the trumpet-major-第54节

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'Naturally。'

'I　heard　steps　beating　up　the　road；　sir；'　said　the　sergeant。

They　turned　from　the　door；　and　leaving　four　of　the　marines　to　keep
watch　round　the　house；　the　remainder　of　the　party　marched　into　the
lane　as　far　as　where　the　other　road　branched　off。　　While　they　were
pausing　to　decide　which　course　to　take；　one　of　the　soldiers　held　up
the　light。　　A　black　object　was　discernible　upon　the　ground　before
them；　and　they　found　it　to　be　a　hatthe　hat　of　Bob　Loveday。

'We　are　on　the　track；'　cried　the　sergeant；　deciding　for　this
direction。

They　tore　on　rapidly；　and　the　footsteps　previously　heard　became
audible　again；　increasing　in　clearness；　which　told　that　they　gained
upon　the　fugitive；　who　in　another　five　minutes　stopped　and　turned。
The　rays　of　the　candle　fell　upon　Anne。

'What　do　you　want？'　she　said；　showing　her　frightened　face。

They　made　no　reply；　but　wheeled　round　and　left　her。　　She　sank　down
on　the　bank　to　rest；　having　done　all　she　could。　　It　was　she　who　had
taken　down　Bob's　hat　from　a　nail；　and　dropped　it　at　the　turning　with
the　view　of　misleading　them　till　he　should　have　got　clear　off。



XXXII。　　DELIVERANCE

But　Anne　Garland　was　too　anxious　to　remain　long　away　from　the　centre
of　operations。　　When　she　got　back　she　found　that　the　press…gang　were
standing　in　the　court　discussing　their　next　move。

'Waste　no　more　time　here；'　the　lieutenant　said。　　'Two　more　villages
to　visit　to…night；　and　the　nearest　three　miles　off。　　There's　nobody
else　in　this　place；　and　we　can't　come　back　again。'

When　they　were　moving　away；　one　of　the　private　marines；　who　had　kept
his　eye　on　Anne；　and　noticed　her　distress；　contrived　to　say　in　a
whisper　as　he　passed　her；　'We　are　coming　back　again　as　soon　as　it
begins　to　get　light；　that's　only　said　to　deceive　'ee。　　Keep　your
young　man　out　of　the　way。'

They　went　as　they　had　come；　and　the　little　household　then　met
together；　Mrs。　Loveday　having　by　this　time　dressed　herself　and　come
down。　　A　long　and　anxious　discussion　followed。

'Somebody　must　have　told　upon　the　chap；'　Loveday　remarked。　　'How
should　they　have　found　him　out　else；　now　he's　been　home　from　sea
this　twelvemonth？'

Anne　then　mentioned　what　the　friendly　marine　had　told　her；　and
fearing　lest　Bob　was　in　the　house；　and　would　be　discovered　there
when　daylight　came；　they　searched　and　called　for　him　everywhere。

'What　clothes　has　he　got　on？'　said　the　miller。

'His　lovely　new　suit；'　said　his　wife。　　'I　warrant　it　is　quite
spoiled！'

'He's　got　no　hat；'　said　Anne。

'Well；'　said　Loveday；　'you　two　go　and　lie　down　now　and　I'll　bide　up；
and　as　soon　as　he　comes　in；　which　he'll　do　most　likely　in　the　course
of　the　night；　I'll　let　him　know　that　they　are　coming　again。'

Anne　and　Mrs。　Loveday　went　to　their　bedrooms；　and　the　miller　entered
the　mill　as　if　he　were　simply　staying　up　to　grind。　　But　he
continually　left　the　flour…shoot　to　go　outside　and　walk　round；　each
time　he　could　see　no　living　being　near　the　spot。　　Anne　meanwhile　had
lain　down　dressed　upon　her　bed；　the　window　still　open；　her　ears
intent　upon　the　sound　of　footsteps　and　dreading　the　reappearance　of
daylight　and　the　gang's　return。　　Three　or　four　times　during　the
night　she　descended　to　the　mill　to　inquire　of　her　stepfather　if　Bob
had　shown　himself；　but　the　answer　was　always　in　the　negative。

At　length　the　curtains　of　her　bed　began　to　reveal　their　pattern；　the
brass　handles　of　the　drawers　gleamed　forth；　and　day　dawned。　　While
the　light　was　yet　no　more　than　a　suffusion　of　pallor；　she　arose；　put
on　her　hat；　and　determined　to　explore　the　surrounding　premises
before　the　men　arrived。　　Emerging　into　the　raw　loneliness　of　the
daybreak；　she　went　upon　the　bridge　and　looked　up　and　down　the　road。
It　was　as　she　had　left　it；　empty；　and　the　solitude　was　rendered　yet
more　insistent　by　the　silence　of　the　mill…wheel；　which　was　now
stopped；　the　miller　having　given　up　expecting　Bob　and　retired　to　bed
about　three　o'clock。　　The　footprints　of　the　marines　still　remained
in　the　dust　on　the　bridge；　all　the　heel…marks　towards　the　house；
showing　that　the　party　had　not　as　yet　returned。

While　she　lingered　she　heard　a　slight　noise　in　the　other　direction；
and；　turning；　saw　a　woman　approaching。　　The　woman　came　up　quickly；
and；　to　her　amazement；　Anne　recognized　Matilda。　　Her　walk　was
convulsive；　face　pale；　almost　haggard；　and　the　cold　light　of　the
morning　invested　it　with　all　the　ghostliness　of　death。　　She　had
plainly　walked　all　the　way　from　Budmouth；　for　her　shoes　were　covered
with　dust。

'Has　the　press…gang　been　here？'　she　gasped。　　'If　not　they　are
coming！'

'They　have　been。'

'And　got　himI　am　too　late！'

'No；　they　are　coming　back　again。　　Why　did　you'

'I　came　to　try　to　save　him。　　Can　we　save　him？　　Where　is　he？'

Anne　looked　the　woman　in　the　face；　and　it　was　impossible　to　doubt
that　she　was　in　earnest。

'I　don't　know；'　she　answered。　　'I　am　trying　to　find　him　before　they
come。'

'Will　you　not　let　me　help　you？'　cried　the　repentant　Matilda。

Without　either　objecting　or　assenting　Anne　turned　and　led　the　way　to
the　back　part　of　the　homestead。

Matilda；　too；　had　suffered　that　night。　　From　the　moment　of　parting
with　Festus　Derriman　a　sentiment　of　revulsion　from　the　act　to　which
she　had　been　a　party　set　in　and　increased；　till　at　length　it　reached
an　intensity　of　remorse　which　she　could　not　passively　bear。　　She　had
risen　before　day　and　hastened　thitherward　to　know　the　worst；　and　if
possible　hinder　consequences　that　she　had　been　the　first　to　set　in
train。

After　going　hither　and　thither　in　the　adjoining　field；　Anne　entered
the　garden。　　The　walks　were　bathed　in　grey　dew；　and　as　she　passed
observantly　along　them　it　appeared　as　if　they　had　been　brushed　by
some　foot　at　a　much　earlier　hour。　　At　the　end　of　the　garden；　bushes
of　broom；　laurel；　and　yew　formed　a　constantly　encroaching　shrubbery；
that　had　come　there　almost　by　chance；　and　was　never　trimmed。　　Behind
these　bushes　was　a　garden…seat；　and　upon　it　lay　Bob　sound　asleep。

The　ends　of　his　hair　were　clotted　with　damp；　and　there　was　a　foggy
film　upon　the　mirror…like　buttons　of　his　coat；　and　upon　the　buckles
of　his　shoes。　　His　bunch　of　new　gold　seals　was　dimmed　by　the　same
insidious　dampness；　his　shirt…frill　and　muslin　neckcloth　were　limp
as　seaweed。　　It　was　plain　that　he　had　been　there　a　long　time。　　Anne
shook　him；　but　he　did　not　awake；　his　breathing　being　slow　and
stertorous。

'Bob；　wake；　'tis　your　own　Anne！'　she　said；　with　innocent
earnestness；　and　then；　fearfully　turning　her　head；　she　saw　that
Matilda　was　close　behind　her。

'You　needn't　mind　me；'　said　Matilda　bitterly。　　　'I　am　on　your　side
now。　　Shake　him　again。'

Anne　shook　him　again；　but　he　slept　on。　　Then　she　noticed　that　his
forehead　bore　the　mark　of　a　heavy　wound。

'I　fancy　I　hear　something！'　said　her　companion；　starting　forward　and
endeavouring　to　wake　Bob　herself。　　'He　is　stunned；　or　drugged！'　she
said；　'there　is　no　rousing　him。'

Anne　raised　her　head　and　listened。　　From　the　direction　of　the
eastern　road　came　the　sound　of　a　steady　tramp。　　'They　are　coming
back！'　she　said；　clasping　her　hands。　　'They　will　take　him；　ill　as　he
is！　　He　won't　open　his　eyesno；　it　is　no　use！　　O；　what　shall　we
do？'

Matilda　did　not　reply；　but　running　to　the　end　of　the　seat　on　which
Bob　lay；　tried　its　weight　in　her　arms。

'It　is　not　too　heavy；'　she　said。　　'You　take　that　end；　and　I'll　take
this。　　We'll　carry　him　away　to　some　place　of　hiding。'

Anne　instantly　seized　the　other　end；　and　they　proceeded　with　their
burden　at　a　slow　pace　to　the　lower　garden…gate；　which　they　reached
as　the　tread　of　the　press…gang　resounded　over　the　bridge　that　gave
access　to　the　mill　court；　now　hidden　from　view　by　the　hedge　and　the
trees　of　the　garden。

'We　will　go　down　inside　this　field；'　said　Anne　faintly。

'No！'　said　the　other；　'they　will　see　our　foot…tracks　in　the　dew。　　We
must　go　into　the　road。'

'It　is　the　very　road　they　will　come　down　when　they　leave　the　mill。'

'It　cannot　be　helped；　it　is　neck　or　nothing　with　us　now。'

So　they　emerged　upon　the　road；　and　staggered　along　without　speaking；
occasionally　resting　for　a　moment　to　ease　their　arms；　then　shaking
him　to　arouse　him；　and　finding　it　useless；　seizing　the　seat　again。
When　they　had　gone　about　two　hundred　yards　Matilda　betrayed　signs　of
exhaustion；　and　she　asked；　'Is　there　no　shelter　near？'

'When　we　get　to　that　little　field　of　corn；'　said　Anne。

'It　is　so　very　far。　　Surely　there　is　some　place　near？'

She　pointed　to　a　few　scrubby　bushes　overhanging　a　little　stream；
which　passed　under　the　road　near　this　point。

'They　are　not　thick　enough；'　said　Anne。

'Let　us　take　him　under　the　bridge；'　said　Matilda。　　'I　can　go　no
further。'

Entering　the　opening　by　which　cattle　descended　to　drink；　they　waded
into　the　weedy　water；　which　here　rose　a　few　inches　above　their
ankles。　　To　ascend　the　stream；　stoop　under　the　arch；　and　reach　the
centre　of　the　roadway；　was　the　work　of　a　few　minutes。

'If　they　look　under　the　arch　we　are　lost；'　murmured　Anne。

'There　is　no　parapet　to　the　bridge；　and　they　may　pass　over　without
heeding。'

They　waited；　their　heads　almost　in　contact　with　the　reeking　arch；
and　their　feet　encircled　by　the　stream；　which　was　at　its　summer
low