the trumpet-major-第8节
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dwelling when Sergeant Stanner of the th Foot； who was recruiting
at Budmouth； began a satirical song：
When law'…yers strive' to heal' a breach'；
And par…sons prac'…tise what' they preach'；
Then lit'…tle Bo…ney he'll pounce down'；
And march' his men' on Lon'…don town'！
Chorus。Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lo'…rum；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lay。
When jus'…ti…ces' hold e'qual scales'；
And rogues' are on'…ly found' in jails'；
Then lit'tle Bo'…ney he'll pounce down'；
And march' his men' on Lon'…don town'！
Chorus。Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lo'…rum；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lay。
When rich' men find' their wealth' a curse'；
And fill' there…with' the poor' man's purse'；
Then lit'…tle Bo'…ney he'll pounce down'；
And march' his men' on Lon'…don town'！
Chorus。Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lo'…rum；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lay。
Poor Stanner！ In spite of his satire； he fell at the bloody battle
of Albuera a few years after this pleasantly spent summer at the
Georgian watering…place； being mortally wounded and trampled down by
a French hussar when the brigade was deploying into line under
Beresford。
While Miller Loveday was saying 'Well done； Mr。 Stanner！' at the
close of the thirteenth stanza； which seemed to be the last； and Mr。
Stanner was modestly expressing his regret that he could do no
better； a stentorian voice was heard outside the window shutter
repeating；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lo'…rum；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lay。
The company was silent in a moment at this reinforcement； and only
the military tried not to look surprised。 While all wondered who
the singer could be somebody entered the porch； the door opened； and
in came a young man； about the size and weight of the Farnese
Hercules； in the uniform of the yeomanry cavalry。
''Tis young Squire Derriman； old Mr。 Derriman's nephew；' murmured
voices in the background。
Without waiting to address anybody； or apparently seeing who were
gathered there； the colossal man waved his cap above his head and
went on in tones that shook the window…panes：
When hus'…bands with' their wives' agree'。
And maids' won't wed' from mod'…es…ty'；
Then lit'…tle Bo'…ney he'll pounce down'；
And march' his men' on Lon'…don town'！
Chorus。Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lo'…rum；
Rol'…li…cum ro'…rum； tol'…lol…lay。
It was a verse which had been omitted by the gallant Stanner； out of
respect to the ladies。
The new…comer was red…haired and of florid complexion； and seemed
full of a conviction that his whim of entering must be their
pleasure； which for the moment it was。
'No ceremony； good men all；' he said； 'I was passing by； and my ear
was caught by the singing。 I like singing； 'tis warming and
cheering； and shall not be put down。 I should like to hear anybody
say otherwise。'
'Welcome； Master Derriman；' said the miller； filling a glass and
handing it to the yeoman。 'Come all the way from quarters； then？ I
hardly knowed ye in your soldier's clothes。 You'd look more natural
with a spud in your hand； sir。 I shouldn't ha' known ye at all if I
hadn't heard that you were called out。'
'More natural with a spud！have a care； miller；' said the young
giant； the fire of his complexion increasing to scarlet。 'I don't
mean anger； butbuta soldier's honour； you know！'
The military in the background laughed a little； and the yeoman then
for the first time discovered that there were more regulars present
than one。 He looked momentarily disconcerted； but expanded again to
full assurance。
'Right； right； Master Derriman； no offence'twas only my joke；'
said the genial miller。 'Everybody's a soldier nowadays。 Drink a
drap o' this cordial； and don't mind words。'
The young man drank without the least reluctance； and said； 'Yes；
miller； I am called out。 'Tis ticklish times for us soldiers now；
we hold our lives in our handsWhat are those fellows grinning at
behind the table？I say； we do！'
'Staying with your uncle at the farm for a day or two； Mr。
Derriman？'
'No； no； as I told you； six mile off。 Billeted at Casterbridge。
But I have to call and see the old； old'
'Gentleman？'
'Gentleman！no； skinflint。 He lives upon the sweepings of the
barton； ha； ha！' And the speaker's regular white teeth showed
themselves like snow in a Dutch cabbage。 'Well； well； the
profession of arms makes a man proof against all that。 I take
things as I find 'em。'
'Quite right； Master Derriman。 Another drop？'
'No； no。 I'll take no more than is good for meno man should； so
don't tempt me。'
The yeoman then saw Anne； and by an unconscious gravitation went
towards her and the other women； flinging a remark to John Loveday
in passing。 'Ah； Loveday！ I heard you were come； in short； I come
o' purpose to see you。 Glad to see you enjoying yourself at home
again。'
The trumpet…major replied civilly； though not without grimness； for
he seemed hardly to like Derriman's motion towards Anne。
'Widow Garland's daughter！yes； 'tis！ surely。 You remember me？ I
have been here before。 Festus Derriman； Yeomanry Cavalry。'
Anne gave a little curtsey。 'I know your name is Festusthat's
all。'
'Yes； 'tis well knownespecially latterly。' He dropped his voice
to confidence pitch。 'I suppose your friends here are disturbed by
my coming in； as they don't seem to talk much？ I don't mean to
interrupt the party； but I often find that people are put out by my
coming among 'em； especially when I've got my regimentals on。'
'La！ and are they？'
'Yes； 'tis the way I have。' He further lowered his tone； as if they
had been old friends； though in reality he had only seen her three
or four times。 'And how did you come to be here？ Dash my wig； I
don't like to see a nice young lady like you in this company。 You
should come to some of our yeomanry sprees in Casterbridge or
Shottsford…Forum。 O； but the girls do come！ The yeomanry are
respected men； men of good substantial families； many farming their
own land； and every one among us rides his own charger； which is
more than these cussed fellows do。' He nodded towards the dragoons。
'Hush； hush！ Why； these are friends and neighbours of Miller
Loveday； and he is a great friend of oursour best friend；' said
Anne with great emphasis； and reddening at the sense of injustice to
their host。 'What are you thinking of； talking like that？ It is
ungenerous in you。'
'Ha； ha！ I've affronted you。 Isn't that it； fair angel； fairwhat
do you call it？fair vestal？ Ah； well！ would you was safe in my
own house！ But honour must be minded now； not courting。 Rollicum…
rorum； tol…lol…lorum。 Pardon me； my sweet； I like ye！ It may be a
come down for me； owning land； but I do like ye。'
'Sir； please be quiet；' said Anne； distressed。
'I will； I will。 Well； Corporal Tullidge； how's your head？' he
said； going towards the other end of the room； and leaving Anne to
herself。
The company had again recovered its liveliness； and it was a long
time before the bouncing Rufus who had joined them could find heart
to tear himself away from their society and good liquors； although
he had had quite enough of the latter before he entered。 The
natives received him at his own valuation； and the soldiers of the
camp； who sat beyond the table； smiled behind their pipes at his
remarks； with a pleasant twinkle of the eye which approached the
satirical； John Loveday being not the least conspicuous in this
bearing。 But he and his friends were too courteous on such an
occasion as the present to challenge the young man's large remarks；
and readily permitted him to set them right on the details of
camping and other military routine； about which the troopers seemed
willing to let persons hold any opinion whatever； provided that they
themselves were not obliged to give attention to it； showing；
strangely enough； that if there was one subject more than another
which never interested their minds； it was the art of war。 To them
the art of enjoying good company in Overcombe Mill； the details of
the miller's household； the swarming of his bees； the number of his
chickens； and the fatness of his pigs； were matters of infinitely
greater concern。
The present writer； to whom this party has been described times out
of number by members of the Loveday family and other aged people now
passed away； can never enter the old living…room of Overcombe Mill
without beholding the genial scene through the mists of the seventy
or eighty years that intervene between then and now。 First and
brightest to the eye are the dozen candles； scattered about
regardless of expense； and kept well snuffed by the miller； who
walks round the room at intervals of five minutes； snuffers in hand；
and nips each wick with great precision； and with something of an
executioner's grim look upon his face as he closes the snuffers upon
the neck of the candle。 Next to the candle…light show the red and
blue coats and white breeches of the soldiersnearly twenty of them
in all besides the ponderous Derrimanthe head of the latter； and；
indeed； the
