the trumpet-major-第66节

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would　it　was　impossible　to　touch　the　ribbon　without　getting　his
finger　tips　mixed　with　the　curls　of　her　forehead。

'Your　hand　shakesah！　you　have　been　walking　fast；'　she　said。

'Yesyes。'

'Have　you　almost　done　it？'　　She　inquiringly　directed　her　gaze　upward
through　his　fingers。

'Nonot　yet；'　he　faltered　in　a　warm　sweat　of　emotion；　his　heart
going　like　a　flail。

'Then　be　quick；　please。'

'Yes；　I　will；　Miss　Garland！　　BBBob　is　a　very　good　fel'

'Not　that　man's　name　to　me！'　she　interrupted。

John　was　silent　instantly；　and　nothing　was　to　be　heard　but　the
rustling　of　the　ribbon；　till　his　hands　once　more　blundered　among　the
curls；　and　then　touched　her　forehead。

'O　good　God！'　ejaculated　the　trumpet…major　in　a　whisper；　turning
away　hastily　to　the　corner…cupboard；　and　resting　his　face　upon　his
hand。

'What's　the　matter；　John？'　said　she。

'I　can't　do　it！'

'What？'

'Tie　your　cap…ribbon。'

'Why　not？'

'Because　you　are　soBecause　I　am　clumsy；　and　never　could　tie　a
bow。'

'You　are　clumsy　indeed；'　answered　Anne；　and　went　away。

After　this　she　felt　injured；　for　it　seemed　to　show　that　he　rated　her
happiness　as　of　meaner　value　than　Bob's；　since　he　had　persisted　in
his　idea　of　giving　Bob　another　chance　when　she　had　implied　that　it
was　her　wish　to　do　otherwise。　　Could　Miss　Johnson　have　anything　to
do　with　his　firmness？　　An　opportunity　of　testing　him　in　this
direction　occurred　some　days　later。　　She　had　been　up　the　village；
and　met　John　at　the　mill…door。

'Have　you　heard　the　news？　　Matilda　Johnson　is　going　to　be　married　to
young　Derriman。'

Anne　stood　with　her　back　to　the　sun；　and　as　he　faced　her；　his
features　were　searchingly　exhibited。　　There　was　no　change　whatever
in　them；　unless　it　were　that　a　certain　light　of　interest　kindled　by
her　question　turned　to　complete　and　blank　indifference。　　'Well；　as
times　go；　it　is　not　a　bad　match　for　her；'　he　said；　with　a　phlegm
which　was　hardly　that　of　a　lover。

John　on　his　part　was　beginning　to　find　these　temptations　almost　more
than　he　could　bear。　　But　being　quartered　so　near　to　his　father's
house　it　was　unnatural　not　to　visit　him；　especially　when　at　any
moment　the　regiment　might　be　ordered　abroad；　and　a　separation　of
years　ensue；　and　as　long　as　he　went　there　he　could　not　help　seeing
her。

The　year　changed　from　green　to　gold；　and　from　gold　to　grey；　but
little　change　came　over　the　house　of　Loveday。　　During　the　last
twelve　months　Bob　had　been　occasionally　heard　of　as　upholding　his
country's　honour　in　Denmark；　the　West　Indies；　Gibraltar；　Malta；　and
other　places　about　the　globe；　till　the　family　received　a　short
letter　stating　that　he　had　arrived　again　at　Portsmouth。　　At
Portsmouth　Bob　seemed　disposed　to　remain；　for　though　some　time
elapsed　without　further　intelligence；　the　gallant　seaman　never
appeared　at　Overcombe。　　Then　on　a　sudden　John　learnt　that　Bob's
long…talked…of　promotion　for　signal　services　rendered　was　to　be　an
accomplished　fact。　　The　trumpet…major　at　once　walked　off　to
Overcombe；　and　reached　the　village　in　the　early　afternoon。　　Not　one
of　the　family　was　in　the　house　at　the　moment；　and　John　strolled
onwards　over　the　hill　towards　Casterbridge；　without　much　thought　of
direction　till；　lifting　his　eyes；　he　beheld　Anne　Garland　wandering
about　with　a　little　basket　upon　her　arm。

At　first　John　blushed　with　delight　at　the　sweet　vision；　but；
recalled　by　his　conscience；　the　blush　of　delight　was　at　once　mangled
and　slain。　　He　looked　for　a　means　of　retreat。　　But　the　field　was
open；　and　a　soldier　was　a　conspicuous　object：　　there　was　no　escaping
her。

'It　was　kind　of　you　to　come；'　she　said；　with　an　inviting　smile。

'It　was　quite　by　accident；'　he　answered；　with　an　indifferent　laugh。
'I　thought　you　was　at　home。'

Anne　blushed　and　said　nothing；　and　they　rambled　on　together。　　In　the
middle　of　the　field　rose　a　fragment　of　stone　wall　in　the　form　of　a
gable；　known　as　Faringdon　Ruin；　and　when　they　had　reached　it　John
paused　and　politely　asked　her　if　she　were　not　a　little　tired　with
walking　so　far。　　No　particular　reply　was　returned　by　the　young　lady；
but　they　both　stopped；　and　Anne　seated　herself　on　a　stone；　which　had
fallen　from　the　ruin　to　the　ground。

'A　church　once　stood　here；'　observed　John　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone。

'Yes；　I　have　often　shaped　it　out　in　my　mind；'　she　returned。　　'Here
where　I　sit　must　have　been　the　altar。'

'True；　this　standing　bit　of　wall　was　the　chancel　end。'

Anne　had　been　adding　up　her　little　studies　of　the　trumpet…major's
character；　and　was　surprised　to　find　how　the　brightness　of　that
character　increased　in　her　eyes　with　each　examination。　　A　kindly　and
gentle　sensation　was　again　aroused　in　her。　　Here　was　a　neglected
heroic　man；　who；　loving　her　to　distraction；　deliberately　doomed
himself　to　pensive　shade　to　avoid　even　the　appearance　of　standing　in
a　brother's　way。

'If　the　altar　stood　here；　hundreds　of　people　have　been　made　man　and
wife　just　there；　in　past　times；'　she　said；　with　calm　deliberateness；
throwing　a　little　stone　on　a　spot　about　a　yard　westward。

John　annihilated　another　tender　burst　and　replied；　'Yes；　this　field
used　to　be　a　village。　　My　grandfather　could　call　to　mind　when　there
were　houses　here。　　But　the　squire　pulled　'em　down；　because　poor　folk
were　an　eyesore　to　him。'

'Do　you　know；　John；　what　you　once　asked　me　to　do？'　she　continued；
not　accepting　the　digression；　and　turning　her　eyes　upon　him。

'In　what　sort　of　way？'

'In　the　matter　of　my　future　life；　and　yours。'

'I　am　afraid　I　don't。'

'John　Loveday！'

He　turned　his　back　upon　her　for　a　moment；　that　she　might　not　see　his
face。　　'AhI　do　remember；'　he　said　at　last；　in　a　dry；　small；
repressed　voice。

'Wellneed　I　say　more？　　Isn't　it　sufficient？'

'It　would　be　sufficient；'　answered　the　unhappy　man。　　'But'

She　looked　up　with　a　reproachful　smile；　and　shook　her　head。　　'That
summer；'　she　went　on；　'you　asked　me　ten　times　if　you　asked　me　once。
I　am　older　now；　much　more　of　a　woman；　you　know；　and　my　opinion　is
changed　about　some　people；　especially　about　one。'

'O　Anne；　Anne！'　he　burst　out　as；　racked　between　honour　and　desire；
he　snatched　up　her　hand。　　The　next　moment　it　fell　heavily　to　her
lap。　　He　had　absolutely　relinquished　it　half…way　to　his　lips。

'I　have　been　thinking　lately；'　he　said；　with　preternaturally　sudden
calmness；　'that　men　of　the　military　profession　ought　not　to　mought
to　be　like　St。　Paul；　I　mean。'

'Fie；　John；　pretending　religion！'　she　said　sternly。　　'It　isn't　that
at　all。　　IT'S　BOB！'

'Yes！'　cried　the　miserable　trumpet…major。　　'I　have　had　a　letter　from
him　to…day。'　He　pulled　out　a　sheet　of　paper　from　his　breast。
'That's　it！　　He's　promotedhe's　a　lieutenant；　and　appointed　to　a
sloop　that　only　cruises　on　our　own　coast；　so　that　he'll　be　at　home
on　leave　half　his　timehe'll　be　a　gentleman　some　day；　and　worthy　of
you！'

He　threw　the　letter　into　her　lap；　and　drew　back　to　the　other　side　of
the　gable…wall。　　Anne　jumped　up　from　her　seat；　flung　away　the　letter
without　looking　at　it；　and　went　hastily　on。　　John　did　not　attempt　to
overtake　her。　　Picking　up　the　letter；　he　followed　in　her　wake　at　a
distance　of　a　hundred　yards。

But；　though　Anne　had　withdrawn　from　his　presence　thus　precipitately；
she　never　thought　more　highly　of　him　in　her　life　than　she　did　five
minutes　afterwards；　when　the　excitement　of　the　moment　had　passed。
She　saw　it　all　quite　clearly；　and　his　self…sacrifice　impressed　her
so　much　that　the　effect　was　just　the　reverse　of　what　he　had　been
aiming　to　produce。　　The　more　he　pleaded　for　Bob；　the　more　her
perverse　generosity　pleaded　for　John。　　To…day　the　crisis　had　come
with　what　results　she　had　not　foreseen。

As　soon　as　the　trumpet…major　reached　the　nearest　pen…and…ink　he
flung　himself　into　a　seat　and　wrote　wildly　to　Bob：

'DEAR　ROBERT；I　write　these　few　lines　to　let　you　know　that　if　you
want　Anne　Garland　you　must　come　at　onceyou　must　come　instantly；
and　post…hasteOR　SHE　WILL　BE　GONE！　　Somebody　else　wants　her；　and
she　wants　him！　　It　is　your　last　chance；　in　the　opinion　of
　　　　　　　　　　'Your　faithful　brother　and　well…wisher；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'JOHN。
'P。S。Glad　to　hear　of　your　promotion。　　Tell　me　the　day　and　I'll
meet　the　coach。'



XXXIX。　　BOB　LOVEDAY　STRUTS　UP　AND　DOWN

One　night；　about　a　week　later；　two　men　were　walking　in　the　dark
along　the　turnpike　road　towards　Overcombe；　one　of　them　with　a　bag　in
his　hand。

'Now；'　said　the　taller　of　the　two；　the　squareness　of　whose　shoulders
signified　that　he　wore　epaulettes；　'now　you　must　do　the　best　you　can
for　yourself；　Bob。　　I　have　done　all　I　can；　but　th'hast　thy　work　cut
out；　I　can　tell　thee。'

'I　wouldn't　have　run　such　a　risk　for　the　world；'　said　the　other；　in
a　tone　of　ingenuous　contrition。　　'But　thou'st　see；　Jack；　I　didn't
think　there　was　any　danger；　knowing　you　was　taking　care　of　her；　and
keeping　my　place　warm　for　me。　　I　didn't　hurry　myself；　that's　true；
but；　thinks　I；　if　I　get　this　promotion　I　am　promised　I　shall
naturally　have　leave；　and　then　I'll　go　and　see　'em　all。　　Gad；　I
shouldn't　have　been　here　now　but　for　your　letter！'

'You　little　think　what　risks　you've　run；'　said　his　brother。
'However；　try　to　make　up　for　lost　time。'

'All　right。　　And　whatever　you　do；　Jack；　don't