miller；　who　had
been　waiting　for　the　event；　beckoned　to　her。

'I'll　overtake　you　in　a　minute；'　she　said　to　the　younger　pair；　and
went　back；　her　colour；　for　some　unaccountable　reason；　rising　as　she
did　so。　　The　miller　and　she　then　came　on　slowly　together；　conversing
in　very　low　tones；　and　when　they　got　to　the　bottom　they　stood　still。
Loveday　and　Anne　waited　for　them；　saying　but　little　to　each　other；
for　the　rencounter　with　Festus　had　damped　the　spirits　of　both。　　At
last　the　widow's　private　talk　with　Miller　Loveday　came　to　an　end；
and　she　hastened　onward；　the　miller　going　in　another　direction　to
meet　a　man　on　business。　　When　she　reached　the　trumpet…major　and　Anne
she　was　looking　very　bright　and　rather　flurried；　and　seemed　sorry
when　Loveday　said　that　he　must　leave　them　and　return　to　the　camp。
They　parted　in　their　usual　friendly　manner；　and　Anne　and　her　mother
were　left　to　walk　the　few　remaining　yards　alone。

'There；　I've　settled　it；'　said　Mrs。　Garland。　　'Anne；　what　are　you
thinking　about？　　I　have　settled　in　my　mind　that　it　is　all　right。'

'What's　all　right？'　said　Anne。

'That　you　do　not　care　for　Derriman；　and　mean　to　encourage　John
Loveday。　　What's　all　the　world　so　long　as　folks　are　happy！　　Child；
don't　take　any　notice　of　what　I　have　said　about　Festus；　and　don't
meet　him　any　more。'

'What　a　weathercock　you　are；　mother！　　Why　should　you　say　that　just
now？'

'It　is　easy　to　call　me　a　weathercock；'　said　the　matron；　putting　on
the　look　of　a　good　woman；　'but　I　have　reasoned　it　out；　and　at　last；
thank　God；　I　have　got　over　my　ambition。　　The　Lovedays　are　our　true
and　only　friends；　and　Mr。　Festus　Derriman；　with　all　his　money；　is
nothing　to　us　at　all。'

'But；'　said　Anne；　'what　has　made　you　change　all　of　a　sudden　from
what　you　have　said　before？'

'My　feelings　and　my　reason；　which　I　am　thankful　for！'

Anne　knew　that　her　mother's　sentiments　were　naturally　so　versatile
that　they　could　not　be　depended　on　for　two　days　together；　but　it　did
not　occur　to　her　for　the　moment　that　a　change　had　been　helped　on　in
the　present　case　by　a　romantic　talk　between　Mrs。　Garland　and　the
miller。　　But　Mrs。　Garland　could　not　keep　the　secret　long。　　She
chatted　gaily　as　she　walked；　and　before　they　had　entered　the　house
she　said；　'What　do　you　think　Mr　Loveday　has　been　saying　to　me；　dear
Anne？'

Anne　did　not　know　at　all。

'Why；　he　has　asked　me　to　marry　him。'



XI。　　OUR　PEOPLE　ARE　AFFECTED　BY　THE　PRESENCE　OF　ROYALTY

To　explain　the　miller's　sudden　proposal　it　is　only　necessary　to　go
back　to　that　moment　when　Anne；　Festus；　and　Mrs。　Garland　were　talking
together　on　the　down。　　John　Loveday　had　fallen　behind　so　as　not　to
interfere　with　a　meeting　in　which　he　was　decidedly　superfluous；　and
his　father；　who　guessed　the　trumpet…major's　secret；　watched　his　face
as　he　stood。　　John's　face　was　sad；　and　his　eyes　followed　Mrs。
Garland's　encouraging　manner　to　Festus　in　a　way　which　plainly　said
that　every　parting　of　her　lips　was　tribulation　to　him。　　The　miller
loved　his　son　as　much　as　any　miller　or　private　gentleman　could　do；
and　he　was　pained　to　see　John's　gloom　at　such　a　trivial
circumstance。　　So　what　did　he　resolve　but　to　help　John　there　and
then　by　precipitating　a　matter　which；　had　he　himself　been　the　only
person　concerned；　he　would　have　delayed　for　another　six　months。

He　had　long　liked　the　society　of　his　impulsive；　tractable　neighbour；
Mrs。　Garland；　had　mentally　taken　her　up　and　pondered　her　in
connexion　with　the　question　whether　it　would　not　be　for　the
happiness　of　both　if　she　were　to　share　his　home；　even　though　she　was
a　little　his　superior　in　antecedents　and　knowledge。　　In　fact　he
loved　her；　not　tragically；　but　to　a　very　creditable　extent　for　his
years；　that　is；　next　to　his　sons；　Bob　and　John；　though　he　knew　very
well　of　that　ploughed…ground　appearance　near　the　corners　of　her　once
handsome　eyes；　and　that　the　little　depression　in　her　right　cheek　was
not　the　lingering　dimple　it　was　poetically　assumed　to　be；　but　a
result　of　the　abstraction　of　some　worn…out　nether　millstones　within
the　cheek　by　Rootle；　the　Budmouth　man；　who　lived　by　such　practices
on　the　heads　of　the　elderly。　　But　what　of　that；　when　he　had　lost　two
to　each　one　of　hers；　and　exceeded　her　in　age　by　some　eight　years！
To　do　John　a　service；　then；　he　quickened　his　designs；　and　put　the
question　to　her　while　they　were　standing　under　the　eyes　of　the
younger　pair。

Mrs。　Garland；　though　she　had　been　interested　in　the　miller　for　a
long　time；　and　had　for　a　moment　now　and　then　thought　on　this
question　as　far　as；　'Suppose　he　should；　'If　he　were　to；'　and　so　on；
had　never　thought　much　further；　and　she　was　really　taken　by　surprise
when　the　question　came。　　She　answered　without　affectation　that　she
would　think　over　the　proposal；　and　thus　they　parted。

Her　mother's　infirmity　of　purpose　set　Anne　thinking；　and　she　was
suddenly　filled　with　a　conviction　that　in　such　a　case　she　ought　to
have　some　purpose　herself。　　Mrs。　Garland's　complacency　at　the
miller's　offer　had；　in　truth；　amazed　her。　　While　her　mother　had　held
up　her　head；　and　recommended　Festus；　it　had　seemed　a　very　pretty
thing　to　rebel；　but　the　pressure　being　removed　an　awful　sense　of　her
own　responsibility　took　possession　of　her　mind。　　As　there　was　no
longer　anybody　to　be　wise　or　ambitious　for　her；　surely　she　should　be
wise　and　ambitious　for　herself；　discountenance　her　mother's
attachment；　and　encourage　Festus　in　his　addresses；　for　her　own　and
her　mother's　good。　　There　had　been　a　time　when　a　Loveday　thrilled
her　own　heart；　but　that　was　long　ago；　before　she　had　thought　of
position　or　differences。　　To　wake　into　cold　daylight　like　this；　when
and　because　her　mother　had　gone　into　the　land　of　romance；　was
dreadful　and　new　to　her；　and　like　an　increase　of　years　without
living　them。

But　it　was　easier　to　think　that　she　ought　to　marry　the　yeoman　than
to　take　steps　for　doing　it；　and　she　went　on　living　just　as　before；
only　with　a　little　more　thoughtfulness　in　her　eyes。

Two　days　after　the　visit　to　the　camp；　when　she　was　again　in　the
garden；　Soldier　Loveday　said　to　her；　at　a　distance　of　five　rows　of
beans　and　a　parsley…bed

'You　have　heard　the　news；　Miss　Garland？'

'No；'　said　Anne；　without　looking　up　from　a　book　she　was　reading。

'The　King　is　coming　to…morrow。'

'The　King？'　She　looked　up　then。

'Yes；　to　Gloucester　Lodge；　and　he　will　pass　this　way。　　He　can't
arrive　till　long　past　the　middle　of　the　night；　if　what　they　say　is
true；　that　he　is　timed　to　change　horses　at　Woodyates　Innbetween
Mid　and　South　Wessexat　twelve　o'clock；'　continued　Loveday；
encouraged　by　her　interest　to　cut　off　the　parsley…bed　from　the
distance　between　them。

Miller　Loveday　came　round　the　corner　of　the　house。

'Have　ye　heard　about　the　King　coming；　Miss　Maidy　Anne？'　he　said。

Anne　said　that　she　had　just　heard　of　it；　and　the　trumpet…major；　who
hardly　welcomed　his　father　at　such　a　moment；　explained　what　he　knew
of　the　matter。

'And　you　will　go　with　your　regiment　to　meet　'en；　I　suppose？'　said
old　Loveday。

Young　Loveday　said　that　the　men　of　the　German　Legion　were　to　perform
that　duty。　　And　turning　half　from　his　father；　and　half　towards　Anne；
he　added；　in　a　tentative　tone；　tha