the trumpet-major-第21部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


opinions　of　the　other　neighbours；　whose　persons　appeared　in　the
doorway；　partly　covering　each　other　like　a　hand　of　cards；　yet　each
showing　a　large　enough　piece　of　himself　for　identification。　　To　pass
the　time　while　they　were　arranging　themselves；　the　miller　adopted
his　usual　way　of　filling　up　casual　intervals；　that　of　snuffing　the
candle。

'We　heard　you　had　got　a　letter；　Maister　Loveday；'　they　said。

'Yes；　〃Southampton；　the　twelfth　of　August；　dear　father；〃'　said
Loveday；　and　they　were　as　silent　as　relations　at　the　reading　of　a
will。　　Anne；　for　whom　the　letter　had　a　singular　fascination；　came　in
with　her　mother　and　sat　down。

Bob　stated　in　his　own　way　that　having；　since　landing；　taken　into
consideration　his　father's　wish　that　he　should　renounce　a　seafaring
life　and　become　a　partner　in　the　mill；　he　had　decided　to　agree　to
the　proposal；　and　with　that　object　in　view　he　would　return　to
Overcombe　in　three　days　from　the　time　of　writing。

He　then　said　incidentally　that　since　his　voyage　he　had　been　in
lodgings　at　Southampton；　and　during　that　time　had　become　acquainted
with　a　lovely　and　virtuous　young　maiden；　in　whom　he　found　the　exact
qualities　necessary　to　his　happiness。　　Having　known　this　lady　for
the　full　space　of　a　fortnight　he　had　had　ample　opportunities　of
studying　her　character；　and；　being　struck　with　the　recollection
that；　if　there　was　one　thing　more　than　another　necessary　in　a　mill
which　had　no　mistress；　it　was　somebody　who　could　play　that　part　with
grace　and　dignity；　he　had　asked　Miss　Matilda　Johnson　to　be　his　wife。
In　her　kindness　she；　though　sacrificing　far　better　prospects；　had
agreed；　and　he　could　not　but　regard　it　as　a　happy　chance　that　he
should　have　found　at　the　nick　of　time　such　a　woman　to　adorn　his
home；　whose　innocence　was　as　stunning　as　her　beauty。　　Without　much
ado；　therefore；　he　and　she　had　arranged　to　be　married　at　once；　and
at　Overcombe；　that　his　father　might　not　be　deprived　of　the　pleasures
of　the　wedding　feast。　　She　had　kindly　consented　to　follow　him　by
land　in　the　course　of　a　few　days；　and　to　live　in　the　house　as　their
guest　for　the　week　or　so　previous　to　the　ceremony。

''Tis　a　proper　good　letter；'　said　Mrs。　Comfort　from　the　background。
'I　never　heerd　true　love　better　put　out　of　hand　in　my　life；　and　they
seem　'nation　fond　of　one　another。'

'He　haven't　knowed　her　such　a　very　long　time；'　said　Job　Mitchell
dubiously。

'That's　nothing；'　said　Esther　Beach。　　'Nater　will　find　her　way；　very
rapid　when　the　time's　come　for't。　　Well；　'tis　good　news　for　ye；
miller。'

'Yes；　sure；　I　hope　'tis；'　said　Loveday；　without；　however；　showing
any　great　hurry　to　burst　into　the　frantic　form　of　fatherly　joy　which
the　event　should　naturally　have　produced；　seeming　more　disposed　to
let　off　his　feelings　by　examining　thoroughly　into　the　fibres　of　the
letter…paper。

'I　was　five　years　a…courting　my　wife；'　he　presently　remarked。　　'But
folks　were　slower　about　everything　in　them　days。　　Well；　since　she's
coming　we　must　make　her　welcome。　　Did　any　of　ye　catch　by　my　reading
which　day　it　is　he　means？　　What　with　making　out　the　penmanship；　my
mind　was　drawn　off　from　the　sense　here　and　there。'

'He　says　in　three　days；'　said　Mrs。　Garland。　　'The　date　of　the　letter
will　fix　it。'

On　examination　it　was　found　that　the　day　appointed　was　the　one
nearly　expired；　at　which　the　miller　jumped　up　and　said；　'Then　he'll
be　here　before　bedtime。　　I　didn't　gather　till　now　that　he　was　coming
afore　Saturday。　　Why；　he　may　drop　in　this　very　minute！'

He　had　scarcely　spoken　when　footsteps　were　heard　coming　along　the
front；　and　they　presently　halted　at　the　door。　　Loveday　pushed
through　the　neighbours　and　rushed　out；　and；　seeing　in　the　passage　a
form　which　obscured　the　declining　light；　the　miller　seized　hold　of
him；　saying；　'O　my　dear　Bob；　then　you　are　come！'

'Scrounch　it　all；　miller；　don't　quite　pull　my　poor　shoulder　out　of
joint！　　Whatever　is　the　matter？'　said　the　new…comer；　trying　to
release　himself　from　Loveday's　grasp　of　affection。　　It　was　Uncle
Benjy。

'Thought　'twas　my　son！'　faltered　the　miller；　sinking　back　upon　the
toes　of　the　neighbours　who　had　closely　followed　him　into　the　entry。
'Well；　come　in；　Mr。　Derriman；　and　make　yerself　at　home。　　Why；　you
haven't　been　here　for　years！　　Whatever　has　made　you　come　now；　sir；
of　all　times　in　the　world？'

'Is　he　in　there　with　ye？'　whispered　the　farmer　with　misgiving。

'Who？'

'My　nephew；　after　that　maid　that　he's　so　mighty　smit　with？'

'O　no；　he　never　calls　here。'

Farmer　Derriman　breathed　a　breath　of　relief。　　'Well；　I've　called　to
tell　ye；'　he　said；　'that　there's　more　news　of　the　French。　　We　shall
have　'em　here　this　month　as　sure　as　a　gun。　　The　gunboats　be　all
readynear　two　thousand　of　'emand　the　whole　army　is　at　Boulogne。
And；　miller；　I　know　ye　to　be　an　honest　man。'

Loveday　did　not　say　nay。

'Neighbour　Loveday；　I　know　ye　to　be　an　honest　man；'　repeated　the　old
squireen。　　'Can　I　speak　to　ye　alone？'

As　the　house　was　full；　Loveday　took　him　into　the　garden；　all　the
while　upon　tenter…hooks；　not　lest　Buonaparte　should　appear　in　their
midst；　but　lest　Bob　should　come　whilst　he　was　not　there　to　receive
him。　　When　they　had　got　into　a　corner　Uncle　Benjy　said；　'Miller；
what　with　the　French；　and　what　with　my　nephew　Festus；　I　assure　ye　my
life　is　nothing　but　wherrit　from　morning　to　night。　　Miller　Loveday；
you　are　an　honest　man。'

Loveday　nodded。

'Well；　I've　come　to　ask　a　favourto　ask　if　you　will　take　charge　of
my　few　poor　title…deeds　and　documents　and　suchlike；　while　I　am　away
from　home　next　week；　lest　anything　should　befall　me；　and　they　should
be　stole　away　by　Boney　or　Festus；　and　I　should　have　nothing　left　in
the　wide　world？　　I　can　trust　neither　banks　nor　lawyers　in　these
terrible　times；　and　I　am　come　to　you。'

Loveday　after　some　hesitation　agreed　to　take　care　of　anything　that
Derriman　should　bring；　whereupon　the　farmer　said　he　would　call　with
the　parchments　and　papers　alluded　to　in　the　course　of　a　week。
Derriman　then　went　away　by　the　garden　gate；　mounted　his　pony；　which
had　been　tethered　outside；　and　rode　on　till　his　form　was　lost　in　the
shades。

The　miller　rejoined　his　friends；　and　found　that　in　the　meantime　John
had　arrived。　　John　informed　the　company　that　after　parting　from　his
father　and　Anne　he　had　rambled　to　the　harbour；　and　discovered　the
Pewit　by　the　quay。　　On　inquiry　he　had　learnt　that　she　came　in　at
eleven　o'clock；　and　that　Bob　had　gone　ashore。

'We'll　go　and　meet　him；'　said　the　miller。　　''Tis　still　light　out　of
doors。'

So；　as　the　dew　rose　from　the　meads　and　formed　fleeces　in　the
hollows；　Loveday　and　his　friends　and　neighbours　strolled　out；　and
loitered　by　the　stiles　which　hampered　the　footpath　from　Overcombe　to
the　high　road　at　intervals　of　a　hundred　yards。　　John　Loveday；　being
obliged　to　return　to　camp；　was　unable　to　accompany　them；　but　Widow
Garland　thought　proper　to　fall　in　with　the　procession。　　When　she　had
put　on　her　bonnet　she　called　to　her　daughter。　　Anne　said　from
upstairs　that　she　was　coming　in　a　minute；　and　her　mother　walked　on
without　her。

What　was　Anne　doing？　　Having　hastily　unlocked　a　receptacle　for
emotional　objects　of　small　size；　she　took　thence　the　little　folded
paper　with　which　we　have　already　become　acquainted；　and；　striking　a
light　from　her　private　tinder…box；　she　held　the　paper；　and　curl　of
hair　it　contained；　in　the　candle　till　they　were　burnt。　　Then　she　put
on　her　hat　and　followed　her　mother　and　the　rest　of　them　across　the
moist　grey　fields；　cheerfully　singing　in　an　undertone　as　she　went；
to　assure　herself　of　her　indifference　to　circumstances。



XV。　　'CAPTAIN'　BOB　LOVEDAY　OF　THE　MERCHANT　SERVICE

While　Loveday　and　his　neighbours　were　thus　rambling　forth；　full　of
expectancy；　some　of　them；　including　Anne　in　the　rear；　heard　the
crackling　of　light　wheels　along　the　curved　lane　to　which　the　path
was　the　chord。　　At　once　Anne　thought；　'Perhaps　that's　he；　and　we　are
missing　him。'　　But　recent　events　were　not　of　a　kind　to　induce　her　to
say　anything；　and　the　others　of　the　company　did　not　reflect　on　the
sound。

Had　they　gone　across　to　the　hedge　which　hid　the　lane；　and　looked
through　it；　they　would　have　seen　a　light　cart　driven　by　a　boy；
beside　whom　was　seated　a　seafaring　man；　apparently　of　good　standing
in　the　merchant　service；　with　his　feet　outside　on　the　shaft。　　The
vehicle　went　over　the　main　bridge；　turned　in　upon　the　other　bridge
at　the　tail　of　the　mill；　and　halted　by　the　door。　　The　sailor
alighted；　showing　himself　to　be　a　well…shaped；　active；　and　fine
young　man；　with　a　bright　eye；　an　anonymous　nose；　and　of　such　a　rich
complexion　by　exposure　to　ripening　suns　that　he　might　have　been　some
connexion　of　the　foreigner　who　calls　his　likeness　the　Portrait　of　a
Gentleman　in　galleries　of　the　Old　Masters。　　Yet　in　spite　of　this；
and　though　Bob　Loveday　had　been　all　over　the　world　from　Cape　Horn　to
Pekin；　and　from　India's　coral　strand　to　the　White　Sea；　the　most
conspicuous　of　all　the　marks　that　he　had　brought　back　with　him　was
an　increased　resemblance　to　his　mother；　who　had　lain　all　the　time
beneath　Overcombe　church　wall。

Captain　Loveday　tried　the　house　door；　finding　this　locked　he　went　to
the　mill　door：　　this　was　locked　also；　the　mill　being　stopped　for　the
night。

'They　are　not　at　home；'　he　said　to　the　boy。　　'But　never　mind　that。
Just　help　to　unload　the　things　and　then　I'll　pay　you；　and　you　can
drive　off　home。'

The　cart　was　unloaded；　and　the　boy　was　dismissed；　thanking　the
sailor　profusely　for　the　payment　rendered。　　Then　Bob　Loveday；
finding　that　he　had　still　some　leisure　on　his　hands；　looked　musingly
east；　west；　north；　south；　and　nadir；　after　which　he　bestirred
himself　by　carrying　his　goods；　article　by　article；　round　to　the　back
door；　out　of　the　way　of　casual　passers。　　This　done；　he　walked　round
the　mill　in　a　more　regardful　attitude；　and　surveyed　its　familiar
features　one　by　onethe　panes　of　the　grinding…room；　now　as
heretofore　clouded　with　flour　as　with　stale　hoar…frost；　the　meal
lodged　in　the　corners　of　the　window…sills；　forming　a　soil　in　which
lichens　grew　without　ever　getting　any　bigger；　as　they　had　done　since
his　smallest　infancy；　the　mosses　on　the　plinth　towards　the　river；
reaching　as　high　as　the　capillary　power　of　the　walls　wou