the trumpet-major-第13部分

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Derriman　dies；　he'll　have　all　the　old　man's；　for　certain。　　He'll　be
worth　ten　thousand　pounds；　if　a　penny；　in　money；　besides　sixteen
horses；　cart　and　hack；　a　fifty…cow　dairy；　and　at　least　five　hundred
sheep。'

Anne　turned　away；　and　instead　of　informing　her　mother　that　she　had
been　running　like　a　doe　to　escape　the　interesting　heir…presumptive
alluded　to；　merely　said　'Mother；　I　don't　like　this　at　all。'



IX。　　ANNE　IS　KINDLY　FETCHED　BY　THE　TRUMPET…MAJOR

After　this；　Anne　would　on　no　account　walk　in　the　direction　of　the
hall　for　fear　of　another　encounter　with　young　Derriman。　　In　the
course　of　a　few　days　it　was　told　in　the　village　that　the　old　farmer
had　actually　gone　for　a　week's　holiday　and　change　of　air　to　the
Royal　watering…place　near　at　hand；　at　the　instance　of　his　nephew
Festus。　　This　was　a　wonderful　thing　to　hear　of　Uncle　Benjy；　who　had
not　slept　outside　the　walls　of　Oxwell　Hall　for　many　a　long　year
before；　and　Anne　well　imagined　what　extraordinary　pressure　must　have
been　put　upon　him　to　induce　him　to　take　such　a　step。　　She　pictured
his　unhappiness　at　the　bustling　watering…place；　and　hoped　no　harm
would　come　to　him。

She　spent　much　of　her　time　indoors　or　in　the　garden；　hearing　little
of　the　camp　movements　beyond　the　periodical　Ta…ta…ta…taa　of　the
trumpeters　sounding　their　various　ingenious　calls　for　watch…setting；
stables；　feed；　boot…and…saddle；　parade；　and　so　on；　which　made　her
think　how　clever　her　friend　the　trumpet…major　must　be　to　teach　his
pupils　to　play　those　pretty　little　tunes　so　well。

On　the　third　morning　after　Uncle　Benjy's　departure；　she　was
disturbed　as　usual　while　dressing　by　the　tramp　of　the　troops　down
the　slope　to　the　mill…pond；　and　during　the　now　familiar　stamping　and
splashing　which　followed　there　sounded　upon　the　glass　of　the　window
a　slight　smack；　which　might　have　been　caused　by　a　whip　or　switch。
She　listened　more　particularly；　and　it　was　repeated。

As　John　Loveday　was　the　only　dragoon　likely　to　be　aware　that　she
slept　in　that　particular　apartment；　she　imagined　the　signal　to　come
from　him；　though　wondering　that　he　should　venture　upon　such　a　freak
of　familiarity。

Wrapping　herself　up　in　a　red　cloak；　she　went　to　the　window；　gently
drew　up　a　corner　of　the　curtain；　and　peeped　out；　as　she　had　done
many　times　before。　　Nobody　who　was　not　quite　close　beneath　her
window　could　see　her　face；　but　as　it　happened；　somebody　was　close。
The　soldiers　whose　floundering　Anne　had　heard　were　not　Loveday's
dragoons；　but　a　troop　of　the　York　Hussars；　quite　oblivious　of　her
existence。　　They　had　passed　on　out　of　the　water；　and　instead　of　them
there　sat　Festus　Derriman　alone　on　his　horse；　and　in　plain　clothes；
the　water　reaching　up　to　the　animal's　belly；　and　Festus'　heels
elevated　over　the　saddle　to　keep　them　out　of　the　stream；　which
threatened　to　wash　rider　and　horse　into　the　deep　mill…head　just
below。　　It　was　plainly　he　who　had　struck　her　lattice；　for　in　a
moment　he　looked　up；　and　their　eyes　met。　　Festus　laughed　loudly；　and
slapped　her　window　again；　and　just　at　that　moment　the　dragoons　began
prancing　down　the　slope　in　review　order。　　She　could　not　but　wait　a
minute　or　two　to　see　them　pass。　　While　doing　so　she　was　suddenly　led
to　draw　back；　drop　the　corner　of　the　curtain；　and　blush　privately　in
her　room。　　She　had　not　only　been　seen　by　Festus　Derriman；　but　by
John　Loveday；　who；　riding　along　with　his　trumpet　slung　up　behind
him；　had　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　phenomenon　of　Derriman
beneath　Anne's　bedroom　window　and　seemed　quite　astounded　at　the
sight。

She　was　quite　vexed　at　the　conjunction　of　incidents；　and　went　no
more　to　the　window　till　the　dragoons　had　ridden　far　away　and　she　had
heard　Festus's　horse　laboriously　wade　on　to　dry　land。　　When　she
looked　out　there　was　nobody　left　but　Miller　Loveday；　who　usually
stood　in　the　garden　at　this　time　of　the　morning　to　say　a　word　or　two
to　the　soldiers；　of　whom　he　already　knew　so　many；　and　was　in　a　fair
way　of　knowing　many　more；　from　the　liberality　with　which　he　handed
round　mugs　of　cheering　liquor　whenever　parties　of　them　walked　that
way。

In　the　afternoon　of　this　day　Anne　walked　to　a　christening　party　at　a
neighbour's　in　the　adjoining　parish　of　Springham；　intending　to　walk
home　again　before　it　got　dark；　but　there　was　a　slight　fall　of　rain
towards　evening；　and　she　was　pressed　by　the　people　of　the　house　to
stay　over　the　night。　　With　some　hesitation　she　accepted　their
hospitality；　but　at　ten　o'clock；　when　they　were　thinking　of　going　to
bed；　they　were　startled　by　a　smart　rap　at　the　door；　and　on　it　being
unbolted　a　man's　form　was　seen　in　the　shadows　outside。

'Is　Miss　Garland　here？'　the　visitor　inquired；　at　which　Anne
suspended　her　breath。

'Yes；'　said　Anne's　entertainer；　warily。

'Her　mother　is　very　anxious　to　know　what's　become　of　her。　　She
promised　to　come　home。'　　To　her　great　relief　Anne　recognized　the
voice　as　John　Loveday's；　and　not　Festus　Derriman's。

'Yes；　I　did；　Mr。　Loveday；'　said　she；　coming　forward；　'but　it　rained；
and　I　thought　my　mother　would　guess　where　I　was。'

Loveday　said　with　diffidence　that　it　had　not　rained　anything　to
speak　of　at　the　camp；　or　at　the　mill；　so　that　her　mother　was　rather
alarmed。

'And　she　asked　you　to　come　for　me？'　Anne　inquired。

This　was　a　question　which　the　trumpet…major　had　been　dreading　during
the　whole　of　his　walk　thither。　　'Well；　she　didn't　exactly　ask　me；'
he　said　rather　lamely；　but　still　in　a　manner　to　show　that　Mrs。
Garland　had　indirectly　signified　such　to　be　her　wish。　　In　reality
Mrs。　Garland　had　not　addressed　him　at　all　on　the　subject。　　She　had
merely　spoken　to　his　father　on　finding　that　her　daughter　did　not
return；　and　received　an　assurance　from　the　miller　that　the　precious
girl　was　doubtless　quite　safe。　　John　heard　of　this　inquiry；　and；
having　a　pass　that　evening；　resolved　to　relieve　Mrs。　Garland's　mind
on　his　own　responsibility。　　Ever　since　his　morning　view　of　Festus
under　her　window　he　had　been　on　thorns　of　anxiety；　and　his　thrilling
hope　now　was　that　she　would　walk　back　with　him。

He　shifted　his　foot　nervously　as　he　made　the　bold　request。　　Anne
felt　at　once　that　she　would　go。　　There　was　nobody　in　the　world　whose
care　she　would　more　readily　be　under　than　the　trumpet…major's　in　a
case　like　the　present。　　He　was　their　nearest　neighbour's　son；　and
she　had　liked　his　single…minded　ingenuousness　from　the　first　moment
of　his　return　home。

When　they　had　started　on　their　walk；　Anne　said　in　a　practical　way；
to　show　that　there　was　no　sentiment　whatever　in　her　acceptance　of
his　company；　'Mother　was　much　alarmed　about　me；　perhaps？'

'Yes；　she　was　uneasy；'　he　said；　and　then　was　compelled　by　conscience
to　make　a　clean　breast　of　it。　　'I　know　she　was　uneasy；　because　my
father　said　so。　　But　I　did　not　see　her　myself。　　The　truth　is；　she
doesn't　know　I　am　come。'

Anne　now　saw　how　the　matter　stood；　but　she　was　not　offended　with
him。　　What　woman　could　have　been？　　They　walked　on　in　silence；　the
respectful　trumpet…major　keeping　a　yard　off　on　her　right　as
precisely　as　if　that　measure　had　been　fixed　between　them。　　She　had　a
great　feeling　of　civility　toward　him　this　evening；　and　spoke　again。
'I　often　hear　your　trumpeters　blowing　the　calls。　　They　do　it
beautifully；　I　think。'

'Pretty　fair；　they　might　do　better；'　said　he；　as　one　too
well…mannered　to　make　much　of　an　accomplishment　in　which　he　had　a
hand。

'And　you　taught　them　how　to　do　it？'

'Yes；　I　taught　them。'

'It　must　require　wonderful　practice　to　get　them　into　the　way　of
beginning　and　finishing　so　exactly　at　one　time。　　It　is　like　one
throat　doing　it　all。　　How　came　you　to　be　a　trumpeter；　Mr。　Loveday？'

'Well；　I　took　to　it　naturally　when　I　was　a　little　boy；'　said　he；
betrayed　into　quite　a　gushing　state　by　her　delightful　interest。　　'I
used　to　make　trumpets　of　paper；　eldersticks；　eltrot　stems；　and　even
stinging…nettle　stalks；　you　know。　　Then　father　set　me　to　keep　the
birds　off　that　little　barley…ground　of　his；　and　gave　me　an　old　horn
to　frighten　'em　with。　　I　learnt　to　blow　that　horn　so　that　you　could
hear　me　for　miles　and　miles。　　Then　he　bought　me　a　clarionet；　and
when　I　could　play　that　I　borrowed　a　serpent；　and　I　learned　to　play　a
tolerable　bass。　　So　when　I　'listed　I　was　picked　out　for　training　as
trumpeter　at　once。'

'Of　course　you　were。'

'Sometimes；　however；　I　wish　I　had　never　joined　the　army。　　My　father
gave　me　a　very　fair　education；　and　your　father　showed　me　how　to　draw
horses…on　a　slate；　I　mean。　　Yes；　I　ought　to　have　done　more　than　I
have。'

'What；　did　you　know　my　father？'　she　asked　with　new　interest。

'O　yes；　for　years。　　You　were　a　little　mite　of　a　thing　then；　and　you
used　to　cry　when　we　big　boys　looked　at　you；　and　made　pig's　eyes　at
you；　which　we　did　sometimes。　　Many　and　many　a　time　have　I　stood　by
your　poor　father　while　he　worked。　　Ah；　you　don't　remember　much　about
him；　but　I　do！'

Anne　remained　thoughtful；　and　the　moon　broke　from　behind　the　clouds；
lighting　up　the　wet　foliage　with　a　twinkling　brightness；　and　lending
to　each　of　the　trumpet…major's　buttons　and　spurs　a　little　ray　of　its
own。　　They　had　come　to　Oxwell　park　gate；　and　he　said；　'Do　you　like
going　across；　or　round　by　the　lane？'

'We　may　as　well　go　by　the　nearest　road；'　said　Anne。

They　entered　the　park；　following　the　half…obliterated　drive　till
they　came　almost　opposite　the　hall；　when　they　entered　a　footpath
leading　on　to　the　village。　　While　hereabout　they　heard　a　shout；　or
chorus　of　exclamation；　apparently　from　within　the　walls　of　the　dark
buildings　near　them。

'What　was　that？'　said　Anne。

'I　don't　know；'　said　her　companion。　　'I'll　go　and　see。'

He　went　round　the　intervening　swamp　of　watercress　and　brooklime
which　had　once　been　the　fish…pond；　crossed　by　a　culvert　the
trickling　brook　that　still　flowed　that　way；　and　advanced　to　the　wall
of　the　house。　　Boisterous　noises　were　resounding　from　within；　and　he
was　tempted　to　go　round　the　corner；　where　the　low　windows　were；　and
look　through　a　chink　into　the　room　whence　the　sounds　proceeded。

It　was　the　room　in　which　the　owner　dinedtraditionally　called　the
great　parlourand　within　it　sat　about　a　dozen　young　men　of　the
yeomanry　cavalry；　one　of　them　being　Festus。　　They　were　drinking；
laughing；　singing；　thumping　their　fists