the trumpet-major-第65节

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rude　smaller　boys　in　a　chorus。

The　trumpet…major　turned；　and；　after　some　running；　succeeded　in
smacking　two　of　them　with　his　switch；　returning　to　Anne　breathless。
'I　am　ashamed　they　should　have　insulted　you　so；'　he　said；　blushing
for　her。

'They　said　no　harm；　poor　boys；'　she　replied　reproachfully。

Poor　John　was　dumb　with　perception。　　The　gentle　hint　upon　which　he
would　have　eagerly　spoken　only　one　short　day　ago　was　now　like　fire
to　his　wound。

They　presently　came　to　some　stepping…stones　across　a　brook。　　John
crossed　first　without　turning　his　head；　and　Anne；　just　lifting　the
skirt　of　her　dress；　crossed　behind　him。　　When　they　had　reached　the
other　side　a　village　girl　and　a　young　shepherd　approached　the　brink
to　cross。　　Anne　stopped　and　watched　them。　　The　shepherd　took　a　hand
of　the　young　girl　in　each　of　his　own；　and　walked　backward　over　the
stones；　facing　her；　and　keeping　her　upright　by　his　grasp；　both　of
them　laughing　as　they　went。

'What　are　you　staying　for；　Miss　Garland？'　asked　John。

'I　was　only　thinking　how　happy　they　are；'　she　said　quietly；　and
withdrawing　her　eyes　from　the　tender　pair；　she　turned　and　followed
him；　not　knowing　that　the　seeming　sound　of　a　passing　bumble…bee　was
a　suppressed　groan　from　John。

When　they　reached　the　hill　they　found　forty　navvies　at　work　removing
the　dark　sod　so　as　to　lay　bare　the　chalk　beneath。　　The　equestrian
figure　that　their　shovels　were　forming　was　scarcely　intelligible　to
John　and　Anne　now　they　were　close；　and　after　pacing　from　the　horse's
head　down　his　breast　to　his　hoof；　back　by　way　of　the　king's
bridle…arm；　past　the　bridge　of　his　nose；　and　into　his　cocked…hat；
Anne　said　that　she　had　had　enough　of　it；　and　stepped　out　of　the
chalk　clearing　upon　the　grass。　　The　trumpet…major　had　remained　all
the　time　in　a　melancholy　attitude　within　the　rowel　of　his　Majesty's
right　spur。

'My　shoes　are　caked　with　chalk；'　she　said　as　they　walked　downwards
again；　and　she　drew　back　her　dress　to　look　at　them。　　'How　can　I　get
some　of　it　cleared　off？'

'If　you　was　to　wipe　them　in　the　long　grass　there；'　said　John；
pointing　to　a　spot　where　the　blades　were　rank　and　dense；　'some　of　it
would　come　off。'　　Having　said　this；　he　walked　on　with　religious
firmness。

Anne　raked　her　little　feet　on　the　right　side；　on　the　left　side；　over
the　toe；　and　behind　the　heel；　but　the　tenacious　chalk　held　its　own。
Panting　with　her　exertion；　she　gave　it　up；　and　at　length　overtook
him。

'I　hope　it　is　right　now？'　he　said；　looking　gingerly　over　his
shoulder。

'No；　indeed！'　said　she。　　'I　wanted　some　assistancesome　one　to
steady　me。　　It　is　so　hard　to　stand　on　one　foot　and　wipe　the　other
without　support。　　I　was　in　danger　of　toppling　over；　and　so　gave　it
up。'

'Merciful　stars；　what　an　opportunity！'　thought　the　poor　fellow　while
she　waited　for　him　to　offer　help。　But　his　lips　remained　closed；　and
she　went　on　with　a　pouting　smile

'You　seem　in　such　a　hurry！　　Why　are　you　in　such　a　hurry？　　After　all
the　fine　things　you　have　said　aboutabout　caring　so　much　for　me；
and　all　that；　you　won't　stop　for　anything！'

It　was　too　much　for　John。　　'Upon　my　heart　and　life；　my　dea'　he
began。　　Here　Bob's　letter　crackled　warningly　in　his　waistcoat　pocket
as　he　laid　his　hand　asseveratingly　upon　his　breast；　and　he　became
suddenly　scaled　up　to　dumbness　and　gloom　as　before。

When　they　reached　home　Anne　sank　upon　a　stool　outside　the　door；
fatigued　with　her　excursion。　　Her　first　act　was　to　try　to　pull　off
her　shoeit　was　a　difficult　matter；　but　John　stood　beating　with　his
switch　the　leaves　of　the　creeper　on　the　wall。

'MotherDavidMolly；　or　somebodydo　come　and　help　me　pull　off
these　dirty　shoes！'　she　cried　aloud　at　last。　　'Nobody　helps　me　in
anything！'

'I　am　very　sorry；'　said　John；　coming　towards　her　with　incredible
slowness　and　an　air　of　unutterable　depression。

'O；　I　can　do　without　YOU。　　David　is　best；'　she　returned；　as　the　old
man　approached　and　removed　the　obnoxious　shoes　in　a　trice。

Anne　was　amazed　at　this　sudden　change　from　devotion　to　crass
indifference。　　On　entering　her　room　she　flew　to　the　glass；　almost
expecting　to　learn　that　some　extraordinary　change　had　come　over　her
pretty　countenance；　rendering　her　intolerable　for　evermore。　　But　it
was；　if　anything；　fresher　than　usual；　on　account　of　the　exercise。
'Well！'　she　said　retrospectively。　　For　the　first　time　since　their
acqaintance　she　had　this　week　encouraged　him；　and　for　the　first　time
he　had　shown　that　encouragement　was　useless。　　'But　perhaps　he　does
not　clearly　understand；'　she　added　serenely。

When　he　next　came　it　was；　to　her　surprise；　to　bring　her　newspapers；
now　for　some　time　discontinued。　　As　soon　as　she　saw　them　she　said；
'I　do　not　care　for　newspapers。'

'The　shipping　news　is　very　full　and　long　to…day；　though　the　print　is
rather　small。'

'I　take　no　further　interest　in　the　shipping　news；'　she　replied　with
cold　dignity。

She　was　sitting　by　the　window；　inside　the　table；　and　hence　when；　in
spite　of　her　negations；　he　deliberately　unfolded　the　paper　and　began
to　read　about　the　Royal　Navy　she　could　hardly　rise　and　go　away。
With　a　stoical　mien　he　read　on　to　the　end　of　the　report；　bringing
out　the　name　of　Bob's　ship　with　tremendous　force。

'No；'　she　said　at　last；　'I'll　hear　no　more！　　Let　me　read　to　you。'

The　trumpet…major　sat　down。　　Anne　turned　to　the　military　news；
delivering　every　detail　with　much　apparent　enthusiasm。　　'That's　the
subject　_I_　like！'　she　said　fervently。

'Butbut　Bob　is　in　the　navy　now；　and　will　most　likely　rise　to　be　an
officer。　　And　then'

'What　is　there　like　the　army？'　she　interrupted。　　'There　is　no
smartness　about　sailors。　　They　waddle　like　ducks；　and　they　only
fight　stupid　battles　that　no　one　can　form　any　idea　of。　　There　is　no
science　nor　stratagem　in　sea…fightsnothing　more　than　what　you　see
when　two　rams　run　their　heads　together　in　a　field　to　knock　each
other　down。　　But　in　military　battles　there　is　such　art；　and　such
splendour；　and　the　men　are　so　smart；　particularly　the
horse…soldiers。　　O；　I　shall　never　forget　what　gallant　men　you　all
seemed　when　you　came　and　pitched　your　tents　on　the　downs！　　I　like
the　cavalry　better　than　anything　I　know；　and　the　dragoons　the　best
of　the　cavalryand　the　trumpeters　the　best　of　the　dragoons！'

'O；　if　it　had　but　come　a　little　sooner！'　moaned　John　within　him。　　He
replied　as　soon　as　he　could　regain　self…command；　'I　am　glad　Bob　is
in　the　navy　at　lasthe　is　so　much　more　fitted　for　that　than　the
merchant…serviceso　brave　by　nature；　ready　for　any　daring　deed。　　I
have　heard　ever　so　much　more　about　his　doings　on　board　the　Victory。
Captain　Hardy　took　special　notice　that　when　he'

'I　don't　want　to　know　anything　more　about　it；'　said　Anne
impatiently；　'of　course　sailors　fight；　there's　nothing　else　to　do　in
a　ship；　since　you　can't　run　away！　　You　may　as　well　fight　and　be
killed　as　be　killed　not　fighting。'

'Still　it　is　his　character　to　be　careless　of　himself　where　the
honour　of　his　country　is　concerned；'　John　pleaded。　　'If　you　had　only
known　him　as　a　boy　you　would　own　it。　　He　would　always　risk　his　own
life　to　save　anybody　else's。　　Once　when　a　cottage　was　afire　up　the
lane　he　rushed　in　for　a　baby；　although　he　was　only　a　boy　himself；
and　he　had　the　narrowest　escape。　　We　have　got　his　hat　now　with　the
hole　burnt　in　it。　　Shall　I　get　it　and　show　it　to　you？'

'NoI　don't　wish　it。　　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　me。'　　But　as　he
persisted　in　his　course　towards　the　door；　she　added；　'Ah！　you　are
leaving　because　I　am　in　your　way。　　You　want　to　be　alone　while　you
read　the　paperI　will　go　at　once。　　I　did　not　see　that　I　was
interrupting　you。'　　And　she　rose　as　if　to　retreat。

'No；　no！　　I　would　rather　be　interrupted　by　YOU　thanO；　Miss
Garland；　excuse　me！　　I'll　just　speak　to　father　in　the　mill；　now　I　am
here。'

It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　state　that　Anne　（whose　unquestionable
gentility　amid　somewhat　homely　surroundings　has　been　many　times
insisted　on　in　the　course　of　this　history）　was　usually　the　reverse
of　a　woman　with　a　coming…on　disposition；　but；　whether　from　pique　at
his　manner；　or　from　wilful　adherence　to　a　course　rashly　resolved　on；
or　from　coquettish　maliciousness　in　reaction　from　long　depression；
or　from　any　other　thing；so　it　was　that　she　would　not　let　him　go。

'Trumpet…major；'　she　said；　recalling　him。

'Yes？'　he　replied　timidly。

'The　bow　of　my　cap…ribbon　has　come　untied；　has　it　not？'　　She　turned
and　fixed　her　bewitching　glance　upon　him。

The　bow　was　just　over　her　forehead；　or；　more　precisely；　at　the　point
where　the　organ　of　comparison　merges　in　that　of　benevolence；
according　to　the　phrenological　theory　of　Gall。　　John；　thus　brought
to；　endeavoured　to　look　at　the　bow　in　a　skimming；　duck…and…drake
fashion；　so　as　to　avoid　dipping　his　own　glance　as　far　as　to　the
plane　of　his　interrogator's　eyes。　　'It　is　untied；'　he　said；　drawing
back　a　little。

She　came　nearer；　and　asked；　'Will　you　tie　it　for　me；　please？'

As　there　was　no　help　for　it；　he　nerved　himself　and　assented。　　As　her
head　only　reached　to　his　fourth　button　she　necessarily　looked　up　for
his　convenience；　and　John　began　fumbling　at　the　bow。　　Try　as　he
would　it　was　impossible　to　touch　the　ribbon　without　getting　his
finger　tips　mixed　with　the　curls　of　her　forehead。