the trumpet-major-第41部分

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and　he　must　have　told　him　the　truth。'　　The　speaker　pointed　to
Festus。　　They　turned　their　indignant　eyes　full　upon　him。　　That　he
had　sported　with　their　deepest　feelings；　while　knowing　the　rumour　to
be　baseless；　was　soon　apparent　to　all。

'Beat　him　black　and　blue　with　the　flat　of　our　blades！'　shouted　two
or　three；　turning　their　horses'　heads　to　drop　back　upon　Derriman；　in
which　move　they　were　followed　by　most　of　the　party。

But　Festus；　foreseeing　danger　from　the　unexpected　revelation；　had
already　judiciously　placed　a　few　intervening　yards　between　himself
and　his　fellow…yeomen；　and　now；　clapping　spurs　to　his　horse；　rattled
like　thunder　and　lightning　up　the　road　homeward。　　His　ready　flight
added　hotness　to　their　pursuit；　and　as　he　rode　and　looked　fearfully
over　his　shoulder　he　could　see　them　following　with　enraged　faces　and
drawn　swords；　a　position　which　they　kept　up　for　a　distance　of　more
than　a　mile。　　Then　he　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　them　drop　off
one　by　one；　and　soon　he　and　his　panting　charger　remained　alone　on
the　highway。



XXVII。　　DANGER　TO　ANNE

He　stopped　and　reflected　how　to　turn　this　rebuff　to　advantage。
Baulked　in　his　project　of　entering　the　watering…place　and　enjoying
congratulations　upon　his　patriotic　bearing　during　the　advance；　he
sulkily　considered　that　he　might　be　able　to　make　some　use　of　his
enforced　retirement　by　riding　to　Overcombe　and　glorifying　himself　in
the　eyes　of　Miss　Garland　before　the　truth　should　have　reached　that
hamlet。　　Having　thus　decided　he　spurred　on　in　a　better　mood。

By　this　time　the　volunteers　were　on　the　march；　and　as　Derriman
ascended　the　road　he　met　the　Overcombe　company；　in　which　trudged
Miller　Loveday　shoulder　to　shoulder　with　the　other　substantial
householders　of　the　place　and　its　neighbourhood；　duly　equipped　with
pouches；　cross…belts；　firelocks；　flint…boxes；　pickers；　worms；
magazines；　priming…horns；　heel…ball；　and　pomatum。　　There　was　nothing
to　be　gained　by　further　suppression　of　the　truth；　and　briefly
informing　them　that　the　danger　was　not　so　immediate　as　had　been
supposed；　Festus　galloped　on。　　At　the　end　of　another　mile　he　met　a
large　number　of　pikemen；　including　Bob　Loveday；　whom　the　yeoman
resolved　to　sound　upon　the　whereabouts　of　Anne。　　The　circumstances
were　such　as　to　lead　Bob　to　speak　more　frankly　than　he　might　have
done　on　reflection；　and　he　told　Festus　the　direction　in　which　the
women　had　been　sent。　　Then　Festus　informed　the　group　that　the　report
of　invasion　was　false；　upon　which　they　all　turned　to　go　homeward
with　greatly　relieved　spirits。

Bob　walked　beside　Derriman's　horse　for　some　distance。　　Loveday　had
instantly　made　up　his　mind　to　go　and　look　for　the　women；　and　ease
their　anxiety　by　letting　them　know　the　good　news　as　soon　as
possible。　　But　he　said　nothing　of　this　to　Festus　during　their　return
together；　nor　did　Festus　tell　Bob　that　he　also　had　resolved　to　seek
them　out；　and　by　anticipating　every　one　else　in　that　enterprise；
make　of　it　a　glorious　opportunity　for　bringing　Miss　Garland　to　her
senses　about　him。　　He　still　resented　the　ducking　that　he　had
received　at　her　hands；　and　was　not　disposed　to　let　that　insult　pass
without　obtaining　some　sort　of　sweet　revenge。

As　soon　as　they　had　parted　Festus　cantered　on　over　the　hill；　meeting
on　his　way　the　Longpuddle　volunteers；　sixty　rank　and　file；　under
Captain　Cunningham；　the　Casterbridge　company；　ninety　strong　（known
as　the　'Consideration　Company'　in　those　days）；　under　Captain
Strickland；　and　othersall　with　anxious　faces　and　covered　with
dust。　　Just　passing　the　word　to　them　and　leaving　them　at　halt；　he
proceeded　rapidly　onward　in　the　direction　of　King's…Bere。　　Nobody
appeared　on　the　road　for　some　time；　till　after　a　ride　of　several
miles　he　met　a　stray　corporal　of　volunteers；　who　told　Festus　in
answer　to　his　inquiry　that　he　had　certainly　passed　no　gig　full　of
women　of　the　kind　described。　　Believing　that　he　had　missed　them　by
following　the　highway；　Derriman　turned　back　into　a　lane　along　which
they　might　have　chosen　to　journey　for　privacy's　sake；
notwithstanding　the　badness　and　uncertainty　of　its　track。　　Arriving
again　within　five　miles　of　Overcombe；　he　at　length　heard　tidings　of
the　wandering　vehicle　and　its　precious　burden；　which；　like　the　Ark
when　sent　away　from　the　country　of　the　Philistines；　had　apparently
been　left　to　the　instincts　of　the　beast　that　drew　it。　　A　labouring
man；　just　at　daybreak；　had　seen　the　helpless　party　going　slowly　up　a
distant　drive；　which　he　pointed　out。

No　sooner　had　Festus　parted　from　this　informant　than　he　beheld　Bob
approaching；　mounted　on　the　miller's　second　and　heavier　horse。　　Bob
looked　rather　surprised；　and　Festus　felt　his　coming　glory　in　danger。

'They　went　down　that　lane；'　he　said；　signifying　precisely　the
opposite　direction　to　the　true　one。　　'I；　too；　have　been　on　the
look…out　for　missing　friends。'

As　Festus　was　riding　back　there　was　no　reason　to　doubt　his
information；　and　Loveday　rode　on　as　misdirected。　　Immediately　that
he　was　out　of　sight　Festus　reversed　his　course；　and　followed　the
track　which　Anne　and　her　companions　were　last　seen　to　pursue。

This　road　had　been　ascended　by　the　gig　in　question　nearly　two　hours
before　the　present　moment。　　Molly；　the　servant；　held　the　reins；　Mrs。
Loveday　sat　beside　her；　and　Anne　behind。　　Their　progress　was　but
slow；　owing　partly　to　Molly's　want　of　skill；　and　partly　to　the
steepness　of　the　road；　which　here　passed　over　downs　of　some　extent；
and　was　rarely　or　never　mended。　　It　was　an　anxious　morning　for　them
all；　and　the　beauties　of　the　early　summer　day　fell　upon　unheeding
eyes。　　They　were　too　anxious　even　for　conjecture；　and　each　sat
thinking　her　own　thoughts；　occasionally　glancing　westward；　or
stopping　the　horse　to　listen　to　sounds　from　more　frequented　roads
along　which　other　parties　were　retreating。　　Once；　while　they
listened　and　gazed　thus；　they　saw　a　glittering　in　the　distance；　and
heard　the　tramp　of　many　horses。　　It　was　a　large　body　of　cavalry
going　in　the　direction　of　the　King's　watering…place；　the　same
regiment　of　dragoons；　in　fact；　which　Festus　had　seen　further　on　in
its　course。　　The　women　in　the　gig　had　no　doubt　that　these　men　were
marching　at　once　to　engage　the　enemy。　　By　way　of　varying　the
monotony　of　the　journey　Molly　occasionally　burst　into　tears　of
horror；　believing　Buonaparte　to　be　in　countenance　and　habits
precisely　what　the　caricatures　represented　him。　　Mrs。　Loveday
endeavoured　to　establish　cheerfulness　by　assuring　her　companions　of
the　natural　civility　of　the　French　nation；　with　whom　unprotected
women　were　safe　from　injury；　unless　through　the　casual　excesses　of
soldiery　beyond　control。　　This　was　poor　consolation　to　Anne；　whose
mind　was　more　occupied　with　Bob　than　with　herself；　and　a　miserable
fear　that　she　would　never　again　see　him　alive　so　paled　her　face　and
saddened　her　gaze　forward；　that　at　last　her　mother　said；　'Who　was
you　thinking　of；　my　dear？'　　Anne's　only　reply　was　a　look　at　her
mother；　with　which　a　tear　mingled。

Molly　whipped　the　horse；　by　which　she　quickened　his　pace　for　five
yards；　when　he　again　fell　into　the　perverse　slowness　that　showed　how
fully　conscious　he　was　of　being　the　master…mind　and　chief　personage
of　the　four。　　Whenever　there　was　a　pool　of　water　by　the　road　he
turned　aside　to　drink　a　mouthful；　and　remained　there　his　own　time　in
spite　of　Molly's　tug　at　the　reins　and　futile　fly…flapping　on　his
rump。　　They　were　now　in　the　chalk　district；　where　there　were　no
hedges；　and　a　rough　attempt　at　mending　the　way　had　been　made　by
throwing　down　huge　lumps　of　that　glaring　material　in　heaps；　without
troubling　to　spread　it　or　break　them　abroad。　　The　jolting　here　was
most　distressing；　and　seemed　about　to　snap　the　springs。

'How　that　wheel　do　wamble；'　said　Molly　at　last。　　She　had　scarcely
spoken　when　the　wheel　came　off；　and　all　three　were　precipitated　over
it　into　the　road。

Fortunately　the　horse　stood　still；　and　they　began　to　gather
themselves　up。　　The　only　one　of　the　three　who　had　suffered　in　the
least　from　the　fall　was　Anne；　and　she　was　only　conscious　of　a　severe
shaking　which　had　half　stupefied　her　for　the　time。　　The　wheel　lay
flat　in　the　road；　so　that　there　was　no　possibility　of　driving
further　in　their　present　plight。　　They　looked　around　for　help。　　The
only　friendly　object　near　was　a　lonely　cottage；　from　its　situation
evidently　the　home　of　a　shepherd。

The　horse　was　unharnessed　and　tied　to　the　back　of　the　gig；　and　the
three　women　went　across　to　the　house。　　On　getting　close　they　found
that　the　shutters　of　all　the　lower　windows　were　closed；　but　on
trying　the　door　it　opened　to　the　hand。　　Nobody　was　within；　the　house
appeared　to　have　been　abandoned　in　some　confusion；　and　the
probability　was　that　the　shepherd　had　fled　on　hearing　the　alarm。
Anne　now　said　that　she　felt　the　effects　of　her　fall　too　severely　to
be　able　to　go　any　further　just　then；　and　it　was　agreed　that　she
should　be　left　there　while　Mrs。　Loveday　and　Molly　went　on　for
assistance；　the　elder　lady　deeming　Molly　too　young　and　vacant…minded
to　be　trusted　to　go　alone。　　Molly　suggested　taking　the　horse；　as　the
distance　might　be　great；　each　of　them　sitting　alternately　on　his
back　while　the　other　led　him　by　the　head。　　This　they　did；　Anne
watching　them　vanish　down　the　white　and　lumpy　road。

She　then　looked　round　the　room；　as　well　as　she　could　do　so　by　the
light　from　the　open　door。　　It　was　plain；　from　the　shutters　being
closed；　that　the　shepherd　had　left　his　house　before　daylight；　the
candle　and　extinguisher　on　the　table　pointing　to　the　same
conclusion。　　Here　she　remained；　her　eyes　occasionally　sweeping　the
bare；　sunny　expanse　of　down；　that　was　only　relieved　from　absolute
emptiness　by　the　overturned　gig　hard　by。　　The　sheep　seemed　to　have
gone　away；　and　scarcely　a　bird　flew　across　to　disturb　the　solitude。
Anne　had　risen　early　that　morning；　and　leaning　back　in　the　withy
chair；　which　she　had　placed　by　the　door；　she　soon　fell　into　an
uneasy　doze；　from　which　she　was　awakened　by　the　distant　tramp　of　a
horse。　　Feeling　much　recovered　from　the　effects　of　the　overturn；　she
eagerly　rose　and　looked　out。　　The　horse　was　not　Miller　Loveday's；
but　a　powerful　bay；　bearing　a　man　in　full　yeomanry　uniform。

Anne　did　not　wait　to　recognize　fu