the trumpet-major-第64节

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helped　by　an　incident　which　took　place　one　evening　in　the　autumn　of
this　year；　when　John　came　to　tea。　　Anne　was　sitting　on　a　low　stool
in　front　of　the　fire；　her　hands　clasped　across　her　knee。　　John
Loveday　had　just　seated　himself　on　a　chair　close　behind　her；　and
Mrs。　Loveday　was　in　the　act　of　filling　the　teapot　from　the　kettle
which　hung　in　the　chimney　exactly　above　Anne。　　The　kettle　slipped
forward　suddenly；　whereupon　John　jumped　from　the　chair　and　put　his
own　two　hands　over　Anne's　just　in　time　to　shield　them；　and　the
precious　knee　she　clasped；　from　the　jet　of　scalding　water　which　had
directed　itself　upon　that　point。　　The　accidental　overflow　was
instantly　checked　by　Mrs。　Loveday；　but　what　had　come　was　received　by
the　devoted　trumpet…major　on　the　back　of　his　hands。

Anne；　who　had　hardly　been　aware　that　he　was　behind　her；　started　up
like　a　person　awakened　from　a　trance。　　'What　have　you　done　to
yourself；　poor　John；　to　keep　it　off　me！'　she　cried；　looking　at　his
hands。

John　reddened　emotionally　at　her　words；　'It　is　a　bit　of　a　scald；
that's　all；'　he　replied；　drawing　a　finger　across　the　back　of　one
hand；　and　bringing　off　the　skin　by　the　touch。

'You　are　scalded　painfully；　and　I　not　at　all！'　　She　gazed　into　his
kind　face　as　she　had　never　gazed　there　before；　and　when　Mrs。　Loveday
came　back　with　oil　and　other　liniments　for　the　wound　Anne　would　let
nobody　dress　it　but　herself。　　It　seemed　as　if　her　coyness　had　all
gone；　and　when　she　had　done　all　that　lay　in　her　power　she　still　sat
by　him。　　At　his　departure　she　said　what　she　had　never　said　to　him　in
her　life　before：　　'Come　again　soon！'

In　short；　that　impulsive　act　of　devotion；　the　last　of　a　series　of
the　same　tenor；　had　been　the　added　drop　which　finally　turned　the
wheel。　　John's　character　deeply　impressed　her。　　His　determined
steadfastness　to　his　lode　star　won　her　admiration；　the　more
especially　as　that　star　was　herself。　　She　began　to　wonder　more　and
more　how　she　could　have　so　persistently　held　out　against　his
advances　before　Bob　came　home　to　renew　girlish　memories　which　had　by
that　time　got　considerably　weakened。　　Could　she　not；　after　all；
please　the　miller；　and　try　to　listen　to　John？　　By　so　doing　she　would
make　a　worthy　man　happy；　the　only　sacrifice　being　at　worst　that　of
her　unworthy　self；　whose　future　was　no　longer　valuable。　　'As　for
Bob；　the　woman　is　to　be　pitied　who　loves　him；'　she　reflected
indignantly；　and　persuaded　herself　that；　whoever　the　woman　might　be；
she　was　not　Anne　Garland。

After　this　there　was　something　of　recklessness　and　something　of
pleasantry　in　the　young　girl's　manner　of　making　herself　an　example
of　the　triumph　of　pride　and　common　sense　over　memory　and　sentiment。
Her　attitude　had　been　epitomized　in　her　defiant　singing　at　the　time
she　learnt　that　Bob　was　not　leal　and　true。　　John；　as　was　inevitable；
came　again　almost　immediately；　drawn　thither　by　the　sun　of　her　first
smile　on　him；　and　the　words　which　had　accompanied　it。　　And　now
instead　of　going　off　to　her　little　pursuits　upstairs；　downstairs；
across　the　room；　in　the　corner；　or　to　any　place　except　where　he
happened　to　be；　as　had　been　her　custom　hitherto；　she　remained　seated
near　him；　returning　interesting　answers　to　his　general　remarks；　and
at　every　opportunity　letting　him　know　that　at　last　he　had　found
favour　in　her　eyes。

The　day　was　fine；　and　they　went　out　of　doors；　where　Anne　endeavoured
to　seat　herself　on　the　sloping　stone　of　the　window…sill。

'How　good　you　have　become　lately；'　said　John；　standing　over　her　and
smiling　in　the　sunlight　which　blazed　against　the　wall。　　'I　fancy　you
have　stayed　at　home　this　afternoon　on　my　account。'

'Perhaps　I　have；'　she　said　gaily

　　　　　'〃Do　whatever　we　may　for　him；　dame；　we　cannot　do　too　much！
　　　　　　　For　he's　one　that　has　guarded　our　land。〃

'And　he　has　done　more　than　that：　　he　has　saved　me　from　a　dreadful
scalding。　　The　back　of　your　hand　will　not　be　well　for　a　long　time；
John；　will　it？'

He　held　out　his　hand　to　regard　its　condition；　and　the　next　natural
thing　was　to　take　hers。　　There　was　a　glow　upon　his　face　when　he　did
it：　　his　star　was　at　last　on　a　fair　way　towards　the　zenith　after　its
long　and　weary　declination。　　The　least　penetrating　eye　could　have
perceived　that　Anne　had　resolved　to　let　him　woo；　possibly　in　her
temerity　to　let　him　win。　　Whatever　silent　sorrow　might　be　locked　up
in　her；　it　was　by　this　time　thrust　a　long　way　down　from　the　light。

'I　want　you　to　go　somewhere　with　me　if　you　will；'　he　said；　still
holding　her　hand。

'Yes？　　Where　is　it？'

He　pointed　to　a　distant　hill…side　which；　hitherto　green；　had　within
the　last　few　days　begun　to　show　scratches　of　white　on　its　face。　　'Up
there；'　he　said。

'I　see　little　figures　of　men　moving　about。　　What　are　they　doing？'

'Cutting　out　a　huge　picture　of　the　king　on　horseback　in　the　earth　of
the　hill。　　The　king's　head　is　to　be　as　big　as　our　mill…pond　and　his
body　as　big　as　this　garden；　he　and　the　horse　will　cover　more　than　an
acre。　　When　shall　we　go？'

'Whenever　you　please；'　said　she。

'John！'　cried　Mrs。　Loveday　from　the　front　door。　　'Here's　a　friend
come　for　you。'

John　went　round；　and　found　his　trusty　lieutenant；　Trumpeter　Buck；
waiting　for　him。　　A　letter　had　come　to　the　barracks　for　John　in　his
absence；　and　the　trumpeter；　who　was　going　for　a　walk；　had　brought　it
along　with　him。　　Buck　then　entered　the　mill　to　discuss；　if　possible；
a　mug　of　last　year's　mead　with　the　miller；　and　John　proceeded　to
read　his　letter；　Anne　being　still　round　the　corner　where　he　had　left
her。　　When　he　had　read　a　few　words　he　turned　as　pale　as　a　sheet；　but
he　did　not　move；　and　perused　the　writing　to　the　end。

Afterwards　he　laid　his　elbow　against　the　wall；　and　put　his　palm　to
his　head；　thinking　with　painful　intentness。　　Then　he　took　himself
vigorously　in　hand；　as　it　were；　and　gradually　became　natural　again。
When　he　parted　from　Anne　to　go　home　with　Buck　she　noticed　nothing
different　in　him。

In　barracks　that　evening　he　read　the　letter　again。　　It　was　from　Bob；
and　the　agitating　contents　were　these：

'DEAR　JOHN；I　have　drifted　off　from　writing　till　the　present　time
because　I　have　not　been　clear　about　my　feelings；　but　I　have
discovered　them　at　last；　and　can　say　beyond　doubt　that　I　mean　to　be
faithful　to　my　dearest　Anne　after　all。　　The　fact　is；　John；　I've　got
into　a　bit　of　a　scrape；　and　I've　a　secret　to　tell　you　about　it
（which　must　go　no　further　on　any　account）。　　On　landing　last　autumn　I
fell　in　with　a　young　woman；　and　we　got　rather　warm　as　folks　do；　in
short；　we　liked　one　another　well　enough　for　a　while。　　But　I　have　got
into　shoal　water　with　her；　and　have　found　her　to　be　a　terrible
take…in。　　Nothing　in　her　at　allno　sense；　no　niceness；　all　tantrums
and　empty　noise；　John；　though　she　seemed　monstrous　clever　at　first。
So　my　heart　comes　back　to　its　old　anchorage。　　I　hope　my　return　to
faithfulness　will　make　no　difference　to　you。　　But　as　you　showed　by
your　looks　at　our　parting　that　you　should　not　accept　my　offer　to
give　her　upmade　in　too　much　haste；　as　I　have　since　foundI　feel
that　you　won't　mind　that　I　have　returned　to　the　path　of　honour。　　I
dare　not　write　to　Anne　as　yet；　and　please　do　not　let　her　know　a　word
about　the　other　young　woman；　or　there　will　be　the　devil　to　pay。　　I
shall　come　home　and　make　all　things　right；　please　God。　　In　the
meantime　I　should　take　it　as　a　kindness；　John；　if　you　would　keep　a
brotherly　eye　upon　Anne；　and　guide　her　mind　back　to　me。　　I　shall　die
of　sorrow　if　anybody　sets　her　against　me；　for　my　hopes　are　getting
bound　up　in　her　again　quite　strong。　　Hoping　you　are　jovial；　as　times
go；　I　am；Your　affectionate　brother；　ROBERT。'

When　the　cold　daylight　fell　upon　John's　face；　as　he　dressed　himself
next　morning；　the　incipient　yesterday's　wrinkle　in　his　forehead　had
become　permanently　graven　there。　　He　had　resolved；　for　the　sake　of
that　only　brother　whom　he　had　nursed　as　a　baby；　instructed　as　a
child；　and　protected　and　loved　always；　to　pause　in　his　procedure　for
the　present；　and　at　least　do　nothing　to　hinder　Bob's　restoration　to
favour；　if　a　genuine；　even　though　temporarily　smothered；　love　for
Anne　should　still　hold　possession　of　him。　　But　having　arranged　to
take　her　to　see　the　excavated　figure　of　the　king；　he　started　for
Overcombe　during　the　day；　as　if　nothing　had　occurred　to　check　the
smooth　course　of　his　love。



XXXVIII。　　A　DELICATE　SITUATION

'I　am　ready　to　go；'　said　Anne；　as　soon　as　he　arrived。

He　paused　as　if　taken　aback　by　her　readiness；　and　replied　with　much
uncertainty；　'Would　itwouldn't　it　be　better　to　put　it　off　till
there　is　less　sun？'

The　very　slightest　symptom　of　surprise　arose　in　her　as　she　rejoined；
'But　the　weather　may　change；　or　had　we　better　not　go　at　all？'

'O　no！it　was　only　a　thought。　　We　will　start　at　once。'

And　along　the　vale　they　went；　John　keeping　himself　about　a　yard　from
her　right　hand。　　When　the　third　field　had　been　crossed　they　came
upon　half…a…dozen　little　boys　at　play。

'Why　don't　he　clasp　her　to　his　side；　like　a　man？'　said　the　biggest
and　rudest　boy。

'Why　don't　he　clasp　her　to　his　side；　like　a　man？'　echoed　all　the
rude　smaller　boys　in　a　chorus。

The　trumpet…major　turned；　and；　after　some　running；　succeeded　in
smacking　two　of　them　with　his　switch