the trumpet-major-第39节

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Wherever　the　French　have　lately　appeared　they　have　spared　neither
Rich　nor　Poor；　Old　nor　Young；　but　like　a　Destructive　Pestilence　have
laid　waste　and　destroyed　every　Thing　that　before　was　fair　and
flourishing。

On　this　occasion　no　man's　service　is　compelled；　but　you　are　invited
voluntarily　to　come　forward　in　defence　of　everything　that　is　dear　to
you；　by　entering　your　Names　on　the　Lists　which　are　sent　to　the
Tything…man　of　every　Parish；　and　engaging　to　act　either　as
ASSOCIATED　VOLUNTEERS　BEARING　ARMS；　AS　PIONEERS　AND　LABOURERS；　or　as
DRIVERS　OF　WAGGONS。

As　Associated　Volunteers　you　will　be　called　out　only　once　a　week；
unless　the　actual　Landing　of　the　Enemy　should　render　your　further
Services　necessary。

As　Pioneers　or　Labourers　you　will　be　employed　in　Breaking　up　Roads
to　hinder　the　Enemy's　advance。

Those　who　have　Pickaxes；　Spades；　Shovels；　Bill…hooks；　or　other
Working　Implements；　are　desired　to　mention　them　to　the　Constable　or
Tything…man　of　their　Parish；　in　order　that　they　may　be　entered　on
the　Lists　opposite　their　Homes；　to　be　used　if　necessary。　。　。　。

It　is　thought　desirable　to　give　you　this　Explanation；　that　you　may
not　be　ignorant　of　the　Duties　to　which　you　may　be　called。　　But　if
the　love　of　true　Liberty　and　honest　Fame　has　not　ceased　to　animate
the　Hearts　of　Englishmen；　Pay；　though　necessary；　will　be　the　least
Part　of　your　Reward。　　You　will　find　your　best　Recompense　in　having
done　your　Duty　to　your　King　and　Country　by　driving　back　or
destroying　your　old　and　implacable　Enemy；　envious　of　your　Freedom
and　Happiness；　and　therefore　seeking　to　destroy　them；　in　having
protected　your　Wives　and　Children　from　Death；　or　worse　than　Death；
which　will　follow　the　Success　of　such　Inveterate　Foes。

ROUSE；　therefore；　and　unite　as　one　man　in　the　best　of　Causes！
United　we　may　defy　the　World　to　conquer　us；　but　Victory　will　never
belong　to　those　who　are　slothful　and　unprepared。　*



*　Vide　Preface。


'I　must　go　and　join　at　once！'　said　Bob。

Anne　turned　to　him；　all　the　playfulness　gone　from　her　face。　　'I　wish
we　lived　in　the　north　of　England；　Bob；　so　as　to　be　further　away　from
where　he'll　land！'　she　murmured　uneasily。

'Where　we　are　would　be　Paradise　to　me；　if　you　would　only　make　it
so。'

'It　is　not　right　to　talk　so　lightly　at　such　a　serious　time；'　she
thoughtfully　returned；　going　on　towards　the　church。

On　drawing　near；　they　saw　through　the　boughs　of　a　clump　of
intervening　trees；　still　leafless；　but　bursting　into　buds　of　amber
hue；　a　glittering　which　seemed　to　be　reflected　from　points　of　steel。
In　a　few　moments　they　heard　above　the　tender　chiming　of　the　church
bells　the　loud　voice　of　a　man　giving　words　of　command；　at　which　all
the　metallic　points　suddenly　shifted　like　the　bristles　of　a
porcupine；　and　glistened　anew。

''Tis　the　drilling；'　said　Loveday。　　'They　drill　now　between　the
services；　you　know；　because　they　can't　get　the　men　together　so
readily　in　the　week。　　It　makes　me　feel　that　I　ought　to　be　doing　more
than　I　am！'

When　they　had　passed　round　the　belt　of　trees；　the　company　of
recruits　became　visible；　consisting　of　the　able…bodied　inhabitants
of　the　hamlets　thereabout；　more　or　less　known　to　Bob　and　Anne。　　They
were　assembled　on　the　green　plot　outside　the　churchyard…gate；
dressed　in　their　common　clothes；　and　the　sergeant　who　had　been
putting　them　through　their　drill　was　the　man　who　nailed　up　the
proclamation。　　He　was　now　engaged　in　untying　a　canvas　money…bag；
from　which　he　drew　forth　a　handful　of　shillings；　giving　one　to　each
man　in　payment　for　his　attendance。

'Men；　I　dismissed　ye　too　soonparade；　parade　again；　I　say；'　he
cried。　　'My　watch　is　fast；　I　find。　　There's　another　twenty　minutes
afore　the　worship　of　God　commences。　　Now　all　of　you　that　ha'n't　got
firelocks；　fall　in　at　the　lower　end。　　Eyes　right　and　dress！'

As　every　man　was　anxious　to　see　how　the　rest　stood；　those　at　the　end
of　the　line　pressed　forward　for　that　purpose；　till　the　line　assumed
the　form　of　a　bow。

'Look　at　ye　now！　　Why；　you　are　all　a　crooking　in！　　Dress；　dress！'

They　dressed　forthwith；　but　impelled　by　the　same　motive　they　soon
resumed　their　former　figure；　and　so　they　were　despairingly　permitted
to　remain。

'Now；　I　hope　you'll　have　a　little　patience；'　said　the　sergeant；　as
he　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　arc；　'and　pay　strict　attention　to　the
word　of　command；　just　exactly　as　I　give　it　out　to　ye；　and　if　I
should　go　wrong；　I　shall　be　much　obliged　to　any　friend　who'll　put　me
right　again；　for　I　have　only　been　in　the　army　three　weeks　myself；
and　we　are　all　liable　to　mistakes。'

'So　we　be；　so　we　be；'　said　the　line　heartily。

''Tention；　the　whole；　then。　　Poise　fawlocks！　　Very　well　done！'

'Please；　what　must　we　do　that　haven't　got　no　firelocks！'　said　the
lower　end　of　the　line　in　a　helpless　voice。

'Now；　was　ever　such　a　question！　　Why；　you　must　do　nothing　at　all；
but　think　HOW　you'd　poise　'em　IF　you　had　'em。　　You　middle　men；　that
are　armed　with　hurdle…sticks　and　cabbage…stumps　just　to
make…believe；　must　of　course　use　'em　as　if　they　were　the　real　thing。
Now　then；　cock　fawlocks！　　Present！　　Fire！　（Pretend　to；　I　mean；　and
the　same　time　throw　yer　imagination　into　the　field　o'　battle。）　　Very
goodvery　good　indeed；　except　that　some　of　you　were　a　LITTLE　too
soon；　and　the　rest　a　LITTLE　too　late。'

'Please；　sergeant；　can　I　fall　out；　as　I　am　master…player　in　the
choir；　and　my　bass…viol　strings　won't　stand　at　this　time　o'　year；
unless　they　be　screwed　up　a　little　before　the　passon　comes　in？'

'How　can　you　think　of　such　trifles　as　churchgoing　at　such　a　time　as
this；　when　your　own　native　country　is　on　the　point　of　invasion？'
said　the　sergeant　sternly。　　'And；　as　you　know；　the　drill　ends　three
minutes　afore　church　begins；　and　that's　the　law；　and　it　wants　a
quarter　of　an　hour　yet。　　Now；　at　the　word　PRIME；　shake　the　powder
（supposing　you've　got　it）　into　the　priming…pan；　three　last　fingers
behind　the　rammer；　then　shut　your　pans；　drawing　your　right　arm
nimble…like　towards　your　body。　　I　ought　to　have　told　ye　before　this；
that　at　HAND　YOUR　KATRIDGE；　seize　it　and　bring　it　with　a　quick
motion　to　your　mouth；　bite　the　top　well　off；　and　don't　swaller　so
much　of　the　powder　as　to　make　ye　hawk　and　spet　instead　of　attending
to　your　drill。　　What's　that　man　a…saying　of　in　the　rear　rank？'

'Please；　sir；　'tis　Anthony　Cripplestraw；　wanting　to　know　how　he's　to
bite　off　his　katridge；　when　he　haven't　a　tooth　left　in　's　head？'

'Man！　　Why；　what's　your　genius　for　war？　　Hold　it　up　to　your
right…hand　man's　mouth；　to　be　sure；　and　let　him　nip　it　off　for　ye。
Well；　what　have　you　to　say；　Private　Tremlett？　　Don't　ye　understand
English？'

'Ask　yer　pardon；　sergeant；　but　what　must　we　infantry　of　the　awkward
squad　do　if　Boney　comes　afore　we　get　our　firelocks？'

'Take　a　pike；　like　the　rest　of　the　incapables。　　You'll　find　a　store
of　them　ready　in　the　corner　of　the　church　tower。　　Now　then
Shoulderrrr'

'There；　they　be　tinging　in　the　passon！'　exclaimed　David；　Miller
Loveday's　man；　who　also　formed　one　of　the　company；　as　the　bells
changed　from　chiming　all　three　together　to　a　quick　beating　of　one。
The　whole　line　drew　a　breath　of　relief；　threw　down　their　arms；　and
began　running　off。

'Well；　then；　I　must　dismiss　ye；'　said　the　sergeant。　　'Come　back
come　back！　　Next　drill　is　Tuesday　afternoon　at　four。　　And；　mind；　if
your　masters　won't　let　ye　leave　work　soon　enough；　tell　me；　and　I'll
write　a　line　to　Gover'ment！　　'Tention！　　To　the　rightleft　wheel；　I
meanno；　noright　wheel。　　Marrrrch！'

Some　wheeled　to　the　right　and　some　to　the　left；　and　some　obliging
men；　including　Cripplestraw；　tried　to　wheel　both　ways。

'Stop；　stop；　try　again！　　'Cruits　and　comrades；　unfortunately　when
I'm　in　a　hurry　I　can　never　remember　my　right　hand　from　my　left；　and
never　could　as　a　boy。　　You　must　excuse　me；　please。　　Practice　makes
perfect；　as　the　saying　is；　and；　much　as　I've　learnt　since　I　'listed；
we　always　find　something　new。　　Now　then；　right　wheel！　march！　halt！
Stand　at　ease！　dismiss！　　I　think　that's　the　order　o't；　but　I'll　look
in　the　Gover'ment　book　afore　Tuesday。'　*

*　Vide　Preface

Many　of　the　company　who　had　been　drilled　preferred　to　go　off　and
spend　their　shillings　instead　of　entering　the　church；　but　Anne　and
Captain　Bob　passed　in。　　Even　the　interior　of　the　sacred　edifice　was
affected　by　the　agitation　of　the　times。　　The　religion　of　the　country
had；　in　fact；　changed　from　love　of　God　to　hatred　of　Napoleon
Buonaparte；　and；　as　if　to　remind　the　devout　of　this　alteration；　the
pikes　for　the　pikemen　（all　those　accepted　men　who　were　not　otherwise
armed）　were　kept　in　the　church　of　each　parish。　　There；　against　the
wall；　they　always　stooda　whole　sheaf　of　them；　formed　of　new　ash
stems；　with　a　spike　driven　in　at　one　end；　the　stick　being　preserved
from　splitting　by　a　ferule。　　And　there　they　remained；　year　after
year；　in　the　corner　of　the　aisle；　till　they　were　removed　and　placed
under　the　gallery　stairs；　and　thence　ultimately　to　the　belfry；　where
they　grew　black；　rusty；　and　worm…eaten；　and　were　gradually　stolen
and　carried　off　by　sextons；　parish　clerks；　whitewashers；
window…menders；　and　other　church　servants　for　use　at　home　as
rake…stems；　benefit…club　staves；　and　pick…handles；　in　which　degraded
situati