the trumpet-major-第22节

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the　start。



XIII。　　THE　CONVERSATION　IN　THE　CROWD

In　the　afternoon　they　drove　off；　John　Loveday　being　nowhere　visible。
All　along　the　road　they　passed　and　were　overtaken　by　vehicles　of　all
descriptions　going　in　the　same　direction；　among　them　the
extraordinary　machines　which　had　been　invented　for　the　conveyance　of
troops　to　any　point　of　the　coast　on　which　the　enemy　should　land；
they　consisted　of　four　boards　placed　across　a　sort　of　trolly；　thirty
men　of　the　volunteer　companies　riding　on　each。

The　popular　Georgian　watering…place　was　in　a　paroxysm　of　gaiety。
The　town　was　quite　overpowered　by　the　country　round；　much　to　the
town's　delight　and　profit。　　The　fear　of　invasion　was　such　that　six
frigates　lay　in　the　roads　to　ensure　the　safety　of　the　royal　family；
and　from　the　regiments　of　horse　and　foot　quartered　at　the　barracks；
or　encamped　on　the　hills　round　about；　a　picket　of　a　thousand　men
mounted　guard　every　day　in　front　of　Gloucester　Lodge；　where　the　King
resided。　　When　Anne　and　her　attendant　reached　this　point；　which　they
did　on　foot；　stabling　the　horse　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town；　it　was
about　six　o'clock。　　The　King　was　on　the　Esplanade；　and　the　soldiers
were　just　marching　past　to　mount　guard。　　The　band　formed　in　front　of
the　King；　and　all　the　officers　saluted　as　they　went　by。

Anne　now　felt　herself　close　to　and　looking　into　the　stream　of
recorded　history；　within　whose　banks　the　littlest　things　are　great；
and　outside　which　she　and　the　general　bulk　of　the　human　race　were
content　to　live　on　as　an　unreckoned；　unheeded　superfluity。

When　she　turned　from　her　interested　gaze　at　this　scene；　there　stood
John　Loveday。　　She　had　had　a　presentiment　that　he　would　turn　up　in
this　mysterious　way。　　It　was　marvellous　that　he　could　have　got　there
so　quickly；　but　there　he　wasnot　looking　at　the　King；　or　at　the
crowd；　but　waiting　for　the　turn　of　her　head。

'Trumpet…major；　I　didn't　see　you；'　said　Anne　demurely。　　'How　is　it
that　your　regiment　is　not　marching　past？'

'We　take　it　by　turns；　and　it　is　not　our　turn；'　said　Loveday。

She　wanted　to　know　then　if　they　were　afraid　that　the　King　would　be
carried　off　by　the　First　Consul。　　Yes；　Loveday　told　her；　and　his
Majesty　was　rather　venturesome。　　A　day　or　two　before　he　had　gone　so
far　to　sea　that　he　was　nearly　caught　by　some　of　the　enemy's
cruisers。　　'He　is　anxious　to　fight　Boney　single…handed；'　he　said。

'What　a　good；　brave　King！'　said　Anne。

Loveday　seemed　anxious　to　come　to　more　personal　matters。　　'Will　you
let　me　take　you　round　to　the　other　side；　where　you　can　see　better？'
he　asked。　　'The　Queen　and　the　princesses　are　at　the　window。'

Anne　passively　assented。　　'David；　wait　here　for　me；'　she　said；　'I
shall　be　back　again　in　a　few　minutes。'

The　trumpet…major　then　led　her　off　triumphantly；　and　they　skirted
the　crowd　and　came　round　on　the　side　towards　the　sands。　　He　told　her
everything　he　could　think　of；　military　and　civil；　to　which　Anne
returned　pretty　syllables　and　parenthetic　words　about　the　colour　of
the　sea　and　the　curl　of　the　foama　way　of　speaking　that　moved　the
soldier's　heart　even　more　than　long　and　direct　speeches　would　have
done。

'And　that　other　thing　I　asked　you？'　he　ventured　to　say　at　last。

'We　won't　speak　of　it。'

'You　don't　dislike　me？'

'O　no！'　she　said；　gazing　at　the　bathing…machines；　digging　children；
and　other　common　objects　of　the　seashore；　as　if　her　interest　lay
there　rather　than　with　him。

'But　I　am　not　worthy　of　the　daughter　of　a　genteel　professional　man
that's　what　you　mean？'

'There's　something　more　than　worthiness　required　in　such　cases；　you
know；'　she　said；　still　without　calling　her　mind　away　from
surrounding　scenes。　　'Ah；　there　are　the　Queen　and　princesses　at　the
window！'

'Something　more？'

'Well；　since　you　will　make　me　speak；　I　mean　the　woman　ought　to　love
the　man。'

The　trumpet…major　seemed　to　be　less　concerned　about　this　than　about
her　supposed　superiority。　　'If　it　were　all　right　on　that　point；
would　you　mind　the　other？'　he　asked；　like　a　man　who　knows　he　is　too
persistent；　yet　who　cannot　be　still。

'How　can　I　say；　when　I　don't　know？　　What　a　pretty　chip　hat　the　elder
princess　wears？'

Her　companion's　general　disappointment　extended　over　him　almost　to
his　lace　and　his　plume。　　'Your　mother　said；　you　know；　Miss　Anne'

'Yes；　that's　the　worst　of　it；'　she　said。　　'Let　us　go　back　to　David；
I　have　seen　all　I　want　to　see；　Mr。　Loveday。'

The　mass　of　the　people　had　by　this　time　noticed　the　Queen　and
princesses　at　the　window；　and　raised　a　cheer；　to　which　the　ladies
waved　their　embroidered　handkerchiefs。　　Anne　went　back　towards　the
pavement　with　her　trumpet…major；　whom　all　the　girls　envied　her；　so
fine…looking　a　soldier　was　he；　and　not　only　for　that；　but　because　it
was　well　known　that　he　was　not　a　soldier　from　necessity；　but　from
patriotism；　his　father　having　repeatedly　offered　to　set　him　up　in
business：　　his　artistic　taste　in　preferring　a　horse　and　uniform　to　a
dirty；　rumbling　flour…mill　was　admired　by　all。　　She；　too；　had　a　very
nice　appearance　in　her　best　clothes　as　she　walked　alongthe
sarcenet　hat；　muslin　shawl；　and　tight…sleeved　gown　being　of　the
newest　Overcombe　fashion；　that　was　only　about　a　year　old　in　the
adjoining　town；　and　in　London　three　or　four。　　She　could　not　be　harsh
to　Loveday　and　dismiss　him　curtly；　for　his　musical　pursuits　had
refined　him；　educated　him；　and　made　him　quite　poetical。　　To…day　he
had　been　particularly　well…mannered　and　tender；　so；　instead　of
answering；　'Never　speak　to　me　like　this　again；'　she　merely　put　him
off　with　a　'Let　us　go　back　to　David。'

When　they　reached　the　place　where　they　had　left　him　David　was　gone。

Anne　was　now　positively　vexed。　　'What　SHALL　I　do？'　she　said。

'He's　only　gone　to　drink　the　King's　health；'　said　Loveday；　who　had
privately　given　David　the　money　for　performing　that　operation。
'Depend　upon　it；　he'll　be　back　soon。'

'Will　you　go　and　find　him？'　said　she；　with　intense　propriety　in　her
looks　and　tone。

'I　will；'　said　Loveday　reluctantly；　and　he　went。

Anne　stood　still。　　She　could　now　escape　her　gallant　friend；　for；
although　the　distance　was　long；　it　was　not　impossible　to　walk　home。
On　the　other　hand；　Loveday　was　a　good　and　sincere　fellow；　for　whom
she　had　almost　a　brotherly　feeling；　and　she　shrank　from　such　a
trick。　　While　she　stood　and　mused；　scarcely　heeding　the　music；　the
marching　of　the　soldiers；　the　King；　the　dukes；　the　brilliant　staff；
the　attendants；　and　the　happy　groups　of　people；　her　eyes　fell　upon
the　ground。

Before　her　she　saw　a　flower　lyinga　crimson　sweet…williamfresh
and　uninjured。　　An　instinctive　wish　to　save　it　from　destruction　by
the　passengers'　feet　led　her　to　pick　it　up；　and　then；　moved　by　a
sudden　self…consciousness；　she　looked　around。　　She　was　standing
before　an　inn；　and　from　an　upper　window　Festus　Derriman　was　leaning
with　two　or　three　kindred　spirits　of　his　cut　and　kind。　　He　nodded
eagerly；　and　signified　to　her　that　he　had　thrown　the　flower。

What　should　she　do？　　To　throw　it　away　would　seem　stupid；　and　to　keep
it　was　awkward。　　She　held　it　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　twirled
it　round　on　its　axis　and　twirled　it　back　again；　regarding　and　yet
not　examining　it。　　Just　then　she　saw　the　trumpet…major　coming　back。

'I　can't　find　David　anywhere；'　he　said；　and　his　heart　was　not　sorry
as　he　said　it。

Anne　was　still　holding　out　the　sweet…william　as　if　about　to　drop　it；
and；　scarcely　knowing　what　she　did　under　the　distressing　sense　that
she　was　watched；　she　offered　the　flower　to　Loveday。

His　face　brightened　with　pleasure　as　he　took　it。　　'Thank　you；
indeed；'　he　said。

Then　Anne　saw　what　a　misleading　blunder　she　had　committed　towards
Loveday　in　playing　to　the　yeoman。　　Perhaps　she　had　sown　the　seeds　of
a　quarrel。

'It　was　not　my　sweet…william；'　she　said　hastily；　'it　was　lying　on
the　ground。　　I　don't　mean　anything　by　giving　it　to　you。'

'But　I'll　keep　it　all　the　same；'　said　the　innocent　soldier；　as　if　he
knew　a　good　deal　about　womankind；　and　he　put　the　flower　carefully
inside　his　jacket；　between　his　white　waistcoat　and　his　heart。

Festus；　seeing　this；　enlarged　himself　wrathfully；　got　hot　in　the
face；　rose　to　his　feet；　and　glared　down　upon　them　like　a
turnip…lantern。

'Let　us　go　away；'　said　Anne　timorously。

'I'll　see　you　safe　to　your　own　door；　depend　upon　me；'　said　Loveday。
'ButI　had　near　forgotthere's　father's　letter；　that　he's　so
anxiously　waiting　for！　　Will　you　come　with　me　to　the　post…office？
Then　I'll　take　you　straight　home。'

Anne；　expecting　Festus　to　pounce　down　every　minute；　was　glad　to　be
off　anywhere；　so　she　accepted　the　suggestion；　and　they　went　along
the　parade　together。

Loveday　set　this　down　as　a　proof　of　Anne's　relenting。　　Thus　in
joyful　spirits　he　entered　the　office；　paid　the　postage；　and　received
the　letter。

'It　is　from　Bob；　after　all！'　he　said。　　'Father　told　me　to　read　it　at
once；　in　case　of　bad　news。　　Ask　your　pardon　for　keeping　you　a
moment。'　　He　broke　the　seal　and　read；　Anne　standing　silently　by。

'He　is　coming　home　TO　BE　MARRIED；'　said　the　trumpet…major；　without
looking　up。

Anne　did　not　answer。　　The　blood　swept　impetuously　up　her　face　at　his
words；　and　as　suddenly　went　away　again；　leaving　her　rather　paler
than　before。　　S