the trumpet-major-第32节

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and　have　been　for　generations。　　To　my　mind　she　seemed　glad　enough　to
get　hold　of　us！'

'Yes；　yesfor　the　momentbecause　of　the　flowers；　and　birds；　and
what's　pretty　in　the　place；'　said　Bob　tragically。　　'But　you　don't
know；　fatherhow　should　you　know；　who　have　hardly　been　out　of
Overcombe　in　your　life？you　don't　know　what　delicate　feelings　are
in　a　real　refined　woman's　mind。　　Any　little　vulgar　action　unreaves
their　nerves　like　a　marline…spike。　　Now　I　wonder　if　you　did　anything
to　disgust　her？'

'Faith！　not　that　I　know　of；'　said　Loveday；　reflecting。　　'I　didn't
say　a　single　thing　that　I　should　naturally　have　said；　on　purpose　to
give　no　offence。'

'You　was　always　very　homely；　you　know；　father。'

'Yes；　so　I　was；'　said　the　miller　meekly。

'I　wonder　what　it　could　have　been；'　Bob　continued；　wandering　about
restlessly。　　'You　didn't　go　drinking　out　of　the　big　mug　with　your
mouth　full；　or　wipe　your　lips　with　your　sleeve？'

'That　I'll　swear　I　didn't！'　said　the　miller　firmly。　　'Thinks　I；
there's　no　knowing　what　I　may　do　to　shock　her；　so　I'll　take　my　solid
victuals　in　the　bakehouse；　and　only　a　crumb　and　a　drop　in　her
company　for　manners。'

'You　could　do　no　more　than　that；　certainly；'　said　Bob　gently。

'If　my　manners　be　good　enough　for　well…brought…up　people　like　the
Garlands；　they　be　good　enough　for　her；'　continued　the　miller；　with　a
sense　of　injustice。

'That's　true。　　Then　it　must　have　been　David。　　David；　come　here！　　How
did　you　behave　before　that　lady？　　Now；　mind　you　speak　the　truth！'

'Yes；　Mr。　Captain　Robert；'　said　David　earnestly。　　'I　assure　ye　she
was　served　like　a　royal　queen。　　The　best　silver　spoons　wez　put　down；
and　yer　poor　grandfer's　silver　tanket；　as　you　seed；　and　the　feather
cushion　for　her　to　sit　on'

'Now　I've　got　it！'　said　Bob　decisively；　bringing　down　his　hand　upon
the　window…sill。　　'Her　bed　was　hard！and　there's　nothing　shocks　a
true　lady　like　that。　　The　bed　in　that　room　always　was　as　hard　as　the
Rock　of　Gibraltar！'

'No；　Captain　Bob！　　The　beds　were　changedwasn't　they　maister？　　We
put　the　goose　bed　in　her　room；　and　the　flock　one；　that　used　to　be
there；　in　yours。'

'Yes；　we　did；'　corroborated　the　miller。　　'David　and　I　changed　'em
with　our　own　hands；　because　they　were　too　heavy　for　the　women　to
move。'

'Sure　I　didn't　know　I　had　the　flock　bed；'　murmured　Bob。　　'I　slept
on；　little　thinking　what　I　was　going　to　wake　to。　　Well；　well；　she's
gone；　and　search　as　I　will　I　shall　never　find　another　like　her！　　She
was　too　good　for　me。　　She　must　have　carried　her　box　with　her　own
hands；　poor　girl。　　As　far　as　that　goes；　I　could　overtake　her　even
now；　I　dare　say；　but　I　won't　entreat　her　against　her　willnot　I。'

Miller　Loveday　and　David；　feeling　themselves　to　be　rather　a
desecration　in　the　presence　of　Bob's　sacred　emotions；　managed　to
edge　off　by　degrees；　the　former　burying　himself　in　the　most　floury
recesses　of　the　mill；　his　invariable　resource　when　perturbed；　the
rumbling　having　a　soothing　effect　upon　the　nerves　of　those　properly
trained　to　its　music。

Bob　was　so　impatient　that；　after　going　up　to　her　room　to　assure
himself　once　more　that　she　had　not　undressed；　but　had　only　lain　down
on　the　outside　of　the　bed；　he　went　out　of　the　house　to　meet　John；
and　waited　on　the　sunny　slope　of　the　down　till　his　brother　appeared。
John　looked　so　brave　and　shapely　and　warlike　that；　even　in　Bob's
present　distress；　he　could　not　but　feel　an　honest　and　affectionate
pride　at　owning　such　a　relative。　　Yet　he　fancied　that　John　did　not
come　along　with　the　same　swinging　step　he　had　shown　yesterday；　and
when　the　trumpet…major　got　nearer　he　looked　anxiously　at　the　mate
and　waited　for　him　to　speak　first。

'You　know　our　great　trouble；　John？'　said　Robert；　gazing　stoically
into　his　brother's　eyes。

'Come　and　sit　down；　and　tell　me　all　about　it；'　answered　the
trumpet…major；　showing　no　surprise。

They　went　towards　a　slight　ravine；　where　it　was　easier　to　sit　down
than　on　the　flat　ground；　and　here　John　reclined　among　the
grasshoppers；　pointing　to　his　brother　to　do　the　same。

'But　do　you　know　what　it　is？'　said　Robert。　　'Has　anybody　told　ye？'

'I　do　know；'　said　John。　　'She's　gone；　and　I　am　thankful！'

'What！'　said　Bob；　rising　to　his　knees　in　amazement。

'I'm　at　the　bottom　of　it；'　said　the　trumpet…major　slowly。

'You；　John？'

'Yes；　and　if　you　will　listen　I'll　tell　you　all。　　Do　you　remember
what　happened　when　I　came　into　the　room　last　night？　　Why；　she　turned
colour　and　nearly　fainted　away。　　That　was　because　she　knew　me。'

Bob　stared　at　his　brother　with　a　face　of　pain　and　distrust。

'For　once；　Bob；　I　must　say　something　that　will　hurt　thee　a　good
deal；'　continued　John。　　'She　was　not　a　woman　who　could　possibly　be
your　wifeand　so　she's　gone。'

'You　sent　her　off？'

'Well；　I　did。'

'John！Tell　me　right　throughtell　me！'

'Perhaps　I　had　better；'　said　the　trumpet…major；　his　blue　eyes
resting　on　the　far　distant　sea；　that　seemed　to　rise　like　a　wall　as
high　as　the　hill　they　sat　upon。

And　then　he　told　a　tale　of　Miss　Johnson　and　the　th　Dragoons　which
wrung　his　heart　as　much　in　the　telling　as　it　did　Bob's　to　hear；　and
which　showed　that　John　had　been　temporarily　cruel　to　be　ultimately
kind。　　Even　Bob；　excited　as　he　was；　could　discern　from　John's　manner
of　speaking　what　a　terrible　undertaking　that　night's　business　had
been　for　him。　　To　justify　the　course　he　had　adopted　the　dictates　of
duty　must　have　been　imperative；　but　the　trumpet…major；　with　a
becoming　reticence　which　his　brother　at　the　time　was　naturally
unable　to　appreciate；　scarcely　dwelt　distinctly　enough　upon　the
compelling　cause　of　his　conduct。　　It　would；　indeed；　have　been　hard
for　any　man；　much　less　so　modest　a　one　as　John；　to　do　himself
justice　in　that　remarkable　relation；　when　the　listener　was　the
lady's　lover；　and　it　is　no　wonder　that　Robert　rose　to　his　feet　and
put　a　greater　distance　between　himself　and　John。

'And　what　time　was　it？'　he　asked　in　a　hard；　suppressed　voice。

'It　was　just　before　one　o'clock。'

'How　could　you　help　her　to　go　away？'

'I　had　a　pass。　　I　carried　her　box　to　the　coach…office。　　She　was　to
follow　at　dawn。'

'But　she　had　no　money。'

'Yes；　she　had；　I　took　particular　care　of　that。'　　John　did　not　add；
as　he　might　have　done；　that　he　had　given　her；　in　his　pity；　all　the
money　he　possessed；　and　at　present　had　only　eighteen…pence　in　the
world。　　'Well；　it　is　over；　Bob；　so　sit　ye　down；　and　talk　with　me　of
old　times；'　he　added。

'Ah；　Jack；　it　is　well　enough　for　you　to　speak　like　that；'　said　the
disquieted　sailor；　'but　I　can't　help　feeling　that　it　is　a　cruel
thing　you　have　done。　　After　all；　she　would　have　been　snug　enough　for
me。　　Would　I　had　never　found　out　this　about　her！　　John；　why　did　you
interfere？　　You　had　no　right　to　overhaul　my　affairs　like　this。　　Why
didn't　you　tell　me　fairly　all　you　knew；　and　let　me　do　as　I　chose？
You　have　turned　her　out　of　the　house；　and　it's　a　shame！　　If　she　had
only　come　to　me！　　Why　didn't　she？'

'Because　she　knew　it　was　best　to　do　otherwise。'

'Well；　I　shall　go　after　her；'　said　Bob　firmly。

'You　can　do　as　you　like；'　said　John；　'but　I　would　advise　you
strongly　to　leave　matters　where　they　are。'

'I　won't　leave　matters　where　they　are；'　said　Bob　impetuously。　　'You
have　made　me　miserable；　and　all　for　nothing。　　I　tell　you　she　was
good　enough　for　me；　and　as　long　as　I　knew　nothing　about　what　you　say
of　her　history；　what　difference　would　it　have　made　to　me？　　Never　was
there　a　young　woman　who　was　better　company；　and　she　loved　a　merry
song　as　I　do　myself。　　Yes；　I'll　follow　her。'

'O；　Bob；'　said　John；　'I　hardly　expected　this！'

'That's　because　you　didn't　know　your　man。　　Can　I　ask　you　to　do　me
one　kindness？　　I　don't　suppose　I　can。　　Can　I　ask　you　not　to　say　a
word　against　her　to　any　of　them　at　home？'

'Certainly。　　The　very　reason　why　I　got　her　to　go　off　silently；　as
she　has　done；　was　because　nothing　should　be　said　against　her　here；
and　no　scandal　should　be　heard　of。'

'That　may　be；　but　I'm　off　after　her。　　Marry　that　girl　I　will。'

'You'll　be　sorry。'

'That　we　shall　see；'　replied　Robert　with　determination；　and　he　went
away　rapidly　towards　the　mill。　　The　trumpet…major　had　no　heart　to
followno　good　could　possibly　come　of　further　opposition；　and　there
on　the　down　he　remained　like　a　graven　image　till　Bob　had　vanished
from　his　sight　into　the　mill。

Bob　entered　his　father's　only　to　leave　word　that　he　was　going　on　a
renewed　search　for　Matilda；　and　to　pack　up　a　few　necessaries　for　his
journey。　　Ten　minutes　later　he　came　out　again　with　a　bundle　in　his
hand；　and　John　saw　him　go　diagonally　across　the　lower　fields　towards
the　high…road。

'And　this　is　all　the　good　I　have　done！'　said　John；　musingly
readjusting　his　stock　where　it　cut　his　neck；　and　descending　towards
the　mill。



XX。　　HOW　THEY　LESSENED　THE　EFFECT　OF　THE　CALAMITY

Meanwhile　Anne　Garland　had　gone　home；　and；　being　weary　with　her
ramble　in　search　of　Matilda；　sat　silent　in　a　corner　of　the　room。
Her　mother　was　passing　the　time　in　giving　utterance　to　every
conceivable　surmise　on　the　cause　of　Miss　Johnson's　disappearance
that　the　human　mind　could　frame；　to　which　Anne　returned　monosyllabic
answers；　the　result；　not　of　indifference；　but　of　intense
preoccupation。　　Presently　Loved