the trumpet-major-第70节

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But　Festus　had　by　this　time　entered　the　lobby；　and　Anne；　with　a
hasty　'Get　rid　of　him　at　once！'　vanished　upstairs。

Here　she　waited　and　waited；　but　Festus　did　not　seem　inclined　to
depart；　and　at　last；　foreboding　some　collision　of　interests　from
Bob's　new　friendship　for　this　man；　she　crept　into　a　storeroom　which
was　over　the　apartment　into　which　Loveday　and　Festus　had　gone。　　By
looking　through　a　knot…hole　in　the　floor　it　was　easy　to　command　a
view　of　the　room　beneath；　this　being　unceiled；　with　moulded　beams
and　rafters。

Festus　had　sat　down　on　the　hollow　window…bench；　and　was　continuing
the　statement　of　his　wrongs。　　'If　he　only　knew　what　he　was　sitting
upon；'　she　thought　apprehensively；　'how　easily　he　could　tear　up　the
flap；　lock　and　all；　with　his　strong　arm；　and　seize　upon　poor　Uncle
Benjy's　possessions！'　　But　he　did　not　appear　to　know；　unless　he　were
acting；　which　was　just　possible。　　After　a　while　he　rose；　and　going
to　the　table　lifted　the　candle　to　light　his　pipe。　　At　the　moment
when　the　flame　began　diving　into　the　bowl　the　door　noiselessly
opened　and　a　figure　slipped　across　the　room　to　the　window…bench；
hastily　unlocked　it；　withdrew　the　box；　and　beat　a　retreat。　　Anne　in
a　moment　recognized　the　ghostly　intruder　as　Festus　Derriman's　uncle。
Before　he　could　get　out　of　the　room　Festus　set　down　the　candle　and
turned。

'WhatUncle　Benjyhaw；　haw！　　Here　at　this　time　of　night？'

Uncle　Benjy's　eyes　grew　paralyzed；　and　his　mouth　opened　and　shut
like　a　frog's　in　a　drought；　the　action　producing　no　sound。

'What　have　we　got　herea　tin　boxthe　box　of　boxes？　　Why；　I'll
carry　it　for　'ee；　uncle！I　am　going　home。'

'Nnono；　thanky；　Festus：　　it　is　nnnot　heavy　at　all；　thanky；'
gasped　the　squireen。

'O　but　I　must；'　said　Festus；　pulling　at　the　box。

'Don't　let　him　have　it；　Bob！'　screamed　the　excited　Anne　through　the
hole　in　the　floor。

'No；　don't　let　him！'　cried　the　uncle。　　''Tis　a　plotthere's　a　woman
at　the　window　waiting　to　help　him！'

Anne's　eyes　flew　to　the　window；　and　she　saw　Matilda's　face　pressed
against　the　pane。

Bob；　though　he　did　not　know　whence　Anne's　command　proceeded　obeyed
with　alacrity；　pulled　the　box　from　the　two　relatives；　and　placed　it
on　the　table　beside　him。

'Now；　look　here；　hearties；　what's　the　meaning　o'　this？'　he　said。

'He's　trying　to　rob　me　of　all　I　possess！'　cried　the　old　man。　　'My
heart…strings　seem　as　if　they　were　going　crack；　crack；　crack！'

At　this　instant　the　miller　in　his　shirt…sleeves　entered　the　room；
having　got　thus　far　in　his　undressing　when　he　heard　the　noise。　　Bob
and　Festus　turned　to　him　to　explain；　and　when　the　latter　had　had　his
say　Bob　added；　'Well；　all　I　know　is　that　this　box'here　he
stretched　out　his　hand　to　lay　it　upon　the　lid　for　emphasis。　　But　as
nothing　but　thin　air　met　his　fingers　where　the　box　had　been；　he
turned；　and　found　that　the　box　was　gone；　Uncle　Benjy　having　vanished
also。

Festus；　with　an　imprecation；　hastened　to　the　door；　but　though　the
night　was　not　dark　Farmer　Derriman　and　his　burden　were　nowhere　to　be
seen。　　On　the　bridge　Festus　joined　a　shadowy　female　form；　and　they
went　along　the　road　together；　followed　for　some　distance　by　Bob；
lest　they　should　meet　with　and　harm　the　old　man。　　But　the　precaution
was　unnecessary：　　nowhere　on　the　road　was　there　any　sign　of　Farmer
Derriman；　or　of　the　box　that　belonged　to　him。　　When　Bob　re…entered
the　house　Anne　and　Mrs。　Loveday　had　joined　the　miller　downstairs；
and　then　for　the　first　time　he　learnt　who　had　been　the　heroine　of
Festus's　lamentable　story；　with　many　other　particulars　of　that
yeoman's　history　which　he　had　never　before　known。　　Bob　swore　that　he
would　not　speak　to　the　traitor　again；　and　the　family　retired。

The　escape　of　old　Mr。　Derriman　from　the　annoyances　of　his　nephew　not
only　held　good　for　that　night；　but　for　next　day；　and　for　ever。　　Just
after　dawn　on　the　following　morning　a　labouring　man；　who　was　going
to　his　work；　saw　the　old　farmer　and　landowner　leaning　over　a　rail　in
a　mead　near　his　house；　apparently　engaged　in　contemplating　the　water
of　a　brook　before　him。　　Drawing　near；　the　man　spoke；　but　Uncle　Benjy
did　not　reply。　　His　head　was　hanging　strangely；　his　body　being
supported　in　its　erect　position　entirely　by　the　rail　that　passed
under　each　arm。　　On　after…examination　it　was　found　that　Uncle
Benjy's　poor　withered　heart　had　cracked　and　stopped　its　beating　from
damages　inflicted　on　it　by　the　excitements　of　his　life；　and　of　the
previous　night　in　particular。　　The　unconscious　carcass　was　little
more　than　a　light　empty　husk；　dry　and　fleshless　as　that　of　a　dead
heron　found　on　a　moor　in　January。

But　the　tin　box　was　not　discovered　with　or　near　him。　　It　was
searched　for　all　the　week；　and　all　the　month。　　The　mill…pond　was
dragged；　quarries　were　examined；　woods　were　threaded；　rewards　were
offered；　but　in　vain。

At　length　one　day　in　the　spring；　when　the　mill…house　was　about　to　be
cleaned　throughout；　the　chimney…board　of　Anne's　bedroom；　concealing
a　yawning　fire…place；　had　to　be　taken　down。　　In　the　chasm　behind　it
stood　the　missing　deed…box　of　Farmer　Derriman。

Many　were　the　conjectures　as　to　how　it　had　got　there。　Then　Anne
remembered　that　on　going　to　bed　on　the　night　of　the　collision
between　Festus　and　his　uncle　in　the　room　below；　she　had　seen　mud　on
the　carpet　of　her　room；　and　the　miller　remembered　that　he　had　seen
footprints　on　the　back　staircase。　　The　solution　of　the　mystery
seemed　to　be　that　the　late　Uncle　Benjy；　instead　of　running　off　from
the　house　with　his　box；　had　doubled　on　getting　out　of　the　front
door；　entered　at　the　back；　deposited　his　box　in　Anne's　chamber　where
it　was　found；　and　then　leisurely　pursued　his　way　home　at　the　heels
of　Festus；　intending　to　tell　Anne　of　his　trick　the　next　dayan
intention　that　was　for　ever　frustrated　by　the　stroke　of　death。

Mr。　Derriman's　solicitor　was　a　Casterbridge　man；　and　Anne　placed　the
box　in　his　hands。　　Uncle　Benjy's　will　was　discovered　within；　and　by
this　testament　Anne's　queer　old　friend　appointed　her　sole　executrix
of　his　said　will；　and；　more　than　that；　gave　and　bequeathed　to　the
same　young　lady　all　his　real　and　personal　estate；　with　the　solitary
exception　of　five　small　freehold　houses　in　a　back　street　in
Budmouth；　which　were　devised　to　his　nephew　Festus；　as　a　sufficient
property　to　maintain　him　decently；　without　affording　any　margin　for
extravagances。　　Oxwell　Hall；　with　its　muddy　quadrangle；　archways；
mullioned　windows；　cracked　battlements；　and　weed…grown　garden；
passed　with　the　rest　into　the　hands　of　Anne。



XLI。　　JOHN　MARCHES　INTO　THE　NIGHT

During　this　exciting　time　John　Loveday　seldom　or　never　appeared　at
the　mill。　　With　the　recall　of　Bob；　in　which　he　had　been　sole　agent；
his　mission　seemed　to　be　complete。

One　mid…day；　before　Anne　had　made　any　change　in　her　manner　of　living
on　account　of　her　unexpected　acquisition；　Lieutenant　Bob　came　in
rather　suddenly。　　He　had　been　to　Budmouth；　and　announced　to　the
arrested　senses　of　the　family　that　the　th　Dragoons　were　ordered　to
join　Sir　Arthur　Wellesley　in　the　Peninsula。

These　tidings　produced　a　great　impression　on　the　household。　　John
had　been　so　long　in　the　neighbourhood；　either　at　camp　or　in
barracks；　that　they　had　almost　forgotten　the　possibility　of　his
being　sent　away；　and　they　now　began　to　reflect　upon　the　singular
infrequency　of　his　calls　since　his　brother's　return。　　There　was　not
much　time；　however；　for　reflection；　if　they　wished　to　make　the　most
of　John's　farewell　visit；　which　was　to　be　paid　the　same　evening；　the
departure　of　the　regiment　being　fixed　for　next　day。　　A　hurried
valedictory　supper　was　prepared　during　the　afternoon；　and　shortly
afterwards　John　arrived。

He　seemed　to　be　more　thoughtful　and　a　trifle　paler　than　of　old；　but
beyond　these　traces；　which　might　have　been　due　to　the　natural　wear
and　tear　of　time；　he　showed　no　signs　of　gloom。　　On　his　way　through
the　town　that　morning　a　curious　little　incident　had　occurred　to　him。
He　was　walking　past　one　of　the　churches　when　a　wedding…party　came
forth；　the　bride　and　bridegroom　being　Matilda　and　Festus　Derriman。
At　sight　of　the　trumpet…major　the　yeoman　had　glared　triumphantly；
Matilda；　on　her　part；　had　winked　at　him　slily；　as　much　as　to　say。
But　what　she　meant　heaven　knows：　　the　trumpet…major　did　not　trouble
himself　to　think；　and　passed　on　without　returning　the　mark　of
confidence　with　which　she　had　favoured　him。

Soon　after　John's　arrival　at　the　mill　several　of　his　friends　dropped
in　for　the　same　purpose　of　bidding　adieu。　　They　were　mostly　the　men
who　had　been　entertained　there　on　the　occasion　of　the　regiment's
advent　on　the　down；　when　Anne　and　her　mother　were　coaxed　in　to　grace
the　party　by　their　superior　presence；　and　their　well…trained；
gallant　manners　were　such　as　to　make　them　interesting　visitors　now
as　at　all　times。　　For　it　was　a　period　when　romance　had　not　so
greatly　faded　out　of　military　life　as　it　has　done　in　these　days　of
short　service；　heterogeneous　mixing；　and　transient　campaigns；　when
the　esprit　de　corps　was　strong；　and　long　experience　stamped
noteworthy　professional　characteristics　even　on　rank　and　file；　while
the　miller's　visitors　had　the　additional　advantage　of　being　picked
men。

They　could　not　stay　so　long　to…night　a