the trumpet-major-第6节

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through　the　foliage；　being　all　that　was　visible　of　the　assembly　from
Mrs。　Garland's　windows。　　When　it　grew　dusk　they　all　could　be　heard
coming　indoors　to　finish　the　evening　in　the　parlour。

Then　there　was　an　intensified　continuation　of　the　above…mentioned
signs　of　enjoyment；　talkings　and　haw…haws；　runnings　upstairs　and
runnings　down；　a　slamming　of　doors　and　a　clinking　of　cups　and
glasses；　till　the　proudest　adjoining　tenant　without　friends　on　his
own　side　of　the　partition　might　have　been　tempted　to　wish　for
entrance　to　that　merry　dwelling；　if　only　to　know　the　cause　of　these
fluctuations　of　hilarity；　and　to　see　if　the　guests　were　really　so
numerous；　and　the　observations　so　very　amusing　as　they　seemed。

The　stagnation　of　life　on　the　Garland　side　of　the　party…wall　began
to　have　a　very　gloomy　effect　by　the　contrast。　　When；　about　half…past
nine　o'clock；　one　of　these　tantalizing　bursts　of　gaiety　had
resounded　for　a　longer　time　than　usual；　Anne　said；　'I　believe；
mother；　that　you　are　wishing　you　had　gone。'

'I　own　to　feeling　that　it　would　have　been　very　cheerful　if　we　had
joined　in；'　said　Mrs。　Garland；　in　a　hankering　tone。　　'I　was　rather
too　nice　in　listening　to　you　and　not　going。　　The　parson　never　calls
upon　us　except　in　his　spiritual　capacity。　　Old　Derriman　is　hardly
genteel；　and　there's　nobody　left　to　speak　to。　　Lonely　people　must
accept　what　company　they　can　get。'

'Or　do　without　it　altogether。'

'That's　not　natural；　Anne；　and　I　am　surprised　to　hear　a　young　woman
like　you　say　such　a　thing。　　Nature　will　not　be　stifled　in　that　way。
。　。　。'　　（Song　and　powerful　chorus　heard　through　partition。）　　'I
declare　the　room　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　seems　quite　a
paradise　compared　with　this。'

'Mother；　you　are　quite　a　girl；'　said　Anne　in　slightly　superior
accents。　　'Go　in　and　join　them　by　all　means。'

'O　nonot　now；'　said　her　mother；　resignedly　shaking　her　head。　　'It
is　too　late　now。　　We　ought　to　have　taken　advantage　of　the
invitation。　　They　would　look　hard　at　me　as　a　poor　mortal　who　had　no
real　business　there；　and　the　miller　would　say；　with　his　broad　smile；
〃Ah；　you　be　obliged　to　come　round。〃'

While　the　sociable　and　unaspiring　Mrs。　Garland　continued　thus　to
pass　the　evening　in　two　places；　her　body　in　her　own　house　and　her
mind　in　the　miller's；　somebody　knocked　at　the　door；　and　directly
after　the　elder　Loveday　himself　was　admitted　to　the　room。　　He　was
dressed　in　a　suit　between　grand　and　gay；　which　he　used　for　such
occasions　as　the　present；　and　his　blue　coat；　yellow　and　red
waistcoat　with　the　three　lower　buttons　unfastened；　steel…buckled
shoes　and　speckled　stockings；　became　him　very　well　in　Mrs。　Martha
Garland's　eyes。

'Your　servant；　ma'am；'　said　the　miller；　adopting　as　a　matter　of
propriety　the　raised　standard　of　politeness　required　by　his　higher
costume。　　'Now；　begging　your　pardon；　I　can't　hae　this。　　'Tis
unnatural　that　you　two　ladies　should　be　biding　here　and　we　under　the
same　roof　making　merry　without　ye。　　Your　husband；　poor　manlovely
picters　that　a'　would　make　to　be　surewould　have　been　in　with　us
long　ago　if　he　had　been　in　your　place。　　I　can　take　no　nay　from　ye；
upon　my　honour。　　You　and　maidy　Anne　must　come　in；　if　it　be　only　for
half…an…hour。　　John　and　his　friends　have　got　passes　till　twelve
o'clock　to…night；　and；　saving　a　few　of　our　own　village　folk；　the
lowest　visitor　present　is　a　very　genteel　German　corporal。　　If　you
should　hae　any　misgivings　on　the　score　of　respectability；　ma'am；
we'll　pack　off　the　underbred　ones　into　the　back　kitchen。'

Widow　Garland　and　Anne　looked　yes　at　each　other　after　this　appeal。

'We'll　follow　you　in　a　few　minutes；'　said　the　elder；　smiling；　and
she　rose　with　Anne　to　go　upstairs。

'No；　I'll　wait　for　ye；'　said　the　miller　doggedly；　'or　perhaps　you'll
alter　your　mind　again。'

While　the　mother　and　daughter　were　upstairs　dressing；　and　saying
laughingly　to　each　other；　'Well；　we　must　go　now；'　as　if　they　hadn't
wished　to　go　all　the　evening；　other　steps　were　heard　in　the　passage；
and　the　miller　cried　from　below；　'Your　pardon；　Mrs。　Garland；　but　my
son　John　has　come　to　help　fetch　ye。　　Shall　I　ask　him　in　till　ye　be
ready？'

'Certainly；　I　shall　be　down　in　a　minute；'　screamed　Anne's　mother　in
a　slanting　voice　towards　the　staircase。

When　she　descended；　the　outline　of　the　trumpet…major　appeared
half…way　down　the　passage。　　'This　is　John；'　said　the　miller　simply。
'John；　you　can　mind　Mrs。　Martha　Garland　very　well？'

'Very　well；　indeed；'　said　the　dragoon；　coming　in　a　little　further。
'I　should　have　called　to　see　her　last　time；　but　I　was　only　home　a
week。　　How　is　your　little　girl；　ma'am？'

Mrs。　Garland　said　Anne　was　quite　well。　　'She　is　grown…up　now。　　She
will　be　down　in　a　moment。'

There　was　a　slight　noise　of　military　heels　without　the　door；　at
which　the　trumpet…major　went　and　put　his　head　outside；　and　said；
'All　rightcoming　in　a　minute；'　when　voices　in　the　darkness
replied；　'No　hurry。'

'More　friends？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'O；　it　is　only　Buck　and　Jones　come　to　fetch　me；'　said　the　soldier。
'Shall　I　ask　'em　in　a　minute；　Mrs　Garland；　ma'am？'

'O　yes；'　said　the　lady；　and　the　two　interesting　forms　of　Trumpeter
Buck　and　Saddler…sergeant　Jones　then　came　forward　in　the　most
friendly　manner；　whereupon　other　steps　were　heard　without；　and　it
was　discovered　that　Sergeant…master…tailor　Brett　and　Farrier…
extraordinary　Johnson　were　outside；　having　come　to　fetch　Messrs。
Buck　and　Jones；　as　Buck　and　Jones　had　come　to　fetch　the
trumpet…major。

As　there　seemed　a　possibility　of　Mrs。　Garland's　small　passage　being
choked　up　with　human　figures　personally　unknown　to　her；　she　was
relieved　to　hear　Anne　coming　downstairs。

'Here's　my　little　girl；'　said　Mrs。　Garland；　and　the　trumpet…major
looked　with　a　sort　of　awe　upon　the　muslin　apparition　who　came
forward；　and　stood　quite　dumb　before　her。　　Anne　recognized　him　as
the　trooper　she　had　seen　from　her　window；　and　welcomed　him　kindly。
There　was　something　in　his　honest　face　which　made　her　feel　instantly
at　home　with　him。

At　this　frankness　of　manner　Lovedaywho　was　not　a　ladies'　man
blushed；　and　made　some　alteration　in　his　bodily　posture；　began　a
sentence　which　had　no　end；　and　showed　quite　a　boy's　embarrassment。
Recovering　himself；　he　politely　offered　his　arm；　which　Anne　took
with　a　very　pretty　grace。　　He　conducted　her　through　his　comrades；
who　glued　themselves　perpendicularly　to　the　wall　to　let　her　pass；
and　then　they　went　out　of　the　door；　her　mother　following　with　the
miller；　and　supported　by　the　body　of　troopers；　the　latter　walking
with　the　usual　cavalry　gait；　as　if　their　thighs　were　rather　too　long
for　them。　　Thus　they　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　mill…house　and　up
the　passage；　the　paving　of　which　was　worn　into　a　gutter　by　the　ebb
and　flow　of　feet　that　had　been　going　on　there　ever　since　Tudor
times。



IV。　　WHO　WERE　PRESENT　AT　THE　MILLER'S　LITTLE　ENTERTAINMENT

When　the　group　entered　the　presence　of　the　company　a　lull　in　the
conversation　was　caused　by　the　sight　of　new　visitors；　and　（of
course）　by　the　charm　of　Anne's　appearance；　until　the　old　men；　who
had　daughters　of　their　own；　perceiving　that　she　was　only　a
half…formed　girl；　resumed　their　tales　and　toss…potting　with
unconcern。

Miller　Loveday　had　fraternized　with　half　the　soldiers　in　the　camp
since　their　arrival；　and　the　effect　of　this　upon　his　party　was
strikingboth　chromatically　and　otherwise。　　Those　among　the　guests
who　first　attracted　the　eye　were　the　sergeants　and　sergeant…majors
of　Loveday's　regiment；　fine　hearty　men；　who　sat　facing　the　candles；
entirely　resigned　to　physical　comfort。　　Then　there　were　other
non…commissioned　officers；　a　German；　two　Hungarians；　and　a　Swede；
from　the　foreign　hussarsyoung　men　with　a　look　of　sadness　on　their
faces；　as　if　they　did　not　much　like　serving　so　far　from　home。　　All
of　them　spoke　English　fairly　well。　　Old　age　was　represented　by　Simon
Burden　the　pensioner；　and　the　shady　side　of　fifty　by　Corporal
Tullidge；　his　friend　and　neighbour；　who　was　hard　of　hearing；　and　sat
with　his　hat　on　over　a　red　cotton　handkerchief　that　was　wound
several　times　round　his　head。　　These　two　veterans　were　employed　as
watchers　at　the　neighbouring　beacon；　which　had　lately　been　erected
by　the　Lord…Lieutenant　for　firing　whenever　the　descent　on　the　coast
should　be　made。　　They　lived　in　a　little　hut　on　the　hill；　close　by
the　heap　of　faggots；　but　to…night　they　had　found　deputies　to　watch
in　their　stead。

On　a　lower　plane　of　experience　and　qualifications　came　neighbour
James　Comfort；　of　the　Volunteers；　a　soldier　by　courtesy；　but　a
blacksmith　by　rights；　also　William　Tremlett　and　Anthony
Cripplestraw；　of　the　local　forces。　　The　two　latter　men　of　war　were
dressed　merely　as　villagers；　and　looked　upon　the　regulars　from　a
humble　position　in　the　background。　　The　remainder　of　the　party　was
made　up　of　a　neighbouring　dairyman　or　two；　and　their　wives；　invited
by　the　miller；　as　Anne　was　glad　to　see；　that　she　and　her　mother
should　not　be　the　only　women　there。

The　elder　Loveday　apologized　in　a　whisper　to　Mrs。　Garland　for　the
presence　of　the　inferior　villagers。　　'But　as　they　are　learning　to　be
brave　defenders　of　their　home　and　country；　ma'am；　as　fast　as　they
can　master　the　drill；　and　have　worked　for　me