the trumpet-major-第4节

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man　of　fifty…five　or　sixtyhale　all　through；　as　many　were　in　those
days；　and　not　merely　veneered　with　purple　by　exhilarating　victuals
and　drinks；　though　the　latter　were　not　at　all　despised　by　him。　　His
face　was　indeed　rather　pale　than　otherwise；　for　he　had　just　come
from　the　mill。　　It　was　capable　of　immense　changes　of　expression：
mobility　was　its　essence；　a　roll　of　flesh　forming　a　buttress　to　his
nose　on　each　side；　and　a　deep　ravine　lying　between　his　lower　lip　and
the　tumulus　represented　by　his　chin。　　These　fleshy　lumps　moved
stealthily；　as　if　of　their　own　accord；　whenever　his　fancy　was
tickled。

His　eyes　having　lighted　on　the　table…cloth；　plates；　and　viands；　he
found　himself　in　a　position　which　had　a　sensible　awkwardness　for　a
modest　man　who　always　liked　to　enter　only　at　seasonable　times　the
presence　of　a　girl　of　such　pleasantly　soft　ways　as　Anne　Garland；　she
who　could　make　apples　seem　like　peaches；　and　throw　over　her
shillings　the　glamour　of　guineas　when　she　paid　him　for　flour。

'Dinner　is　over；　neighbour　Loveday；　please　come　in；'　said　the　widow；
seeing　his　case。　　The　miller　said　something　about　coming　in
presently；　but　Anne　pressed　him　to　stay；　with　a　tender　motion　of　her
lip　as　it　played　on　the　verge　of　a　solicitous　smile　without　quite
lapsing　into　oneher　habitual　manner　when　speaking。

Loveday　took　off　his　low…crowned　hat　and　advanced。　　He　had　not　come
about　pigs　or　fowls　this　time。　　'You　have　been　looking　out；　like　the
rest　o'　us；　no　doubt；　Mrs。　Garland；　at　the　mampus　of　soldiers　that
have　come　upon　the　down？　　Well；　one　of　the　horse　regiments　is　the　
th　Dragoons；　my　son　John's　regiment；　you　know。'

The　announcement；　though　it　interested　them；　did　not　create　such　an
effect　as　the　father　of　John　had　seemed　to　anticipate；　but　Anne；　who
liked　to　say　pleasant　things；　replied；　'The　dragoons　looked　nicer
than　the　foot；　or　the　German　cavalry　either。'

'They　are　a　handsome　body　of　men；'　said　the　miller　in　a
disinterested　voice。　　'Faith！　I　didn't　know　they　were　coming；　though
it　may　be　in　the　newspaper　all　the　time。　　But　old　Derriman　keeps　it
so　long　that　we　never　know　things　till　they　be　in　everybody's
mouth。'

This　Derriman　was　a　squireen　living　near；　who　was　chiefly
distinguished　in　the　present　warlike　time　by　having　a　nephew　in　the
yeomanry。

'We　were　told　that　the　yeomanry　went　along　the　turnpike　road
yesterday；'　said　Anne；　'and　they　say　that　they　were　a　pretty　sight；
and　quite　soldierly。'

'Ah！　wellthey　be　not　regulars；'　said　Miller　Loveday；　keeping　back
harsher　criticism　as　uncalled　for。　　But　inflamed　by　the　arrival　of
the　dragoons；　which　had　been　the　exciting　cause　of　his　call；　his
mind　would　not　go　to　yeomanry。　　'John　has　not　been　home　these　five
years；'　he　said。

'And　what　rank　does　he　hold　now？'　said　the　widow。

'He's　trumpet…major；　ma'am；　and　a　good　musician。'　　The　miller；　who
was　a　good　father；　went　on　to　explain　that　John　had　seen　some
service；　too。　　He　had　enlisted　when　the　regiment　was　lying　in　this
neighbourhood；　more　than　eleven　years　before；　which　put　his　father
out　of　temper　with　him；　as　he　had　wished　him　to　follow　on　at　the
mill。　　But　as　the　lad　had　enlisted　seriously；　and　as　he　had　often
said　that　he　would　be　a　soldier；　the　miller　had　thought　that　he
would　let　Jack　take　his　chance　in　the　profession　of　his　choice。

Loveday　had　two　sons；　and　the　second　was　now　brought　into　the
conversation　by　a　remark　of　Anne's　that　neither　of　them　seemed　to
care　for　the　miller's　business。

'No；'　said　Loveday　in　a　less　buoyant　tone。　　'Robert；　you　see；　must
needs　go　to　sea。'

'He　is　much　younger　than　his　brother？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

About　four　years；　the　miller　told　her。　　His　soldier　son　was
two…and…thirty；　and　Bob　was　twenty…eight。　　When　Bob　returned　from
his　present　voyage；　he　was　to　be　persuaded　to　stay　and　assist　as
grinder　in　the　mill；　and　go　to　sea　no　more。

'A　sailor…miller！'　said　Anne。

'O；　he　knows　as　much　about　mill　business　as　I　do；'　said　Loveday；　'he
was　intended　for　it；　you　know；　like　John。　　But；　bless　me！'　he
continued；　'I　am　before　my　story。　　I'm　come　more　particularly　to　ask
you；　ma'am；　and　you；　Anne　my　honey；　if　you　will　join　me　and　a　few
friends　at　a　leetle　homely　supper　that　I　shall　gi'e　to　please　the
chap　now　he's　come？　　I　can　do　no　less　than　have　a　bit　of　a　randy；　as
the　saying　is；　now　that　he's　here　safe　and　sound。'

Mrs。　Garland　wanted　to　catch　her　daughter's　eye；　she　was　in　some
doubt　about　her　answer。　　But　Anne's　eye　was　not　to　be　caught；　for
she　hated　hints；　nods；　and　calculations　of　any　kind　in　matters　which
should　be　regulated　by　impulse；　and　the　matron　replied；　'If　so　be
'tis　possible；　we'll　be　there。　　You　will　tell　us　the　day？'

He　would；　as　soon　as　he　had　seen　son　John。　　''Twill　be　rather
untidy；　you　know；　owing　to　my　having　no　womenfolks　in　the　house；　and
my　man　David　is　a　poor　dunder…headed　feller　for　getting　up　a　feast。
Poor　chap！　his　sight　is　bad；　that's　true；　and　he's　very　good　at
making　the　beds；　and　oiling　the　legs　of　the　chairs　and　other
furniture；　or　I　should　have　got　rid　of　him　years　ago。'

'You　should　have　a　woman　to　attend　to　the　house；　Loveday；'　said　the
widow。

'Yes；　I　should；　but。　　Well；　'tis　a　fine　day；　neighbours。　　Hark！　　I
fancy　I　hear　the　noise　of　pots　and　pans　up　at　the　camp；　or　my　ears
deceive　me。　　Poor　fellows；　they　must　be　hungry！　　Good　day　t'ye；
ma'am。'　　And　the　miller　went　away。

All　that　afternoon　Overcombe　continued　in　a　ferment　of　interest　in
the　military　investment；　which　brought　the　excitement　of　an　invasion
without　the　strife。　　There　were　great　discussions　on　the　merits　and
appearance　of　the　soldiery。　　The　event　opened　up；　to　the　girls
unbounded　possibilities　of　adoring　and　being　adored；　and　to　the
young　men　an　embarrassment　of　dashing　acquaintances　which　quite
superseded　falling　in　love。　　Thirteen　of　these　lads　incontinently
stated　within　the　space　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour　that　there　was
nothing　in　the　world　like　going　for　a　soldier。　　The　young　women
stated　little；　but　perhaps　thought　the　more；　though；　in　justice；
they　glanced　round　towards　the　encampment　from　the　corners　of　their
blue　and　brown　eyes　in　the　most　demure　and　modest　manner　that　could
be　desired。

In　the　evening　the　village　was　lively　with　soldiers'　wives；　a　tree
full　of　starlings　would　not　have　rivalled　the　chatter　that　was　going
on。　　These　ladies　were　very　brilliantly　dressed；　with　more　regard
for　colour　than　for　material。　　Purple；　red；　and　blue　bonnets　were
numerous；　with　bunches　of　cocks'　feathers；　and　one　had　on　an
Arcadian　hat　of　green　sarcenet；　turned　up　in　front　to　show　her　cap
underneath。　　It　had　once　belonged　to　an　officer's　lady；　and　was　not
so　much　stained；　except　where　the　occasional　storms　of　rain；
incidental　to　a　military　life；　had　caused　the　green　to　run　and
stagnate　in　curious　watermarks　like　peninsulas　and　islands。　　Some　of
the　prettiest　of　these　butterfly　wives　had　been　fortunate　enough　to
get　lodgings　in　the　cottages；　and　were　thus　spared　the　necessity　of
living　in　huts　and　tents　on　the　down。　　Those　who　had　not　been　so
fortunate　were　not　rendered　more　amiable　by　the　success　of　their
sisters…in…arms；　and　called　them　names　which　brought　forth　retorts
and　rejoinders；　till　the　end　of　these　alternative　remarks　seemed
dependent　upon　the　close　of　the　day。

One　of　these　new　arrivals；　who　had　a　rosy　nose　and　a　slight
thickness　of　voice；　which；　as　Anne　said；　she　couldn't　help；　poor
thing；　seemed　to　have　seen　so　much　of　the　world；　and　to　have　been　in
so　many　campaigns；　that　Anne　would　have　liked　to　take　her　into　their
own　house；　so　as　to　acquire　some　of　that　practical　knowledge　of　the
history　of　England　which　the　lady　possessed；　and　which　could　not　be
got　from　books。　　But　the　narrowness　of　Mrs。　Garland's　rooms
absolutely　forbade　this；　and　the　houseless　treasury　of　experience
was　obliged　to　look　for　quarters　elsewhere。

That　night　Anne　retired　early　to　bed。　　The　events　of　the　day；
cheerful　as　they　were　in　themselves；　had　been　unusual　enough　to　give
her　a　slight　headache。　　Before　getting　into　bed　she　went　to　the
window；　and　lifted　the　white　curtains　that　hung　across　it。　　The　moon
was　shining；　though　not　as　yet　into　the　valley；　but　just　peeping
above　the　ridge　of　the　down；　where　the　white　cones　of　the　encampment
were　softly　touched　by　its　light。　　The　quarter…guard　and　foremost
tents　showed　themselves　prominently；　but　the　body　of　the　camp；　the
officers'　tents；　kitchens；　canteen；　and　appurtenances　in　the　rear
were　blotted　out　by　the　ground；　because　of　its　height　above　her。
She　could　discern　the　forms　of　one　or　two　sentries　moving　to　and　fro
across　the　disc　of　the　moon　at　intervals。　　She　could　hear　the
frequent　shuffling　and　tossing　of　the　horses　tied　to　the　pickets；
and　in　the　other　direction　the　miles…long　voice　of　the　sea；
whispering　a　louder　note　at　those　points　of　its　length　where
hampered　in　its　ebb　and　flow　by　some　jutting　promontory　or　group　of
boulders。　　Louder　sounds　suddenly　broke　this　approach　to　silence；
they　came　from　the　camp　of　dragoons；　were　taken　up　further　to　the
right　by　the　camp　of　the　Hanoverians；　and　further　on　still　by　the
body　of　infantry。　　It　was　tattoo。　　Feeling　no　desire　to　sleep；　she
listened　yet　longer；　looked　at　C