the trumpet-major-第60节

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quickly　up　to　her；　and　said　abruptly；　'What　is　the　matter？'

Anne；　who　in　her　grief　had　observed　nothing　of　the　gentlemen's
presence；　withdrew　her　handkerchief　from　her　eyes　and　started　to　her
feet。　　She　instantly　recognised　her　interrogator　as　the　King。

'What；　what；　crying？'　his　Majesty　inquired　kindly。　　'How　is　this！'

'Ihave　seen　a　dear　friend　go　away；　sir；'　she　faltered；　with
downcast　eyes。

'Ahpartings　are　sadvery　sadfor　us　all。　　You　must　hope　your
friend　will　return　soon。　　Where　is　he　or　she　gone？'

'I　don't　know；　your　Majesty。'

'Don't　knowhow　is　that？'

'He　is　a　sailor　on　board　the　Victory。'

'Then　he　has　reason　to　be　proud；'　said　the　King　with　interest。　　'He
is　your　brother？'

Anne　tried　to　explain　what　he　was；　but　could　not；　and　blushed　with
painful　heat。

'Well；　well；　well；　what　is　his　name？'

In　spite　of　Anne's　confusion　and　low　spirits；　her　womanly　shrewdness
told　her　at　once　that　no　harm　could　be　done　by　revealing　Bob's　name；
and　she　answered；　'His　name　is　Robert　Loveday；　sir。'

'Lovedaya　good　name。　　I　shall　not　forget　it。　　Now　dry　your　cheeks；
and　don't　cry　any　more。　　LovedayRobert　Loveday。'

Anne　curtseyed；　the　King　smiled　good…humouredly；　and　turned　to
rejoin　his　companion；　who　was　afterwards　heard　to　be　Dr。　；　the
physician　in　attendance　at　Gloucester　Lodge。　　This　gentleman　had　in
the　meantime　filled　a　small　phial　with　the　medicinal　water；　which　he
carefully　placed　in　his　pocket；　and　on　the　King　coming　up　they
retired　together　and　disappeared。　　Thereupon　Anne；　now　thoroughly
aroused；　followed　the　same　way　with　a　gingerly　tread；　just　in　time
to　see　them　get　into　a　carriage　which　was　in　waiting　at　the　turning
of　the　lane。

She　quite　forgot　the　carrier；　and　everything　else　in　connexion　with
riding　home。　　Flying　along　the　road　rapidly　and　unconsciously；　when
she　awoke　to　a　sense　of　her　whereabouts　she　was　so　near　to　Overcombe
as　to　make　the　carrier　not　worth　waiting　for。　　She　had　been　borne　up
in　this　hasty　spurt　at　the　end　of　a　weary　day　by　visions　of　Bob
promoted　to　the　rank　of　admiral；　or　something　equally　wonderful；　by
the　King's　special　command；　the　chief　result　of　the　promotion　being；
in　her　arrangement　of　the　piece；　that　he　would　stay　at　home　and　go
to　sea　no　more。　　But　she　was　not　a　girl　who　indulged　in　extravagant
fancies　long；　and　before　she　reached　home　she　thought　that　the　King
had　probably　forgotten　her　by　that　time；　and　her　troubles；　and　her
lover's　name。



XXXV。　　A　SAILOR　ENTERS

The　remaining　fortnight　of　the　month　of　September　passed　away；　with
a　general　decline　from　the　summer's　excitements。　　The　royal　family
left　the　watering…place　the　first　week　in　October；　the　German　Legion
with　their　artillery　about　the　same　time。　　The　dragoons　still
remained　at　the　barracks　just　out　of　the　town；　and　John　Loveday
brought　to　Anne　every　newspaper　that　he　could　lay　hands　on；
especially　such　as　contained　any　fragment　of　shipping　news。　　This
threw　them　much　together；　and　at　these　times　John　was　often　awkward
and　confused；　on　account　of　the　unwonted　stress　of　concealing　his
great　love　for　her。

Her　interests　had　grandly　developed　from　the　limits　of　Overcombe　and
the　town　life　hard　by；　to　an　extensiveness　truly　European。　　During
the　whole　month　of　October；　however；　not　a　single　grain　of
information　reached　her；　or　anybody　else；　concerning　Nelson　and　his
blockading　squadron　off　Cadiz。　　There　were　the　customary　bad　jokes
about　Buonaparte；　especially　when　it　was　found　that　the　whole　French
army　had　turned　its　back　upon　Boulogne　and　set　out　for　the　Rhine。
Then　came　accounts　of　his　march　through　Germany　and　into　Austria；
but　not　a　word　about　the　Victory。

At　the　beginning　of　autumn　John　brought　news　which　fearfully
depressed　her。　　The　Austrian　General　Mack　had　capitulated　with　his
whole　army。　　Then　were　revived　the　old　misgivings　as　to　invasion。
'Instead　of　having　to　cope　with　him　weary　with　waiting；　we　shall
have　to　encounter　This　Man　fresh　from　the　fields　of　victory；'　ran
the　newspaper　article。

But　the　week　which　had　led　off　with　such　a　dreary　piping　was　to　end
in　another　key。　　On　the　very　day　when　Mack's　army　was　piling　arms　at
the　feet　of　its　conqueror；　a　blow　had　been　struck　by　Bob　Loveday　and
his　comrades　which　eternally　shattered　the　enemy's　force　by　sea。
Four　days　after　the　receipt　of　the　Austrian　news　Corporal　Tullidge
ran　into　the　miller's　house　to　inform　him　that　on　the　previous
Monday；　at　eleven　in　the　morning；　the　Pickle　schooner；　Lieutenant
Lapenotiere；　had　arrived　at　Falmouth　with　despatches　from　the　fleet；
that　the　stage…coaches　on　the　highway　through　Wessex　to　London　were
chalked　with　the　words　'Great　Victory！'　'Glorious　Triumph！'　and　so
on；　and　that　all　the　country　people　were　wild　to　know　particulars。

On　Friday　afternoon　John　arrived　with　authentic　news　of　the　battle
off　Cape　Trafalgar；　and　the　death　of　Nelson。　　Captain　Hardy　was
alive；　though　his　escape　had　been　narrow　enough；　his　shoe…buckle
having　been　carried　away　by　a　shot。　　It　was　feared　that　the　Victory
had　been　the　scene　of　the　heaviest　slaughter　among　all　the　ships
engaged；　but　as　yet　no　returns　of　killed　and　wounded　had　been
issued；　beyond　a　rough　list　of　the　numbers　in　some　of　the　ships。

The　suspense　of　the　little　household　in　Overcombe　Mill　was　great　in
the　extreme。　　John　came　thither　daily　for　more　than　a　week；　but　no
further　particulars　reached　England　till　the　end　of　that　time；　and
then　only　the　meagre　intelligence　that　there　had　been　a　gale
immediately　after　the　battle；　and　that　many　of　the　prizes　had　been
lost。　　Anne　said　little　to　all　these　things；　and　preserved　a
superstratum　of　calmness　on　her　countenance；　but　some　inner　voice
seemed　to　whisper　to　her　that　Bob　was　no　more。　　Miller　Loveday　drove
to　Pos'ham　several　times　to　learn　if　the　Captain's　sisters　had
received　any　more　definite　tidings　than　these　flying　reports；　but
that　family　had　heard　nothing　which　could　in　any　way　relieve　the
miller's　anxiety。　　When　at　last；　at　the　end　of　November；　there
appeared　a　final　and　revised　list　of　killed　and　wounded　as　issued　by
Admiral　Collingwood；　it　was　a　useless　sheet　to　the　Lovedays。　　To
their　great　pain　it　contained　no　names　but　those　of　officers；　the
friends　of　ordinary　seamen　and　marines　being　in　those　good　old　days
left　to　discover　their　losses　as　best　they　might。

Anne's　conviction　of　her　loss　increased　with　the　darkening　of　the
early　winter　time。　　Bob　was　not　a　cautious　man　who　would　avoid
needless　exposure；　and　a　hundred　and　fifty　of　the　Victory's　crew　had
been　disabled　or　slain。　　Anybody　who　had　looked　into　her　room　at
this　time　would　have　seen　that　her　favourite　reading　was　the　office
for　the　Burial　of　the　Dead　at　Sea；　beginning　'We　therefore　commit
his　body　to　the　deep。'　　In　these　first　days　of　December　several　of
the　victorious　fleet　came　into　port；　but　not　the　Victory。　　Many
supposed　that　that　noble　ship；　disabled　by　the　battle；　had　gone　to
the　bottom　in　the　subsequent　tempestuous　weather；　and　the　belief　was
persevered　in　till　it　was　told　in　the　town　and　port　that　she　had
been　seen　passing　up　the　Channel。　　Two　days　later　the　Victory
arrived　at　Portsmouth。

Then　letters　from　survivors　began　to　appear　in　the　public　prints
which　John　so　regularly　brought　to　Anne；　but　though　he　watched　the
mails　with　unceasing　vigilance　there　was　never　a　letter　from　Bob。
It　sometimes　crossed　John's　mind　that　his　brother　might　still　be
alive　and　well；　and　that　in　his　wish　to　abide　by　his　expressed
intention　of　giving　up　Anne　and　home　life　he　was　deliberately　lax　in
writing。　　If　so；　Bob　was　carrying　out　the　idea　too　thoughtlessly　by
half；　as　could　be　seen　by　watching　the　effects　of　suspense　upon　the
fair　face　of　the　victim；　and　the　anxiety　of　the　rest　of　the　family。

It　was　a　clear　day　in　December。　　The　first　slight　snow　of　the　season
had　been　sifted　over　the　earth；　and　one　side　of　the　apple…tree
branches　in　the　miller's　garden　was　touched　with　white；　though　a　few
leaves　were　still　lingering　on　the　tops　of　the　younger　trees。　　A
short　sailor　of　the　Royal　Navy；　who　was　not　Bob；　nor　anything　like
him；　crossed　the　mill　court　and　came　to　the　door。　　The　miller
hastened　out　and　brought　him　into　the　room；　where　John；　Mrs。
Loveday；　and　Anne　Garland　were　all　present。

'I'm　from　aboard　the　Victory；'　said　the　sailor。　　'My　name's　Jim
Cornick。　　And　your　lad　is　alive　and　well。'

They　breathed　rather　than　spoke　their　thankfulness　and　relief；　the
miller's　eyes　being　moist　as　he　turned　aside　to　calm　himself；　while
Anne；　having　first　jumped　up　wildly　from　her　seat；　sank　back　again
under　the　almost　insupportable　joy　that　trembled　through　her　limbs
to　her　utmost　finger。

'I've　come　from　Spithead　to　Pos'ham；'　the　sailor　continued；　'and　now
I　am　going　on　to　father　at　Budmouth。'

'Ah！I　know　your　father；'　cried　the　trumpet…major；　'old　James
Cornick。'

It　was　the　man　who　had　brought　Anne　in　his　lerret　from　Portland
Bill。

'And　Bob　hasn't　got　a　scratch？'　said　the　miller。

'Not　a　scratch；'　said　Cornick。

Loveday　then　bustled　off　to　draw　the　visitor　something　to　drink。
Anne　Garland；　with　a　glowing　blush　on　her　face；　had　gone　to　the　back
part　of　the　room；　where　she　was　the　very　embodiment　of　sweet　content
a