the trumpet-major-第68节

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Anne　took　especial　care　that　he　should　never　meet　her　alone；　and　to
insure　this　her　ingenuity　was　in　constant　exercise。　　There　were　so
many　nooks　and　windings　on　the　miller's　rambling　premises　that　she
could　never　be　sure　he　would　not　turn　up　within　a　foot　of　her；
particularly　as　his　thin　shoes　were　almost　noiseless。

One　fine　afternoon　she　accompanied　Molly　in　search　of　elderberries
for　making　the　family　wine　which　was　drunk　by　Mrs。　Loveday；　Anne；
and　anybody　who　could　not　stand　the　rougher　and　stronger　liquors
provided　by　the　miller。　　After　walking　rather　a　long　distance　over
the　down　they　came　to　a　grassy　hollow；　where　elder…bushes　in　knots
of　twos　and　threes　rose　from　an　uneven　bank　and　hung　their　heads
towards　the　south；　black　and　heavy　with　bunches　of　fruit。　　The　charm
of　fruit…gathering　to　girls　is　enhanced　in　the　case　of　elderberries
by　the　inoffensive　softness　of　the　leaves；　boughs；　and　bark；　which
makes　getting　into　the　branches　easy　and　pleasant　to　the　most
indifferent　climbers。　　Anne　and　Molly　had　soon　gathered　a　basketful；
and　sending　the　servant　home　with　it；　Anne　remained　in　the　bush
picking　and　throwing　down　bunch　by　bunch　upon　the　grass。　　She　was　so
absorbed　in　her　occupation　of　pulling　the　twigs　towards　her；　and　the
rustling　of　their　leaves　so　filled　her　ears；　that　it　was　a　great
surprise　when；　on　turning　her　head；　she　perceived　a　similar　movement
to　her　own　among　the　boughs　of　the　adjoining　bush。

At　first　she　thought　they　were　disturbed　by　being　partly　in　contact
with　the　boughs　of　her　bush；　but　in　a　moment　Robert　Loveday's　face
peered　from　them；　at　a　distance　of　about　a　yard　from　her　own。　　Anne
uttered　a　little　indignant　'Well！'　recovered　herself；　and　went　on
plucking。　　Bob　thereupon　went　on　plucking　likewise。

'I　am　picking　elderberries　for　your　mother；'　said　the　lieutenant　at
last；　humbly。

'So　I　see。'

'And　I　happen　to　have　come　to　the　next　bush　to　yours。'

'So　I　see；　but　not　the　reason　why。'

Anne　was　now　in　the　westernmost　branches　of　the　bush；　and　Bob　had
leant　across　into　the　eastern　branches　of　his。　　In　gathering　he
swayed　towards　her；　back　again；　forward　again。

'I　beg　pardon；'　he　said；　when　a　further　swing　than　usual　had　taken
him　almost　in　contact　with　her。

'Then　why　do　you　do　it？'

'The　wind　rocks　the　bough；　and　the　bough　rocks　me。'　　She　expressed
by　a　look　her　opinion　of　this　statement　in　the　face　of　the　gentlest
breeze；　and　Bob　pursued：　　'I　am　afraid　the　berries　will　stain　your
pretty　hands。'

'I　wear　gloves。'

'Ah；　that's　a　plan　I　should　never　have　thought　of。　　Can　I　help　you？'

'Not　at　all。'

'You　are　offended：　　that's　what　that　means。'

'No；'　she　said。

'Then　will　you　shake　hands？'

Anne　hesitated；　then　slowly　stretched　out　her　hand；　which　he　took　at
once。　　'That　will　do；'　she　said；　finding　that　he　did　not　relinquish
it　immediately。　　But　as　he　still　held　it；　she　pulled；　the　effect　of
which　was　to　draw　Bob's　swaying　person；　bough　and　all；　towards　her；
and　herself　towards　him。

'I　am　afraid　to　let　go　your　hand；'　said　that　officer；　'for　if　I　do
your　spar　will　fly　back；　and　you　will　be　thrown　upon　the　deck　with
great　violence。'

'I　wish　you　to　let　me　go！'

He　accordingly　did；　and　she　flew　back；　but　did　not　by　any　means
fall。

'It　reminds　me　of　the　times　when　I　used　to　be　aloft　clinging　to　a
yard　not　much　bigger　than　this　tree…stem；　in　the　mid…Atlantic；　and
thinking　about　you。　　I　could　see　you　in　my　fancy　as　plain　as　I　see
you　now。'

'Me；　or　some　other　woman！'　retorted　Anne　haughtily。

'No！'　declared　Bob；　shaking　the　bush　for　emphasis；　'I'll　protest
that　I　did　not　think　of　anybody　but　you　all　the　time　we　were
dropping　down　channel；　all　the　time　we　were　off　Cadiz；　all　the　time
through　battles　and　bombardments。　　I　seemed　to　see　you　in　the　smoke；
and；　thinks　I；　if　I　go　to　Davy's　locker；　what　will　she　do？'

'You　didn't　think　that　when　you　landed　after　Trafalgar。'

'Well；　now；'　said　the　lieutenant　in　a　reasoning　tone；　'that　was　a
curious　thing。　　You'll　hardly　believe　it；　maybe；　but　when　a　man　is
away　from　the　woman　he　loves　best　in　the　portworld；　I　meanhe　can
have　a　sort　of　temporary　feeling　for　another　without　disturbing　the
old　one；　which　flows　along　under　the　same　as　ever。'

'I　can't　believe　it；　and　won't；'　said　Anne　firmly。

Molly　now　appeared　with　the　empty　basket；　and　when　it　had　been
filled　from　the　heap　on　the　grass；　Anne　went　home　with　her；　bidding
Loveday　a　frigid　adieu。

The　same　evening；　when　Bob　was　absent；　the　miller　proposed　that　they
should　all　three　go　to　an　upper　window　of　the　house；　to　get　a
distant　view　of　some　rockets　and　illuminations　which　were　to　be
exhibited　in　the　town　and　harbour　in　honour　of　the　King；　who　had
returned　this　year　as　usual。　　They　accordingly　went　upstairs　to　an
empty　attic；　placed　chairs　against　the　window；　and　put　out　the
light；　Anne　sitting　in　the　middle；　her　mother　close　by；　and　the
miller　behind；　smoking。　　No　sign　of　any　pyrotechnic　display　was
visible　over　the　port　as　yet；　and　Mrs。　Loveday　passed　the　time　by
talking　to　the　miller；　who　replied　in　monosyllables。　　While　this　was
going　on　Anne　fancied　that　she　heard　some　one　approach；　and
presently　felt　sure　that　Bob　was　drawing　near　her　in　the　surrounding
darkness；　but　as　the　other　two　had　noticed　nothing　she　said　not　a
word。

All　at　once　the　swarthy　expanse　of　southward　sky　was　broken　by　the
blaze　of　several　rockets　simultaneously　ascending　from　different
ships　in　the　roads。　　At　the　very　same　moment　a　warm　mysterious　hand
slipped　round　her　own；　and　gave　it　a　gentle　squeeze。

'O　dear！'　said　Anne；　with　a　sudden　start　away。

'How　nervous　you　are；　child；　to　be　startled　by　fireworks　so　far
off；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday。

'I　never　saw　rockets　before；'　murmured　Anne；　recovering　from　her
surprise。

Mrs。　Loveday　presently　spoke　again。　　'I　wonder　what　has　become　of
Bob？'

Anne　did　not　reply；　being　much　exercised　in　trying　to　get　her　hand
away　from　the　one　that　imprisoned　it；　and　whatever　the　miller
thought　he　kept　to　himself；　because　it　disturbed　his　smoking　to
speak。

Another　batch　of　rockets　went　up。　　'O　I　never！'　said　Anne；　in　a
half…suppressed　tone；　springing　in　her　chair。　　A　second　hand　had
with　the　rise　of　the　rockets　leapt　round　her　waist。

'Poor　girl；　you　certainly　must　have　change　of　scene　at　this　rate；'
said　Mrs。　Loveday。

'I　suppose　I　must；'　murmured　the　dutiful　daughter。

For　some　minutes　nothing　further　occurred　to　disturb　Anne's
serenity。　　Then　a　slow；　quiet　'a…hem'　came　from　the　obscurity　of　the
apartment。

'What；　Bob？　　How　long　have　you　been　there？'　inquired　Mrs。　Loveday。

'Not　long；'　said　the　lieutenant　coolly。　　'I　heard　you　were　all　here；
and　crept　up　quietly；　not　to　disturb　ye。'

'Why　don't　you　wear　heels　to　your　shoes　like　Christian　people；　and
not　creep　about　so　like　a　cat？'

'Well；　it　keeps　your　floors　clean　to　go　slip…shod。'

'That's　true。'

Meanwhile　Anne　was　gently　but　firmly　trying　to　pull　Bob's　arm　from
her　waist；　her　distressful　difficulty　being　that　in　freeing　her
waist　she　enslaved　her　hand；　and　in　getting　her　hand　free　she
enslaved　her　waist。　　Finding　the　struggle　a　futile　one；　owing　to　the
invisibility　of　her　antagonist；　and　her　wish　to　keep　its　nature
secret　from　the　other　two；　she　arose；　and　saying　that　she　did　not
care　to　see　any　more；　felt　her　way　downstairs。　　Bob　followed；
leaving　Loveday　and　his　wife　to　themselves。

'Dear　Anne；'　he　began；　when　he　had　got　down；　and　saw　her　in　the
candle…light　of　the　large　room。　　But　she　adroitly　passed　out　at　the
other　door；　at　which　he　took　a　candle　and　followed　her　to　the　small
room。　　'Dear　Anne；　do　let　me　speak；'　he　repeated；　as　soon　as　the
rays　revealed　her　figure。　　But　she　passed　into　the　bakehouse　before
he　could　say　more；　whereupon　he　perseveringly　did　the　same。　　Looking
round　for　her　here　he　perceived　her　at　the　end　of　the　room；　where
there　were　no　means　of　exit　whatever。

'Dear　Anne；'　he　began　again；　setting　down　the　candle；　'you　must　try
to　forgive　me；　really　you　must。　　I　love　you　the　best　of　anybody　in
the　wide；　wide　world。　　Try　to　forgive　me；　come！'　　And　he　imploringly
took　her　hand。

Anne's　bosom　began　to　surge　and　fall　like　a　small　tide；　her　eyes
remaining　fixed　upon　the　floor；　till；　when　Loveday　ventured　to　draw
her　slightly　towards　him；　she　burst　out　crying。　　'I　don't　like　you；
Bob；　I　don't！'　she　suddenly　exclaimed　between　her　sobs。　　'I　did
once；　but　I　don't　nowI　can't；　I　can't；　you　have　been　very　cruel　to
me！'　　She　violently　turned　away；　weeping。

'I　have；　I　have　been　terribly　bad；　I　know；'　answered　Bob；
conscience…stricken　by　her　grief。　　'Butif　you　could　only　forgive
meI　promise　that　I'll　never　do　anything　to　grieve　'ee　again。　　Do
you　forgive　me；　Anne？'

Anne's　only　reply　was　crying　and　shaking　her　head。

'Let's　make　it　up。　　Come；　say　we　have　made　it　up；　dear。'

She　withdrew　her　hand；　and　still　keeping　her　eyes　buried　in　her
handkerchief；　said　'No。'

'Very　well；　then！'　exclaimed　Bob；　with　sudden　determination。　　'Now　I
know　my　doom！　　And　whatever　you　hear　of　as　happening　to　me；　mind
this；　you　cruel　girl；　that　it　is　all　your　causing！'　　Saying　this　he
strode　with　a　hasty　tread　across　the　room　into　the　passage　and　out
at　the　door；　slammin