the trumpet-major-第40节

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rake…stems；　benefit…club　staves；　and　pick…handles；　in　which　degraded
situations　they　may　still　occasionally　be　found。

But　in　their　new　and　shining　state　they　had　a　terror　for　Anne；　whose
eyes　were　involuntarily　drawn　towards　them　as　she　sat　at　Bob's　side
during　the　service；　filling　her　with　bloody　visions　of　their
possible　use　not　far　from　the　very　spot　on　which　they　were　now
assembled。　　The　sermon；　too；　was　on　the　subject　of　patriotism；　so
that　when　they　came　out　she　began　to　harp　uneasily　upon　the
probability　of　their　all　being　driven　from　their　homes。

Bob　assured　her　that　with　the　sixty　thousand　regulars；　the　militia
reserve　of　a　hundred　and　twenty　thousand；　and　the　three　hundred
thousand　volunteers；　there　was　not　much　to　fear。

'But　I　sometimes　have　a　fear　that　poor　John　will　be　killed；'　he
continued　after　a　pause。　　'He　is　sure　to　be　among　the　first　that
will　have　to　face　the　invaders；　and　the　trumpeters　get　picked　off。'

'There　is　the　same　chance　for　him　as　for　the　others；'　said　Anne。

'Yesyesthe　same　chance；　such　as　it　is。　　You　have　never　liked
John　since　that　affair　of　Matilda　Johnson；　have　you？'

'Why？'　she　quickly　asked。

'Well；'　said　Bob　timidly；　'as　it　is　a　ticklish　time　for　him；　would
it　not　be　worth　while　to　make　up　any　differences　before　the　crash
comes？'

'I　have　nothing　to　make　up；'　said　Anne；　with　some　distress。　　She
still　fully　believed　the　trumpet…major　to　have　smuggled　away　Miss
Johnson　because　of　his　own　interest　in　that　lady；　which　must　have
made　his　professions　to　herself　a　mere　pastime；　but　that　very
conduct　had　in　it　the　curious　advantage　to　herself　of　setting　Bob
free。

'Since　John　has　been　gone；'　continued　her　companion；　'I　have　found
out　more　of　his　meaning；　and　of　what　he　really　had　to　do　with　that
woman's　flight。　　Did　you　know　that　he　had　anything　to　do　with　it？'

'Yes。'

'That　he　got　her　to　go　away？'

She　looked　at　Bob　with　surprise。　　He　was　not　exasperated　with　John；
and　yet　he　knew　so　much　as　this。

'Yes；'　she　said；　'what　did　it　mean？'

He　did　not　explain　to　her　then；　but　the　possibility　of　John's　death；
which　had　been　newly　brought　home　to　him　by　the　military　events　of
the　day；　determined　him　to　get　poor　John's　character　cleared。
Reproaching　himself　for　letting　her　remain　so　long　with　a　mistaken
idea　of　him；　Bob　went　to　his　father　as　soon　as　they　got　home；　and
begged　him　to　get　Mrs。　Loveday　to　tell　Anne　the　true　reason　of
John's　objection　to　Miss　Johnson　as　a　sister…in…law。

'She　thinks　it　is　because　they　were　old　lovers　new　met；　and　that　he
wants　to　marry　her；'　he　exclaimed　to　his　father　in　conclusion。

'Then　THAT'S　the　meaning　of　the　split　between　Miss　Nancy　and　Jack；'
said　the　miller。

'What；　were　they　any　more　than　common　friends？'　asked　Bob　uneasily。

'Not　on　her　side；　perhaps。'

'Well；　we　must　do　it；'　replied　Bob；　painfully　conscious　that　common
justice　to　John　might　bring　them　into　hazardous　rivalry；　yet
determined　to　be　fair。　　'Tell　it　all　to　Mrs。　Loveday；　and　get　her　to
tell　Anne。'



XXIV。　　A　LETTER；　A　VISITOR；　AND　A　TIN　BOX

The　result　of　the　explanation　upon　Anne　was　bitter　self…reproach。
She　was　so　sorry　at　having　wronged　the　kindly　soldier　that　next
morning　she　went　by　herself　to　the　down；　and　stood　exactly　where　his
tent　had　covered　the　sod　on　which　he　had　lain　so　many　nights；
thinking　what　sadness　he　must　have　suffered　because　of　her　at　the
time　of　packing　up　and　going　away。　　After　that　she　wiped　from　her
eyes　the　tears　of　pity　which　had　come　there；　descended　to　the　house；
and　wrote　an　impulsive　letter　to　him；　in　which　occurred　the
following　passages；　indiscreet　enough　under　the　circumstances：

'I　find　all　justice；　all　rectitude；　on　your　side；　John；　and　all
impertinence；　all　inconsiderateness；　on　mine。　　I　am　so　much
convinced　of　your　honour　in　the　whole　transaction；　that　I　shall　for
the　future　mistrust　myself　in　everything。　　And　if　it　be　possible；
whenever　I　differ　from　you　on　any　point　I　shall　take　an　hour's　time
for　consideration　before　I　say　that　I　differ。　　If　I　have　lost　your
friendship；　I　have　only　myself　to　thank　for　it；　but　I　sincerely　hope
that　you　can　forgive。'

After　writing　this　she　went　to　the　garden；　where　Bob　was　shearing
the　spring　grass　from　the　paths。　　'What　is　John's　direction？'　she
said；　holding　the　sealed　letter　in　her　hand。

'Exonbury　Barracks；'　Bob　faltered；　his　countenance　sinking。

She　thanked　him　and　went　indoors。　　When　he　came　in；　later　in　the
day；　he　passed　the　door　of　her　empty　sitting…room　and　saw　the　letter
on　the　mantelpiece。　　He　disliked　the　sight　of　it。　　Hearing　voices　in
the　other　room；　he　entered　and　found　Anne　and　her　mother　there；
talking　to　Cripplestraw；　who　had　just　come　in　with　a　message　from
Squire　Derriman；　requesting　Miss　Garland；　as　she　valued　the　peace　of
mind　of　an　old　and　troubled　man；　to　go　at　once　and　see　him。

'I　cannot　go；'　she　said；　not　liking　the　risk　that　such　a　visit
involved。

An　hour　later　Cripplestraw　shambled　again　into　the　passage；　on　the
same　errand。

'Maister's　very　poorly；　and　he　hopes　that　you'll　come；　Mis'ess　Anne。
He　wants　to　see　'ee　very　particular　about　the　French。'

Anne　would　have　gone　in　a　moment；　but　for　the　fear　that　some　one
besides　the　farmer　might　encounter　her；　and　she　answered　as　before。

Another　hour　passed；　and　the　wheels　of　a　vehicle　were　heard。
Cripplestraw　had　come　for　the　third　time；　with　a　horse　and　gig；　he
was　dressed　in　his　best　clothes；　and　brought　with　him　on　this
occasion　a　basket　containing　raisins；　almonds；　oranges；　and　sweet
cakes。　　Offering　them　to　her　as　a　gift　from　the　old　farmer；　he
repeated　his　request　for　her　to　accompany　him；　the　gig　and　best　mare
having　been　sent　as　an　additional　inducement。

'I　believe　the　old　gentleman　is　in　love　with　you；　Anne；'　said　her
mother。

'Why　couldn't　he　drive　down　himself　to　see　me？'　Anne　inquired　of
Cripplestraw。

'He　wants　you　at　the　house；　please。'

'Is　Mr。　Festus　with　him？'

'No；　he's　away　to　Budmouth。'

'I'll　go；'　said　she。

'And　I　may　come　and　meet　you？'　said　Bob。

'There's　my　letterwhat　shall　I　do　about　that？'　she　said；　instead
of　answering　him。　　'Take　my　letter　to　the　post…office；　and　you　may
come；'　she　added。

He　said　yes　and　went　out；　Cripplestraw　retreating　to　the　door　till
she　should　be　ready。

'What　letter　is　it？'　said　her　mother。

'Only　one　to　John；'　said　Anne。　　'I　have　asked　him　to　forgive　my
suspicions。　　I　could　do　no　less。'

'Do　you　want　to　marry　HIM？'　asked　Mrs。　Loveday　bluntly。

'Mother！'

'Well；　he　will　take　that　letter　as　an　encouragement。　　Can't　you　see
that　he　will；　you　foolish　girl？'

Anne　did　see　instantly。　　'Of　course！'　she　said。　　'Tell　Robert　that
he　need　not　go。'

She　went　to　her　room　to　secure　the　letter。　　It　was　gone　from　the
mantelpiece；　and　on　inquiry　it　was　found　that　the　miller；　seeing　it
there；　had　sent　David　with　it　to　Budmouth　hours　ago。　　Anne　said
nothing；　and　set　out　for　Oxwell　Hall　with　Cripplestraw。

'William；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday　to　the　miller　when　Anne　was　gone　and
Bob　had　resumed　his　work　in　the　garden；　'did　you　get　that　letter
sent　off　on　purpose？'

'Well；　I　did。　　I　wanted　to　make　sure　of　it。　　John　likes　her；　and　now
'twill　be　made　up；　and　why　shouldn't　he　marry　her？　　I'll　start　him
in　business；　if　so　be　she'll　have　him。'

'But　she　is　likely　to　marry　Festus　Derriman。'

'I　don't　want　her　to　marry　anybody　but　John；'　said　the　miller
doggedly。

'Not　if　she　is　in　love　with　Bob；　and　has　been　for　years；　and　he　with
her？'　asked　his　wife　triumphantly。

'In　love　with　Bob；　and　he　with　her？'　repeated　Loveday。

'Certainly；'　said　she；　going　off　and　leaving　him　to　his　reflections。

When　Anne　reached　the　hall　she　found　old　Mr。　Derriman　in　his
customary　chair。　　His　complexion　was　more　ashen；　but　his　movement　in
rising　at　her　entrance；　putting　a　chair　and　shutting　the　door　behind
her；　were　much　the　same　as　usual。

'Thank　God　you've　come；　my　dear　girl；'　he　said　earnestly。　　'Ah；　you
don't　trip　across　to　read　to　me　now！　　Why　did　ye　cost　me　so　much　to
fetch　you？　　Fie！　　A　horse　and　gig；　and　a　man's　time　in　going　three
times。　　And　what　I　sent　ye　cost　a　good　deal　in　Budmouth　market；　now
everything　is　so　dear　there；　and　'twould　have　cost　more　if　I　hadn't
bought　the　raisins　and　oranges　some　months　ago；　when　they　were
cheaper。　　I　tell　you　this　because　we　are　old　friends；　and　I　have
nobody　else　to　tell　my　troubles　to。　　But　I　don't　begrudge　anything
to　ye　since　you've　come。'

'I　am　not　much　pleased　to　come；　even　now；'　said　she。　　'What　can　make
you　so　seriously　anxious　to　see　me？'

'Well；　you　be　a　good　girl　and　true；　and　I've　been　thinking　that　of
all　people　of　the　next　generation　that　I　can　trust；　you　are　the
best。　　'Tis　my　bonds　and　my　title…deeds；　such　as　they　be；　and　the
leases；　you　know；　and　a　few　guineas　in　packets；　and　more　than　these；
my　will；　that　I　have　to　speak　about。　　Now　do　ye　come　this　way。'

'O；　such　things　as　those！'　she　returned；　with　surprise。　　'I　don't
understand　those　things　at　all。'

'There's　nothing　to　understand。　　'Tis　just　this。　　The　French　will　be
here　within　two　months；　that's　certain。　　I　have　it　on　the　best
authority；　that　the　army　at　Boulogne　is　ready；　the　boats　equipped；
the　plans　laid；　and　the　First