the trumpet-major-第4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！


out　of　temper　with　him；　as　he　had　wished　him　to　follow　on　at　the
mill。　　But　as　the　lad　had　enlisted　seriously；　and　as　he　had　often
said　that　he　would　be　a　soldier；　the　miller　had　thought　that　he
would　let　Jack　take　his　chance　in　the　profession　of　his　choice。

Loveday　had　two　sons；　and　the　second　was　now　brought　into　the
conversation　by　a　remark　of　Anne's　that　neither　of　them　seemed　to
care　for　the　miller's　business。

'No；'　said　Loveday　in　a　less　buoyant　tone。　　'Robert；　you　see；　must
needs　go　to　sea。'

'He　is　much　younger　than　his　brother？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

About　four　years；　the　miller　told　her。　　His　soldier　son　was
two…and…thirty；　and　Bob　was　twenty…eight。　　When　Bob　returned　from
his　present　voyage；　he　was　to　be　persuaded　to　stay　and　assist　as
grinder　in　the　mill；　and　go　to　sea　no　more。

'A　sailor…miller！'　said　Anne。

'O；　he　knows　as　much　about　mill　business　as　I　do；'　said　Loveday；　'he
was　intended　for　it；　you　know；　like　John。　　But；　bless　me！'　he
continued；　'I　am　before　my　story。　　I'm　come　more　particularly　to　ask
you；　ma'am；　and　you；　Anne　my　honey；　if　you　will　join　me　and　a　few
friends　at　a　leetle　homely　supper　that　I　shall　gi'e　to　please　the
chap　now　he's　come？　　I　can　do　no　less　than　have　a　bit　of　a　randy；　as
the　saying　is；　now　that　he's　here　safe　and　sound。'

Mrs。　Garland　wanted　to　catch　her　daughter's　eye；　she　was　in　some
doubt　about　her　answer。　　But　Anne's　eye　was　not　to　be　caught；　for
she　hated　hints；　nods；　and　calculations　of　any　kind　in　matters　which
should　be　regulated　by　impulse；　and　the　matron　replied；　'If　so　be
'tis　possible；　we'll　be　there。　　You　will　tell　us　the　day？'

He　would；　as　soon　as　he　had　seen　son　John。　　''Twill　be　rather
untidy；　you　know；　owing　to　my　having　no　womenfolks　in　the　house；　and
my　man　David　is　a　poor　dunder…headed　feller　for　getting　up　a　feast。
Poor　chap！　his　sight　is　bad；　that's　true；　and　he's　very　good　at
making　the　beds；　and　oiling　the　legs　of　the　chairs　and　other
furniture；　or　I　should　have　got　rid　of　him　years　ago。'

'You　should　have　a　woman　to　attend　to　the　house；　Loveday；'　said　the
widow。

'Yes；　I　should；　but。　　Well；　'tis　a　fine　day；　neighbours。　　Hark！　　I
fancy　I　hear　the　noise　of　pots　and　pans　up　at　the　camp；　or　my　ears
deceive　me。　　Poor　fellows；　they　must　be　hungry！　　Good　day　t'ye；
ma'am。'　　And　the　miller　went　away。

All　that　afternoon　Overcombe　continued　in　a　ferment　of　interest　in
the　military　investment；　which　brought　the　excitement　of　an　invasion
without　the　strife。　　There　were　great　discussions　on　the　merits　and
appearance　of　the　soldiery。　　The　event　opened　up；　to　the　girls
unbounded　possibilities　of　adoring　and　being　adored；　and　to　the
young　men　an　embarrassment　of　dashing　acquaintances　which　quite
superseded　falling　in　love。　　Thirteen　of　these　lads　incontinently
stated　within　the　space　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour　that　there　was
nothing　in　the　world　like　going　for　a　soldier。　　The　young　women
stated　little；　but　perhaps　thought　the　more；　though；　in　justice；
they　glanced　round　towards　the　encampment　from　the　corners　of　their
blue　and　brown　eyes　in　the　most　demure　and　modest　manner　that　could
be　desired。

In　the　evening　the　village　was　lively　with　soldiers'　wives；　a　tree
full　of　starlings　would　not　have　rivalled　the　chatter　that　was　going
on。　　These　ladies　were　very　brilliantly　dressed；　with　more　regard
for　colour　than　for　material。　　Purple；　red；　and　blue　bonnets　were
numerous；　with　bunches　of　cocks'　feathers；　and　one　had　on　an
Arcadian　hat　of　green　sarcenet；　turned　up　in　front　to　show　her　cap
underneath。　　It　had　once　belonged　to　an　officer's　lady；　and　was　not
so　much　stained；　except　where　the　occasional　storms　of　rain；
incidental　to　a　military　life；　had　caused　the　green　to　run　and
stagnate　in　curious　watermarks　like　peninsulas　and　islands。　　Some　of
the　prettiest　of　these　butterfly　wives　had　been　fortunate　enough　to
get　lodgings　in　the　cottages；　and　were　thus　spared　the　necessity　of
living　in　huts　and　tents　on　the　down。　　Those　who　had　not　been　so
fortunate　were　not　rendered　more　amiable　by　the　success　of　their
sisters…in…arms；　and　called　them　names　which　brought　forth　retorts
and　rejoinders；　till　the　end　of　these　alternative　remarks　seemed
dependent　upon　the　close　of　the　day。

One　of　these　new　arrivals；　who　had　a　rosy　nose　and　a　slight
thickness　of　voice；　which；　as　Anne　said；　she　couldn't　help；　poor
thing；　seemed　to　have　seen　so　much　of　the　world；　and　to　have　been　in
so　many　campaigns；　that　Anne　would　have　liked　to　take　her　into　their
own　house；　so　as　to　acquire　some　of　that　practical　knowledge　of　the
history　of　England　which　the　lady　possessed；　and　which　could　not　be
got　from　books。　　But　the　narrowness　of　Mrs。　Garland's　rooms
absolutely　forbade　this；　and　the　houseless　treasury　of　experience
was　obliged　to　look　for　quarters　elsewhere。

That　night　Anne　retired　early　to　bed。　　The　events　of　the　day；
cheerful　as　they　were　in　themselves；　had　been　unusual　enough　to　give
her　a　slight　headache。　　Before　getting　into　bed　she　went　to　the
window；　and　lifted　the　white　curtains　that　hung　across　it。　　The　moon
was　shining；　though　not　as　yet　into　the　valley；　but　just　peeping
above　the　ridge　of　the　down；　where　the　white　cones　of　the　encampment
were　softly　touched　by　its　light。　　The　quarter…guard　and　foremost
tents　showed　themselves　prominently；　but　the　body　of　the　camp；　the
officers'　tents；　kitchens；　canteen；　and　appurtenances　in　the　rear
were　blotted　out　by　the　ground；　because　of　its　height　above　her。
She　could　discern　the　forms　of　one　or　two　sentries　moving　to　and　fro
across　the　disc　of　the　moon　at　intervals。　　She　could　hear　the
frequent　shuffling　and　tossing　of　the　horses　tied　to　the　pickets；
and　in　the　other　direction　the　miles…long　voice　of　the　sea；
whispering　a　louder　note　at　those　points　of　its　length　where
hampered　in　its　ebb　and　flow　by　some　jutting　promontory　or　group　of
boulders。　　Louder　sounds　suddenly　broke　this　approach　to　silence；
they　came　from　the　camp　of　dragoons；　were　taken　up　further　to　the
right　by　the　camp　of　the　Hanoverians；　and　further　on　still　by　the
body　of　infantry。　　It　was　tattoo。　　Feeling　no　desire　to　sleep；　she
listened　yet　longer；　looked　at　Charles's　Wain　swinging　over　the
church　tower；　and　the　moon　ascending　higher　and　higher　over　the
right…hand　streets　of　tents；　where；　instead　of　parade　and　bustle；
there　was　nothing　going　on　but　snores　and　dreams；　the　tired　soldiers
lying　by　this　time　under　their　proper　canvases；　radiating　like
spokes　from　the　pole　of　each　tent。

At　last　Anne　gave　up　thinking；　and　retired　like　the　rest。　　The　night
wore　on；　and；　except　the　occasional　'All's　well'　of　the　sentries；　no
voice　was　heard　in　the　camp　or　in　the　village　below。



III。　　THE　MILL　BECOMES　AN　IMPORTANT　CENTRE　OF　OPERATIONS

The　next　morning　Miss　Garland　awoke　with　an　impression　that
something　more　than　usual　was　going　on；　and　she　recognized　as　soon
as　she　could　clearly　reason　that　the　proceedings；　whatever　they
might　be；　lay　not　far　away　from　her　bedroom　window。　　The　sounds　were
chiefly　those　of　pickaxes　and　shovels。　　Anne　got　up；　and；　lifting
the　corner　of　the　curtain　about　an　inch；　peeped　out。

A　number　of　soldiers　were　busily　engaged　in　making　a　zigzag　path
down　the　incline　from　the　camp　to　the　river…head　at　the　back　of　the
house；　and　judging　from　the　quantity　of　work　already　got　through
they　must　have　begun　very　early。　　Squads　of　men　were　working　at
several　equidistant　points　in　the　proposed　pathway；　and　by　the　time
that　Anne　had　dressed　herself　each　section　of　the　length　had　been
connected　with　those　above　and　below　it；　so　that　a　continuous　and
easy　track　was　formed　from　the　crest　of　the　down　to　the　bottom　of
the　steep。

The　down　rested　on　a　bed　of　solid　chalk；　and　the　surface　exposed　by
the　roadmakers　formed　a　white　ribbon；　serpenting　from　top　to　bottom。

Then　the　relays　of　working　soldiers　all　disappeared；　and；　not　long
after；　a　troop　of　dragoons　in　watering　order　rode　forward　at　the　top
and　began　to　wind　down　the　new　path。　　They　came　lower　and　closer；
and　at　last　were　immediately　beneath　her　window；　gathering
themselves　up　on　the　space　by　the　mill…pond。　　A　number　of　the　horses
entered　it　at　the　shallow　part；　drinking　and　splashing　and　tossing
about。　　Perhaps　as　many　as　thirty；　half　of　them　with　riders　on　their
backs；　were　in　the　water　at　one　time；　the　thirsty　animals　drank；
stamped；　flounced；　and　drank　again；　letting　the　clear；　cool　water
dribble　luxuriously　from　their　mouths。　　Miller　Loveday　was　looking
on　from　over　his　garden　hedge；　and　many　admiring　villagers　were
gathered　around。

Gazing　up　higher；　Anne　saw　other　troops　descending　by　the　new　road
from　the　camp；　those　which　had　already　been　to　the　pond　making　room
for　these　by　withdrawing　along　the　village　lane　and　returning　to　the
top　by　a　circuitous　route。

Suddenly　the　miller　exclaimed；　as　in　fulfilment　of　expectation；　'Ah；
John；　my　boy；　good　morning！'　　And　the　reply　of　'Morning；　father；'
came　from　a　well…mounted　soldier　near　him；　who　did　not；　however；
form　one　of　the　watering　party。　　Anne　could　not　see　his　face　very
clearly；　but　she　had　no　doubt　that　this　was　John　Loveday。

There　were　tones　in　the　voice　which　reminded　her　of　old　times；　those
of　her　very　infancy；　when　Johnny　Loveday　had　been　top　boy　in　the
village　school；　and　had　wanted　to　learn　painting　of　her　father。　　The
deeps　and　shallows　of　the　mill…pond　being　better　known　to　him　than
to　any　other　man　in　the　camp；　he　had　apparently　come　down　on　that
account；　and　was　cautioning　some　of　the　horsemen　against　riding　too
far　in　towards　the　mill…head。

Since　her　childhood　and　his　enlistment　Anne　had　seen　him　only　once；
and　then　but　casually；　when　he　was　home　on　a　short　furlough。　　His
figure　was　not　much　changed　from　what　it　had　been；　but　the　many
sunrises　and　sunsets　which　had　passed　since　that　day；　developing　her
from　a　comparative　child　to　womanhood；　had　abstracted　some　of　his
angularities；　reddened　his　skin；　and　given　him　a　foreign　look。　　It
was　interesting　to　see　what　years　of　training　and　service　had　done
for　this　man。　　Few　would　have　supposed　that　the　white　and　the　blue
coats　of　miller　and　soldier　covered　the　forms　of　father　and　son。

Before　the　last　troop　of　dragoons　rode　off　they　were　welcomed