the trumpet-major-第15部分

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side；　and　one　on　the　other。　　And　if　you　are　not　quite　civil　to　one
another　all　the　time；　I'll　never　speak　to　either　of　you　again。'

They　agreed　to　the　terms；　and　the　other　yeomen　arriving　at　this　time
said　they　would　go　also　as　rearguard。

'Very　well；'　said　Anne。　　'Now　go　and　get　your　hats；　and　don't　be
long。'

'Ah；　yes；　our　hats；'　said　the　yeomanry；　whose　heads　were　so　hot　that
they　had　forgotten　their　nakedness　till　then。

'You'll　wait　till　we've　got　'emwe　won't　be　a　moment；'　said　Festus
eagerly。

Anne　and　Loveday　said　yes；　and　Festus　ran　back　to　the　house；
followed　by　all　his　band。

'Now　let's　run　and　leave　'em；'　said　Anne；　when　they　were　out　of
hearing。

'But　we've　promised　to　wait！'　said　the　trumpet…major　in　surprise。

'Promised　to　wait！'　said　Anne　indignantly。　　'As　if　one　ought　to　keep
such　a　promise　to　drunken　men　as　that。　　You　can　do　as　you　like；　I
shall　go。'

'It　is　hardly　fair　to　leave　the　chaps；'　said　Loveday　reluctantly；
and　looking　back　at　them。　　But　she　heard　no　more；　and　flitting　off
under　the　trees；　was　soon　lost　to　his　sight。

Festus　and　the　rest　had　by　this　time　reached　Uncle　Benjy's　door；
which　they　were　discomfited　and　astonished　to　find　closed。　　They
began　to　knock；　and　then　to　kick　at　the　venerable　timber；　till　the
old　man's　head；　crowned　with　a　tasselled　nightcap；　appeared　at　an
upper　window；　followed　by　his　shoulders；　with　apparently　nothing　on
but　his　shirt；　though　it　was　in　truth　a　sheet　thrown　over　his　coat。

'Fie；　fie　upon　ye　all　for　making　such　a　hullaballoo　at　a　weak　old
man's　door；'　he　said；　yawning。　　'What's　in　ye　to　rouse　honest　folks
at　this　time　o'　night？'

'Hang　mewhyit's　Uncle　Benjy！　　Hawhawhaw　？'　said　Festus。
'Nunc；　why　how　the　devil's　this？　　'Tis　IFestuswanting　to　come
in。'

'O　no；　no；　my　clever　man；　whoever　you　be！'　said　Uncle　Benjy　in　a
tone　of　incredulous　integrity。　　'My　nephew；　dear　boy；　is　miles　away
at　quarters；　and　sound　asleep　by　this　time；　as　becomes　a　good
soldier。　　That　story　won't　do　to…night；　my　man；　not　at　all。'

'Upon　my　soul　'tis　I；'　said　Festus。

'Not　to…night；　my　man；　not　to…night！　　Anthony；　bring　my
blunderbuss；'　said　the　farmer；　turning　and　addressing　nobody　inside
the　room。

'Let's　break　in　the　window…shutters；'　said　one　of　the　others。

'My　wig；　and　we　will！'　said　Festus。　　'What　a　trick　of　the　old　man！'

'Get　some　big　stones；'　said　the　yeomen；　searching　under　the　wall。

'No；　forbear；　forbear；'　said　Festus；　beginning　to　he　frightened　at
the　spirit　he　had　raised。　　'I　forget；　we　should　drive　him　into　fits；
for　he's　subject　to　'em；　and　then　perhaps　'twould　be　manslaughter。
Comrades；　we　must　march！　　No；　we'll　lie　in　the　barn。　　I'll　see　into
this；　take　my　word　for　't。　　Our　honour　is　at　stake。　　Now　let's　back
to　see　my　beauty　home。'

'We　can't；　as　we　hav'n't　got　our　hats；'　said　one　of　his
fellow…troopersin　domestic　life　Jacob　Noakes；　of　Muckleford　Farm。

'No　more　we　can；'　said　Festus；　in　a　melancholy　tone。　　'But　I　must　go
to　her　and　tell　her　the　reason。　　She　pulls　me　in　spite　of　all。'

'She's　gone。　　I　saw　her　flee　across　park　while　we　were　knocking　at
the　door；'　said　another　of　the　yeomanry。

'Gone！'　said　Festus；　grinding　his　teeth　and　putting　himself　into　a
rigid　shape。　　'Then　'tis　my　enemyhe　has　tempted　her　away　with　him！
But　I　am　a　rich　man；　and　he's　poor；　and　rides　the　King's　horse　while
I　ride　my　own。　　Could　I　but　find　that　fellow；　that　regular；　that
common　man；　I　would'

'Yes？'　said　the　trumpet…major；　coming　up　behind　him。

'I；'said　Festus；　starting　round；'I　would　seize　him　by　the　hand
and　say；　〃Guard　her；　if　you　are　my　friend；　guard　her　from　all
harm！〃'

'A　good　speech。　　And　I　will；　too；'　said　Loveday　heartily。

'And　now　for　shelter；'　said　Festus　to　his　companions。

They　then　unceremoniously　left　Loveday；　without　wishing　him
good…night；　and　proceeded　towards　the　barn。　　He　crossed　the　park　and
ascended　the　down　to　the　camp；　grieved　that　he　had　given　Anne　cause
of　complaint；　and　fancying　that　she　held　him　of　slight　account
beside　his　wealthier　rival。



X。　THE　MATCH…MAKING　VIRTUES　OF　A　DOUBLE　GARDEN

Anne　was　so　flurried　by　the　military　incidents　attending　her　return
home　that　she　was　almost　afraid　to　venture　alone　outside　her
mother's　premises。　　Moreover；　the　numerous　soldiers；　regular　and
otherwise；　that　haunted　Overcombe　and　its　neighbourhood；　were
getting　better　acquainted　with　the　villagers；　and　the　result　was
that　they　were　always　standing　at　garden　gates；　walking　in　the
orchards；　or　sitting　gossiping　just　within　cottage　doors；　with　the
bowls　of　their　tobacco…pipes　thrust　outside　for　politeness'　sake；
that　they　might　not　defile　the　air　of　the　household。　　Being
gentlemen　of　a　gallant　and　most　affectionate　nature；　they　naturally
turned　their　heads　and　smiled　if　a　pretty　girl　passed　by；　which　was
rather　disconcerting　to　the　latter　if　she　were　unused　to　society。
Every　belle　in　the　village　soon　had　a　lover；　and　when　the　belles
were　all　allotted　those　who　scarcely　deserved　that　title　had　their
turn；　many　of　the　soldiers　being　not　at　all　particular　about
half…an…inch　of　nose　more　or　less；　a　trifling　deficiency　of　teeth；
or　a　larger　crop　of　freckles　than　is　customary　in　the　Saxon　race。
Thus；　with　one　and　another；　courtship　began　to　be　practised　in
Overcombe　on　rather　a　large　scale；　and　the　dispossessed　young　men
who　had　been　born　in　the　place　were　left　to　take　their　walks　alone；
where；　instead　of　studying　the　works　of　nature；　they　meditated　gross
outrages　on　the　brave　men　who　had　been　so　good　as　to　visit　their
village。

Anne　watched　these　romantic　proceedings　from　her　window　with　much
interest；　and　when　she　saw　how　triumphantly　other　handsome　girls　of
the　neighbourhood　walked　by　on　the　gorgeous　arms　of　Lieutenant
Knockheelmann；　Cornet　Flitzenhart；　and　Captain　Klaspenkissen；　of　the
thrilling　York　Hussars；　who　swore　the　most　picturesque　foreign
oaths；　and　had　a　wonderful　sort　of　estate　or　property　called　the
Vaterland　in　their　country　across　the　sea；　she　was　filled　with　a
sense　of　her　own　loneliness。　　It　made　her　think　of　things　which　she
tried　to　forget；　and　to　look　into　a　little　drawer　at　something　soft
and　brown　that　lay　in　a　curl　there；　wrapped　in　paper。　　At　last　she
could　bear　it　no　longer；　and　went　downstairs。

'Where　are　you　going？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'To　see　the　folks；　because　I　am　so　gloomy！'

'Certainly　not　at　present；　Anne。'

'Why　not；　mother？'　said　Anne；　blushing　with　an　indefinite　sense　of
being　very　wicked。

'Because　you　must　not。　　I　have　been　going　to　tell　you　several　times
not　to　go　into　the　street　at　this　time　of　day。　　Why　not　walk　in　the
morning？　　There's　young　Mr。　Derriman　would　be　glad　to'

'Don't　mention　him；　mother；　don't！'

'Well　then；　dear；　walk　in　the　garden。'

So　poor　Anne；　who　really　had　not　the　slightest　wish　to　throw　her
heart　away　upon　a　soldier；　but　merely　wanted　to　displace　old
thoughts　by　new；　turned　into　the　inner　garden　from　day　to　day；　and
passed　a　good　many　hours　there；　the　pleasant　birds　singing　to　her；
and　the　delightful　butterflies　alighting　on　her　hat；　and　the　horrid
ants　running　up　her　stockings。

This　garden　was　undivided　from　Loveday's；　the　two　having　originally
been　the　single　garden　of　the　whole　house。　　It　was　a　quaint　old
place；　enclosed　by　a　thorn　hedge　so　shapely　and　dense　from　incessant
clipping　that　the　mill…boy　could　walk　along　the　top　without　sinking
ina　feat　which　he　often　performed　as　a　means　of　filling　out　his
day's　work。　　The　soil　within　was　of　that　intense　fat　blackness　which
is　only　seen　after　a　century　of　constant　cultivation。　　The　paths
were　grassed　over；　so　that　people　came　and　went　upon　them　without
being　heard。　　The　grass　harboured　slugs；　and　on　this　account　the
miller　was　going　to　replace　it　by　gravel　as　soon　as　he　had　time；　but
as　he　had　said　this　for　thirty　years　without　doing　it；　the　grass　and
the　slugs　seemed　likely　to　remain。

The　miller's　man　attended　to　Mrs。　Garland's　piece　of　the　garden　as
well　as　to　the　larger　portion；　digging；　planting；　and　weeding
indifferently　in　both；　the　miller　observing　with　reason　that　it　was
not　worth　while　for　a　helpless　widow　lady　to　hire　a　man　for　her
little　plot　when　his　man；　working　alongside；　could　tend　it　without
much　addition　to　his　labour。　　The　two　households　were　on　this
account　even　more　closely　united　in　the　garden　than　within　the　mill。
Out　there　they　were　almost　one　family；　and　they　talked　from　plot　to
plot　with　a　zest　and　animation　which　Mrs。　Garland　could　never　have
anticipated　when　she　first　removed　thither　after　her　husband's
death。

The　lower　half　of　the　garden；　farthest　from　the　road；　was　the　most
snug　and　sheltered　part　of　this　snug　and　sheltered　enclosure；　and　it
was　well　watered　as　the　land　of　Lot。　　Three　small　brooks；　about　a
yard　wide；　ran　with　a　tinkling　sound　from　side　to　side　between　the
plots；　crossing　the　path　under　wood　slabs　laid　as　bridges；　and
passing　out　of　the　garden　through　little　tunnels　in　the　hedge。　　The
brooks　were　so　far　overhung　at　their　brinks　by　grass　and　garden
produce　that；　had　it　not　been　for　their　perpetual　babbling；　few
would　have　noticed　that　they　were　there。　　This　was　where　Anne　liked
best　to　linger　when　her　excursions　became　restricted　to　her　own
premises；　and　in　a　spot　of　the　garden　not　far　removed　the
trumpet…major　loved　to　linger　also。

Having　by　virtue　of　his　office　no　stable　duty　to　perform；　he　came
down　from　the　camp　to　the　mill　almost　every　day；　and　Anne；　finding
that　he　adroitly　walked　and　sat　in　his　father's　portion　of　the
garden　whenever　she　did　so　in　the　other　half；　could　not　help　smiling
and　speaking　to　him。　　So　his　epaulettes　and　blue　jacket；　and　Anne's
yellow　gipsy　hat；　were　often　seen　in　different　parts　of　the　garden
at　the　same　time；　but　he　never　intruded　into　her　part　of　the
enclosure；　nor　did　she　into　Loveday's。　　She　always　spoke　to　him　when
she　saw　him　there；　and　he　replied　in　deep；　firm　accents　across　the
gooseberry　bushes；　or　through　the　tall　rows　of　flowering　peas；　as
the　case　might　be。　　He　thus　gave　her　accounts　at　fifteen　paces　of
his　experiences　in　camp；　in　quarters；　in　Flanders；　and　elsewhere；　of
the　difference　between　line　and　column；　of　forced　marches；
billeting；　and　such…like；　together　with　his　hopes