the trumpet-major-第29节

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the　camp；'　said　the　miller。

'Don't　force　her；　she's　tired　with　her　long　journey；'　said　Mrs。
Garland　humanely；　the　widow　having　come　out　in　the　general　wish　to
see　Captain　Bob's　choice。　　Indeed；　they　all　behaved　towards　her　as
if　she　were　a　tender　exotic；　which　their　crude　country　manners　might
seriously　injure。

She　went　into　the　house；　accompanied　by　Mrs。　Garland　and　her
daughter；　though　before　leaving　Bob　she　managed　to　whisper　in　his
ear；　'Don't　tell　them　I　came　by　waggon；　will　you；　dear？'a　request
which　was　quite　needless；　for　Bob　had　long　ago　determined　to　keep
that　a　dead　secret；　not　because　it　was　an　uncommon　mode　of　travel；
but　simply　that　it　was　hardly　the　usual　conveyance　for　a　gorgeous
lady　to　her　bridal。

As　the　men　had　a　feeling　that　they　would　be　superfluous　indoors　just
at　present；　the　miller　assisted　David　in　taking　the　horse　round　to
the　stables；　Bob　following；　and　leaving　Matilda　to　the　women。
Indoors；　Miss　Johnson　admired　everything：　　the　new　parrots　and
marmosets；　the　black　beams　of　the　ceiling；　the　double…corner
cupboard　with　the　glass　doors；　through　which　gleamed　the　remainders
of　sundry　china　sets　acquired　by　Bob's　mother　in　her　housekeeping
two…handled　sugar…basins；　no…handled　tea…cups；　a　tea…pot　like　a
pagoda；　and　a　cream…jug　in　the　form　of　a　spotted　cow。　　This
sociability　in　their　visitor　was　returned　by　Mrs。　Garland　and　Anne；
and　Miss　Johnson's　pleasing　habit　of　partly　dying　whenever　she　heard
any　unusual　bark　or　bellow　added　to　her　piquancy　in　their　eyes。　　But
conversation；　as　such；　was　naturally　at　first　of　a　nervous；
tentative　kind；　in　which；　as　in　the　works　of　some　minor　poets；　the
sense　was　considerably　led　by　the　sound。

'You　get　the　sea…breezes　here；　no　doubt？'

'O　yes；　dear；　when　the　wind　is　that　way。'

'Do　you　like　windy　weather？'

'Yes；　though　not　now；　for　it　blows　down　the　young　apples。'

'Apples　are　plentiful；　it　seems。　　You　country…folk　call　St。
Swithin's　their　christening　day；　if　it　rains？'

'Yes；　dear。　　Ah　me！　I　have　not　been　to　a　christening　for　these　many
years；　the　baby's　name　was　George；　I　rememberafter　the　King。'

'I　hear　that　King　George　is　still　staying　at　the　town　here。　　I　HOPE
he'll　stay　till　I　have　seen　him！'

'He'll　wait　till　the　corn　turns　yellow；　he　always　does。'

'How　VERY　fashionable　yellow　is　getting　for　gloves　just　now！'

'Yes。　　Some　persons　wear　them　to　the　elbow；　I　hear。'

'Do　they？　　I　was　not　aware　of　that。　　I　struck　my　elbow　last　week　so
hard　against　the　door　of　my　aunt's　mansion　that　I　feel　the　ache
now。'

Before　they　were　quite　overwhelmed　by　the　interest　of　this
discourse；　the　miller　and　Bob　came　in。　　In　truth；　Mrs。　Garland　found
the　office　in　which　he　had　placed　herthat　of　introducing　a　strange
woman　to　a　house　which　was　not　the　widow's　owna　rather　awkward
one；　and　yet　almost　a　necessity。　　There　was　no　woman　belonging　to
the　house　except　that　wondrous　compendium　of　usefulness；　the
intermittent　maid…servant；　whom　Loveday　had；　for　appearances；
borrowed　from　Mrs。　Garland；　and　Mrs。　Garland　was　in　the　habit　of
borrowing　from　the　girl's　mother。　　And　as　for　the　demi…woman　David；
he　had　been　informed　as　peremptorily　as　Pharaoh's　baker　that　the
office　of　housemaid　and　bedmaker　was　taken　from　him；　and　would　be
given　to　this　girl　till　the　wedding　was　over；　and　Bob's　wife　took
the　management　into　her　own　hands。

They　all　sat　down　to　high　tea；　Anne　and　her　mother　included；　and　the
captain　sitting　next　to　Miss　Johnson。　　Anne　had　put　a　brave　face
upon　the　matteroutwardly；　at　leastand　seemed　in　a　fair　way　of
subduing　any　lingering　sentiment　which　Bob's　return　had　revived。
During　the　evening；　and　while　they　still　sat　over　the　meal；　John
came　down　on　a　hurried　visit；　as　he　had　promised；　ostensibly　on
purpose　to　be　introduced　to　his　intended　sister…in…law；　but　much
more　to　get　a　word　and　a　smile　from　his　beloved　Anne。　　Before　they
saw　him；　they　heard　the　trumpet…major's　smart　step　coming　round　the
corner　of　the　house；　and　in　a　moment　his　form　darkened　the　door。　　As
it　was　Sunday；　he　appeared　in　his　full…dress　laced　coat；　white
waistcoat　and　breeches；　and　towering　plume；　the　latter　of　which　he
instantly　lowered；　as　much　from　necessity　as　good　manners；　the　beam
in　the　mill…house　ceiling　having　a　tendency　to　smash　and　ruin　all
such　head…gear　without　warning。

'John；　we've　been　hoping　you　would　come　down；'　said　the　miller；　'and
so　we　have　kept　the　tay　about　on　purpose。　　Draw　up；　and　speak　to
Mrs。　Matilda　Johnson。　。　。　。　Ma'am；　this　is　Robert's　brother。'

'Your　humble　servant；　ma'am；'　said　the　trumpet…major　gallantly。

As　it　was　getting　dusk　in　the　low；　small…paned　room；　he
instinctively　moved　towards　Miss　Johnson　as　he　spoke；　who　sat　with
her　back　to　the　window。　　He　had　no　sooner　noticed　her　features　than
his　helmet　nearly　fell　from　his　hand；　his　face　became　suddenly
fixed；　and　his　natural　complexion　took　itself　off；　leaving　a
greenish　yellow　in　its　stead。　　The　young　person；　on　her　part；　had　no
sooner　looked　closely　at　him　than　she　said　weakly；　'Robert's
brother！'　and　changed　colour　yet　more　rapidly　than　the　soldier　had
done。　　The　faintness；　previously　half　counterfeit；　seized　on　her　now
in　real　earnest。

'I　don't　feel　well；'　she　said；　suddenly　rising　by　an　effort。　　'This
warm　day　has　quite　upset　me！'

There　was　a　regular　collapse　of　the　tea…party；　like　that　of　the
Hamlet　play　scene。　　Bob　seized　his　sweetheart　and　carried　her
upstairs；　the　miller　exclaiming；　'Ah；　she's　terribly　worn　by　the
journey！　　I　thought　she　was　when　I　saw　her　nearly　go　off　at　the
blare　of　the　cow。　　No　woman　would　have　been　frightened　at　that　if
she'd　been　up　to　her　natural　strength。'

'That；　and　being　so　very　shy　of　men；　too；　must　have　made　John's
handsome　regimentals　quite　overpowering　to　her；　poor　thing；'　added
Mrs。　Garland；　following　the　catastrophic　young　lady　upstairs；　whose
indisposition　was　this　time　beyond　question。　　And　yet；　by　some
perversity　of　the　heart；　she　was　as　eager　now　to　make　light　of　her
faintness　as　she　had　been　to　make　much　of　it　two　or　three　hours　ago。

The　miller　and　John　stood　like　straight　sticks　in　the　room　the
others　had　quitted；　John's　face　being　hastily　turned　towards　a
caricature　of　Buonaparte　on　the　wall　that　he　had　not　seen　more　than
a　hundred　and　fifty　times　before。

'Come；　sit　down　and　have　a　dish　of　tea；　anyhow；'　said　his　father　at
last。　　'She'll　soon　be　right　again；　no　doubt。'

'Thanks；　I　don't　want　any　tea；'　said　John　quickly。　　And；　indeed；　he
did　not；　for　he　was　in　one　gigantic　ache　from　head　to　foot。

The　light　had　been　too　dim　for　anybody　to　notice　his　amazement；　and
not　knowing　where　to　vent　it；　the　trumpet…major　said　he　was　going
out　for　a　minute。　　He　hastened　to　the　bakehouse；　but　David　being
there；　he　went　to　the　pantry；　but　the　maid　being　there；　he　went　to
the　cart…shed；　but　a　couple　of　tramps　being　there；　he　went　behind　a
row　of　French　beans　in　the　garden；　where　he　let　off　an　ejaculation
the　most　pious　that　he　had　uttered　that　Sabbath　day：　　'Heaven！
what's　to　be　done！'

And　then　he　walked　wildly　about　the　paths　of　the　dusky　garden；　where
the　trickling　of　the　brooks　seemed　loud　by　comparison　with　the
stillness　around；　treading　recklessly　on　the　cracking　snails　that
had　come　forth　to　feed；　and　entangling　his　spurs　in　the　long　grass
till　the　rowels　were　choked　with　its　blades。　　Presently　he　heard
another　person　approaching；　and　his　brother's　shape　appeared　between
the　stubbard　tree　and　the　hedge。

'O；　is　it　you？'　said　the　mate。

'Yes。　　I　amtaking　a　little　air。'

'She　is　getting　round　nicely　again；　and　as　I　am　not　wanted　indoors
just　now；　I　am　going　into　the　village　to　call　upon　a　friend　or　two　I
have　not　been　able　to　speak　to　as　yet。'

John　took　his　brother　Bob's　hand。　　Bob　rather　wondered　why。

'All　right；　old　boy；'　he　said。　　'Going　into　the　village？　　You'll　be
back　again；　I　suppose；　before　it　gets　very　late？'

'O　yes；'　said　Captain　Bob　cheerfully；　and　passed　out　of　the　garden。

John　allowed　his　eyes　to　follow　his　brother　till　his　shape　could　not
be　seen；　and　then　he　turned　and　again　walked　up　and　down。



XVIII。　　THE　NIGHT　AFTER　THE　ARRIVAL

John　continued　his　sad　and　heavy　pace　till　walking　seemed　too　old
and　worn…out　a　way　of　showing　sorrow　so　new；　and　he　leant　himself
against　the　fork　of　an　apple…tree　like　a　log。　　There　the
trumpet…major　remained　for　a　considerable　time；　his　face　turned
towards　the　house；　whose　ancient；　many…chimneyed　outline　rose
against　the　darkened　sky；　and　just　shut　out　from　his　view　the　camp
above。　　But　faint　noises　coming　thence　from　horses　restless　at　the
pickets；　and　from　visitors　taking　their　leave；　recalled　its
existence；　and　reminded　him　that；　in　consequence　of　Matilda's
arrival；　he　had　obtained　leave　for　the　nighta　fact　which；　owing　to
the　startling　emotions　that　followed　his　entry；　he　had　not　yet
mentioned　to　his　friends。

While　abstractedly　considering　how　he　could　best　use　that　privilege
under　the　new　circumstances　which　had　arisen；　he　heard　Farmer
Derriman　drive　up　to　the　front　door　and　hold　a　conversation　with　his
father。　　The　old　man　had　at　last　apparently　brought　the　tin　box　of
private　papers　that　he　wished　the　miller　to　take　charge　of　during
Derriman'