the trumpet-major-第31节

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tired！　　Ruminating　in　this　way；　and　saying　to　herself　that　she　hoped
they　would　be　happy；　Anne　fell　asleep。



XIX。　　MISS　JOHNSON'S　BEHAVIOUR　CAUSES　NO　LITTLE　SURPRISE

Partly　from　the　excitement　of　having　his　Matilda　under　the　paternal
roof；　Bob　rose　next　morning　as　early　as　his　father　and　the　grinder；
and；　when　the　big　wheel　began　to　patter　and　the　little　ones　to
mumble　in　response；　went　to　sun　himself　outside　the　mill…front；
among　the　fowls　of　brown　and　speckled　kinds　which　haunted　that　spot；
and　the　ducks　that　came　up　from　the　mill…tail。

Standing　on　the　worn…out　mill…stone　inlaid　in　the　gravel；　he　talked
with　his　father　on　various　improvements　of　the　premises；　and　on　the
proposed　arrangements　for　his　permanent　residence　there；　with　an
enjoyment　that　was　half　based　upon　this　prospect　of　the　future；　and
half　on　the　penetrating　warmth　of　the　sun　to　his　back　and　shoulders。
Then　the　different　troops　of　horses　began　their　morning　scramble
down　to　the　mill…pond；　and；　after　making　it　very　muddy　round　the
edge；　ascended　the　slope　again。　　The　bustle　of　the　camp　grew　more
and　more　audible；　and　presently　David　came　to　say　that　breakfast　was
ready。

'Is　Miss　Johnson　downstairs？'　said　the　miller；　and　Bob　listened　for
the　answer；　looking　at　a　blue　sentinel　aloft　on　the　down。

'Not　yet；　maister；'　said　the　excellent　David。

'We'll　wait　till　she's　down；'　said　Loveday。　　'When　she　is；　let　us
know。'

David　went　indoors　again；　and　Loveday　and　Bob　continued　their
morning　survey　by　ascending　into　the　mysterious　quivering　recesses
of　the　mill；　and　holding　a　discussion　over　a　second　pair　of
burr…stones；　which　had　to　be　re…dressed　before　they　could　be　used
again。　　This　and　similar　things　occupied　nearly　twenty　minutes；　and；
looking　from　the　window；　the　elder　of　the　two　was　reminded　of　the
time　of　day　by　seeing　Mrs。　Garland's　table…cloth　fluttering　from　her
back　door　over　the　heads　of　a　flock　of　pigeons　that　had　alighted　for
the　crumbs。

'I　suppose　David　can't　find　us；'　he　said；　with　a　sense　of　hunger
that　was　not　altogether　strange　to　Bob。　　He　put　out　his　head　and
shouted。

'The　lady　is　not　down　yet；'　said　his　man　in　reply。

'No　hurry；　no　hurry；'　said　the　miller；　with　cheerful　emptiness。
'Bob；　to　pass　the　time　we'll　look　into　the　garden。'

'She'll　get　up　sooner　than　this；　you　know；　when　she's　signed
articles　and　got　a　berth　here；'　Bob　observed　apologetically。

'Yes；　yes；'　said　Loveday；　and　they　descended　into　the　garden。

Here　they　turned　over　sundry　flat　stones　and　killed　the　slugs
sheltered　beneath　them　from　the　coming　heat　of　the　day；　talking　of
slugs　in　all　their　branchesof　the　brown　and　the　black；　of　the
tough　and　the　tender；　of　the　reason　why　there　were　so　many　in　the
garden　that　year；　of　the　coming　time　when　the　grass…walks　harbouring
them　were　to　be　taken　up　and　gravel　laid；　and　of　the　relatively
exterminatory　merits　of　a　pair　of　scissors　and　the　heel　of　the　shoe。
At　last　the　miller　said；　'Well；　really；　Bob；　I'm　hungry；　we　must
begin　without　her。'

They　were　about　to　go　in；　when　David　appeared　with　haste　in　his
motions；　his　eyes　wider　vertically　than　crosswise；　and　his　cheeks
nearly　all　gone。

'Maister；　I've　been　to　call　her；　and　as　'a　didn't　speak　I　rapped；
and　as　'a　didn't　answer　I　kicked；　and　not　being　latched　the　door
opened；　andshe's　gone！'

Bob　went　off　like　a　swallow　towards　the　house；　and　the　miller
followed　like　the　rather　heavy　man　that　he　was。　　That　Miss　Matilda
was　not　in　her　room；　or　a　scrap　of　anything　belonging　to　her；　was
soon　apparent。　　They　searched　every　place　in　which　she　could
possibly　hide　or　squeeze　herself；　every　place　in　which　she　could
not；　but　found　nothing　at　all。

Captain　Bob　was　quite　wild　with　astonishment　and　grief。　　When　he　was
quite　sure　that　she　was　nowhere　in　his　father's　house；　he　ran　into
Mrs。　Garland's；　and　telling　them　the　story　so　hastily　that　they
hardly　understood　the　particulars；　he　went　on　towards　Comfort's
house；　intending　to　raise　the　alarm　there；　and　also　at　Mitchell's；
Beach's；　Cripplestraw's；　the　parson's；　the　clerk's；　the　camp　of
dragoons；　of　hussars；　and　so　on　through　the　whole　county。　　But　he
paused；　and　thought　it　would　be　hardly　expedient　to　publish　his
discomfiture　in　such　a　way。　　If　Matilda　had　left　the　house　for　any
freakish　reason　he　would　not　care　to　look　for　her；　and　if　her　deed
had　a　tragic　intent　she　would　keep　aloof　from　camp　and　village。

In　his　trouble　he　thought　of　Anne。　　She　was　a　nice　girl　and　could　be
trusted。　　To　her　he　went；　and　found　her　in　a　state　of　excitement　and
anxiety　which　equalled　his　own。

''Tis　so　lonely　to　cruise　for　her　all　by　myself！'　said　Bob
disconsolately；　his　forehead　all　in　wrinkles；　'and　I've　thought　you
would　come　with　me　and　cheer　the　way？'

'Where　shall　we　search？'　said　Anne。

'O；　in　the　holes　of　rivers；　you　know；　and　down　wells；　and　in
quarries；　and　over　cliffs；　and　like　that。　　Your　eyes　might　catch　the
loom　of　any　bit　of　a　shawl　or　bonnet　that　I　should　overlook；　and　it
would　do　me　a　real　service。　　Please　do　come！'

So　Anne　took　pity　upon　him；　and　put　on　her　hat　and　went；　the　miller
and　David　having　gone　off　in　another　direction。　　They　examined　the
ditches　of　fields；　Bob　going　round　by　one　fence　and　Anne　by　the
other；　till　they　met　at　the　opposite　side。　　Then　they　peeped　under
culverts；　into　outhouses；　and　down　old　wells　and　quarries；　till　the
theory　of　a　tragical　end　had　nearly　spent　its　force　in　Bob's　mind；
and　he　began　to　think　that　Matilda　had　simply　run　away。　　However；
they　still　walked　on；　though　by　this　time　the　sun　was　hot　and　Anne
would　gladly　have　sat　down。

'Now；　didn't　you　think　highly　of　her；　Miss　Garland？'　he　inquired；　as
the　search　began　to　languish。

'O　yes；'　said　Anne；　'very　highly。'

'She　was　really　beautiful；　no　nonsense　about　her　looks；　was　there？'

'None。　　Her　beauty　was　thoroughly　ripenot　too　young。　　We　should
all　have　got　to　love　her。　　What　can　have　possessed　her　to　go　away？'

'I　don't　know；　and；　upon　my　life；　I　shall　soon　be　drove　to　say　I
don't　care！'　replied　the　mate　despairingly。　　'Let　me　pilot　ye　down
over　those　stones；'　he　added；　as　Anne　began　to　descend　a　rugged
quarry。　　He　stepped　forward；　leapt　down；　and　turned　to　her。

She　gave　him　her　hand　and　sprang　down。　　Before　he　relinquished　his
hold；　Captain　Bob　raised　her　fingers　to　his　lips　and　kissed　them。

'O；　Captain　Loveday！'　cried　Anne；　snatching　away　her　hand　in　genuine
dismay；　while　a　tear　rose　unexpectedly　to　each　eye。　　'I　never　heard
of　such　a　thing！　　I　won't　go　an　inch　further　with　you；　sir；　it　is
too　barefaced！'　　And　she　turned　and　ran　off。

'Upon　my　life　I　didn't　mean　it！'　said　the　repentant　captain；
hastening　after。　　'I　do　love　her　bestindeed　I　doand　I　don't　love
you　at　all！　　I　am　not　so　fickle　as　that！　　I　merely　just　for　the
moment　admired　you　as　a　sweet　little　craft；　and　that's　how　I　came　to
do　it。　　You　know；　Miss　Garland；'　he　continued　earnestly；　and　still
running　after；　''tis　like　this：　　when　you　come　ashore　after　having
been　shut　up　in　a　ship　for　eighteen　months；　women…folks　seem　so　new
and　nice　that　you　can't　help　liking　them；　one　and　all　in　a　body；　and
so　your　heart　is　apt　to　get　scattered　and　to　yaw　a　bit；　but　of
course　I　think　of　poor　Matilda　most；　and　shall　always　stick　to　her。'
He　heaved　a　sigh　of　tremendous　magnitude；　to　show　beyond　the
possibility　of　doubt　that　his　heart　was　still　in　the　place　that
honour　required。

'I　am　glad　to　hear　thatof　course　I　am　very　glad！'　said　she；　with
quick　petulance；　keeping　her　face　turned　from　him。　　'And　I　hope　we
shall　find　her；　and　that　the　wedding　will　not　be　put　off；　and　that
you'll　both　be　happy。　　But　I　won't　look　for　her　any　more！　　No；　I
don't　care　to　look　for　herand　my　head　aches。　　I　am　going　home！'

'And　so　am　I；'　said　Robert　promptly。

'No；　no；　go　on　looking　for　her；　of　courseall　the　afternoon；　and
all　night。　　I　am　sure　you　will；　if　you　love　her。'

'O　yes；　I　mean　to。　　Still；　I　ought　to　convoy　you　home　first？'

'No；　you　ought　not；　and　I　shall　not　accept　your　company。
Good…morning；　sir！'　　And　she　went　off　over　one　of　the　stone　stiles
with　which　the　spot　abounded；　leaving　the　friendly　sailor　standing
in　the　field。

He　sighed　again；　and；　observing　the　camp　not　far　off；　thought　he
would　go　to　his　brother　John　and　ask　him　his　opinion　on　the
sorrowful　case。　　On　reaching　the　tents　he　found　that　John　was　not　at
liberty　just　at　that　time；　being　engaged　in　practising　the
trumpeters；　and　leaving　word　that　he　wished　the　trumpet…major　to
come　down　to　the　mill　as　soon　as　possible；　Bob　went　back　again。

''Tis　no　good　looking　for　her；'　he　said　gloomily。　　'She　liked　me
well　enough；　but　when　she　came　here　and　saw　the　house；　and　the
place；　and　the　old　horse；　and　the　plain　furniture；　she　was
disappointed　to　find　us　all　so　homely；　and　felt　she　didn't　care　to
marry　into　such　a　family！'

His　father　and　David　had　returned　with　no　news。

'Yes；　'tis　as　I've　been　thinking；　father；'　Bob　said。　　'We　weren't
good　enough　for　her；　and　she　went　away　in　scorn！'

'Well；　that　can't　be　helped；'　said　the　miller。　　'What　we　be；　we　be；
and　have　been　for　generations。　　To　my　mind　she　seemed　glad　enough　to
get　hold　of　us！'

'Yes；　yesfor　the　momentbecause　of　the　flowers；