the trumpet-major-第42节

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was　too　great　for　her　to　do　more　than　slightly　move　it；　and　with　a
desperate　sigh　she　ran　on　again；　having　lost　many　valuable　seconds。

But　her　attempt；　though　ineffectual　in　dragging　it　down；　had　been
enough　to　unsettle　the　little　bridge；　and　when　Derriman　reached　the
middle；　which　he　did　half　a　minute　later；　the　plank　turned　over　on
its　edge；　tilting　him　bodily　into　the　river。　　The　water　was　not
remarkably　deep；　but　as　the　yeoman　fell　flat　on　his　stomach　he　was
completely　immersed；　and　it　was　some　time　before　he　could　drag
himself　out。　　When　he　arose；　dripping　on　the　bank；　and　looked
around；　Anne　had　vanished　from　the　mead。　　Then　Festus's　eyes　glowed
like　carbuncles；　and　he　gave　voice　to　fearful　imprecations；　shaking
his　fist　in　the　soft　summer　air　towards　Anne；　in　a　way　that　was
terrible　for　any　maiden　to　behold。　　Wading　back　through　the　stream；
he　walked　along　its　bank　with　a　heavy　tread；　the　water　running　from
his　coat…tails；　wrists；　and　the　tips　of　his　ears；　in　silvery
dribbles；　that　sparkled　pleasantly　in　the　sun。　　Thus　he　hastened
away；　and　went　round　by　a　by…path　to　the　hall。

Meanwhile　the　author　of　his　troubles　was　rapidly　drawing　nearer　to
the　mill；　and　soon；　to　her　inexpressible　delight；　she　saw　Bob　coming
to　meet　her。　　She　had　heard　the　flounce；　and；　feeling　more　secure
from　her　pursuer；　had　dropped　her　pace　to　a　quick　walk。　　No　sooner
did　she　reach　Bob　than；　overcome　by　the　excitement　of　the　moment；
she　flung　herself　into　his　arms。　　Bob　instantly　enclosed　her　in　an
embrace　so　very　thorough　that　there　was　no　possible　danger　of　her
falling；　whatever　degree　of　exhaustion　might　have　given　rise　to　her
somewhat　unexpected　action；　and　in　this　attitude　they　silently
remained；　till　it　was　borne　in　upon　Anne　that　the　present　was　the
first　time　in　her　life　that　she　had　ever　been　in　such　a　position。
Her　face　then　burnt　like　a　sunset；　and　she　did　not　know　how　to　look
up　at　him。　　Feeling　at　length　quite　safe；　she　suddenly　resolved　not
to　give　way　to　her　first　impulse　to　tell　him　the　whole　of　what　had
happened；　lest　there　should　be　a　dreadful　quarrel　and　fight　between
Bob　and　the　yeoman；　and　great　difficulties　caused　in　the　Loveday
family　on　her　account；　the　miller　having　important　wheat
transactions　with　the　Derrimans。

'You　seem　frightened；　dearest　Anne；'　said　Bob　tenderly。

'Yes；'　she　replied。　　'I　saw　a　man　I　did　not　like　the　look　of；　and　he
was　inclined　to　follow　me。　　But；　worse　than　that；　I　am　troubled
about　the　French。　　O　Bob！　I　am　afraid　you　will　be　killed；　and　my
mother；　and　John；　and　your　father；　and　all　of　us　hunted　down！'

'Now　I　have　told　you；　dear　little　heart；　that　it　cannot　be。　　We
shall　drive　'em　into　the　sea　after　a　battle　or　two；　even　if　they
land；　which　I　don't　believe　they　will。　　We've　got　ninety　sail　of　the
line；　and　though　it　is　rather　unfortunate　that　we　should　have
declared　war　against　Spain　at　this　ticklish　time；　there's　enough　for
all。'　　And　Bob　went　into　elaborate　statistics　of　the　navy；　army；
militia；　and　volunteers；　to　prolong　the　time　of　holding　her。　　When
he　had　done　speaking　he　drew　rather　a　heavy　sigh。

'What's　the　matter；　Bob？'

'I　haven't　been　yet　to　offer　myself　as　a　sea…fencible；　and　I　ought
to　have　done　it　long　ago。'

'You　are　only　one。　　Surely　they　can　do　without　you？'

Bob　shook　his　head。　　She　arose　from　her　restful　position；　her　eye
catching　his　with　a　shamefaced　expression　of　having　given　way　at
last。　　Loveday　drew　from　his　pocket　a　paper；　and　said；　as　they
slowly　walked　on；　'Here's　something　to　make　us　brave　and　patriotic。
I　bought　it　in　Budmouth。　　Isn't　it　a　stirring　picture？'

It　was　a　hieroglyphic　profile　of　Napoleon。　　The　hat　represented　a
maimed　French　eagle；　the　face　was　ingeniously　made　up　of　human
carcases；　knotted　and　writhing　together　in　such　directions　as　to
form　a　physiognomy；　a　band；　or　stock；　shaped　to　resemble　the　English
Channel；　encircled　his　throat；　and　seemed　to　choke　him；　his
epaulette　was　a　hand　tearing　a　cobweb　that　represented　the　treaty　of
peace　with　England；　and　his　ear　was　a　woman　crouching　over　a　dying
child。　*

*　Vide　Preface。

'It　is　dreadful！'　said　Anne。　　'I　don't　like　to　see　it。'

She　had　recovered　from　her　emotion；　and　walked　along　beside　him　with
a　grave；　subdued　face。　　Bob　did　not　like　to　assume　the　privileges　of
an　accepted　lover　and　draw　her　hand　through　his　arm；　for；　conscious
that　she　naturally　belonged　to　a　politer　grade　than　his　own；　he
feared　lest　her　exhibition　of　tenderness　were　an　impulse　which
cooler　moments　might　regret。　　A　perfect　Paul…and…Virginia　life　had
not　absolutely　set　in　for　him　as　yet；　and　it　was　not　to　be　hastened
by　force。　　When　they　had　passed　over　the　bridge　into　the　mill…front
they　saw　the　miller　standing　at　the　door　with　a　face　of　concern。

'Since　you　have　been　gone；'　he　said；　'a　Government　man　has　been
here；　and　to　all　the　houses；　taking　down　the　numbers　of　the　women
and　children；　and　their　ages　and　the　number　of　horses　and　waggons
that　can　be　mustered；　in　case　they　have　to　retreat　inland；　out　of
the　way　of　the　invading　army。'

The　little　family　gathered　themselves　together；　all　feeling　the
crisis　more　seriously　than　they　liked　to　express。　　Mrs。　Loveday
thought　how　ridiculous　a　thing　social　ambition　was　in　such　a
conjuncture　as　this；　and　vowed　that　she　would　leave　Anne　to　love
where　she　would。　　Anne；　too；　forgot　the　little　peculiarities　of
speech　and　manner　in　Bob　and　his　father；　which　sometimes　jarred　for
a　moment　upon　her　more　refined　sense；　and　was　thankful　for　their
love　and　protection　in　this　looming　trouble。

On　going　upstairs　she　remembered　the　paper　which　Farmer　Derriman　had
given　her；　and　searched　in　her　bosom　for　it。　　She　could　not　find　it
there。　　'I　must　have　left　it　on　the　table；'　she　said　to　herself。　　It
did　not　matter；　she　remembered　every　word。　　She　took　a　pen　and　wrote
a　duplicate；　which　she　put　safely　away。

But　Anne　was　wrong。　　She　had；　after　all；　placed　the　paper　where　she
supposed；　and　there　it　ought　to　have　been。　　But　in　escaping　from
Festus；　when　he　feigned　apoplexy；　it　had　fallen　out　upon　the　grass。
Five　minutes　after　that　event；　when　pursuer　and　pursued　were　two　or
three　fields　ahead；　the　gaily…dressed　woman　whom　the　yeoman　had
overtaken；　peeped　cautiously　through　the　stile　into　the　corner　of
the　field　which　had　been　the　scene　of　the　scramble；　and　seeing　the
paper　she　climbed　over；　secured　it；　loosened　the　wafer　without
tearing　the　sheet；　and　read　the　memorandum　within。　　Unable　to　make
anything　of　its　meaning；　the　saunterer　put　it　in　her　pocket；　and；
dismissing　the　matter　from　her　mind；　went　on　by　the　by…path　which
led　to　the　back　of　the　mill。　　Here；　behind　the　hedge；　she　stood　and
surveyed　the　old　building　for　some　time；　after　which　she
meditatively　turned；　and　retraced　her　steps　towards　the　Royal
watering…place。



XXVI。　　THE　ALARM

The　night　which　followed　was　historic　and　memorable。　　Mrs。　Loveday
was　awakened　by　the　boom　of　a　distant　gun：　　she　told　the　miller；　and
they　listened　awhile。　　The　sound　was　not　repeated；　but　such　was　the
state　of　their　feelings　that　Mr。　Loveday　went　to　Bob's　room　and
asked　if　he　had　heard　it。　　Bob　was　wide　awake；　looking　out　of　the
window；　he　had　heard　the　ominous　sound；　and　was　inclined　to
investigate　the　matter。　　While　the　father　and　son　were　dressing　they
fancied　that　a　glare　seemed　to　be　rising　in　the　sky　in　the　direction
of　the　beacon　hill。　　Not　wishing　to　alarm　Anne　and　her　mother；　the
miller　assured　them　that　Bob　and　himself　were　merely　going　out　of
doors　to　inquire　into　the　cause　of　the　report；　after　which　they
plunged　into　the　gloom　together。　　A　few　steps'　progress　opened　up
more　of　the　sky；　which；　as　they　had　thought；　was　indeed　irradiated
by　a　lurid　light；　but　whether　it　came　from　the　beacon　or　from　a　more
distant　point　they　were　unable　to　clearly　tell。　　They　pushed　on
rapidly　towards　higher　ground。

Their　excitement　was　merely　of　a　piece　with　that　of　all　men　at　this
critical　juncture。　　Everywhere　expectation　was　at　fever　heat。　　For
the　last　year　or　two　only　five…and…twenty　miles　of　shallow　water　had
divided　quiet　English　homesteads　from　an　enemy's　army　of　a　hundred
and　fifty　thousand　men。　　We　had　taken　the　matter　lightly　enough；
eating　and　drinking　as　in　the　days　of　Noe；　and　singing　satires
without　end。　　We　punned　on　Buonaparte　and　his　gunboats；　chalked　his
effigy　on　stage…coaches；　and　published　the　same　in　prints。　　Still；
between　these　bursts　of　hilarity；　it　was　sometimes　recollected　that
England　was　the　only　European　country　which　had　not　succumbed　to　the
mighty　little　man　who　was　less　than　human　in　feeling；　and　more　than
human　in　will；　that　our　spirit　for　resistance　was　greater　than　our
strength；　and　that　the　Channel　was　often　calm。　　Boats　built　of　wood
which　was　greenly　growing　in　its　native　forest　three　days　before　it
was　bent　as　wales　to　their　sides；　were　ridiculous　enough；　but　they
might　be；　after　all；　sufficient　for　a　single　trip　between　two
visible　shores。

The　English　watched　Buonaparte　in　these　preparations；　and　Buonaparte
watched　the　English。　　At　the　distance　of　Boulogne　details　were　lost；
but　we　were　impressed　on　fine　days　by　the　novel　sight　of　a　huge　army
moving　and　twinkling　like　a　school