the trumpet-major-第34节

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slowly　towards　the　house。

His　father　appeared　in　the　opening　of　the　mill…door；　looking　more
cheerful　than　when　they　had　parted。　　'What；　Robert；　you've　been
after　her？'　he　said。　　'Faith；　then；　I　wouldn't　have　followed　her　if
I　had　been　as　sure　as　you　were　that　she　went　away　in　scorn　of　us。
Since　you　told　me　that；　I　have　not　looked　for　her　at　all。'

'I　was　wrong；　father；'　Bob　replied　gravely；　throwing　down　his　bundle
and　stick。　　'Matilda；　I　find；　has　not　gone　away　in　scorn　of　us；　she
has　gone　away　for　other　reasons。　　I　followed　her　some　way；　but　I
have　come　back　again。　　She　may　go。'

'Why　is　she　gone？'　said　the　astonished　miller。

Bob　had　intended；　for　Matilda's　sake；　to　give　no　reason　to　a　living
soul　for　her　departure。　　But　he　could　not　treat　his　father　thus
reservedly；　and　he　told。

'She　has　made　great　fools　of　us；'　said　the　miller　deliberately；　'and
she　might　have　made　us　greater　ones。　　Bob；　I　thought　th'　hadst　more
sense。'

'Well；　don't　say　anything　against　her；　father；'　implored　Bob。
''Twas　a　sorry　haul；　and　there's　an　end　on't。　　Let　her　down　quietly；
and　keep　the　secret。　　You　promise　that？'

'I　do。'　　Loveday　the　elder　remained　thinking　awhile；　and　then　went
on'Well；　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this：　　I've　hit　upon　a　plan　to
get　out　of　the　awkward　corner　she　has　put　us　in。　　What　you'll　think
of　it　I　can't　say。'

'David　has　just　given　me　the　heads。'

'And　do　it　hurt　your　feelings；　my　son；　at　such　a　time？'

'NoI'll　bring　myself　to　bear　it；　anyhow！　　Why　should　I　object　to
other　people's　happiness　because　I　have　lost　my　own？'　said　Bob；　with
saintly　self…sacrifice　in　his　air。


'Well　said！'　answered　the　miller　heartily。　　'But　you　may　be　sure
that　there　will　be　no　unseemly　rejoicing；　to　disturb　ye　in　your
present　frame　of　mind。　　All　the　morning　I　felt　more　ashamed　than　I
cared　to　own　at　the　thought　of　how　the　neighbours；　great　and　small；
would　laugh　at　what　they　would　call　your　folly；　when　they　knew　what
had　happened；　so　I　resolved　to　take　this　step　to　stave　it　off；　if　so
be　'twas　possible。　　And　when　I　saw　Mrs。　Garland　I　knew　I　had　done
right。　　She　pitied　me　so　much　for　having　had　the　house　cleaned　in
vain；　and　laid　in　provisions　to　waste；　that　it　put　her　into　the
humour　to　agree。　　We　mean　to　do　it　right　off　at　once；　afore　the　pies
and　cakes　get　mouldy　and　the　blackpot　stale。　　'Twas　a　good　thought
of　mine　and　hers；　and　I　am　glad　'tis　settled；'　he　concluded
cheerfully。

'Poor　Matilda！'　murmured　Bob。

'ThereI　was　afraid　'twould　hurt　thy　feelings；'　said　the　miller；
with　self…reproach：　　'making　preparations　for　thy　wedding；　and　using
them　for　my　own！'

'No；'　said　Bob　heroically；　'it　shall　not。　　It　will　be　a　great
comfort　in　my　sorrow　to　feel　that　the　splendid　grub；　and　the　ale；
and　your　stunning　new　suit　of　clothes；　and　the　great　table…cloths
you've　bought；　will　be　just　as　useful　now　as　if　I　had　married
myself。　　Poor　Matilda！　　But　you　won't　expect　me　to　join　inyou
hardly　can。　　I　can　sheer　off　that　day　very　easily；　you　know。'

'Nonsense；　Bob！'　said　the　miller　reproachfully。

'I　couldn't　stand　itI　should　break　down。'

'Deuce　take　me　if　I　would　have　asked　her；　then；　if　I　had　known　'twas
going　to　drive　thee　out　of　the　house！　　Now；　come；　Bob；　I'll　find　a
way　of　arranging　it　and　sobering　it　down；　so　that　it　shall　be　as
melancholy　as　you　can　requirein　short；　just　like　a　funeral；　if
thou'lt　promise　to　stay？'

'Very　well；'　said　the　afflicted　one。　　'On　that　condition　I'll　stay。'



XXI。　　'UPON　THE　HILL　HE　TURNED'

Having　entered　into　this　solemn　compact　with　his　son；　the　elder
Loveday's　next　action　was　to　go　to　Mrs。　Garland；　and　ask　her　how　the
toning　down　of　the　wedding　had　best　be　done。　　'It　is　plain　enough
that　to　make　merry　just　now　would　be　slighting　Bob's　feelings；　as　if
we　didn't　care　who　was　not　married；　so　long　as　we　were；'　he　said。
'But　then；　what's　to　be　done　about　the　victuals？'

'Give　a　dinner　to　the　poor　folk；'　she　suggested。　　'We　can　get
everything　used　up　that　way。'

'That's　true'　said　the　miller。　　'There's　enough　of　'em　in　these
times　to　carry　off　any　extras　whatsoever。'

'And　it　will　save　Bob's　feelings　wonderfully。　　And　they　won't　know
that　the　dinner　was　got　for　another　sort　of　wedding　and　another　sort
of　guests；　so　you'll　have　their　good…will　for　nothing。'

The　miller　smiled　at　the　subtlety　of　the　view。　　'That　can　hardly　be
called　fair；'　he　said。　　'Still；　I　did　mean　some　of　it　for　them；　for
the　friends　we　meant　to　ask　would　not　have　cleared　all。'

Upon　the　whole　the　idea　pleased　him　well；　particularly　when　he
noticed　the　forlorn　look　of　his　sailor　son　as　he　walked　about　the
place；　and　pictured　the　inevitably　jarring　effect　of　fiddles　and
tambourines　upon　Bob's　shattered　nerves　at　such　a　crisis；　even　if
the　notes　of　the　former　were　dulled　by　the　application　of　a　mute；
and　Bob　shut　up　in　a　distant　bedrooma　plan　which　had　at　first
occurred　to　him。　　He　therefore　told　Bob　that　the　surcharged　larder
was　to　be　emptied　by　the　charitable　process　above　alluded　to；　and
hoped　he　would　not　mind　making　himself　useful　in　such　a　good　and
gloomy　work。　　Bob　readily　fell　in　with　the　scheme；　and　it　was　at
once　put　in　hand　and　the　tables　spread。

The　alacrity　with　which　the　substituted　wedding　was　carried　out；
seemed　to　show　that　the　worthy　pair　of　neighbours　would　have　joined
themselves　into　one　long　ago；　had　there　previously　occurred　any
domestic　incident　dictating　such　a　step　as　an　apposite　expedient；
apart　from　their　personal　wish　to　marry。

The　appointed　morning　came；　and　the　service　quietly　took　place　at
the　cheerful　hour　of　ten；　in　the　face　of　a　triangular　congregation；
of　which　the　base　was　the　front　pew；　and　the　apex　the　west　door。
Mrs。　Garland　dressed　herself　in　the　muslin　shawl　like　Queen
Charlotte's；　that　Bob　had　brought　home；　and　her　best　plum…coloured
gown；　beneath　which　peeped　out　her　shoes　with　red　rosettes。　　Anne
was　present；　but　she　considerately　toned　herself　down；　so　as　not　to
too　seriously　damage　her　mother's　appearance。　　At　moments　during　the
ceremony　she　had　a　distressing　sense　that　she　ought　not　to　be　born；
and　was　glad　to　get　home　again。

The　interest　excited　in　the　village；　though　real；　was　hardly　enough
to　bring　a　serious　blush　to　the　face　of　coyness。　　Neighbours'　minds
had　become　so　saturated　by　the　abundance　of　showy　military　and　regal
incident　lately　vouchsafed　to　them；　that　the　wedding　of　middle…aged
civilians　was　of　small　account；　excepting　in　so　far　that　it　solved
the　question　whether　or　not　Mrs。　Garland　would　consider　herself　too
genteel　to　mate　with　a　grinder　of　corn。

In　the　evening；　Loveday's　heart　was　made　glad　by　seeing　the　baked
and　boiled　in　rapid　process　of　consumption　by　the　kitchenful　of
people　assembled　for　that　purpose。　　Three…quarters　of　an　hour　were
sufficient　to　banish　for　ever　his　fears　as　to　spoilt　food。　　The
provisions　being　the　cause　of　the　assembly；　and　not　its　consequence；
it　had　been　determined　to　get　all　that　would　not　keep　consumed　on
that　day；　even　if　highways　and　hedges　had　to　be　searched　for
operators。　　And；　in　addition　to　the　poor　and　needy；　every　cottager's
daughter　known　to　the　miller　was　invited；　and　told　to　bring　her
lover　from　campan　expedient　which；　for　letting　daylight　into　the
inside　of　full　platters；　was　among　the　most　happy　ever　known。

While　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Loveday；　Anne；　and　Bob　were　standing　in　the
parlour；　discussing　the　progress　of　the　entertainment　in　the　next
room；　John；　who　had　not　been　down　all　day；　entered　the　house　and
looked　in　upon　them　through　the　open　door。

'How's　this；　John？　　Why　didn't　you　come　before？'

'Had　to　see　the　captain；　andother　duties；'　said　the　trumpet…major；
in　a　tone　which　showed　no　great　zeal　for　explanations。

'Well；　come　in；　however；'　continued　the　miller；　as　his　son　remained
with　his　hand　on　the　door…post；　surveying　them　reflectively。

'I　cannot　stay　long；'　said　John；　advancing。　　'The　Route　is　come；　and
we　are　going　away。'

'Going　away！　　Where　to？'

'To　Exonbury。'

'When？'

'Friday　morning。'

'All　of　you？'

'Yes；　some　to…morrow　and　some　next　day。　　The　King　goes　next　week。'

'I　am　sorry　for　this；'　said　the　miller；　not　expressing　half　his
sorrow　by　the　simple　utterance。　　'I　wish　you　could　have　been　here
to…day；　since　this　is　the　case；'　he　added；　looking　at　the　horizon
through　the　window。

Mrs。　Loveday　also　expressed　her　regret；　which　seemed　to　remind　the
trumpet…major　of　the　event　of　the　day；　and　he　went　to　her　and　tried
to　say　something　befitting　the　occasion。　　Anne　had　not　said　that　she
was　either　sorry　or　glad；　but　John　Loveday　fancied　that　she　had
looked　rather　relieved　than　otherwise　when　she　heard　his　news。　　His
conversation　with　Bob　on　the　down　made　Bob's　manner；　too；　remarkably
cool；　notwithstanding　that　he　had　after　all　followed　his　brother's
advice；　which　it　was　as　yet　too　soon　after　the　event　for　him　to
rightly　value。　　John　did　not　know　why　the　sailor　had　come　back；
never　supposing　that　it　was　because　he　had　thought　better　of　going；
and　said　to　him　privately；　'You　didn't　overtake　her？'

'I　didn't　try　to；'　said　Bob。

'And　you　are　not　going　to？'

'No；　I　shall　let　her　drift。'

'I　am　glad　indeed；　Bob；　you　have　been　wise；'　said　John　heartily。

B