the trumpet-major-第5节

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body　of　infantry。　　It　was　tattoo。　　Feeling　no　desire　to　sleep；　she
listened　yet　longer；　looked　at　Charles's　Wain　swinging　over　the
church　tower；　and　the　moon　ascending　higher　and　higher　over　the
right…hand　streets　of　tents；　where；　instead　of　parade　and　bustle；
there　was　nothing　going　on　but　snores　and　dreams；　the　tired　soldiers
lying　by　this　time　under　their　proper　canvases；　radiating　like
spokes　from　the　pole　of　each　tent。

At　last　Anne　gave　up　thinking；　and　retired　like　the　rest。　　The　night
wore　on；　and；　except　the　occasional　'All's　well'　of　the　sentries；　no
voice　was　heard　in　the　camp　or　in　the　village　below。



III。　　THE　MILL　BECOMES　AN　IMPORTANT　CENTRE　OF　OPERATIONS

The　next　morning　Miss　Garland　awoke　with　an　impression　that
something　more　than　usual　was　going　on；　and　she　recognized　as　soon
as　she　could　clearly　reason　that　the　proceedings；　whatever　they
might　be；　lay　not　far　away　from　her　bedroom　window。　　The　sounds　were
chiefly　those　of　pickaxes　and　shovels。　　Anne　got　up；　and；　lifting
the　corner　of　the　curtain　about　an　inch；　peeped　out。

A　number　of　soldiers　were　busily　engaged　in　making　a　zigzag　path
down　the　incline　from　the　camp　to　the　river…head　at　the　back　of　the
house；　and　judging　from　the　quantity　of　work　already　got　through
they　must　have　begun　very　early。　　Squads　of　men　were　working　at
several　equidistant　points　in　the　proposed　pathway；　and　by　the　time
that　Anne　had　dressed　herself　each　section　of　the　length　had　been
connected　with　those　above　and　below　it；　so　that　a　continuous　and
easy　track　was　formed　from　the　crest　of　the　down　to　the　bottom　of
the　steep。

The　down　rested　on　a　bed　of　solid　chalk；　and　the　surface　exposed　by
the　roadmakers　formed　a　white　ribbon；　serpenting　from　top　to　bottom。

Then　the　relays　of　working　soldiers　all　disappeared；　and；　not　long
after；　a　troop　of　dragoons　in　watering　order　rode　forward　at　the　top
and　began　to　wind　down　the　new　path。　　They　came　lower　and　closer；
and　at　last　were　immediately　beneath　her　window；　gathering
themselves　up　on　the　space　by　the　mill…pond。　　A　number　of　the　horses
entered　it　at　the　shallow　part；　drinking　and　splashing　and　tossing
about。　　Perhaps　as　many　as　thirty；　half　of　them　with　riders　on　their
backs；　were　in　the　water　at　one　time；　the　thirsty　animals　drank；
stamped；　flounced；　and　drank　again；　letting　the　clear；　cool　water
dribble　luxuriously　from　their　mouths。　　Miller　Loveday　was　looking
on　from　over　his　garden　hedge；　and　many　admiring　villagers　were
gathered　around。

Gazing　up　higher；　Anne　saw　other　troops　descending　by　the　new　road
from　the　camp；　those　which　had　already　been　to　the　pond　making　room
for　these　by　withdrawing　along　the　village　lane　and　returning　to　the
top　by　a　circuitous　route。

Suddenly　the　miller　exclaimed；　as　in　fulfilment　of　expectation；　'Ah；
John；　my　boy；　good　morning！'　　And　the　reply　of　'Morning；　father；'
came　from　a　well…mounted　soldier　near　him；　who　did　not；　however；
form　one　of　the　watering　party。　　Anne　could　not　see　his　face　very
clearly；　but　she　had　no　doubt　that　this　was　John　Loveday。

There　were　tones　in　the　voice　which　reminded　her　of　old　times；　those
of　her　very　infancy；　when　Johnny　Loveday　had　been　top　boy　in　the
village　school；　and　had　wanted　to　learn　painting　of　her　father。　　The
deeps　and　shallows　of　the　mill…pond　being　better　known　to　him　than
to　any　other　man　in　the　camp；　he　had　apparently　come　down　on　that
account；　and　was　cautioning　some　of　the　horsemen　against　riding　too
far　in　towards　the　mill…head。

Since　her　childhood　and　his　enlistment　Anne　had　seen　him　only　once；
and　then　but　casually；　when　he　was　home　on　a　short　furlough。　　His
figure　was　not　much　changed　from　what　it　had　been；　but　the　many
sunrises　and　sunsets　which　had　passed　since　that　day；　developing　her
from　a　comparative　child　to　womanhood；　had　abstracted　some　of　his
angularities；　reddened　his　skin；　and　given　him　a　foreign　look。　　It
was　interesting　to　see　what　years　of　training　and　service　had　done
for　this　man。　　Few　would　have　supposed　that　the　white　and　the　blue
coats　of　miller　and　soldier　covered　the　forms　of　father　and　son。

Before　the　last　troop　of　dragoons　rode　off　they　were　welcomed　in　a
body　by　Miller　Loveday；　who　still　stood　in　his　outer　garden；　this
being　a　plot　lying　below　the　mill…tail；　and　stretching　to　the
water…side。　　It　was　just　the　time　of　year　when　cherries　are　ripe；
and　hang　in　clusters　under　their　dark　leaves。　　While　the　troopers
loitered　on　their　horses；　and　chatted　to　the　miller　across　the
stream；　he　gathered　bunches　of　the　fruit；　and　held　them　up　over　the
garden　hedge　for　the　acceptance　of　anybody　who　would　have　them；
whereupon　the　soldiers　rode　into　the　water　to　where　it　had　washed
holes　in　the　garden　bank；　and；　reining　their　horses　there；　caught
the　cherries　in　their　forage…caps；　or　received　bunches　of　them　on
the　ends　of　their　switches；　with　the　dignified　laugh　that　became
martial　men　when　stooping　to　slightly　boyish　amusement。　　It　was　a
cheerful；　careless；　unpremeditated　half…hour；　which　returned　like
the　scent　of　a　flower　to　the　memories　of　some　of　those　who　enjoyed
it；　even　at　a　distance　of　many　years　after；　when　they　lay　wounded
and　weak　in　foreign　lands。

Then　dragoons　and　horses　wheeled　off　as　the　others　had　done；　and
troops　of　the　German　Legion　next　came　down　and　entered　in　panoramic
procession　the　space　below　Anne's　eyes；　as　if　on　purpose　to　gratify
her。　　These　were　notable　by　their　mustachios；　and　queues　wound
tightly　with　brown　ribbon　to　the　level　of　their　broad
shoulder…blades。　　They　were　charmed；　as　the　others　had　been；　by　the
head　and　neck　of　Miss　Garland　in　the　little　square　window
overlooking　the　scene　of　operations；　and　saluted　her　with　devoted
foreign　civility；　and　in　such　overwhelming　numbers　that　the　modest
girl　suddenly　withdrew　herself　into　the　room；　and　had　a　private
blush　between　the　chest　of　drawers　and　the　washing…stand。

When　she　came　downstairs　her　mother　said；　'I　have　been　thinking　what
I　ought　to　wear　to　Miller　Loveday's　to…night。'

'To　Miller　Loveday's？'　said　Anne。

'Yes。　　The　party　is　to…night。　　He　has　been　in　here　this　morning　to
tell　me　that　he　has　seen　his　son；　and　they　have　fixed　this　evening。'

'Do　you　think　we　ought　to　go；　mother？'　said　Anne　slowly；　and　looking
at　the　smaller　features　of　the　window…flowers。

'Why　not？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'He　will　only　have　men　there　except　ourselves；　will　he？　　And　shall
we　be　right　to　go　alone　among　'em？'

Anne　had　not　recovered　from　the　ardent　gaze　of　the　gallant　York
Hussars；　whose　voices　reached　her　even　now　in　converse　with　Loveday。

'La；　Anne；　how　proud　you　are！'　said　Widow　Garland。　　'Why；　isn't　he
our　nearest　neighbour　and　our　landlord？　and　don't　he　always　fetch
our　faggots　from　the　wood；　and　keep　us　in　vegetables　for　next　to
nothing？'

'That's　true；'　said　Anne。

'Well；　we　can't　be　distant　with　the　man。　　And　if　the　enemy　land　next
autumn；　as　everybody　says　they　will；　we　shall　have　quite　to　depend
upon　the　miller's　waggon　and　horses。　　He's　our　only　friend。'

'Yes；　so　he　is；'　said　Anne。　　'And　you　had　better　go；　mother；　and
I'll　stay　at　home。　　They　will　be　all　men；　and　I　don't　like　going。'

Mrs。　Garland　reflected。　　'Well；　if　you　don't　want　to　go；　I　don't；'
she　said。　　'Perhaps；　as　you　are　growing　up；　it　would　be　better　to
stay　at　home　this　time。　　Your　father　was　a　professional　man；
certainly。'　　Having　spoken　as　a　mother；　she　sighed　as　a　woman。

'Why　do　you　sigh；　mother？'

'You　are　so　prim　and　stiff　about　everything。'

'Very　wellwe'll　go。'

'O　noI　am　not　sure　that　we　ought。　　I　did　not　promise；　and　there
will　be　no　trouble　in　keeping　away。'

Anne　apparently　did　not　feel　certain　of　her　own　opinion；　and；
instead　of　supporting　or　contradicting；　looked　thoughtfully　down；
and　abstractedly　brought　her　hands　together　on　her　bosom；　till　her
fingers　met　tip　to　tip。

As　the　day　advanced　the　young　woman　and　her　mother　became　aware　that
great　preparations　were　in　progress　in　the　miller's　wing　of　the
house。　　The　partitioning　between　the　Lovedays　and　the　Garlands　was
not　very　thorough；　consisting　in　many　cases　of　a　simple　screwing　up
of　the　doors　in　the　dividing　walls；　and　thus　when　the　mill　began　any
new　performances　they　proclaimed　themselves　at　once　in　the　more
private　dwelling。　　The　smell　of　Miller　Loveday's　pipe　came　down　Mrs。
Garland's　chimney　of　an　evening　with　the　greatest　regularity。　　Every
time　that　he　poked　his　fire　they　knew　from　the　vehemence　or
deliberateness　of　the　blows　the　precise　state　of　his　mind；　and　when
he　wound　his　clock　on　Sunday　nights　the　whirr　of　that　monitor
reminded　the　widow　to　wind　hers。　　This　transit　of　noises　was　most
perfect　where　Loveday's　lobby　adjoined　Mrs。　Garland's　pantry；　and
Anne；　who　was　occupied　for　some　time　in　the　latter　apartment；
enjoyed　the　privilege　of　hearing　the　visitors　arrive　and　of　catching
stray　sounds　and　words　without　the　connecting　phrases　that　made　them
entertaining；　to　judge　from　the　laughter　they　evoked。　　The　arrivals
passed　through　the　house　and　went　into　the　garden；　where　they　had
tea　in　a　large　summer…house；　an　occasional　blink　of　bright　colour；
through　the　foliage；　being　all　that　was　visible　of　the　assembly　from
Mrs。　Garland's　windows。　　When　i