the trumpet-major-第55节

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and　their　feet　encircled　by　the　stream；　which　was　at　its　summer
lowness　now。　　For　some　minutes　they　could　hear　nothing　but　the
babble　of　the　water　over　their　ankles；　and　round　the　legs　of　the
seat　on　which　Bob　slumbered；　the　sounds　being　reflected　in　a　musical
tinkle　from　the　hollow　sides　of　the　arch。　　Anne's　anxiety　now　was
lest　he　should　not　continue　sleeping　till　the　search　was　over；　but
start　up　with　his　habitual　imprudence；　and　scorning　such　means　of
safety；　rush　out　into　their　arms。

A　quarter　of　an　hour　dragged　by；　and　then　indications　reached　their
ears　that　the　re…examination　of　the　mill　had　begun　and　ended。　　The
well…known　tramp　drew　nearer；　and　reverberated　through　the　ground
over　their　heads；　where　its　volume　signified　to　the　listeners　that
the　party　had　been　largely　augmented　by　pressed　men　since　the　night
preceding。　　The　gang　passed　the　arch；　and　the　noise　regularly
diminished；　as　if　no　man　among　them　had　thought　of　looking　aside　for
a　moment。

Matilda　broke　the　silence。　　'I　wonder　if　they　have　left　a　watch
behind？'　she　said　doubtfully。

'I　will　go　and　see；'　said　Anne。　　'Wait　till　I　return。'

'No；　I　can　do　no　more。　　When　you　come　back　I　shall　be　gone。　　I　ask
one　thing　of　you。　　If　all　goes　well　with　you　and　him；　and　he　marries
youdon't　be　alarmed；　my　plans　lie　elsewherewhen　you　are　his　wife
tell　him　who　helped　to　carry　him　away。　　But　don't　mention　my　name　to
the　rest　of　your　family；　either　now　or　at　any　time。'

Anne　regarded　the　speaker　for　a　moment；　and　promised；　after　which
she　waded　out　from　the　archway。

Matilda　stood　looking　at　Bob　for　a　moment；　as　if　preparing　to　go；
till　moved　by　some　impulse　she　bent　and　lightly　kissed　him　once。

'How　can　you！'　cried　Anne　reproachfully。　　When　leaving　the　mouth　of
the　arch　she　had　bent　back　and　seen　the　act。

Matilda　flushed。　　'You　jealous　baby！'　she　said　scornfully。

Anne　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　went　out　from　the　water；　and
hastened　towards　the　mill。

She　entered　by　the　garden；　and；　seeing　no　one；　advanced　and　peeped
in　at　the　window。　　Her　mother　and　Mr。　Loveday　were　sitting　within　as
usual。

'Are　they　all　gone？'　said　Anne　softly。

'Yes。　　They　did　not　trouble　us　much；　beyond　going　into　every　room；
and　searching　about　the　garden；　where　they　saw　steps。　　They　have
been　lucky　to…night；　they　have　caught　fifteen　or　twenty　men　at
places　further　on；　so　the　loss　of　Bob　was　no　hurt　to　their　feelings。
I　wonder　where　in　the　world　the　poor　fellow　is！'

'I　will　show　you；'　said　Anne。　　And　explaining　in　a　few　words　what
had　happened；　she　was　promptly　followed　by　David　and　Loveday　along
the　road。　　She　lifted　her　dress　and　entered　the　arch　with　some
anxiety　on　account　of　Matilda；　but　the　actress　was　gone；　and　Bob　lay
on　the　seat　as　she　had　left　him。

Bob　was　brought　out；　and　water　thrown　upon　his　face；　but　though　he
moved　he　did　not　rouse　himself　until　some　time　after　he　had　been
borne　into　the　house。　　Here　he　opened　his　eyes；　and　saw　them
standing　round；　and　gathered　a　little　consciousness。

'You　are　all　right；　my　boy！'　said　his　father。　　'What　hev　happened　to
ye？　　Where　did　ye　get　that　terrible　blow？'

'AhI　can　mind　now；'　murmured　Bob；　with　a　stupefied　gaze　around。
'I　fell　in　slipping　down　the　topsail　halyardthe　rope；　that　is；　was
too　shortand　I　fell　upon　my　head。　　And　then　I　went　away。　　When　I
came　back　I　thought　I　wouldn't　disturb　ye：　　so　I　lay　down　out　there；
to　sleep　out　the　watch；　but　the　pain　in　my　head　was　so　great　that　I
couldn't　get　to　sleep；　so　I　picked　some　of　the　poppy…heads　in　the
border；　which　I　once　heard　was　a　good　thing　for　sending　folks　to
sleep　when　they　are　in　pain。　　So　I　munched　up　all　I　could　find；　and
dropped　off　quite　nicely。'

'I　wondered　who　had　picked　'em！'　said　Molly。　　'I　noticed　they　were
gone。'

'Why；　you　might　never　have　woke　again！'　said　Mrs。　Loveday；　holding
up　her　hands。　　'How　is　your　head　now？'

'I　hardly　know；'　replied　the　young　man；　putting　his　hand　to　his
forehead　and　beginning　to　doze　again。　　'Where　be　those　fellows　that
boarded　us？　　With　thissmooth　water　andfine　breeze　we　ought　to
get　away　from　'em。　　Haul　inthe　larboard　braces；　andbring　her　to
the　wind。'

'You　are　at　home；　dear　Bob；'　said　Anne；　bending　over　him；　'and　the
men　are　gone。'

'Come　along　upstairs：　　th'　beest　hardly　awake　now；'　said　his　father
and　Bob　was　assisted　to　bed。



XXXIII。　　A　DISCOVERY　TURNS　THE　SCALE

In　four…and…twenty　hours　Bob　had　recovered。　　But　though　physically
himself　again；　he　was　not　at　all　sure　of　his　position　as　a　patriot。
He　had　that　practical　knowledge　of　seamanship　of　which　the　country
stood　much　in　need；　and　it　was　humiliating　to　find　that　impressment
seemed　to　be　necessary　to　teach　him　to　use　it　for　her　advantage。
Many　neighbouring　young　men；　less　fortunate　than　himself；　had　been
pressed　and　taken；　and　their　absence　seemed　a　reproach　to　him。　　He
went　away　by　himself　into　the　mill…roof；　and；　surrounded　by　the
corn…heaps；　gave　vent　to　self…condemnation。

'Certainly；　I　am　no　man　to　lie　here　so　long　for　the　pleasure　of
sighting　that　young　girl　forty　times　a　day；　and　letting　her　sight
mebless　her　eyes！till　I　must　needs　want　a　press…gang　to　teach　me
what　I've　forgot。　　And　is　it　then　all　over　with　me　as　a　British
sailor？　　We'll　see。'

When　he　was　thrown　under　the　influence　of　Anne's　eyes　again；　which
were　more　tantalizingly　beautiful　than　ever　just　now　（so　it　seemed
to　him）；　his　intention　of　offering　his　services　to　the　Government
would　wax　weaker；　and　he　would　put　off　his　final　decision　till　the
next　day。　　Anne　saw　these　fluctuations　of　his　mind　between　love　and
patriotism；　and　being　terrified　by　what　she　had　heard　of　sea…fights；
used　the　utmost　art　of　which　she　was　capable　to　seduce　him　from　his
forming　purpose。　　She　came　to　him　in　the　mill；　wearing　the　very
prettiest　of　her　morning　jacketsthe　one　that　only　just　passed　the
waist；　and　was　laced　so　tastefully　round　the　collar　and　bosom。　　Then
she　would　appear　in　her　new　hat；　with　a　bouquet　of　primroses　on　one
side；　and　on　the　following　Sunday　she　walked　before　him　in
lemon…coloured　boots；　so　that　her　feet　looked　like　a　pair　of
yellow…hammers　flitting　under　her　dress。

But　dress　was　the　least　of　the　means　she　adopted　for　chaining　him
down。　　She　talked　more　tenderly　than　ever；　asked　him　to　begin　small
undertakings　in　the　garden　on　her　account；　she　sang　about　the　house；
that　the　place　might　seem　cheerful　when　he　came　in。　　This　singing
for　a　purpose　required　great　effort　on　her　part；　leaving　her
afterwards　very　sad。　　When　Bob　asked　her　what　was　the　matter；　she
would　say；　'Nothing；　only　I　am　thinking　how　you　will　grieve　your
father；　and　cross　his　purposes；　if　you　carry　out　your　unkind　notion
of　going　to　sea；　and　forsaking　your　place　in　the　mill。'

'Yes；'　Bob　would　say　uneasily。　　'It　will　trouble　him；　I　know。'

Being　also　quite　aware　how　it　would　trouble　her；　he　would　again
postpone；　and　thus　another　week　passed　away。

All　this　time　John　had　not　come　once　to　the　mill。　　It　appeared　as　if
Miss　Johnson　absorbed　all　his　time　and　thoughts。　　Bob　was　often　seen
chuckling　over　the　circumstance。　　'A　sly　rascal！'　he　said。
'Pretending　on　the　day　she　came　to　be　married　that　she　was　not　good
enough　for　me；　when　it　was　only　that　he　wanted　her　for　himself。　　How
he　could　have　persuaded　her　to　go　away　is　beyond　me　to　say！'

Anne　could　not　contest　this　belief　of　her　lover's；　and　remained
silent；　but　there　had　more　than　once　occurred　to　her　mind　a　doubt　of
its　probability。　　Yet　she　had　only　abandoned　her　opinion　that　John
had　schemed　for　Matilda；　to　embrace　the　opposite　error；　that；
finding　he　had　wronged　the　young　lady；　he　had　pitied　and　grown　to
love　her。

'And　yet　Jack；　when　he　was　a　boy；　was　the　simplest　fellow　alive；'
resumed　Bob。　　'By　George；　though；　I　should　have　been　hot　against　him
for　such　a　trick；　if　in　losing　her　I　hadn't　found　a　better！　　But
she'll　never　come　down　to　him　in　the　world：　　she　has　high　notions
now。　　I　am　afraid　he's　doomed　to　sigh　in　vain！'

Though　Bob　regretted　this　possibility；　the　feeling　was　not
reciprocated　by　Anne。　　It　was　true　that　she　knew　nothing　of
Matilda's　temporary　treachery；　and　that　she　disbelieved　the　story　of
her　lack　of　virtue；　but　she　did　not　like　the　woman。　　'Perhaps　it
will　not　matter　if　he　is　doomed　to　sigh　in　vain；'　she　said。　　'But　I
owe　him　no　ill…will。　　I　have　profited　by　his　doings；
incomprehensible　as　they　are。'　　And　she　bent　her　fair　eyes　on　Bob
and　smiled。

Bob　looked　dubious。　　'He　thinks　he　has　affronted　me；　now　I　have　seen
through　him；　and　that　I　shall　be　against　meeting　him。　　But；　of
course；　I　am　not　so　touchy。　　I　can　stand　a　practical　joke；　as　can
any　man　who　has　been　afloat。　　I'll　call　and　see　him；　and　tell　him
so。'

Before　he　started；　Bob　bethought　him　of　something　which　would　still
further　prove　to　the　misapprehending　John　that　he　was　entirely
forgiven。　　He　went　to　his　room；　and　took　from　his　chest　a　packet
containing　a　lock　of　Miss　Johnson's　hair；　which　she　had　given　him
during　their　brief　acquaintance；　and　which　till　now　he　had　quite
forgotten。　　When；　at　starting；　he　wished　Anne　goodbye；　it　was
accompanied　by　such　a　beaming　face；　that　she　knew　he　was　full　of　an
idea；　and　asked　what　it　might　be　that　pleas