the trumpet-major-第23节

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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。　　She　disguised　her　agitation　and　then　overcame　it；
Loveday　observing　nothing　of　this　emotional　performance。

'As　far　as　I　can　understand　he　will　be　here　Saturday；'　he　said。

'Indeed！'　said　Anne　quite　calmly。　　'And　who　is　he　going　to　marry？'

'That　I　don't　know；'　said　John；　turning　the　letter　about。　　'The
woman　is　a　stranger。'

At　this　moment　the　miller　entered　the　office　hastily。

'Come；　John；'　he　cried；　'I　have　been　waiting　and　waiting　for　that
there　letter　till　I　was　nigh　crazy！'

John　briefly　explained　the　news；　and　when　his　father　had　recovered
from　his　astonishment；　taken　off　his　hat；　and　wiped　the　exact　line
where　his　forehead　joined　his　hair；　he　walked　with　Anne　up　the
street；　leaving　John　to　return　alone。　　The　miller　was　so　absorbed　in
his　mental　perspective　of　Bob's　marriage；　that　he　saw　nothing　of　the
gaieties　they　passed　through；　and　Anne　seemed　also　so　much　impressed
by　the　same　intelligence；　that　she　crossed　before　the　inn　occupied
by　Festus　without　showing　a　recollection　of　his　presence　there。



XIV。　　LATER　IN　THE　EVENING　OF　THE　SAME　DAY

When　they　reached　home　the　sun　was　going　down。　　It　had　already　been
noised　abroad　that　miller　Loveday　had　received　a　letter；　and；　his
cart　having　been　heard　coming　up　the　lane；　the　population　of
Overcombe　drew　down　towards　the　mill　as　soon　as　he　had　gone　indoors…
…a　sudden　flash　of　brightness　from　the　window　showing　that　he　had
struck　such　an　early　light　as　nothing　but　the　immediate　deciphering
of　literature　could　require。　　Letters　were　matters　of　public　moment；
and　everybody　in　the　parish　had　an　interest　in　the　reading　of　those
rare　documents；　so　that　when　the　miller　had　placed　the　candle；
slanted　himself；　and　called　in　Mrs。　Garland　to　have　her　opinion　on
the　meaning　of　any　hieroglyphics　that　he　might　encounter　in　his
course；　he　found　that　he　was　to　be　additionally　assisted　by　the
opinions　of　the　other　neighbours；　whose　persons　appeared　in　the
doorway；　partly　covering　each　other　like　a　hand　of　cards；　yet　each
showing　a　large　enough　piece　of　himself　for　identification。　　To　pass
the　time　while　they　were　arranging　themselves；　the　miller　adopted
his　usual　way　of　filling　up　casual　intervals；　that　of　snuffing　the
candle。

'We　heard　you　had　got　a　letter；　Maister　Loveday；'　they　said。

'Yes；　〃Southampton；　the　twelfth　of　August；　dear　father；〃'　said
Loveday；　and　they　were　as　silent　as　relations　at　the　reading　of　a
will。　　Anne；　for　whom　the　letter　had　a　singular　fascination；　came　in
with　her　mother　and　sat　down。

Bob　stated　in　his　own　way　that　having；　since　landing；　taken　into
consideration　his　father's　wish　that　he　should　renounce　a　seafaring
life　and　become　a　partner　in　the　mill；　he　had　decided　to　agree　to
the　proposal；　and　with　that　object　in　view　he　would　return　to
Overcombe　in　three　days　from　the　time　of　writing。

He　then　said　incidentally　that　since　his　voyage　he　had　been　in
lodgings　at　Southampton；　and　during　that　time　had　become　acquainted
with　a　lovely　and　virtuous　young　maiden；　in　whom　he　found　the　exact
qualities　necessary　to　his　happiness。　　Having　known　this　lady　for
the　full　space　of　a　fortnight　he　had　had　ample　opportunities　of
studying　her　character；　and；　being　struck　with　the　recollection
that；　if　there　was　one　thing　more　than　another　necessary　in　a　mill
which　had　no　mistress；　it　was　somebody　who　could　play　that　part　with
grace　and　dignity；　he　had　asked　Miss　Matilda　Johnson　to　be　his　wife。
In　her　kindness　she；　though　sacrificing　far　better　prospects；　had
agreed；　and　he　could　not　but　regard　it　as　a　happy　chance　that　he
should　have　found　at　the　nick　of　time　such　a　woman　to　adorn　his
home；　whose　innocence　was　as　stunning　as　her　beauty。　　Without　much
ado；　therefore；　he　and　she　had　arranged　to　be　married　at　once；　and
at　Overcombe；　that　his　father　might　not　be　deprived　of　the　pleasures
of　the　wedding　feast。　　She　had　kindly　consented　to　follow　him　by
land　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；　and　to　live　in　the　house　as　their
guest　for　the　week　or　so　previous　to　the　ceremony。

''Tis　a　proper　good　letter；'　said　Mrs。　Comfort　from　the　background。
'I　never　heerd　true　love　better　put　out　of　hand　in　my　life；　and　they
seem　'nation　fond　of　one　another。'

'He　haven't　knowed　her　such　a　very　long　time；'　said　Job　Mitchell
dubiously。

'That's　nothing；'　said　Esther　Beach。　　'Nater　will　find　her　way；　very
rapid　when　the　time's　come　for't。　　Well；　'tis　good　news　for　ye；
miller。'

'Yes；　sure；　I　hope　'tis；'　said　Loveday；　without；　however；　showing
any　great　hurry　to　burst　into　the　frantic　form　of　fatherly　joy　which
the　event　should　naturally　have　produced；　seeming　more　disposed　to
let　off　his　feelings　by　examining　thoroughly　into　the　fibres　of　the
letter…paper。

'I　was　five　years　a…courting　my　wife；'　he　presently　remarked。　　'But
folks　were　slower　about　everything　in　them　days。　　Well；　since　she's
coming　we　must　make　her　welcome。　　Did　any　of　ye　catch　by　my　reading
which　day　it　is　he　means？　　What　with　making　out　the　penmanship；　my
mind　was　drawn　off　from　the　sense　here　and　there。'

'He　says　in　three　days；'　said　Mrs。　Garland。　　'The　date　of　the　letter
will　fix　it。'

On　examination　it　was　found　that　the　day　appointed　was　the　one
nearly　expired；　at　which　the　miller　jumped　up　and　said；　'Then　he'll
be　here　before　bedtime。　　I　didn't　gather　till　now　that　he　was　coming
afore　Saturday。　　Why；　he　may　drop　in　this　very　minute！'

He　had　scarcely　spoken　when　footsteps　were　heard　coming　along　the
front；　and　they　presently　halted　at　the　door。　　Loveday　pushed
through　the　neighbours　and　rushed　out；　and；　seeing　in　the　passage　a
form　which　obscured　the　declining　light；　the　miller　seized　hold　of
him；　saying；　'O　my　dear　Bob；　then　you　are　come！'

'Scrounch　it　all；　miller；　don't　quite　pull　my　poor　shoulder　out　of
joint！　　Whatever　is　the　matter？'　said　the　new…comer；　trying　to
release　himself　from　Loveday's　grasp　of　affection。　　It　was　Uncle
Benjy。

'Thought　'twas　my　son！'　faltered　the　miller；　sinking　back　upon　the
toes　of　the　neighbours　who　had　closely　followed　him　into　the　entry。
'Well；　come　in；　Mr。　Derriman；　and　make　yerself　at　home。　　Why；　you
haven't　been　here　for　years！　　Whatever　has　made　you　come　now；　sir；
of　all　times　in　the　world？'

'Is　he　in　there　with　ye？'　whispered　the　farmer　with　misgiving。

'Who？'

'My　nephew；　after　that　maid　that　he's　so　mighty　smit　with？'

'O　no；　he　never　calls　here。'

Farmer　Derriman　breathed　a　breath　of　relief。　　'Well；　I've　called　to
tell　ye；'　he　said；　'that　there's　more　news　of　the　French。　　We　shall
have　'em　here　this　month　as　sure　as　a　gun。　　The　gunboats　be　all
readynear　two　thousand　of　'emand　the　whole　army　is　at　Boulogne。
And；　miller；　I　know　ye　to　be　an　honest　man。'

Loveday　did　not　say　nay。

'Neighbour　Loveday；　I　know　ye　to　be　an　honest　man；'　repeated　the　old
squireen。　　'Can　I　speak　to　ye　alone？'

As　the　house　was　full；　Loveday　took　him　into　the　garden；　all　the
while　upon　tenter…hooks；　not　lest　Buonaparte　should　appear　in　their
midst；　but　lest　Bob　should　come　whilst　he　was　not　there　to　receive
him。　　When　they　had　got　into　a　corner　Uncle　Benjy　said；　'Miller；
what　with　the　French；　and　what　with　my　nephew　Festus；　I　assure　ye　my
life　is　nothing　but　wherrit　from　morning　to　night。　　Miller　Loveday；
you　are　an　honest　man。'

Loveday　nodded。

'Well；　I've　come　to　ask　a　favourto　ask　if　you　will　take　charge　of
my　few　poor　title…deeds　and　documents　and　suchlike；　while　I　am　away
from　home　next　week；　lest　anything　should　befall　me；　and　they　should
be　stole　away　by　Boney　or　Festus；　and　I　should　have　nothing　left　in
the　wide　world？　　I　can　trust　neither　banks　nor　lawyers　in　these
terrible　times；　and　I　am　come　to　you。'

Loveday　after　some　hesitation　agreed　to　take　care　of　anything　that
Derriman　should　bring；　whereupon　the　farmer　said　he　would　call　with
the　parchments　and　papers　alluded　to　in　the　course　of　a　week。
Derriman　then　went　away　by　the　garden　gate；　mounted　his　pony；　which
had　been　tethered　outside；　and　rode　on　till　his　form　was　lost　in　the
shades。

The　miller　rejoined　his　friends；　and　found　that　in　the　meantime　John
had　arrived。　　John　informed　the　company　that　after　parting　from　his
father　and　Anne　he　had　rambled　to　the　harbour；　and　discovered　the
Pewit　by　the　quay。　　On　inquiry　he　had　learnt　that　she　came　in　at
eleven　o'clock；　and　that　Bob　had　gone　ashore。

'We'll　go　and　meet　him；'　said　the　miller。　　''Tis　still　light　out　of
doors。'

So；　as　the　dew　rose　from　the　meads　and　formed　fleeces　in　the
hollows；　Loveday　and　his　friends　and　neighbours　strolled　out；　and
loitered　by　the　stiles　which　hampered　the　footpath　from　Overcombe　to
the　high　road　at　intervals　of　a　hundred　yards。　　John　Loveday；　being
obliged　to　return　to　camp；　was　unable　to　accompany　them；　but　Widow
Garland　thought　proper　to　fall　in　with　the　procession。　　When　she　had
put　on　her　bonnet　she　called　to　her　daughter。　　Anne　said　from
upstairs　that　she　was　coming　in　a　minute；　and　her　mother　walked　on
without　her。

What　was　Anne　doing？　　Having　hastily　unlocked　a　receptacle　for
emotional　objects　of　small　size；　she　took　thence　the　little　fold