the trumpet-major-第33部分

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on　the　other　side；　with　the　saw　in　his　hand。

'I　beg　your　ladyship's　pardon；'　he　said；　taking　off　the　hat　he　had
been　working　in；　as　his　handsome　face　expanded　into　a　smile。　　'I
didn't　know　this　door　opened　into　your　private　room。'

'Indeed；　Captain　Loveday！'

'I　am　pulling　down　the　division　on　principle；　as　we　are　now　one
family。　　But　I　really　thought　the　door　opened　into　your　passage。'

'It　don't　matter；　I　can　get　another　room。'

'Not　at　all。　　Father　wouldn't　let　me　turn　you　out。　　I'll　close　it　up
again。'

But　Anne　was　so　interested　in　the　novelty　of　a　new　doorway　that　she
walked　through　it；　and　found　herself　in　a　dark　low　passage　which　she
had　never　seen　before。

'It　leads　to　the　mill；'　said　Bob。　　'Would　you　like　to　go　in　and　see
it　at　work？　　But　perhaps　you　have　already。'

'Only　into　the　ground　floor。'

'Come　all　over　it。　　I　am　practising　as　grinder；　you　know；　to　help　my
father。'

She　followed　him　along　the　dark　passage；　in　the　side　of　which　he
opened　a　little　trap；　when　she　saw　a　great　slimy　cavern；　where　the
long　arms　of　the　mill…wheel　flung　themselves　slowly　and　distractedly
round；　and　splashing　water…drops　caught　the　little　light　that
strayed　into　the　gloomy　place；　turning　it　into　stars　and　flashes。　　A
cold　mist…laden　puff　of　air　came　into　their　faces；　and　the　roar　from
within　made　it　necessary　for　Anne　to　shout　as　she　said；　'It　is
dismal！　let　us　go　on。'

Bob　shut　the　trap；　the　roar　ceased；　and　they　went　on　to　the　inner
part　of　the　mill；　where　the　air　was　warm　and　nutty；　and　pervaded　by
a　fog　of　flour。　　Then　they　ascended　the　stairs；　and　saw　the　stones
lumbering　round　and　round；　and　the　yellow　corn　running　down　through
the　hopper。　　They　climbed　yet　further　to　the　top　stage；　where　the
wheat　lay　in　bins；　and　where　long　rays　like　feelers　stretched　in
from　the　sun　through　the　little　window；　got　nearly　lost　among
cobwebs　and　timber；　and　completed　their　course　by　marking　the
opposite　wall　with　a　glowing　patch　of　gold。

In　his　earnestness　as　an　exhibitor　Bob　opened　the　bolter；　which　was
spinning　rapidly　round；　the　result　being　that　a　dense　cloud　of　flour
rolled　out　in　their　faces；　reminding　Anne　that　her　complexion　was
probably　much　paler　by　this　time　than　when　she　had　entered　the　mill。
She　thanked　her　companion　for　his　trouble；　and　said　she　would　now　go
down。　　He　followed　her　with　the　same　deference　as　hitherto；　and　with
a　sudden　and　increasing　sense　that　of　all　cures　for　his　former
unhappy　passion　this　would　have　been　the　nicest；　the　easiest；　and
the　most　effectual；　if　he　had　only　been　fortunate　enough　to　keep　her
upon　easy　terms。　　But　Miss　Garland　showed　no　disposition　to　go
further　than　accept　his　services　as　a　guide；　she　descended　to　the
open　air；　shook　the　flour　from　her　like　a　bird；　and　went　on　into　the
garden　amid　the　September　sunshine；　whose　rays　lay　level　across　the
blue　haze　which　the　earth　gave　forth。　　The　gnats　were　dancing　up　and
down　in　airy　companies；　the　nasturtium　flowers　shone　out　in　groups
from　the　dark　hedge　over　which　they　climbed；　and　the　mellow　smell　of
the　decline　of　summer　was　exhaled　by　everything。　　Bob　followed　her
as　far　as　the　gate；　looked　after　her；　thought　of　her　as　the　same
girl　who　had　half　encouraged　him　years　ago；　when　she　seemed　so
superior　to　him；　though　now　they　were　almost　equal　she　apparently
thought　him　beneath　her。　　It　was　with　a　new　sense　of　pleasure　that
his　mind　flew　to　the　fact　that　she　was　now　an　inmate　of　his　father's
house。

His　obsequious　bearing　was　continued　during　the　next　week。　　In　the
busy　hours　of　the　day　they　seldom　met；　but　they　regularly
encountered　each　other　at　meals；　and　these　cheerful　occasions　began
to　have　an　interest　for　him　quite　irrespective　of　dishes　and　cups。
When　Anne　entered　and　took　her　seat　she　was　always　loudly　hailed　by
Miller　Loveday　as　he　whetted　his　knife；　but　from　Bob　she
condescended　to　accept　no　such　familiar　greeting；　and　they　often　sat
down　together　as　if　each　had　a　blind　eye　in　the　direction　of　the
other。　　Bob　sometimes　told　serious　and　correct　stories　about　sea…
captains；　pilots；　boatswains；　mates；　able　seamen；　and　other　curious
fauna　of　the　marine　world；　but　these　were　directly　addressed　to　his
father　and　Mrs。　Loveday；　Anne　being　included　at　the　clinching…point
by　a　glance　only。　　He　sometimes　opened　bottles　of　sweet　cider　for
her；　and　then　she　thanked　him；　but　even　this　did　not　lead　to　her
encouraging　his　chat。

One　day　when　Anne　was　paring　an　apple　she　was　left　at　table　with　the
young　man。　　'I　have　made　something　for　you；'　he　said。

She　looked　all　over　the　table；　nothing　was　there　save　the　ordinary
remnants。

'O　I　don't　mean　that　it　is　here；　it　is　out　by　the　bridge　at　the
mill…head。'

He　arose；　and　Anne　followed　with　curiosity　in　her　eyes；　and　with　her
firm　little　mouth　pouted　up　to　a　puzzled　shape。　　On　reaching　the
mossy　mill…head　she　found　that　he　had　fixed　in　the　keen　damp　draught
which　always　prevailed　over　the　wheel　an　AEolian　harp　of　large　size。
At　present　the　strings　were　partly　covered　with　a　cloth。　　He　lifted
it；　and　the　wires　began　to　emit　a　weird　harmony　which　mingled
curiously　with　the　plashing　of　the　wheel。

'I　made　it　on　purpose　for　you；　Miss　Garland；'　he　said。

She　thanked　him　very　warmly；　for　she　had　never　seen　anything　like
such　an　instrument　before；　and　it　interested　her。　　'It　was　very
thoughtful　of　you　to　make　it；'　she　added。　　'How　came　you　to　think　of
such　a　thing？'

'O　I　don't　know　exactly；'　he　replied；　as　if　he　did　not　care　to　be
questioned　on　the　point。　　'I　have　never　made　one　in　my　life　till
now。'

Every　night　after　this；　during　the　mournful　gales　of　autumn；　the
strange　mixed　music　of　water；　wind；　and　strings　met　her　ear；
swelling　and　sinking　with　an　almost　supernatural　cadence。　　The
character　of　the　instrument　was　far　enough　removed　from　anything　she
had　hitherto　seen　of　Bob's　hobbies；　so　that　she　marvelled　pleasantly
at　the　new　depths　of　poetry　this　contrivance　revealed　as　existent　in
that　young　seaman's　nature；　and　allowed　her　emotions　to　flow　out　yet
a　little　further　in　the　old　direction；　notwithstanding　her　late
severe　resolve　to　bar　them　back。

One　breezy　night；　when　the　mill　was　kept　going　into　the　small　hours；
and　the　wind　was　exactly　in　the　direction　of　the　water…current；　the
music　so　mingled　with　her　dreams　as　to　wake　her：　　it　seemed　to
rhythmically　set　itself　to　the　words；　'Remember　me！　think　of　me！'
She　was　much　impressed；　the　sounds　were　almost　too　touching；　and　she
spoke　to　Bob　the　next　morning　on　the　subject。

'How　strange　it　is　that　you　should　have　thought　of　fixing　that　harp
where　the　water　gushes！'　she　gently　observed。　　'It　affects　me　almost
painfully　at　night。　　You　are　poetical；　Captain　Bob。　　But　it　is　too
too　sad！'

'I　will　take　it　away；'　said　Captain　Bob　promptly。　　'It　certainly　is
too　sad；　I　thought　so　myself。　　I　myself　was　kept　awake　by　it　one
night。'

'How　came　you　to　think　of　making　such　a　peculiar　thing？'

'Well；'　said　Bob；　'it　is　hardly　worth　saying　why。　　It　is　not　a　good
place　for　such　a　queer　noisy　machine；　and　I'll　take　it　away。'

'On　second　thoughts；'　said　Anne；　'I　should　like　it　to　remain　a
little　longer；　because　it　sets　me　thinking。'

'Of　me？'　he　asked　with　earnest　frankness。

Anne's　colour　rose　fast。

'Well；　yes；'　she　said；　trying　to　infuse　much　plain　matter…of…fact
into　her　voice。　　'Of　course　I　am　led　to　think　of　the　person　who
invented　it。'

Bob　seemed　unaccountably　embarrassed；　and　the　subject　was　not
pursued。　　About　half…an…hour　later　he　came　to　her　again；　with
something　of　an　uneasy　look。

'There　was　a　little　matter　I　didn't　tell　you　just　now；　Miss
Garland；'　he　said。　　'About　that　harp　thing；　I　mean。　　I　did　make　it；
certainly；　but　it　was　my　brother　John　who　asked　me　to　do　it；　just
before　he　went　away。　　John　is　very　musical；　as　you　know；　and　he　said
it　would　interest　you；　but　as　he　didn't　ask　me　to　tell；　I　did　not。
Perhaps　I　ought　to　have；　and　not　have　taken　the　credit　to　myself。'

'O；　it　is　nothing！'　said　Anne　quickly。　　'It　is　a　very　incomplete
instrument　after　all；　and　it　will　be　just　as　well　for　you　to　take　it
away　as　you　first　proposed。'

He　said　that　he　would；　but　he　forgot　to　do　it　that　day；　and　the
following　night　there　was　a　high　wind；　and　the　harp　cried　and　moaned
so　movingly　that　Anne；　whose　window　was　quite　near；　could　hardly
bear　the　sound　with　its　new　associations。　　John　Loveday　was　present
to　her　mind　all　night　as　an　ill…used　man；　and　yet　she　could　not　own
that　she　had　ill…used　him。

The　harp　was　removed　next　day。　　Bob；　feeling　that　his　credit　for
originality　was　damaged　in　her　eyes；　by　way　of　recovering　it　set
himself　to　paint　the　summer…house　which　Anne　frequented；　and　when　he
came　out　he　assured　her　that　it　was　quite　his　own　idea。

'It　wanted　doing；　certainly；'　she　said；　in　a　neutral　tone。

'It　is　just　about　troublesome。'

'Yes；　you　can't　quite　reach　up。　　That's　because　you　are　not　very
tall；　is　it　not；　Captain　Loveday？'

'You　never　used　to　say　things　like　that。'

'O；　I　don't　mean　that　you　are　much　less　than　tall！　　Shall　I　hold　the
paint　for　you；　to　save　your　stepping　down？'

'Thank　you；　if　you　would。'

She　took　the　paint…pot；　and　stood　looking　at　the　brush　as　it　moved
up　and　down　in　his　hand。

'I　hope　I　shall　not　sprinkle　your　fingers；'　he　observed　as　he
dipped。

'O；　that　would　not　matter！　　You　do　it　very　well。'

'I　am　glad　to　hear　that　you　think　so。'

'But　perhaps　not　quite　so　much　art　is　demanded　to　paint　a
summer…house　as　to　paint　a　picture？'

Thinking　that；　as　a　painter's　daughter；　and　a　person　of　education
superior　to　his　own；　she　spoke　with　a　flavour　of　sarcasm；　he　felt
humbled　and　said

'You　did　not　use　to　talk　like　that　to　me。'

'I　was　perhaps　too　young　then　to　take　any　pleasure　in　giving　pain；'
she　observed　daringly。

'Does　it　give　you　pleasure？'

Anne　nodded。

'I　like　to　give　pain　to　people　who　have　given　pain　to　me；'　she　said
smartly；　without　removing　her　eyes　from　the　green　liquid　in　her
hand。

'I　ask　your　pardon　for　that。'

'I　didn't　say　I　meant　youthough　I　did　mean　you。'

Bob　looked　and　looked　at　her　side　face　till　he　was　bewitched　into
putting　down　his　brush。

'It　was　that　stupid　forgetting　of　'ee　for　a　time！'　he　exclaimed。
'Well