the trumpet-major-第43部分

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Anne　had　energy　enough　left　to　cry；　'Stop　him；　stop　him！'　as　the
soldier　drew　near。

He；　astonished　at　the　sight　of　a　military　horse　with　a　bundle　of
drapery　across　his　back；　had　already　placed　himself　in　the　middle　of
the　lane；　and　he　now　held　out　his　arms　till　his　figure　assumed　the
form　of　a　Latin　cross　planted　in　the　roadway。　　Champion　drew　near；
swerved；　and　stood　still　almost　suddenly；　a　check　sufficient　to　send
Anne　slipping　down　his　flank　to　the　ground。　　The　timely　friend
stepped　forward　and　helped　her　to　her　feet；　when　she　saw　that　he　was
John　Loveday。

'Are　you　hurt？'　he　said　hastily；　having　turned　quite　pale　at　seeing
her　fall。

'O　no；　not　a　bit；'　said　Anne；　gathering　herself　up　with　forced
briskness；　to　make　light　of　the　misadventure。

'But　how　did　you　get　in　such　a　place？'

'There；　he's　gone！'　she　exclaimed；　instead　of　replying；　as　Champion
swept　round　John　Loveday　and　cantered　off　triumphantly　in　the
direction　of　Oxwell；　a　performance　which　she　followed　with　her　eyes。

'But　how　did　you　come　upon　his　back；　and　whose　horse　is　it？'

'I　will　tell　you。'

'Well？'

'Icannot　tell　you。'

John　looked　steadily　at　her；　saying　nothing。

'How　did　you　come　here？'　she　asked。　　'Is　it　true　that　the　French
have　not　landed　at　all？'

'Quite　true；　the　alarm　was　groundless。　　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。
You　look　very　tired。　　You　had　better　sit　down　a　few　minutes。　　Let　us
sit　on　this　bank。'

He　helped　her　to　the　slope　indicated；　and　continued；　still　as　if　his
thoughts　were　more　occupied　with　the　mystery　of　her　recent　situation
than　with　what　he　was　saying：　　'We　arrived　at　Budmouth　Barracks　this
morning；　and　are　to　lie　there　all　the　summer。　　I　could　not　write　to
tell　father　we　were　coming。　　It　was　not　because　of　any　rumour　of　the
French；　for　we　knew　nothing　of　that　till　we　met　the　people　on　the
road；　and　the　colonel　said　in　a　moment　the　news　was　false。
Buonaparte　is　not　even　at　Boulogne　just　now。　　I　was　anxious　to　know
how　you　had　borne　the　fright；　so　I　hastened　to　Overcombe　at　once；　as
soon　as　I　could　get　out　of　barracks。'

Anne；　who　had　not　been　at　all　responsive　to　his　discourse；　now
swayed　heavily　against　him；　and　looking　quickly　down　he　found　that
she　had　silently　fainted。　　To　support　her　in　his　arms　was　of　course
the　impulse　of　a　moment。　　There　was　no　water　to　be　had；　and　he　could
think　of　nothing　else　but　to　hold　her　tenderly　till　she　came　round
again。　　Certainly　he　desired　nothing　more。

Again　he　asked　himself；　what　did　it　all　mean？

He　waited；　looking　down　upon　her　tired　eyelids；　and　at　the　row　of
lashes　lying　upon　each　cheek；　whose　natural　roundness　showed　itself
in　singular　perfection　now　that　the　customary　pink　had　given　place
to　a　pale　luminousness　caught　from　the　surrounding　atmosphere。　　The
dumpy　ringlets　about　her　forehead　and　behind　her　poll；　which　were
usually　as　tight　as　springs；　had　been　partially　uncoiled　by　the
wildness　of　her　ride；　and　hung　in　split　locks　over　her　forehead　and
neck。　　John；　who；　during　the　long　months　of　his　absence；　had　lived
only　to　meet　her　again；　was　in　a　state　of　ecstatic　reverence；　and
bending　down　he　gently　kissed　her。

Anne　was　just　becoming　conscious。

'O；　Mr。　Derriman；　never；　never！'　she　murmured；　sweeping　her　face
with　her　hand。

'I　thought　he　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；'　said　John。

Anne　opened　her　eyes；　and　started　back　from　him。　　'What　is　it？'　she
said　wildly。

'You　are　ill；　my　dear　Miss　Garland；'　replied　John　in　trembling
anxiety；　and　taking　her　hand。

'I　am　not　ill；　I　am　wearied　out！'　she　said。　　'Can't　we　walk　on？　　How
far　are　we　from　Overcombe？'

'About　a　mile。　　But　tell　me；　somebody　has　been　hurting　you
frightening　you。　　I　know　who　it　was；　it　was　Derriman；　and　that　was
his　horse。　　Now　do　you　tell　me　all。'

Anne　reflected。　　'Then　if　I　tell　you；'　she　said；　'will　you　discuss
with　me　what　I　had　better　do；　and　not　for　the　present　let　my　mother
and　your　father　know？　　I　don't　want　to　alarm　them；　and　I　must　not
let　my　affairs　interrupt　the　business　connexion　between　the　mill　and
the　hall　that　has　gone　on　for　so　many　years。'

The　trumpet…major　promised；　and　Anne　told　the　adventure。　　His　brow
reddened　as　she　went　on；　and　when　she　had　done　she　said；　'Now　you
are　angry。　　Don't　do　anything　dreadful；　will　you？　　Remember　that
this　Festus　will　most　likely　succeed　his　uncle　at　Oxwell；　in　spite
of　present　appearances；　and　if　Bob　succeeds　at　the　mill　there　should
be　no　enmity　between　them。'

'That's　true。　　I　won't　tell　Bob。　　Leave　him　to　me。　　Where　is
Derriman　now？　　On　his　way　home；　I　suppose。　　When　I　have　seen　you
into　the　house　I　will　deal　with　himquite　quietly；　so　that　he　shall
say　nothing　about　it。'

'Yes；　appeal　to　him；　do！　　Perhaps　he　will　be　better　then。'

They　walked　on　together；　Loveday　seeming　to　experience　much　quiet
bliss。

'I　came　to　look　for　you；'　he　said；　'because　of　that　dear；　sweet
letter　you　wrote。'

'Yes；　I　did　write　you　a　letter；'　she　admitted；　with　misgiving；　now
beginning　to　see　her　mistake。　　'It　was　because　I　was　sorry　I　had
blamed　you。'

'I　am　almost　glad　you　did　blame　me；'　said　John　cheerfully；　'since；
if　you　had　not；　the　letter　would　not　have　come。　　I　have　read　it
fifty　times　a　day。'

This　put　Anne　into　an　unhappy　mood；　and　they　proceeded　without　much
further　talk　till　the　mill　chimneys　were　visible　below　them。　　John
then　said　that　he　would　leave　her　to　go　in　by　herself。

'Ah；　you　are　going　back　to　get　into　some　danger　on　my　account？'

'I　can't　get　into　much　danger　with　such　a　fellow　as　he；　can　I？'　said
John；　smiling。

'Well；　no；'　she　answered；　with　a　sudden　carelessness　of　tone。　　It
was　indispensable　that　he　should　be　undeceived；　and　to　begin　the
process　by　taking　an　affectedly　light　view　of　his　personal　risks　was
perhaps　as　good　a　way　to　do　it　as　any。　　Where　friendliness　was
construed　as　love；　an　assumed　indifference　was　the　necessary
expression　for　friendliness。

So　she　let　him　go；　and；　bidding　him　hasten　back　as　soon　as　he　could；
went　down　the　hill；　while　John's　feet　retraced　the　upland。

The　trumpet…major　spent　the　whole　afternoon　and　evening　in　that　long
and　difficult　search　for　Festus　Derriman。　　Crossing　the　down　at　the
end　of　the　second　hour　he　met　Molly　and　Mrs。　Loveday。　　The　gig　had
been　repaired；　they　had　learnt　the　groundlessness　of　the　alarm；　and
they　would　have　been　proceeding　happily　enough　but　for　their　anxiety
about　Anne。　　John　told　them　shortly　that　she　had　got　a　lift　home；
and　proceeded　on　his　way。

The　worthy　object　of　his　search　had　in　the　meantime　been　plodding
homeward　on　foot；　sulky　at　the　loss　of　his　charger；　encumbered　with
his　sword；　belts；　high　boots；　and　uniform；　and　in　his　own
discomfiture　careless　whether　Anne　Garland's　life　had　been
endangered　or　not。

At　length　Derriman　reached　a　place　where　the　road　ran　between　high
banks；　one　of　which　he　mounted　and　paced　along　as　a　change　from　the
hard　trackway。　　Ahead　of　him　he　saw　an　old　man　sitting　down；　with
eyes　fixed　on　the　dust　of　the　road；　as　if　resting　and　meditating　at
one　and　the　same　time。　　Being　pretty　sure　that　he　recognized　his
uncle　in　that　venerable　figure；　Festus　came　forward　stealthily；　till
he　was　immediately　above　the　old　man's　back。　　The　latter　was　clothed
in　faded　nankeen　breeches；　speckled　stockings；　a　drab　hat；　and　a
coat　which　had　once　been　light　blue；　but　from　exposure　as　a
scarecrow　had　assumed　the　complexion　and　fibre　of　a　dried
pudding…cloth。　　The　farmer　was；　in　fact；　returning　to　the　hall；
which　he　had　left　in　the　morning　some　time　later　than　his　nephew；　to
seek　an　asylum　in　a　hollow　tree　about　two　miles　off。　　The　tree　was
so　situated　as　to　command　a　view　of　the　building；　and　Uncle　Benjy
had　managed　to　clamber　up　inside　this　natural　fortification　high
enough　to　watch　his　residence　through　a　hole　in　the　bark；　till；
gathering　from　the　words　of　occasional　passers…by　that　the　alarm　was
at　least　premature；　he　had　ventured　into　daylight　again。

He　was　now　engaged　in　abstractedly　tracing　a　diagram　in　the　dust
with　his　walking…stick；　and　muttered　words　to　himself　aloud。
Presently　he　arose　and　went　on　his　way　without　turning　round。
Festus　was　curious　enough　to　descend　and　look　at　the　marks。　　They
represented　an　oblong；　with　two　semi…diagonals；　and　a　little　square
in　the　middle。　　Upon　the　diagonals　were　the　figures　20　and　17；　and
on　each　side　of　the　parallelogram　stood　a　letter　signifying　the
point　of　the　compass。

'What　crazy　thing　is　running　in　his　head　now？'　said　Festus　to
himself；　with　supercilious　pity；　recollecting　that　the　farmer　had
been　singing　those　very　numbers　earlier　in　the　morning。　　Being　able
to　make　nothing　of　it；　he　lengthened　his　strides；　and　treading　on
tiptoe　overtook　his　relative；　saluting　him　by　scratching　his　back
like　a　hen。　　The　startled　old　farmer　danced　round　like　a　top；　and
gasping；　said；　as　he　perceived　his　nephew；　'What；　Festy！　not　thrown
from　your　horse　and　killed；　then；　after　all！'

'No；　nunc。　　What　made　ye　think　that？'

'Champion　passed　me　about　an　hour　ago；　when　I　was　in　hidingpoor
timid　soul　of　me；　for　I　had　nothing　to　lose　by　the　French　coming
and　he　looked　awful　with　the　stirrups　dangling　and　the　saddle　empty。
'Tis　a　gloomy　sight；　Festy；　to　see　a　horse　cantering　without　a
rider；　and　I　thought　you　had　beenfeared　you　had　been　thrown　off
and　killed　as　dead　as　a　nit。'

'Bless　your　dear　old　heart　for　being　so　anxious！　　And　what　pretty
picture　were　you　drawing　just　now　with　your　walking…stick！'

'O；　that！　　That　is　only　a　way　I　have　of　amusing　myself。　　It　showed
how　the　French　might　have　advanced　to　the　attack；　you　know。　　Such
trifles　fill　the　head　of　a　weak　old　man　like　me。'

'Or　the　place　where　something　is　hid　awaymoney；　for　instance？'

'Festy；'　said　the　farmer　reproachfully；　'you　always　know　I　use　the
old　glove　in　the　bedroom　cupboard　for　any　guinea　or　two　I　possess。'

'Of　course　I　do；'　said　Festus　ironically。

They　had　now　reached　a　lonely　inn　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　the
hall；　and；　the　farmer　not　responding　to　his　nephew's　kind　invitation
to　come　in　and　treat　him；　Festus　entered　alone。　　He　was　dusty；
draggled；　and　weary；　and　he　remained　at　the　tavern　long。　　The
trumpet…major；　in　the　meantime；　having　searched　the　roads　in　vain；
heard　in　the　course