the trumpet-major-第36节

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more　clearly　did　he　perceive　that　he　was　in　a　very　bad　way。

On　reflection　he　remembered　that　since　Miss　Johnson's　departure　his
appetite　had　decreased　amazingly。　　He　had　eaten　in　meat　no　more　than
fourteen　or　fifteen　ounces　a　day；　but　one…third　of　a　quartern
pudding　on　an　average；　in　vegetables　only　a　small　heap　of　potatoes
and　half　a　York　cabbage；　and　no　gravy　whatever；　which；　considering
the　usual　appetite　of　a　seaman　for　fresh　food　at　the　end　of　a　long
voyage；　was　no　small　index　of　the　depression　of　his　mind。　　Then　he
had　waked　once　every　night；　and　on　one　occasion　twice。　　While
dressing　each　morning　since　the　gloomy　day　he　had　not　whistled　more
than　seven　bars　of　a　hornpipe　without　stopping　and　falling　into
thought　of　a　most　painful　kind；　and　he　had　told　none　but　absolutely
true　stories　of　foreign　parts　to　the　neighbouring　villagers　when
they　saluted　and　clustered　about　him；　as　usual；　for　anything　he
chose　to　pour　forthexcept　that　story　of　the　whale　whose　eye　was
about　as　large　as　the　round　pond　in　Derriman's　ewe…leasewhich　was
like　tempting　fate　to　set　a　seal　for　ever　upon　his　tongue　as　a
traveller。　　All　this　enervation；　mental　and　physical；　had　been
produced　by　Matilda's　departure。

He　also　considered　what　he　had　lost　of　the　rational　amusements　of
manhood　during　these　unfortunate　days。　　He　might　have　gone　to　the
neighbouring　fashionable　resort　every　afternoon；　stood　before
Gloucester　Lodge　till　the　King　and　Queen　came　out；　held　his　hat　in
his　hand；　and　enjoyed　their　Majesties'　smiles　at　his　homage　all　for
nothingwatched　the　picket…mounting；　heard　the　different　bands
strike　up；　observed　the　staff；　and；　above　all；　have　seen　the　pretty
town　girls　go　trip…trip…trip　along　the　esplanade；　deliberately
fixing　their　innocent　eyes　on　the　distant　sea；　the　grey　cliffs；　and
the　sky；　and　accidentally　on　the　soldiers　and　himself。

'I'll　raze　out　her　image；'　he　said。　　'She　shall　make　a　fool　of　me　no
more。'　　And　his　resolve　resulted　in　conduct　which　had　elements　of
real　greatness。

He　went　back　to　his　father；　whom　he　found　in　the　mill…loft。　　''Tis
true；　father；　what　you　say；'　he　observed：　　'my　brains　will　turn　to
bilge…water　if　I　think　of　her　much　longer。　　By　the　oath　of　a
navigator；　I　wish　I　could　sigh　less　and　laugh　more！　She's　gonewhy
can't　I　let　her　go；　and　be　happy？　　But　how　begin？'

'Take　it　careless；　my　son；'　said　the　miller；　'and　lay　yourself　out
to　enjoy　snacks　and　cordials。'

'Ahthat's　a　thought！'　said　Bob。

'Baccy　is　good　for't。　　So　is　sperrits。　　Though　I　don't　advise　thee
to　drink　neat。'

'BaccyI'd　almost　forgot　it！'　said　Captain　Loveday。

He　went　to　his　room；　hastily　untied　the　package　of　tobacco　that　he
had　brought　home；　and　began　to　make　use　of　it　in　his　own　way；
calling　to　David　for　a　bottle　of　the　old　household　mead　that　had
lain　in　the　cellar　these　eleven　years。　　He　was　discovered　by　his
father　three…quarters　of　an　hour　later　as　a　half…invisible　object
behind　a　cloud　of　smoke。

The　miller　drew　a　breath　of　relief。　　'Why；　Bob；'　he　said；　'I　thought
the　house　was　a…fire！'

'I'm　smoking　rather　fast　to　drown　my　reflections；　father。　　'Tis　no
use　to　chaw。'

To　tempt　his　attenuated　appetite　the　unhappy　mate　made　David　cook　an
omelet　and　bake　a　seed…cake；　the　latter　so　richly　compounded　that　it
opened　to　the　knife　like　a　freckled　buttercup。　　With　the　same　object
he　stuck　night…lines　into　the　banks　of　the　mill…pond；　and　drew　up
next　morning　a　family　of　fat　eels；　some　of　which　were　skinned　and
prepared　for　his　breakfast。　　They　were　his　favourite　fish；　but　such
had　been　his　condition　that；　until　the　moment　of　making　this　effort；
he　had　quite　forgotten　their　existence　at　his　father's　back…door。

In　a　few　days　Bob　Loveday　had　considerably　improved　in　tone　and
vigour。　　One　other　obvious　remedy　for　his　dejection　was　to　indulge
in　the　society　of　Miss　Garland；　love　being　so　much　more　effectually
got　rid　of　by　displacement　than　by　attempted　annihilation。　　But
Loveday's　belief　that　he　had　offended　her　beyond　forgiveness；　and
his　ever…present　sense　of　her　as　a　woman　who　by　education　and
antecedents　was　fitted　to　adorn　a　higher　sphere　than　his　own；
effectually　kept　him　from　going　near　her　for　a　long　time；
notwithstanding　that　they　were　inmates　of　one　house。　　The　reserve
was；　however；　in　some　degree　broken　by　the　appearance　one　morning；
later　in　the　season；　of　the　point　of　a　saw　through　the　partition
which　divided　Anne's　room　from　the　Loveday　half　of　the　house。
Though　she　dined　and　supped　with　her　mother　and　the　Loveday　family；
Miss　Garland　had　still　continued　to　occupy　her　old　apartments；
because　she　found　it　more　convenient　there　to　pursue　her　hobbies　of
wool…work　and　of　copying　her　father's　old　pictures。　　The　division
wall　had　not　as　yet　been　broken　down。

As　the　saw　worked　its　way　downwards　under　her　astonished　gaze　Anne
jumped　up　from　her　drawing；　and　presently　the　temporary　canvasing
and　papering　which　had　sealed　up　the　old　door　of　communication　was
cut　completely　through。　　The　door　burst　open；　and　Bob　stood　revealed
on　the　other　side；　with　the　saw　in　his　hand。

'I　beg　your　ladyship's　pardon；'　he　said；　taking　off　the　hat　he　had
been　working　in；　as　his　handsome　face　expanded　into　a　smile。　　'I
didn't　know　this　door　opened　into　your　private　room。'

'Indeed；　Captain　Loveday！'

'I　am　pulling　down　the　division　on　principle；　as　we　are　now　one
family。　　But　I　really　thought　the　door　opened　into　your　passage。'

'It　don't　matter；　I　can　get　another　room。'

'Not　at　all。　　Father　wouldn't　let　me　turn　you　out。　　I'll　close　it　up
again。'

But　Anne　was　so　interested　in　the　novelty　of　a　new　doorway　that　she
walked　through　it；　and　found　herself　in　a　dark　low　passage　which　she
had　never　seen　before。

'It　leads　to　the　mill；'　said　Bob。　　'Would　you　like　to　go　in　and　see
it　at　work？　　But　perhaps　you　have　already。'

'Only　into　the　ground　floor。'

'Come　all　over　it。　　I　am　practising　as　grinder；　you　know；　to　help　my
father。'

She　followed　him　along　the　dark　passage；　in　the　side　of　which　he
opened　a　little　trap；　when　she　saw　a　great　slimy　cavern；　where　the
long　arms　of　the　mill…wheel　flung　themselves　slowly　and　distractedly
round；　and　splashing　water…drops　caught　the　little　light　that
strayed　into　the　gloomy　place；　turning　it　into　stars　and　flashes。　　A
cold　mist…laden　puff　of　air　came　into　their　faces；　and　the　roar　from
within　made　it　necessary　for　Anne　to　shout　as　she　said；　'It　is
dismal！　let　us　go　on。'

Bob　shut　the　trap；　the　roar　ceased；　and　they　went　on　to　the　inner
part　of　the　mill；　where　the　air　was　warm　and　nutty；　and　pervaded　by
a　fog　of　flour。　　Then　they　ascended　the　stairs；　and　saw　the　stones
lumbering　round　and　round；　and　the　yellow　corn　running　down　through
the　hopper。　　They　climbed　yet　further　to　the　top　stage；　where　the
wheat　lay　in　bins；　and　where　long　rays　like　feelers　stretched　in
from　the　sun　through　the　little　window；　got　nearly　lost　among
cobwebs　and　timber；　and　completed　their　course　by　marking　the
opposite　wall　with　a　glowing　patch　of　gold。

In　his　earnestness　as　an　exhibitor　Bob　opened　the　bolter；　which　was
spinning　rapidly　round；　the　result　being　that　a　dense　cloud　of　flour
rolled　out　in　their　faces；　reminding　Anne　that　her　complexion　was
probably　much　paler　by　this　time　than　when　she　had　entered　the　mill。
She　thanked　her　companion　for　his　trouble；　and　said　she　would　now　go
down。　　He　followed　her　with　the　same　deference　as　hitherto；　and　with
a　sudden　and　increasing　sense　that　of　all　cures　for　his　former
unhappy　passion　this　would　have　been　the　nicest；　the　easiest；　and
the　most　effectual；　if　he　had　only　been　fortunate　enough　to　keep　her
upon　easy　terms。　　But　Miss　Garland　showed　no　disposition　to　go
further　than　accept　his　services　as　a　guide；　she　descended　to　the
open　air；　shook　the　flour　from　her　like　a　bird；　and　went　on　into　the
garden　amid　the　September　sunshine；　whose　rays　lay　level　across　the
blue　haze　which　the　earth　gave　forth。　　The　gnats　were　dancing　up　and
down　in　airy　companies；　the　nasturtium　flowers　shone　out　in　groups
from　the　dark　hedge　over　which　they　climbed；　and　the　mellow　smell　of
the　decline　of　summer　was　exhaled　by　everything。　　Bob　followed　her
as　far　as　the　gate；　looked　after　her；　thought　of　her　as　the　same
girl　who　had　half　encouraged　him　years　ago；　when　she　seemed　so
superior　to　him；　though　now　they　were　almost　equal　she　apparently
thought　him　beneath　her。　　It　was　with　a　new　sense　of　pleasure　that
his　mind　flew　to　the　fact　that　she　was　now　an　inmate　of　his　father's
house。

His　obsequious　bearing　was　continued　during　the　next　week。　　In　the
busy　hours　of　the　day　they　seldom　met；　but　they　regularly
encountered　each　other　at　meals；　and　these　cheerful　occasions　began
to　have　an　interest　for　him　quite　irrespective　of　dishes　and　cups。
When　Anne　entered　and　took　her　seat　she　was　always　loudly　hailed　by
Miller　Loveday　as　he　whetted　his　knife；　but　from　Bob　she
condescended　to　accept　no　such　familiar　greeting；　and　they　often　sat
down　together　as　if　each　had　a　blind　eye　in　the　direction　of　the
other。　　Bob　sometimes　told　serious　and　correct　stories　about　sea…
captains；　pilots；　boatswains；　mates；　able　seamen；　and　other　curious
fauna　of　the　marine　world；　but　these　were　dire