the trumpet-major-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


answers；　the　result；　not　of　indifference；　but　of　intense
preoccupation。　　Presently　Loveday；　the　father；　came　to　the　door；　her
mother　vanished　with　him；　and　they　remained　closeted　together　a　long
time。　　Anne　went　into　the　garden　and　seated　herself　beneath　the
branching　tree　whose　boughs　had　sheltered　her　during　so　many　hours
of　her　residence　here。　　Her　attention　was　fixed　more　upon　the
miller's　wing　of　the　irregular　building　before　her　than　upon　that
occupied　by　her　mother；　for　she　could　not　help　expecting　every
moment　to　see　some　one　run　out　with　a　wild　face　and　announce　some
awful　clearing　up　of　the　mystery。

Every　sound　set　her　on　the　alert；　and　hearing　the　tread　of　a　horse
in　the　lane　she　looked　round　eagerly。　　Gazing　at　her　over　the　hedge
was　Festus　Derriman；　mounted　on　such　an　incredibly　tall　animal　that
he　could　see　to　her　very　feet　over　the　thick　and　broad　thorn　fence。
She　no　sooner　recognized　him　than　she　withdrew　her　glance；　but　as
his　eyes　were　fixed　steadily　upon　her　this　was　a　futile　manoeuvre。

'I　saw　you　look　round！'　he　exclaimed　crossly。　　'What　have　I　done　to
make　you　behave　like　that？　　Come；　Miss　Garland；　be　fair。　　'Tis　no
use　to　turn　your　back　upon　me。'　　As　she　did　not　turn　he　went　on
'Well；　now；　this　is　enough　to　provoke　a　saint。　　Now　I　tell　you　what；
Miss　Garland；　here　I'll　stay　till　you　do　turn　round；　if　'tis　all　the
afternoon。　　You　know　my　temperwhat　I　say　I　mean。'　　He　seated
himself　firmly　in　the　saddle；　plucked　some　leaves　from　the　hedge；
and　began　humming　a　song；　to　show　how　absolutely　indifferent　he　was
to　the　flight　of　time。

'What　have　you　come　for；　that　you　are　so　anxious　to　see　me？'
inquired　Anne；　when　at　last　he　had　wearied　her　patience；　rising　and
facing　him　with　the　added　independence　which　came　from　a　sense　of
the　hedge　between　them。

'There；　I　knew　you　would　turn　round！'　he　said；　his　hot　angry　face
invaded　by　a　smile　in　which　his　teeth　showed　like　white　hemmed　in　by
red　at　chess。

'What　do　you　want；　Mr。　Derriman？'　said　she。

'〃What　do　you　want；　Mr。　Derriman？〃now　listen　to　that！　　Is　that　my
encouragement？'

Anne　bowed　superciliously；　and　moved　away。

'I　have　just　heard　news　that　explains　all　that；'　said　the　giant；
eyeing　her　movements　with　somnolent　irascibility。　　'My　uncle　has
been　letting　things　out。　　He　was　here　late　last　night；　and　he　saw
you。'

'Indeed　he　didn't；'　said　Anne。

'O；　now！　　He　saw　Trumpet…major　Loveday　courting　somebody　like　you　in
that　garden　walk；　and　when　he　came　you　ran　indoors。'

'It　is　not　true；　and　I　wish　to　hear　no　more。'

'Upon　my　life；　he　said　so！　　How　can　you　do　it；　Miss　Garland；　when　I；
who　have　enough　money　to　buy　up　all　the　Lovedays；　would　gladly　come
to　terms　with　ye？　　What　a　simpleton　you　must　be；　to　pass　me　over　for
him！　　There；　now　you　are　angry　because　I　said　simpleton！I　didn't
mean　simpleton；　I　meant　misguidedmisguided　rosebud！　　That's　it
run　off；'　he　continued　in　a　raised　voice；　as　Anne　made　towards　the
garden　door。　　'But　I'll　have　you　yet。　　Much　reason　you　have　to　be
too　proud　to　stay　with　me。　　But　it　won't　last　long；　I　shall　marry
you；　madam；　if　I　choose；　as　you'll　see。'

When　he　was　quite　gone；　and　Anne　had　calmed　down　from　the　not
altogether　unrelished　fear　and　excitement　that　he　always　caused　her；
she　returned　to　her　seat　under　the　tree；　and　began　to　wonder　what
Festus　Derriman's　story　meant；　which；　from　the　earnestness　of　his
tone；　did　not　seem　like　a　pure　invention。　　It　suddenly　flashed　upon
her　mind　that　she　herself　had　heard　voices　in　the　garden；　and　that
the　persons　seen　by　Farmer　Derriman；　of　whose　visit　and　reclamation
of　his　box　the　miller　had　told　her；　might　have　been　Matilda　and　John
Loveday。　　She　further　recalled　the　strange　agitation　of　Miss　Johnson
on　the　preceding　evening；　and　that　it　occurred　just　at　the　entry　of
the　dragoon；　till　by　degrees　suspicion　amounted　to　conviction　that
he　knew　more　than　any　one　else　supposed　of　that　lady's
disappearance。

It　was　just　at　this　time　that　the　trumpet…major　descended　to　the
mill　after　his　talk　with　his　brother　on　the　down。　　As　fate　would
have　it；　instead　of　entering　the　house　he　turned　aside　to　the　garden
and　walked　down　that　pleasant　enclosure；　to　learn　if　he　were　likely
to　find　in　the　other　half　of　it　the　woman　he　loved　so　well。

Yes；　there　she　was；　sitting　on　the　seat　of　logs　that　he　had　repaired
for　her；　under　the　apple…tree；　but　she　was　not　facing　in　his
direction。　　He　walked　with　a　noisier　tread；　he　coughed；　he　shook　a
bough；　he　did　everything；　in　short；　but　the　one　thing　that　Festus
did　in　the　same　circumstancescall　out　to　her。　　He　would　not　have
ventured　on　that　for　the　world。　　Any　of　his　signs　would　have　been
sufficient　to　attract　her　a　day　or　two　earlier；　now　she　would　not
turn。　　At　last；　in　his　fond　anxiety；　he　did　what　he　had　never　done
before　without　an　invitation；　and　crossed　over　into　Mrs。　Garland's
half　of　the　garden；　till　he　stood　before　her。

When　she　could　not　escape　him　she　arose；　and；　saying　'Good
afternoon；　trumpet…major；'　in　a　glacial　manner　unusual　with　her；
walked　away　to　another　part　of　the　garden。

Loveday；　quite　at　a　loss；　had　not　the　strength　of　mind　to　persevere
further。　　He　had　a　vague　apprehension　that　some　imperfect　knowledge
of　the　previous　night's　unhappy　business　had　reached　her；　and；
unable　to　remedy　the　evil　without　telling　more　than　he　dared；　he
went　into　the　mill；　where　his　father　still　was；　looking　doleful
enough；　what　with　his　concern　at　events　and　the　extra　quantity　of
flour　upon　his　face　through　sticking　so　closely　to　business　that
day。

'Well；　John；　Bob　has　told　you　all；　of　course？　　A　queer；　strange；
perplexing　thing；　isn't　it？　　I　can't　make　it　out　at　all。　　There　must
be　something　wrong　in　the　woman；　or　it　couldn't　have　happened。　　I
haven't　been　so　upset　for　years。'

'Nor　have　I。　　I　wouldn't　it　should　have　happened　for　all　I　own　in
the　world；'　said　the　dragoon。　　'Have　you　spoke　to　Anne　Garland
to…dayor　has　anybody　been　talking　to　her？'

'Festus　Derriman　rode　by　half…an…hour　ago；　and　talked　to　her　over
the　hedge。'

John　guessed　the　rest；　and；　after　standing　on　the　threshold　in
silence　awhile；　walked　away　towards　the　camp。

All　this　time　his　brother　Robert　had　been　hastening　along　in　pursuit
of　the　woman　who　had　withdrawn　from　the　scene　to　avoid　the　exposure
and　complete　overthrow　which　would　have　resulted　had　she　remained。
As　the　distance　lengthened　between　himself　and　the　mill；　Bob　was
conscious　of　some　cooling　down　of　the　excitement　that　had　prompted
him　to　set　out；　but　he　did　not　pause　in　his　walk　till　he　had　reached
the　head　of　the　river　which　fed　the　mill…stream。　　Here；　for　some
indefinite　reason；　he　allowed　his　eyes　to　be　attracted　by　the
bubbling　spring　whose　waters　never　failed　or　lessened；　and　he
stopped　as　if　to　look　longer　at　the　scene；　it　was　really　because　his
mind　was　so　absorbed　by　John's　story。

The　sun　was　warm；　the　spot　was　a　pleasant　one；　and　he　deposited　his
bundle　and　sat　down。　　By　degrees；　as　he　reflected；　first　on　John's
view　and　then　on　his　own；　his　convictions　became　unsettled；　till　at
length　he　was　so　balanced　between　the　impulse　to　go　on　and　the
impulse　to　go　back；　that　a　puff　of　wind　either　way　would　have　been
well…nigh　sufficient　to　decide　for　him。　　When　he　allowed　John's
story　to　repeat　itself　in　his　ears；　the　reasonableness　and　good
sense　of　his　advice　seemed　beyond　question。　　When；　on　the　other
hand；　he　thought　of　his　poor　Matilda's　eyes；　and　her；　to　him；
pleasant　ways；　their　charming　arrangements　to　marry；　and　her
probable　willingness　still；　he　could　hardly　bring　himself　to　do
otherwise　than　follow　on　the　road　at　the　top　of　his　speed。

This　strife　of　thought　was　so　well　maintained　that　sitting　and
standing；　he　remained　on　the　borders　of　the　spring　till　the　shadows
had　stretched　out　eastwards；　and　the　chance　of　overtaking　Matilda
had　grown　considerably　less。　　Still　he　did　not　positively　go　towards
home。　　At　last　he　took　a　guinea　from　his　pocket；　and　resolved　to　put
the　question　to　the　hazard。　　'Heads　I　go；　tails　I　don't。'　　The　piece
of　gold　spun　in　the　air　and　came　down　heads。

'No；　I　won't　go；　after　all；'　he　said。　　'I　won't　be　steered　by
accidents　any　more。'

He　picked　up　his　bundle　and　switch；　and　retraced　his　steps　towards
Overcombe　Mill；　knocking　down　the　brambles　and　nettles　as　he　went
with　gloomy　and　indifferent　blows。　　When　he　got　within　sight　of　the
house　he　beheld　David　in　the　road。

'All　rightall　right　again；　captain！'；　shouted　that　retainer。　　'A
wedding　after　all！　　Hurrah！'

'Ahshe's　back　again？'　cried　Bob；　seizing　David；　ecstatically；　and
dancing　round　with　him。

'Nobut　it's　all　the　same！　it　is　of　no　consequence　at　all；　and　no
harm　will　be　done！　　Maister　and　Mrs。　Garland　have　made　up　a　match；
and　mean　to　marry　at　once；　that　the　wedding　victuals　may　not　be
wasted！　　They　felt　'twould　be　a　thousand　pities　to　let　such　good
things　get　blue…vinnied　for　want　of　a　ceremony　to　use　'em　upon；　and
at　last　they　have　thought　of　this。'

'VictualsI　don't　care　for　the　victuals！'　bitterly　cried　Bob；　in　a
tone　of　far　higher　thought。　　'How　you　disappoint　me！'　and　he　went
slowly　towards　the　house。

His　father　appeared　in　the　opening　of　the　mill…door；　looking　more
c