the trumpet-major-第56节

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accompanied　by　such　a　beaming　face；　that　she　knew　he　was　full　of　an
idea；　and　asked　what　it　might　be　that　pleased　him　so。

'Why；　this；'　he　said；　smacking　his　breast…pocket。　　'A　lock　of　hair
that　Matilda　gave　me。'

Anne　sank　back　with　parted　lips。

'I　am　going　to　give　it　to　Jackhe'll　jump　for　joy　to　get　it！　　And
it　will　show　him　how　willing　I　am　to　give　her　up　to　him；　fine　piece
as　she　is。'

'Will　you　see　her　to…day；　Bob？'　Anne　asked　with　an　uncertain　smile。

'O　nounless　it　is　by　accident。'

On　reaching　the　outskirts　of　the　town　he　went　straight　to　the
barracks；　and　was　lucky　enough　to　find　John　in　his　room；　at　the
left…hand　corner　of　the　quadrangle。　　John　was　glad　to　see　him；　but
to　Bob's　surprise　he　showed　no　immediate　contrition；　and　thus
afforded　no　room　for　the　brotherly　speech　of　forgiveness　which　Bob
had　been　going　to　deliver。　　As　the　trumpet…major　did　not　open　the
subject；　Bob　felt　it　desirable　to　begin　himself。

'I　have　brought　ye　something　that　you　will　value；　Jack；'　he　said；　as
they　sat　at　the　window；　overlooking　the　large　square　barrack…yard。
'I　have　got　no　further　use　for　it；　and　you　should　have　had　it　before
if　it　had　entered　my　head。'

'Thank　you；　Bob；　what　is　it？'　said　John；　looking　absently　at　an
awkward　squad　of　young　men　who　were　drilling　in　the　enclosure。

''Tis　a　young　woman's　lock　of　hair。'

'Ah！'　said　John；　quite　recovering　from　his　abstraction；　and　slightly
flushing。　　Could　Bob　and　Anne　have　quarrelled？　　Bob　drew　the　paper
from　his　pocket；　and　opened　it。

'Black！'　said　John。

'Yesblack　enough。'

'Whose？'

'Why；　Matilda's。'

'O；　Matilda's！'

'Whose　did　you　think　then？'

Instead　of　replying；　the　trumpet…major's　face　became　as　red　as
sunset；　and　he　turned　to　the　window　to　hide　his　confusion。

Bob　was　silent；　and　then　he；　too；　looked　into　the　court。　　At　length
he　arose；　walked　to　his　brother；　and　laid　his　hand　upon　his
shoulder。　　'Jack；'　he　said；　in　an　altered　voice；　'you　are　a　good
fellow。　　Now　I　see　it　all。'

'O　nothat's　nothing；'　said　John　hastily。

'You've　been　pretending　that　you　care　for　this　woman　that　I　mightn't
blame　myself　for　heaving　you　out　from　the　otherwhich　is　what　I've
done　without　knowing　it。'

'What　does　it　matter？'

'But　it　does　matter！　　I've　been　making　you　unhappy　all　these　weeks
and　weeks　through　my　thoughtlessness。　　They　seemed　to　think　at　home；
you　know；　John；　that　you　had　grown　not　to　care　for　her；　or　I
wouldn't　have　done　it　for　all　the　world！'

'You　stick　to　her；　Bob；　and　never　mind　me。　　She　belongs　to　you。　　She
loves　you。　　I　have　no　claim　upon　her；　and　she　thinks　nothing　about
me。'

'She　likes　you；　John；　thoroughly　well；　so　does　everybody；　and　if　I
hadn't　come　home；　putting　my　foot　in　it　　That　coming　home　of　mine
has　been　a　regular　blight　upon　the　family！　　I　ought　never　to　have
stayed。　　The　sea　is　my　home；　and　why　couldn't　I　bide　there？'

The　trumpet…major　drew　Bob's　discourse　off　the　subject　as　soon　as　he
could；　and　Bob；　after　some　unconsidered　replies　and　remarks；　seemed
willing　to　avoid　it　for　the　present。　　He　did　not　ask　John　to
accompany　him　home；　as　he　had　intended；　and　on　leaving　the　barracks
turned　southward　and　entered　the　town　to　wander　about　till　he　could
decide　what　to　do。

It　was　the　3rd　of　September；　but　the　King's　watering…place　still
retained　its　summer　aspect。　　The　royal　bathing…machine　had　been
drawn　out　just　as　Bob　reached　Gloucester　Buildings；　and　he　waited　a
minute；　in　the　lack　of　other　distraction；　to　look　on。　　Immediately
that　the　King's　machine　had　entered　the　water　a　group　of　florid　men
with　fiddles；　violoncellos；　a　trombone；　and　a　drum；　came　forward；
packed　themselves　into　another　machine　that　was　in　waiting；　and　were
drawn　out　into　the　waves　in　the　King's　rear。　　All　that　was　to　be
heard　for　a　few　minutes　were　the　slow　pulsations　of　the　sea；　and
then　a　deafening　noise　burst　from　the　interior　of　the　second　machine
with　power　enough　to　split　the　boards　asunder；　it　was　the　condensed
mass　of　musicians　inside；　striking　up　the　strains　of　'God　save　the
King；'　as　his　Majesty's　head　rose　from　the　water。　　Bob　took　off　his
hat　and　waited　till　the　end　of　the　performance；　which；　intended　as　a
pleasant　surprise　to　George　III。　by　the　loyal　burghers；　was　possibly
in　the　watery　circumstances　tolerated　rather　than　desired　by　that
dripping　monarch。　*

*　Vide　Preface。

Loveday　then　passed　on　to　the　harbour；　where　he　remained　awhile；
looking　at　the　busy　scene　of　loading　and　unloading　craft　and
swabbing　the　decks　of　yachts；　at　the　boats　and　barges　rubbing
against　the　quay　wall；　and　at　the　houses　of　the　merchants；　some
ancient　structures　of　solid　stone；　others　green…shuttered　with　heavy
wooden　bow…windows　which　appeared　as　if　about　to　drop　into　the
harbour　by　their　own　weight。　　All　these　things　he　gazed　upon；　and
thought　of　one　thingthat　he　had　caused　great　misery　to　his　brother
John。

The　town　clock　struck；　and　Bob　retraced　his　steps　till　he　again
approached　the　Esplanade　and　Gloucester　Lodge；　where　the　morning　sun
blazed　in　upon　the　house　fronts；　and　not　a　spot　of　shade　seemed　to
be　attainable。　　A　huzzaing　attracted　his　attention；　and　he　observed
that　a　number　of　people　had　gathered　before　the　King's　residence；
where　a　brown　curricle　had　stopped；　out　of　which　stepped　a　hale　man
in　the　prime　of　life；　wearing　a　blue　uniform；　gilt　epaulettes；
cocked　hat；　and　sword；　who　crossed　the　pavement　and　went　in。　　Bob
went　up　and　joined　the　group。　　'What's　going　on？'　he　said。

'Captain　Hardy；'　replied　a　bystander。

'What　of　him？'

'Just　gone　inwaiting　to　see　the　King。'

'But　the　captain　is　in　the　West　Indies？'

'No。　　The　fleet　is　come　home；　they　can't　find　the　French　anywhere。'

'Will　they　go　and　look　for　them　again？'　asked　Bob。

'O　yes。　　Nelson　is　determined　to　find　'em。　　As　soon　as　he's　refitted
he'll　put　to　sea　again。　　Ah；　here's　the　King　coming　in。'

Bob　was　so　interested　in　what　he　had　just　heard　that　he　scarcely
noticed　the　arrival　of　the　King；　and　a　body　of　attendant　gentlemen。
He　went　on　thinking　of　his　new　knowledge；　Captain　Hardy　was　come。
He　was　doubtless　staying　with　his　family　at　their　small　manor…house
at　Pos'ham；　a　few　miles　from　Overcombe；　where　he　usually　spent　the
intervals　between　his　different　cruises。

Loveday　returned　to　the　mill　without　further　delay；　and　shortly
explaining　that　John　was　very　well；　and　would　come　soon；　went　on　to
talk　of　the　arrival　of　Nelson's　captain。

'And　is　he　come　at　last？'　said　the　miller；　throwing　his　thoughts
years　backward。　　'Well　can　I　mind　when　he　first　left　home　to　go　on
board　the　Helena　as　midshipman！'

'That's　not　much　to　remember。　　I　can　remember　it　too；'　said　Mrs。
Loveday。

''Tis　more　than　twenty　years　ago　anyhow。　　And　more　than　that；　I　can
mind　when　he　was　born；　I　was　a　lad；　serving　my　'prenticeship　at　the
time。　　He　has　been　in　this　house　often　and　often　when　'a　was　young。
When　he　came　home　after　his　first　voyage　he　stayed　about　here　a　long
time；　and　used　to　look　in　at　the　mill　whenever　he　went　past。　　〃What
will　you　be　next；　sir？〃　said　mother　to　him　one　day　as　he　stood　with
his　back　to　the　doorpost。　　〃A　lieutenant；　Dame　Loveday；〃　says　he。
〃And　what　next？〃　says　she。　　〃A　commander。〃　　〃And　next？〃　　〃Next；
post…captain。〃　　〃And　then？〃　　〃Then　it　will　be　almost　time　to　die。〃
I'd　warrant　that　he'd　mind　it　to　this　very　day　if　you　were　to　ask
him。'

Bob　heard　all　this　with　a　manner　of　preoccupation；　and　soon　retired
to　the　mill。　　Thence　he　went　to　his　room　by　the　back　passage；　and
taking　his　old　seafaring　garments　from　a　dark　closet　in　the　wall
conveyed　them　to　the　loft　at　the　top　of　the　mill；　where　he　occupied
the　remaining　spare　moments　of　the　day　in　brushing　the　mildew　from
their　folds；　and　hanging　each　article　by　the　window　to　get　aired。
In　the　evening　he　returned　to　the　loft；　and　dressing　himself　in　the
old　salt　suit；　went　out　of　the　house　unobserved　by　anybody；　and
ascended　the　road　towards　Captain　Hardy's　native　village　and　present
temporary　home。

The　shadeless　downs　were　now　brown　with　the　droughts　of　the　passing
summer；　and　few　living　things　met　his　view；　the　natural　rotundity　of
the　elevation　being　only　occasionally　disturbed　by　the　presence　of　a
barrow；　a　thorn…bush；　or　a　piece　of　dry　wall　which　remained　from
some　attempted　enclosure。　　By　the　time　that　he　reached　the　village
it　was　dark；　and　the　larger　stars　had　begun　to　shine　when　he　walked
up　to　the　door　of　the　old…fashioned　house　which　was　the　family
residence　of　this　branch　of　the　South…Wessex　Hardys。

'Will　the　captain　allow　me　to　wait　on　him　to…night？'　inquired
Loveday；　explaining　who　and　what　he　was。

The　servant　went　away　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　told　Bob　that　he
might　see　the　captain　in　the　morning。

'If　that's　the　case；　I'll　come　again；'　replied　Bob；　quite　cheerful
that　failure　was　not　absolute。

He　had　left　the　door　but　a　few　steps　when　he　was　called　back　and
asked　if　he　had　walked　all　the　way　from　Overcombe　Mill　on　purpose。

Loveday　replied　modestly　that　he　had　done　so。

'Then　will　you　come　in？'　　He　followed　the　speaker　into　a　small　study
or　office；　and　in　a　minute　or　two　Captain　Hardy　entered。

The　captain　at　this　time　was　a　bachelor　of　thirty…five；　rather　stout
in　build；