the trumpet-major-第37节

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captains；　pilots；　boatswains；　mates；　able　seamen；　and　other　curious
fauna　of　the　marine　world；　but　these　were　directly　addressed　to　his
father　and　Mrs。　Loveday；　Anne　being　included　at　the　clinching…point
by　a　glance　only。　　He　sometimes　opened　bottles　of　sweet　cider　for
her；　and　then　she　thanked　him；　but　even　this　did　not　lead　to　her
encouraging　his　chat。

One　day　when　Anne　was　paring　an　apple　she　was　left　at　table　with　the
young　man。　　'I　have　made　something　for　you；'　he　said。

She　looked　all　over　the　table；　nothing　was　there　save　the　ordinary
remnants。

'O　I　don't　mean　that　it　is　here；　it　is　out　by　the　bridge　at　the
mill…head。'

He　arose；　and　Anne　followed　with　curiosity　in　her　eyes；　and　with　her
firm　little　mouth　pouted　up　to　a　puzzled　shape。　　On　reaching　the
mossy　mill…head　she　found　that　he　had　fixed　in　the　keen　damp　draught
which　always　prevailed　over　the　wheel　an　AEolian　harp　of　large　size。
At　present　the　strings　were　partly　covered　with　a　cloth。　　He　lifted
it；　and　the　wires　began　to　emit　a　weird　harmony　which　mingled
curiously　with　the　plashing　of　the　wheel。

'I　made　it　on　purpose　for　you；　Miss　Garland；'　he　said。

She　thanked　him　very　warmly；　for　she　had　never　seen　anything　like
such　an　instrument　before；　and　it　interested　her。　　'It　was　very
thoughtful　of　you　to　make　it；'　she　added。　　'How　came　you　to　think　of
such　a　thing？'

'O　I　don't　know　exactly；'　he　replied；　as　if　he　did　not　care　to　be
questioned　on　the　point。　　'I　have　never　made　one　in　my　life　till
now。'

Every　night　after　this；　during　the　mournful　gales　of　autumn；　the
strange　mixed　music　of　water；　wind；　and　strings　met　her　ear；
swelling　and　sinking　with　an　almost　supernatural　cadence。　　The
character　of　the　instrument　was　far　enough　removed　from　anything　she
had　hitherto　seen　of　Bob's　hobbies；　so　that　she　marvelled　pleasantly
at　the　new　depths　of　poetry　this　contrivance　revealed　as　existent　in
that　young　seaman's　nature；　and　allowed　her　emotions　to　flow　out　yet
a　little　further　in　the　old　direction；　notwithstanding　her　late
severe　resolve　to　bar　them　back。

One　breezy　night；　when　the　mill　was　kept　going　into　the　small　hours；
and　the　wind　was　exactly　in　the　direction　of　the　water…current；　the
music　so　mingled　with　her　dreams　as　to　wake　her：　　it　seemed　to
rhythmically　set　itself　to　the　words；　'Remember　me！　think　of　me！'
She　was　much　impressed；　the　sounds　were　almost　too　touching；　and　she
spoke　to　Bob　the　next　morning　on　the　subject。

'How　strange　it　is　that　you　should　have　thought　of　fixing　that　harp
where　the　water　gushes！'　she　gently　observed。　　'It　affects　me　almost
painfully　at　night。　　You　are　poetical；　Captain　Bob。　　But　it　is　too
too　sad！'

'I　will　take　it　away；'　said　Captain　Bob　promptly。　　'It　certainly　is
too　sad；　I　thought　so　myself。　　I　myself　was　kept　awake　by　it　one
night。'

'How　came　you　to　think　of　making　such　a　peculiar　thing？'

'Well；'　said　Bob；　'it　is　hardly　worth　saying　why。　　It　is　not　a　good
place　for　such　a　queer　noisy　machine；　and　I'll　take　it　away。'

'On　second　thoughts；'　said　Anne；　'I　should　like　it　to　remain　a
little　longer；　because　it　sets　me　thinking。'

'Of　me？'　he　asked　with　earnest　frankness。

Anne's　colour　rose　fast。

'Well；　yes；'　she　said；　trying　to　infuse　much　plain　matter…of…fact
into　her　voice。　　'Of　course　I　am　led　to　think　of　the　person　who
invented　it。'

Bob　seemed　unaccountably　embarrassed；　and　the　subject　was　not
pursued。　　About　half…an…hour　later　he　came　to　her　again；　with
something　of　an　uneasy　look。

'There　was　a　little　matter　I　didn't　tell　you　just　now；　Miss
Garland；'　he　said。　　'About　that　harp　thing；　I　mean。　　I　did　make　it；
certainly；　but　it　was　my　brother　John　who　asked　me　to　do　it；　just
before　he　went　away。　　John　is　very　musical；　as　you　know；　and　he　said
it　would　interest　you；　but　as　he　didn't　ask　me　to　tell；　I　did　not。
Perhaps　I　ought　to　have；　and　not　have　taken　the　credit　to　myself。'

'O；　it　is　nothing！'　said　Anne　quickly。　　'It　is　a　very　incomplete
instrument　after　all；　and　it　will　be　just　as　well　for　you　to　take　it
away　as　you　first　proposed。'

He　said　that　he　would；　but　he　forgot　to　do　it　that　day；　and　the
following　night　there　was　a　high　wind；　and　the　harp　cried　and　moaned
so　movingly　that　Anne；　whose　window　was　quite　near；　could　hardly
bear　the　sound　with　its　new　associations。　　John　Loveday　was　present
to　her　mind　all　night　as　an　ill…used　man；　and　yet　she　could　not　own
that　she　had　ill…used　him。

The　harp　was　removed　next　day。　　Bob；　feeling　that　his　credit　for
originality　was　damaged　in　her　eyes；　by　way　of　recovering　it　set
himself　to　paint　the　summer…house　which　Anne　frequented；　and　when　he
came　out　he　assured　her　that　it　was　quite　his　own　idea。

'It　wanted　doing；　certainly；'　she　said；　in　a　neutral　tone。

'It　is　just　about　troublesome。'

'Yes；　you　can't　quite　reach　up。　　That's　because　you　are　not　very
tall；　is　it　not；　Captain　Loveday？'

'You　never　used　to　say　things　like　that。'

'O；　I　don't　mean　that　you　are　much　less　than　tall！　　Shall　I　hold　the
paint　for　you；　to　save　your　stepping　down？'

'Thank　you；　if　you　would。'

She　took　the　paint…pot；　and　stood　looking　at　the　brush　as　it　moved
up　and　down　in　his　hand。

'I　hope　I　shall　not　sprinkle　your　fingers；'　he　observed　as　he
dipped。

'O；　that　would　not　matter！　　You　do　it　very　well。'

'I　am　glad　to　hear　that　you　think　so。'

'But　perhaps　not　quite　so　much　art　is　demanded　to　paint　a
summer…house　as　to　paint　a　picture？'

Thinking　that；　as　a　painter's　daughter；　and　a　person　of　education
superior　to　his　own；　she　spoke　with　a　flavour　of　sarcasm；　he　felt
humbled　and　said

'You　did　not　use　to　talk　like　that　to　me。'

'I　was　perhaps　too　young　then　to　take　any　pleasure　in　giving　pain；'
she　observed　daringly。

'Does　it　give　you　pleasure？'

Anne　nodded。

'I　like　to　give　pain　to　people　who　have　given　pain　to　me；'　she　said
smartly；　without　removing　her　eyes　from　the　green　liquid　in　her
hand。

'I　ask　your　pardon　for　that。'

'I　didn't　say　I　meant　youthough　I　did　mean　you。'

Bob　looked　and　looked　at　her　side　face　till　he　was　bewitched　into
putting　down　his　brush。

'It　was　that　stupid　forgetting　of　'ee　for　a　time！'　he　exclaimed。
'Well；　I　hadn't　seen　you　for　so　very　longconsider　how　many　years！
O；　dear　Anne！'　he　said；　advancing　to　take　her　hand；　'how　well　we
knew　one　another　when　we　were　children！　　You　was　a　queen　to　me　then；
and　so　you　are　now；　and　always。'

Possibly　Anne　was　thrilled　pleasantly　enough　at　having　brought　the
truant　village　lad　to　her　feet　again；　but　he　was　not　to　find　the
situation　so　easy　as　he　imagined；　and　her　hand　was　not　to　be　taken
yet。

'Very　pretty！'　she　said；　laughing。　　'And　only　six　weeks　since　Miss
Johnson　left。'

'Zounds；　don't　say　anything　about　that！'　implored　Bob。　　'I　swear
that　I　nevernever　deliberately　loved　herfor　a　long　time
together；　that　is；　it　was　a　sudden　sort　of　thing；　you　know。　　But
towards　youI　have　more　or　less　honoured　and　respectfully　loved
you；　off　and　on；　all　my　life。　　There；　that's　true。'

Anne　retorted　quickly

'I　am　willing；　off　and　on；　to　believe　you；　Captain　Robert。　　But　I
don't　see　any　good　in　your　making　these　solemn　declarations。'

'Give　me　leave　to　explain；　dear　Miss　Garland。　　It　is　to　get　you　to
be　pleased　to　renew　an　old　promisemade　years　agothat　you'll
think　o'　me。'

'Not　a　word　of　any　promise　will　I　repeat。'

'Well；　well；　I　won't　urge　'ee　today。　　Only　let　me　beg　of　you　to　get
over　the　quite　wrong　notion　you　have　of　me；　and　it　shall　be　my　whole
endeavour　to　fetch　your　gracious　favour。'

Anne　turned　away　from　him　and　entered　the　house；　whither　in　the
course　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　followed　her；　knocking　at　her
door；　and　asking　to　be　let　in。　　She　said　she　was　busy；　whereupon　he
went　away；　to　come　back　again　in　a　short　time　and　receive　the　same
answer。

'I　have　finished　painting　the　summer…house　for　you；'　he　said　through
the　door。

'I　cannot　come　to　see　it。　　I　shall　be　engaged　till　supper…time。'

She　heard　him　breathe　a　heavy　sigh　and　withdraw；　murmuring　something
about　his　bad　luck　in　being　cut　away　from　the　starn　like　this。　　But
it　was　not　over　yet。　　When　supper…time　came　and　they　sat　down
together；　she　took　upon　herself　to　reprove　him　for　what　he　had　said
to　her　in　the　garden。

Bob　made　his　forehead　express　despair。

'Now；　I　beg　you　this　one　thing；'　he　said。　　'Just　let　me　know　your
whole　mind。　　Then　I　shall　have　a　chance　to　confess　my　faults　and
mend　them；　or　clear　my　conduct　to　your　satisfaction。'

She　answered　with　quickness；　but　not　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　the
old　people　at　the　other　end　of　the　table'Then；　Captain　Loveday；　I
will　tell　you　one　thing；　one　fault；　that　perhaps　would　have　been
more　proper　to　my　character　than　to　yours。　　You　are　too　easily
impressed　by　new　faces；　and　that　gives　me　a　BAD　OPINION　of　youyes；
a　BAD　OPINION。'

'O；　that's　it！'　said　Bob　slowly；　looking　at　her　with　the　intense
respect　of　a　pupil　for　a　master；　her　words　being　spoken　in　a　manner
so　precisely　between　jest　and　earnest　that　he　was　in　some　doubt　how
they　were　to　be　received。　　'Impressed　by　new　faces。　　It　is　wrong；
certainly；　of　me。'

The　popping　of　a　cork；　and　the　pouring　out　of　strong　beer　by　the
miller　with　a　view　to　giving　it　a　head；