the trumpet-major-第58节

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When　Bob　was　left　alone　he　suddenly　became　brisk；　and　set　himself　to
overhaul　his　clothes　and　other　possessions　in　a　business…like
manner。　　By　the　time　that　his　chest　was　packed；　such　things　as　he
meant　to　leave　at　home　folded　into　cupboards；　and　what　was　useless
destroyed；　it　was　past　two　o'clock。　　Then　he　went　to　bed；　so　softly
that　only　the　creak　of　one　weak　stair　revealed　his　passage　upward。
At　the　moment　that　he　passed　Anne's　chamber…door　her　mother　was
bending　over　her　as　she　lay　in　bed；　and　saying　to　her；　'Won't　you
see　him　in　the　morning？'

'No；　no；'　said　Anne。　　'I　would　rather　not　see　him！　　I　have　said　that
I　may。　　But　I　shall　not。　　I　cannot　see　him　again！'

When　the　family　got　up　next　day　Bob　had　vanished。　　It　was　his　way　to
disappear　like　this；　to　avoid　affecting　scenes　at　parting。　　By　the
time　that　they　had　sat　down　to　a　gloomy　breakfast；　Bob　was　in　the
boat　of　a　Budmouth　waterman；　who　pulled　him　alongside　the　guardship
in　the　roads；　where　he　laid　hold　of　the　man…rope；　mounted；　and
disappeared　from　external　view。　　In　the　course　of　the　day　the　ship
moved　off；　set　her　royals；　and　made　sail　for　Portsmouth；　with　five
hundred　new　hands　for　the　service　on　board；　consisting　partly　of
pressed　men　and　partly　of　volunteers；　among　the　latter　being　Robert
Loveday。



XXXIV。　　A　SPECK　ON　THE　SEA

In　parting　from　John；　who　accompanied　him　to　the　quay；　Bob　had　said：
'Now；　Jack；　these　be　my　last　words　to　you：　　I　give　her　up。　　I　go
away　on　purpose；　and　I　shall　be　away　a　long　time。　　If　in　that　time
she　should　list　over　towards　ye　ever　so　little；　mind　you　take　her。
You　have　more　right　to　her　than　I。　　You　chose　her　when　my　mind　was
elsewhere；　and　you　best　deserve　her；　for　I　have　never　known　you
forget　one　woman；　while　I've　forgot　a　dozen。　　Take　her　then；　if　she
will　come；　and　God　bless　both　of　ye。'

Another　person　besides　John　saw　Bob　go。　　That　was　Derriman；　who　was
standing　by　a　bollard　a　little　further　up　the　quay。　　He　did　not
repress　his　satisfaction　at　the　sight。　　John　looked　towards　him　with
an　open　gaze　of　contempt；　for　the　cuffs　administered　to　the　yeoman
at　the　inn　had　not；　so　far　as　the　trumpet…major　was　aware；　produced
any　desire　to　avenge　that　insult；　John　being；　of　course；　quite
ignorant　that　Festus　had　erroneously　retaliated　upon　Bob；　in　his
peculiar　though　scarcely　soldierly　way。　　Finding　that　he　did　not
even　now　approach　him；　John　went　on　his　way；　and　thought　over　his
intention　of　preserving　intact　the　love　between　Anne　and　his
brother。

He　was　surprised　when　he　next　went　to　the　mill　to　find　how　glad　they
all　were　to　see　him。　　From　the　moment　of　Bob's　return　to　the　bosom
of　the　deep　Anne　had　had　no　existence　on　land；　people　might　have
looked　at　her　human　body　and　said　she　had　flitted　thence。　　The　sea
and　all　that　belonged　to　the　sea　was　her　daily　thought　and　her
nightly　dream。　　She　had　the　whole　two…and…thirty　winds　under　her
eye；　each　passing　gale　that　ushered　in　returning　autumn　being
mentally　registered；　and　she　acquired　a　precise　knowledge　of　the
direction　in　which　Portsmouth；　Brest；　Ferrol；　Cadiz；　and　other　such
likely　places　lay。　　Instead　of　saying　her　own　familiar　prayers　at
night　she　substituted；　with　some　confusion　of　thought；　the　Forms　of
Prayer　to　be　used　at　sea。　　John　at　once　noticed　her　lorn；　abstracted
looks；　pitied　her；how　much　he　pitied　her！and　asked　when　they
were　alone　if　there　was　anything　he　could　do。

'There　are　two　things；'　she　said；　with　almost　childish　eagerness　in
her　tired　eyes。

'They　shall　be　done。'

'The　first　is　to　find　out　if　Captain　Hardy　has　gone　back　to　his
ship；　and　the　other　isO　if　you　will　do　it；　John！to　get　me
newspapers　whenever　possible。'

After　this　duologue　John　was　absent　for　a　space　of　three　hours；　and
they　thought　he　had　gone　back　to　barracks。　　He　entered；　however；　at
the　end　of　that　time；　took　off　his　forage…cap；　and　wiped　his
forehead。

'You　look　tired；　John；'　said　his　father。

'O　no。'　　He　went　through　the　house　till　he　had　found　Anne　Garland。

'I　have　only　done　one　of　those　things；'　he　said　to　her。

'What；　already！　　I　didn't　hope　for　or　mean　to…day。'

'Captain　Hardy　is　gone　from　Pos'ham。　　He　left　some　days　ago。　　We
shall　soon　hear　that　the　fleet　has　sailed。'

'You　have　been　all　the　way　to　Pos'ham　on　purpose？　　How　good　of　you！'

'Well；　I　was　anxious　to　know　myself　when　Bob　is　likely　to　leave。　　I
expect　now　that　we　shall　soon　hear　from　him。'

Two　days　later　he　came　again。　　He　brought　a　newspaper；　and　what　was
better；　a　letter　for　Anne；　franked　by　the　first　lieutenant　of　the
Victory。

'Then　he's　aboard　her；'　said　Anne；　as　she　eagerly　took　the　letter。

It　was　short；　but　as　much　as　she　could　expect　in　the　circumstances；
and　informed　them　that　the　captain　had　been　as　good　as　his　word；　and
had　gratified　Bob's　earnest　wish　to　serve　under　him。　　The　ship；　with
Admiral　Lord　Nelson　on　board；　and　accompanied　by　the　frigate
Euryalus；　was　to　sail　in　two　days　for　Plymouth；　where　they　would　be
joined　by　others；　and　thence　proceed　to　the　coast　of　Spain。

Anne　lay　awake　that　night　thinking　of　the　Victory；　and　of　those　who
floated　in　her。　　To　the　best　of　Anne's　calculation　that　ship　of　war
would；　during　the　next　twenty…four　hours；　pass　within　a　few　miles　of
where　she　herself　then　lay。　　Next　to　seeing　Bob；　the　thing　that
would　give　her　more　pleasure　than　any　other　in　the　world　was　to　see
the　vessel　that　contained　himhis　floating　city；　his　sole
dependence　in　battle　and　stormupon　whose　safety　from　winds　and
enemies　hung　all　her　hope。

The　morrow　was　market…day　at　the　seaport；　and　in　this　she　saw　her
opportunity。　　A　carrier　went　from　Overcombe　at　six　o'clock　thither；
and　having　to　do　a　little　shopping　for　herself　she　gave　it　as　a
reason　for　her　intended　day's　absence；　and　took　a　place　in　the　van。
When　she　reached　the　town　it　was　still　early　morning；　but　the
borough　was　already　in　the　zenith　of　its　daily　bustle　and　show。　　The
King　was　always　out…of…doors　by　six　o'clock；　and　such　cock…crow
hours　at　Gloucester　Lodge　produced　an　equally　forward　stir　among　the
population。　　She　alighted；　and　passed　down　the　esplanade；　as　fully
thronged　by　persons　of　fashion　at　this　time　of　mist　and　level
sunlight　as　a　watering…place　in　the　present　day　is　at　four　in　the
afternoon。　　Dashing　bucks　and　beaux　in　cocked　hats；　black　feathers；
ruffles；　and　frills；　stared　at　her　as　she　hurried　along；　the　beach
was　swarming　with　bathing　women；　wearing　waistbands　that　bore　the
national　refrain；　'God　save　the　King；'　in　gilt　letters；　the　shops
were　all　open；　and　Sergeant　Stanner；　with　his　sword…stuck　bank…notes
and　heroic　gaze；　was　beating　up　at　two　guineas　and　a　crown；　the
crown　to　drink　his　Majesty's　health。

She　soon　finished　her　shopping；　and　then；　crossing　over　into　the　old
town；　pursued　her　way　along　the　coast…road　to　Portland。　　At　the　end
of　an　hour　she　had　been　rowed　across　the　Fleet　（which　then　lacked
the　convenience　of　a　bridge）；　and　reached　the　base　of　Portland　Hill。
The　steep　incline　before　her　was　dotted　with　houses；　showing　the
pleasant　peculiarity　of　one　man's　doorstep　being　behind　his
neighbour's　chimney；　and　slabs　of　stone　as　the　common　material　for
walls；　roof；　floor；　pig…sty；　stable…manger；　door…scraper；　and
garden…stile。　　Anne　gained　the　summit；　and　followed　along　the
central　track　over　the　huge　lump　of　freestone　which　forms　the
peninsula；　the　wide　sea　prospect　extending　as　she　went　on。　　Weary
with　her　journey；　she　approached　the　extreme　southerly　peak　of　rock；
and　gazed　from　the　cliff　at　Portland　Bill；　or　Beal；　as　it　was　in
those　days　more　correctly　called。

The　wild；　herbless；　weather…worn　promontory　was　quite　a　solitude；
and；　saving　the　one　old　lighthouse　about　fifty　yards　up　the　slope；
scarce　a　mark　was　visible　to　show　that　humanity　had　ever　been　near
the　spot。　　Anne　found　herself　a　seat　on　a　stone；　and　swept　with　her
eyes　the　tremulous　expanse　of　water　around　her　that　seemed　to　utter
a　ceaseless　unintelligible　incantation。　　Out　of　the　three　hundred
and　sixty　degrees　of　her　complete　horizon　two　hundred　and　fifty　were
covered　by　waves；　the　coup　d'oeil　including　the　area　of　troubled
waters　known　as　the　Race；　where　two　seas　met　to　effect　the
destruction　of　such　vessels　as　could　not　be　mastered　by　one。　　She
counted　the　craft　within　her　view：　　there　were　five；　no；　there　were
only　four；　no；　there　were　seven；　some　of　the　specks　having　resolved
themselves　into　two。　　They　were　all　small　coasters；　and　kept　well
within　sight　of　land。

Anne　sank　into　a　reverie。　　Then　she　heard　a　slight　noise　on　her　left
hand；　and　turning　beheld　an　old　sailor；　who　had　approached　with　a
glass。　　He　was　levelling　it　over　the　sea　in　a　direction　to　the
south…east；　and　somewhat　removed　from　that　in　which　her　own　eyes　had
been　wandering。　　Anne　moved　a　few　steps　thitherward；　so　as　to
unclose　to　her　view　a　deeper　sweep　on　that　side；　and　by　this
discovered　a　ship　of　far　larger　size　than　any　which　had　yet　dotted
the　main　before　her。　　Its　sails　were　for　the　most　part　new　and
clean；　and　in　comparison　with　its　rapid　progress　before　the　wind　the
small　brigs　and　ketches　seemed　standing　still。　　Upon　this　striking
object　the　old　man's　glass　was　bent。

'What　do　you　see；　sailor？'　she　asked。