the trumpet-major-第30部分

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'〃What　do　you　want；　Mr。　Derriman？〃now　listen　to　that！　　Is　that　my
encouragement？'

Anne　bowed　superciliously；　and　moved　away。

'I　have　just　heard　news　that　explains　all　that；'　said　the　giant；
eyeing　her　movements　with　somnolent　irascibility。　　'My　uncle　has
been　letting　things　out。　　He　was　here　late　last　night；　and　he　saw
you。'

'Indeed　he　didn't；'　said　Anne。

'O；　now！　　He　saw　Trumpet…major　Loveday　courting　somebody　like　you　in
that　garden　walk；　and　when　he　came　you　ran　indoors。'

'It　is　not　true；　and　I　wish　to　hear　no　more。'

'Upon　my　life；　he　said　so！　　How　can　you　do　it；　Miss　Garland；　when　I；
who　have　enough　money　to　buy　up　all　the　Lovedays；　would　gladly　come
to　terms　with　ye？　　What　a　simpleton　you　must　be；　to　pass　me　over　for
him！　　There；　now　you　are　angry　because　I　said　simpleton！I　didn't
mean　simpleton；　I　meant　misguidedmisguided　rosebud！　　That's　it
run　off；'　he　continued　in　a　raised　voice；　as　Anne　made　towards　the
garden　door。　　'But　I'll　have　you　yet。　　Much　reason　you　have　to　be
too　proud　to　stay　with　me。　　But　it　won't　last　long；　I　shall　marry
you；　madam；　if　I　choose；　as　you'll　see。'

When　he　was　quite　gone；　and　Anne　had　calmed　down　from　the　not
altogether　unrelished　fear　and　excitement　that　he　always　caused　her；
she　returned　to　her　seat　under　the　tree；　and　began　to　wonder　what
Festus　Derriman's　story　meant；　which；　from　the　earnestness　of　his
tone；　did　not　seem　like　a　pure　invention。　　It　suddenly　flashed　upon
her　mind　that　she　herself　had　heard　voices　in　the　garden；　and　that
the　persons　seen　by　Farmer　Derriman；　of　whose　visit　and　reclamation
of　his　box　the　miller　had　told　her；　might　have　been　Matilda　and　John
Loveday。　　She　further　recalled　the　strange　agitation　of　Miss　Johnson
on　the　preceding　evening；　and　that　it　occurred　just　at　the　entry　of
the　dragoon；　till　by　degrees　suspicion　amounted　to　conviction　that
he　knew　more　than　any　one　else　supposed　of　that　lady's
disappearance。

It　was　just　at　this　time　that　the　trumpet…major　descended　to　the
mill　after　his　talk　with　his　brother　on　the　down。　　As　fate　would
have　it；　instead　of　entering　the　house　he　turned　aside　to　the　garden
and　walked　down　that　pleasant　enclosure；　to　learn　if　he　were　likely
to　find　in　the　other　half　of　it　the　woman　he　loved　so　well。

Yes；　there　she　was；　sitting　on　the　seat　of　logs　that　he　had　repaired
for　her；　under　the　apple…tree；　but　she　was　not　facing　in　his
direction。　　He　walked　with　a　noisier　tread；　he　coughed；　he　shook　a
bough；　he　did　everything；　in　short；　but　the　one　thing　that　Festus
did　in　the　same　circumstancescall　out　to　her。　　He　would　not　have
ventured　on　that　for　the　world。　　Any　of　his　signs　would　have　been
sufficient　to　attract　her　a　day　or　two　earlier；　now　she　would　not
turn。　　At　last；　in　his　fond　anxiety；　he　did　what　he　had　never　done
before　without　an　invitation；　and　crossed　over　into　Mrs。　Garland's
half　of　the　garden；　till　he　stood　before　her。

When　she　could　not　escape　him　she　arose；　and；　saying　'Good
afternoon；　trumpet…major；'　in　a　glacial　manner　unusual　with　her；
walked　away　to　another　part　of　the　garden。

Loveday；　quite　at　a　loss；　had　not　the　strength　of　mind　to　persevere
further。　　He　had　a　vague　apprehension　that　some　imperfect　knowledge
of　the　previous　night's　unhappy　business　had　reached　her；　and；
unable　to　remedy　the　evil　without　telling　more　than　he　dared；　he
went　into　the　mill；　where　his　father　still　was；　looking　doleful
enough；　what　with　his　concern　at　events　and　the　extra　quantity　of
flour　upon　his　face　through　sticking　so　closely　to　business　that
day。

'Well；　John；　Bob　has　told　you　all；　of　course？　　A　queer；　strange；
perplexing　thing；　isn't　it？　　I　can't　make　it　out　at　all。　　There　must
be　something　wrong　in　the　woman；　or　it　couldn't　have　happened。　　I
haven't　been　so　upset　for　years。'

'Nor　have　I。　　I　wouldn't　it　should　have　happened　for　all　I　own　in
the　world；'　said　the　dragoon。　　'Have　you　spoke　to　Anne　Garland
to…dayor　has　anybody　been　talking　to　her？'

'Festus　Derriman　rode　by　half…an…hour　ago；　and　talked　to　her　over
the　hedge。'

John　guessed　the　rest；　and；　after　standing　on　the　threshold　in
silence　awhile；　walked　away　towards　the　camp。

All　this　time　his　brother　Robert　had　been　hastening　along　in　pursuit
of　the　woman　who　had　withdrawn　from　the　scene　to　avoid　the　exposure
and　complete　overthrow　which　would　have　resulted　had　she　remained。
As　the　distance　lengthened　between　himself　and　the　mill；　Bob　was
conscious　of　some　cooling　down　of　the　excitement　that　had　prompted
him　to　set　out；　but　he　did　not　pause　in　his　walk　till　he　had　reached
the　head　of　the　river　which　fed　the　mill…stream。　　Here；　for　some
indefinite　reason；　he　allowed　his　eyes　to　be　attracted　by　the
bubbling　spring　whose　waters　never　failed　or　lessened；　and　he
stopped　as　if　to　look　longer　at　the　scene；　it　was　really　because　his
mind　was　so　absorbed　by　John's　story。

The　sun　was　warm；　the　spot　was　a　pleasant　one；　and　he　deposited　his
bundle　and　sat　down。　　By　degrees；　as　he　reflected；　first　on　John's
view　and　then　on　his　own；　his　convictions　became　unsettled；　till　at
length　he　was　so　balanced　between　the　impulse　to　go　on　and　the
impulse　to　go　back；　that　a　puff　of　wind　either　way　would　have　been
well…nigh　sufficient　to　decide　for　him。　　When　he　allowed　John's
story　to　repeat　itself　in　his　ears；　the　reasonableness　and　good
sense　of　his　advice　seemed　beyond　question。　　When；　on　the　other
hand；　he　thought　of　his　poor　Matilda's　eyes；　and　her；　to　him；
pleasant　ways；　their　charming　arrangements　to　marry；　and　her
probable　willingness　still；　he　could　hardly　bring　himself　to　do
otherwise　than　follow　on　the　road　at　the　top　of　his　speed。

This　strife　of　thought　was　so　well　maintained　that　sitting　and
standing；　he　remained　on　the　borders　of　the　spring　till　the　shadows
had　stretched　out　eastwards；　and　the　chance　of　overtaking　Matilda
had　grown　considerably　less。　　Still　he　did　not　positively　go　towards
home。　　At　last　he　took　a　guinea　from　his　pocket；　and　resolved　to　put
the　question　to　the　hazard。　　'Heads　I　go；　tails　I　don't。'　　The　piece
of　gold　spun　in　the　air　and　came　down　heads。

'No；　I　won't　go；　after　all；'　he　said。　　'I　won't　be　steered　by
accidents　any　more。'

He　picked　up　his　bundle　and　switch；　and　retraced　his　steps　towards
Overcombe　Mill；　knocking　down　the　brambles　and　nettles　as　he　went
with　gloomy　and　indifferent　blows。　　When　he　got　within　sight　of　the
house　he　beheld　David　in　the　road。

'All　rightall　right　again；　captain！'；　shouted　that　retainer。　　'A
wedding　after　all！　　Hurrah！'

'Ahshe's　back　again？'　cried　Bob；　seizing　David；　ecstatically；　and
dancing　round　with　him。

'Nobut　it's　all　the　same！　it　is　of　no　consequence　at　all；　and　no
harm　will　be　done！　　Maister　and　Mrs。　Garland　have　made　up　a　match；
and　mean　to　marry　at　once；　that　the　wedding　victuals　may　not　be
wasted！　　They　felt　'twould　be　a　thousand　pities　to　let　such　good
things　get　blue…vinnied　for　want　of　a　ceremony　to　use　'em　upon；　and
at　last　they　have　thought　of　this。'

'VictualsI　don't　care　for　the　victuals！'　bitterly　cried　Bob；　in　a
tone　of　far　higher　thought。　　'How　you　disappoint　me！'　and　he　went
slowly　towards　the　house。

His　father　appeared　in　the　opening　of　the　mill…door；　looking　more
cheerful　than　when　they　had　parted。　　'What；　Robert；　you've　been
after　her？'　he　said。　　'Faith；　then；　I　wouldn't　have　followed　her　if
I　had　been　as　sure　as　you　were　that　she　went　away　in　scorn　of　us。
Since　you　told　me　that；　I　have　not　looked　for　her　at　all。'

'I　was　wrong；　father；'　Bob　replied　gravely；　throwing　down　his　bundle
and　stick。　　'Matilda；　I　find；　has　not　gone　away　in　scorn　of　us；　she
has　gone　away　for　other　reasons。　　I　followed　her　some　way；　but　I
have　come　back　again。　　She　may　go。'

'Why　is　she　gone？'　said　the　astonished　miller。

Bob　had　intended；　for　Matilda's　sake；　to　give　no　reason　to　a　living
soul　for　her　departure。　　But　he　could　not　treat　his　father　thus
reservedly；　and　he　told。

'She　has　made　great　fools　of　us；'　said　the　miller　deliberately；　'and
she　might　have　made　us　greater　ones。　　Bob；　I　thought　th'　hadst　more
sense。'

'Well；　don't　say　anything　against　her；　father；'　implored　Bob。
''Twas　a　sorry　haul；　and　there's　an　end　on't。　　Let　her　down　quietly；
and　keep　the　secret。　　You　promise　that？'

'I　do。'　　Loveday　the　elder　remained　thinking　awhile；　and　then　went
on'Well；　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this：　　I've　hit　upon　a　plan　to
get　out　of　the　awkward　corner　she　has　put　us　in。　　What　you'll　think
of　it　I　can't　say。'

'David　has　just　given　me　the　heads。'

'And　do　it　hurt　your　feelings；　my　son；　at　such　a　time？'

'NoI'll　bring　myself　to　bear　it；　anyhow！　　Why　should　I　object　to
other　people's　happiness　because　I　have　lost　my　own？'　said　Bob；　with
saintly　self…sacrifice　in　his　air。


'Well　said！'　answered　the　miller　heartily。　　'But　you　may　be　sure
that　there　will　be　no　unseemly　rejoicing；　to　disturb　ye　in　your
present　frame　of　mind。　　All　the　morning　I　felt　more　ashamed　than　I
cared　to　own　at　the　thought　of　how　the　neighbours；　great　and　small；
would　laugh　at　what　they　would　call　your　folly；　when　they　knew　what
had　happened；　so　I　resolved　to　take　this　step　to　stave　it　off；　if　so
be　'twas　possible。　　And　when　I　saw　Mrs。　Garland　I　knew　I　had　done
right。　　She　pitied　me　so　much　for　having　had　the　house　cleaned　in
vain；　and　laid　in　provisions　to　waste；　that　it　put　her　into　the
humour　to　agree。　　We　mean　to　do　it　right　off　at　once；　afore　the　pies
and　cakes　get　mouldy　and　the　blackpot　stale。　　'Twas　a　good　thought
of　mine　and　hers；　and　I　am　glad　'tis　settled；'　he　concluded
cheerfully。

'Poor　Matilda！'　murmured　Bob。

'ThereI　was　afraid　'twould　hurt　thy　feelings；'　said　the　miller；
with　self…reproach：　　'making　preparations　for　thy　wedding；　and　using
them　for　my　own！'

'No；'　said　Bob　heroically；　'it　shall　not。　　It　will　be　a　great
comfort　in　my　sorrow　to　feel　that　the　splendid　grub；　and　the　ale；
and　your　stunning　new　suit　of　clothes；　and　the　great　table…cloths
you've　bought；　will　be　just　as　useful　now　as　if　I　had　married
myself。　　Poor　Matilda！　　But　you　won't　expect　me　to　join　inyou
hardly　can。　　I　can　sheer　off　that　day　very　easily；　you　know。'

'Nonsense；　Bob！'　said　the　miller　reproachfully。

'I　couldn't　stand　itI　should　break　down。'

'Deuce　take　me