the trumpet-major-第57节

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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；　with　light　eyes；　bushy　eyebrows；　a　square　broad　face；
plenty　of　chin；　and　a　mouth　whose　corners　played　between　humour　and
grimness。　　He　surveyed　Loveday　from　top　to　toe。

'Robert　Loveday；　sir；　son　of　the　miller　at　Overcombe；'　said　Bob；
making　a　low　bow。

'Ah！　　I　remember　your　father；　Loveday；'　the　gallant　seaman　replied。
'Well；　what　do　you　want　to　say　to　me？'　　Seeing　that　Bob　found　it
rather　difficult　to　begin；　he　leant　leisurely　against　the
mantelpiece；　and　went　on；　'Is　your　father　well　and　hearty？　　I　have
not　seen　him　for　many；　many　years。'

'Quite　well；　thank　'ee。'

'You　used　to　have　a　brother　in　the　army；　I　think？　　What　was　his
nameJohn？　　A　very　fine　fellow；　if　I　recollect。'

'Yes；　cap'n；　he's　there　still。'

'And　you　are　in　the　merchant…service？'

'Late　first　mate　of　the　brig　Pewit。'

'How　is　it　you're　not　on　board　a　man…of…war？'

'Ay；　sir；　that's　the　thing　I've　come　about；'　said　Bob；　recovering
confidence。　　'I　should　have　been；　but　'tis　womankind　has　hampered
me。　　I've　waited　and　waited　on　at　home　because　of　a　young　woman
lady；　I　might　have　said；　for　she's　sprung　from　a　higher　class　of
society　than　I。　　Her　father　was　a　landscape　paintermaybe　you've
heard　of　him；　sir？　　The　name　is　Garland。'

'He　painted　that　view　of　our　village　here；'　said　Captain　Hardy；
looking　towards　a　dark　little　picture　in　the　corner　of　the　room。

Bob　looked；　and　went　on；　as　if　to　the　picture；　'Well；　sir；　I　have
found　that　　However；　the　press…gang　came　a　week　or　two　ago；　and
didn't　get　hold　of　me。　　I　didn't　care　to　go　aboard　as　a　pressed
man。'

'There　has　been　a　severe　impressment。　　It　is　of　course　a
disagreeable　necessity；　but　it　can't　be　helped。'

'Since　then；　sir；　something　has　happened　that　makes　me　wish　they　had
found　me；　and　I　have　come　to…night　to　ask　if　I　could　enter　on　board
your　ship　the　Victory。'

The　captain　shook　his　head　severely；　and　presently　observed：　　'I　am
glad　to　find　that　you　think　of　entering　the　service；　Loveday；　smart
men　are　badly　wanted。　　But　it　will　not　be　in　your　power　to　choose
your　ship。'

'Well；　well；　sir；　then　I　must　take　my　chance　elsewhere；'　said　Bob；
his　face　indicating　the　disappointment　he　would　not　fully　express。
''Twas　only　that　I　felt　I　would　much　rather　serve　under　you　than
anybody　else；　my　father　and　all　of　us　being　known　to　ye；　Captain
Hardy；　and　our　families　belonging　to　the　same　parts。'

Captain　Hardy　took　Bob's　altitude　more　carefully。　　'Are　you　a　good
practical　seaman？'　he　asked　musingly。

'Ay；　sir；　I　believe　I　am。'

'Active？　　Fond　of　skylarking？'

'Well；　I　don't　know　about　the　last。　　I　think　I　can　say　I　am　active
enough。　　I　could　walk　the　yard…arm；　if　required；　cross　from　mast　to
mast　by　the　stays；　and　do　what　most　fellows　do　who　call　themselves
spry。'

The　captain　then　put　some　questions　about　the　details　of　navigation；
which　Loveday；　having　luckily　been　used　to　square　rigs；　answered
satisfactorily。　　'As　to　reefing　topsails；'　he　added；　'if　I　don't　do
it　like　a　flash　of　lightning；　I　can　do　it　so　that　they　will　stand
blowing　weather。　　The　Pewit　was　not　a　dull　vessel；　and　when　we　were
convoyed　home　from　Lisbon；　she　could　keep　well　in　sight　of　the
frigate　scudding　at　a　distance；　by　putting　on　full　sail。　　We　had
enough　hands　aboard　to　reef　topsails　man…o'…war　fashion；　which　is　a
rare　thing　in　these　days；　sir；　now　that　able　seamen　are　so　scarce　on
trading　craft。　　And　I　hear　that　men　from　square…rigged　vessels　are
liked　much　the　best　in　the　navy；　as　being　more　ready　for　use？　　So
that　I　shouldn't　be　altogether　so　raw；'　said　Bob　earnestly；　'if　I
could　enter　on　your　ship；　sir。　　Still；　if　I　can't；　I　can't。'

'I　might　ask　for　you；　Loveday；'　said　the　captain　thoughtfully；　'and
so　get　you　there　that　way。　　In　short；　I　think　I　may　say　I　will　ask
for　you。　　So　consider　it　settled。'

'My　thanks　to　you；　sir；'　said　Loveday。

'You　are　aware　that　the　Victory　is　a　smart　ship；　and　that
cleanliness　and　order　are；　of　necessity；　more　strictly　insisted　upon
there　than　in　some　others？'

'Sir；　I　quite　see　it。'

'Well；　I　hope　you　will　do　your　duty　as　well　on　a　line…of…battle　ship
as　you　did　when　mate　of　the　brig；　for　it　is　a　duty　that　may　be
serious。'

Bob　replied　that　it　should　be　his　one　endeavour；　and　receiving　a　few
instructions　for　getting　on　board　the　guard…ship；　and　being　conveyed
to　Portsmouth；　he　turned　to　go　away。

'You'll　have　a　stiff　walk　before　you　fetch　Overcombe　Mill　this　dark
night；　Loveday；'　concluded　the　captain；　peering　out　of　the　window。
'I'll　send　you　in　a　glass　of　grog　to　help　'ee　on　your　way。'

The　captain　then　left　Bob　to　himself；　and　when　he　had　drunk　the　grog
that　was　brought　in　he　started　homeward；　with　a　heart　not　exactly
light；　but　large　with　a　patriotic　cheerfulness；　which　had　not
diminished　when；　after　walking　so　fast　in　his　excitement　as　to　be
beaded　with　perspiration；　he　entered　his　father's　door。

They　were　all　sitting　up　for　him；　and　at　his　approach　anxiously
raised　their　sleepy　eyes；　for　it　was　nearly　eleven　o'clock。

'There；　I　knew　he'd　not　be　much　longer！'　cried　Anne；　jumping　up　and
laughing；　in　her　relief。　　'They　have　been　thinking　you　were　very
strange　and　silent　today；　Bob；　you　were　not；　were　you？'

'What's　the　matter；　Bob？'　said　the　miller；　for　Bob's　countenance　was
sublimed　by　his　recent　interview；　like　that　of　a　priest　just　come
from　the　penetralia　of　the　temple。

'He's　in　his　mate's　clothes；　just　as　when　he　came　home！'　observed
Mrs。　Loveday。

They　all　saw　now　that　he　had　something　to　tell。　　'I　am　going　away；'
he　said　when　he　had　sat　down。　　'I　am　going　to　enter　on　board　a
man…of…war；　and　perhaps　it　will　be　the　Victory。'

'Going？'　said　Anne　faintly。

'Now；　don't　you　mind　it；　there's　a　dear；'　he　went　on　solemnly；
taking　her　hand　in　his　own。　　'And　you；　father；　don't　you　begin　to
take　it　to　heart'　（the　miller　was　looking　grave）。　　'The　press…gang
has　been　here；　and　though　I　showed　them　that　I　was　a　free　man；　I　am
going　to　show　everybody　that　I　can　do　my　duty。'

Neither　of　the　other　three　answered；　Anne　and　the　miller　having
their　eyes　bent　upon　the　ground；　and　the　former　trying　to　repress
her　tears。

'Now　don't　you　grieve；　either　of　you；'　he　continued；　'nor　vex
yourselves　that　this　has　happened。　　Please　not　to　be　angry　with　me；
father；　for　deserting　you　and　the　mill；　where　you　want　me；　for　I
MUST　GO。　　For　these　three　years　we　and　the　rest　of　the　country　have
been　in　fear　of　the　enemy；　trade　has　been　hindered；　poor　folk　made
hungry；　and　many　rich　folk　made　poor。　　There　must　be　a　deliverance；
and　it　must　be　done　by　sea。　　I　have　seen　Captain　Hardy；　and　I　shall
serve　under　him　if　so　be　I　can。'

'Captain　Hardy？'

'Yes。　　I　have　been　to　his　house　at　Pos'ham；　where　he's　staying　with
his　sisters；　walked　there　and　back；　and　I　wouldn't　have　missed　it
for　fifty　guineas。　　I　hardly　thought　he　would　see　me；　but　he　did　see
me。　　And　he　hasn't　forgot　you。'

Bob　then　opened　his　tale　in　order；　relating　graphically　the
conversation　to　which　he　had　been　a　party；　and　they　listened　with
breathless　attention。

'Well；　if　you　must　go；　you　must；'　said　the　miller　with　emotion；　'but
I　think　it　somewhat　hard　that；　of　my　two　sons；　neither　one　of　'em
can　be　got　to　stay　and　help　me　in　my　business　as　I　get　old。'

'Don't　trouble　and　vex　about　it；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday　soothingly。
'They　are　both　instruments　in　the　hands　of　Providence；　chosen　to
chastise　that　Corsican　ogre；　and　do　what　they　can　for　the　country　in
these　trying　years。'

'That's　just　the　shape　of　it；　Mrs。　Loveday；'　said　Bob。

'And　he'll　come　back　soon；'　she　continued；　turning　to　Anne。　　'And
then　he'll　tell　us　all　he　has　seen；　and　the　glory　that　he's　won；　and
how　he　has　helped　to　sweep　that　scourge　Buonaparty　off　the　earth。'

'When　be　you　going；　Bob？'　his　father　inquired。

'To…morrow；　if　I　can。　　I　shall　call　at　the　barracks　and　tell　John　as
I　go　by。　　When　I　get　to　Portsmouth'

A　burst　of　sobs　in　quick　succession　interrupted　his　words；　they　came
from　Anne；　who　till　that　moment　had　been　sitting　as　before　with　her
hand　in　that　of　Bob；　and　apparently　quite　calm。　　Mrs。　Loveday　jumped
up；　but　before　she　could　say　anything　to　soothe　the　agitated　girl
she　had　calmed　herself　with　the　same　singular　suddenness　that　had
marked　her　giving　way。　　'I　don't　mind　Bob's　going；'　she　said。　　'I
think　he　ought　to　go。　　Don't　suppose；　Bob；　that　I　want　you　to　stay！'

After　this　she　left　the　apartment；　and　went　into　the　little　side
room　where　she　and　her　mother　usually　worked。　　In　a　few　moments　Bob
followed　her。　　When　he　came　back　he　was　in　a　very　sad　and　emotional
mood。　　Anybody　could　see　that　there　had　been　a　parting　of　profound
anguish　to　both。

'She　is　not　coming　back　to…night；'　he　said。

'You　will　see　her　to…morrow　before　you　go？'　said　her　mother。

'I　may　or　I　may　not；'　he　replied。　　'Father　and　Mrs。　Loveday；　do　you
go　to　bed　now。　　I　have　got　to　look　over　my　things　and　get　ready；　and
it　will　take　me　some　little　time。　　If　you　should　hear　noises　you
will　know　it　is　only　myself　moving　about。'

When　Bob　was　left　alone　he　suddenly　became　brisk；　and　set　himself　to
overhau