the trumpet-major-第47节

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moment；　〃No；〃　the　next。　　Come；　you　don't　know　what　you　refuse。　　That
old　hall　is　my　uncle's　own；　and　he　has　nobody　else　to　leave　it　to。
As　soon　as　he's　dead　I　shall　throw　up　farming　and　start　as　a　squire。
And　now；'　he　added　with　a　bitter　sneer；　'what　a　fool　you　are　to　hang
back　from　such　a　chance！'

'Thank　you；　I　don't　value　it；'　said　Anne。

'Because　you　hate　him　who　would　make　it　yours？'

'It　may　not　lie　in　your　power　to　do　that。'

'Whathas　the　old　fellow　been　telling　you　his　affairs？'

'No。'

'Then　why　do　you　mistrust　me？　　Now；　after　this　will　you　open　the
door；　and　show　that　you　treat　me　as　a　friend　if　you　won't　accept　me
as　a　lover？　　I　only　want　to　sit　and　talk　to　you。'

Anne　thought　she　would　trust　him；　it　seemed　almost　impossible　that
he　could　harm　her。　　She　retired　from　the　window　and　went　downstairs。
When　her　hand　was　upon　the　bolt　of　the　door；　her　mind　misgave　her。
Instead　of　withdrawing　it　she　remained　in　silence　where　she　was；　and
he　began　again

'Are　you　going　to　unfasten　it？'

Anne　did　not　speak。

'Now；　dash　my　wig；　I　will　get　at　you！　　You've　tried　me　beyond
endurance。　　One　kiss　would　have　been　enough　that　day　in　the　mead；
now　I'll　have　forty；　whether　you　will　or　no！'

He　flung　himself　against　the　door；　but　as　it　was　bolted；　and　had　in
addition　a　great　wooden　bar　across　it；　this　produced　no　effect。　　He
was　silent　for　a　moment；　and　then　the　terrified　girl　heard　him
attempt　the　shuttered　window。　　She　ran　upstairs　and　again　scanned
the　down。　　The　yellow　gig　still　lay　in　the　blazing　sunshine；　and　the
horse　of　Festus　stood　by　the　corner　of　the　gardennothing　else　was
to　be　seen。　　At　this　moment　there　came　to　her　ear　the　noise　of　a
sword　drawn　from　its　scabbard；　and；　peeping　over　the　window…sill；
she　saw　her　tormentor　drive　his　sword　between　the　joints　of　the
shutters；　in　an　attempt　to　rip　them　open。　　The　sword　snapped　off　in
his　hand。　　With　an　imprecation　he　pulled　out　the　piece；　and　returned
the　two　halves　to　the　scabbard。

'Ha！　ha！'　he　cried；　catching　sight　of　the　top　of　her　head。　　''Tis
only　a　joke；　you　know；　but　I'll　get　in　all　the　same。　　All　for　a
kiss！　　But　never　mind；　we'll　do　it　yet！'　　He　spoke　in　an　affectedly
light　tone；　as　if　ashamed　of　his　previous　resentful　temper；　but　she
could　see　by　the　livid　back　of　his　neck　that　he　was　brimful　of
suppressed　passion。　　'Only　a　jest；　you　know；'　he　went　on。　　'How　are
we　going　to　do　it　now？　　Why；　in　this　way。　　I　go　and　get　a　ladder；
and　enter　at　the　upper　window　where　my　love　is。　　And　there's　the
ladder　lying　under　that　corn…rick　in　the　first　enclosed　field。　　Back
in　two　minutes；　dear！'

He　ran　off；　and　was　lost　to　her　view。



XXVIII。　　ANNE　DOES　WONDERS

Anne　fearfully　surveyed　her　position。　　The　upper　windows　of　the
cottage　were　of　flimsiest　lead…work；　and　to　keep　him　out　would　be
hopeless。　　She　felt　that　not　a　moment　was　to　be　lost　in　getting
away。　　Running　downstairs　she　opened　the　door；　and　then　it　occurred
to　her　terrified　understanding　that　there　would　be　no　chance　of
escaping　him　by　flight　afoot　across　such　an　extensive　down；　since　he
might　mount　his　horse　and　easily　ride　after　her。　　The　animal　still
remained　tethered　at　the　corner　of　the　garden；　if　she　could　release
him　and　frighten　him　away　before　Festus　returned；　there　would　not　be
quite　such　odds　against　her。　　She　accordingly　unhooked　the　horse　by
reaching　over　the　bank；　and　then；　pulling　off　her　muslin
neckerchief；　flapped　it　in　his　eyes　to　startle　him。　　But　the　gallant
steed　did　not　move　or　flinch；　she　tried　again；　and　he　seemed　rather
pleased　than　otherwise。　　At　this　moment　she　heard　a　cry　from　the
cottage；　and　turning；　beheld　her　adversary　approaching　round　the
corner　of　the　building。

'I　thought　I　should　tole　out　the　mouse　by　that　trick！'　cried　Festus
exultingly。　　Instead　of　going　for　a　ladder；　he　had　simply　hidden
himself　at　the　back　to　tempt　her　down。

Poor　Anne　was　now　desperate。　　The　bank　on　which　she　stood　was　level
with　the　horse's　back；　and　the　creature　seemed　quiet　as　a　lamb。
With　a　determination　of　which　she　was　capable　in　emergencies；　she
seized　the　rein；　flung　herself　upon　the　sheepskin；　and　held　on　by
the　mane。　　The　amazed　charger　lifted　his　head；　sniffed；　wrenched　his
ears　hither　and　thither；　and　started　off　at　a　frightful　speed　across
the　down。

'O；　my　heart　and　limbs！'　said　Festus　under　his　breath；　as；
thoroughly　alarmed；　he　gazed　after　her。　　'She　on　Champion！　　She'll
break　her　neck；　and　I　shall　be　tried　for　manslaughter；　and　disgrace
will　be　brought　upon　the　name　of　Derriman！'

Champion　continued　to　go　at　a　stretch…gallop；　but　he　did　nothing
worse。　　Had　he　plunged　or　reared；　Derriman's　fears　might　have　been
verified；　and　Anne　have　come　with　deadly　force　to　the　ground。　　But
the　course　was　good；　and　in　the　horse's　speed　lay　a　comparative
security。　　She　was　scarcely　shaken　in　her　precarious　half…horizontal
position；　though　she　was　awed　to　see　the　grass；　loose　stones；　and
other　objects　pass　her　eyes　like　strokes　whenever　she　opened　them；
which　was　only　just　for　a　second　at　intervals　of　half　a　minute；　and
to　feel　how　wildly　the　stirrups　swung；　and　that　what　struck　her　knee
was　the　bucket　of　the　carbine；　and　that　it　was　a　pistol…holster
which　hurt　her　arm。

They　quickly　cleared　the　down；　and　Anne　became　conscious　that　the
course　of　the　horse　was　homeward。　　As　soon　as　the　ground　began　to
rise　towards　the　outer　belt　of　upland　which　lay　between　her　and　the
coast；　Champion；　now　panting　and　reeking　with　moisture；　lessened　his
speed　in　sheer　weariness；　and　proceeded　at　a　rapid　jolting　trot。
Anne　felt　that　she　could　not　hold　on　half　so　well；　the　gallop　had
been　child's　play　compared　with　this。　　They　were　in　a　lane；
ascending　to　a　ridge；　and　she　made　up　her　mind　for　a　fall。　　Over　the
ridge　rose　an　animated　spot；　higher　and　higher；　it　turned　out　to　be
the　upper　part　of　a　man；　and　the　man　to　be　a　soldier。　　Such　was
Anne's　attitude　that　she　only　got　an　occasional　glimpse　of　him；　and；
though　she　feared　that　he　might　be　a　Frenchman；　she　feared　the　horse
more　than　the　enemy；　as　she　had　feared　Festus　more　than　the　horse。
Anne　had　energy　enough　left　to　cry；　'Stop　him；　stop　him！'　as　the
soldier　drew　near。

He；　astonished　at　the　sight　of　a　military　horse　with　a　bundle　of
drapery　across　his　back；　had　already　placed　himself　in　the　middle　of
the　lane；　and　he　now　held　out　his　arms　till　his　figure　assumed　the
form　of　a　Latin　cross　planted　in　the　roadway。　　Champion　drew　near；
swerved；　and　stood　still　almost　suddenly；　a　check　sufficient　to　send
Anne　slipping　down　his　flank　to　the　ground。　　The　timely　friend
stepped　forward　and　helped　her　to　her　feet；　when　she　saw　that　he　was
John　Loveday。

'Are　you　hurt？'　he　said　hastily；　having　turned　quite　pale　at　seeing
her　fall。

'O　no；　not　a　bit；'　said　Anne；　gathering　herself　up　with　forced
briskness；　to　make　light　of　the　misadventure。

'But　how　did　you　get　in　such　a　place？'

'There；　he's　gone！'　she　exclaimed；　instead　of　replying；　as　Champion
swept　round　John　Loveday　and　cantered　off　triumphantly　in　the
direction　of　Oxwell；　a　performance　which　she　followed　with　her　eyes。

'But　how　did　you　come　upon　his　back；　and　whose　horse　is　it？'

'I　will　tell　you。'

'Well？'

'Icannot　tell　you。'

John　looked　steadily　at　her；　saying　nothing。

'How　did　you　come　here？'　she　asked。　　'Is　it　true　that　the　French
have　not　landed　at　all？'

'Quite　true；　the　alarm　was　groundless。　　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。
You　look　very　tired。　　You　had　better　sit　down　a　few　minutes。　　Let　us
sit　on　this　bank。'

He　helped　her　to　the　slope　indicated；　and　continued；　still　as　if　his
thoughts　were　more　occupied　with　the　mystery　of　her　recent　situation
than　with　what　he　was　saying：　　'We　arrived　at　Budmouth　Barracks　this
morning；　and　are　to　lie　there　all　the　summer。　　I　could　not　write　to
tell　father　we　were　coming。　　It　was　not　because　of　any　rumour　of　the
French；　for　we　knew　nothing　of　that　till　we　met　the　people　on　the
road；　and　the　colonel　said　in　a　moment　the　news　was　false。
Buonaparte　is　not　even　at　Boulogne　just　now。　　I　was　anxious　to　know
how　you　had　borne　the　fright；　so　I　hastened　to　Overcombe　at　once；　as
soon　as　I　could　get　out　of　barracks。'

Anne；　who　had　not　been　at　all　responsive　to　his　discourse；　now
swayed　heavily　against　him；　and　looking　quickly　down　he　found　that
she　had　silently　fainted。　　To　support　her　in　his　arms　was　of　course
the　impulse　of　a　moment。　　There　was　no　water　to　be　had；　and　he　could
think　of　nothing　else　but　to　hold　her　tenderly　till　she　came　round
again。　　Certainly　he　desired　nothing　more。

Again　he　asked　himself；　what　did　it　all　mean？

He　waited；　looking　down　upon　her　tired　eyelids；　and　at　the　row　of
lashes　lying　upon　each　cheek；　whose　natural　roundness　showed　itself
in　singular　perfection　now　that　the　customary　pink　had　given　place
to　a　pale　luminousness　caught　from　the　surrounding　atmosphere。　　The
dumpy　ringlets　about　her　forehead　and　behind　her　poll；　which　were
usually　as　tight　as　springs；　had　been　partially　uncoiled　by　the
wildness　of　her　ride；　and　hung　in　split　locks　over　her　forehead　and
neck。　　John；　who；　during　the　long　months　of　his　absence；　had　lived
only　to　meet　her　again；　was　in　a　state　of　ecstatic　reverence；　and