the trumpet-major-第5部分

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Before　the　last　troop　of　dragoons　rode　off　they　were　welcomed　in　a
body　by　Miller　Loveday；　who　still　stood　in　his　outer　garden；　this
being　a　plot　lying　below　the　mill…tail；　and　stretching　to　the
water…side。　　It　was　just　the　time　of　year　when　cherries　are　ripe；
and　hang　in　clusters　under　their　dark　leaves。　　While　the　troopers
loitered　on　their　horses；　and　chatted　to　the　miller　across　the
stream；　he　gathered　bunches　of　the　fruit；　and　held　them　up　over　the
garden　hedge　for　the　acceptance　of　anybody　who　would　have　them；
whereupon　the　soldiers　rode　into　the　water　to　where　it　had　washed
holes　in　the　garden　bank；　and；　reining　their　horses　there；　caught
the　cherries　in　their　forage…caps；　or　received　bunches　of　them　on
the　ends　of　their　switches；　with　the　dignified　laugh　that　became
martial　men　when　stooping　to　slightly　boyish　amusement。　　It　was　a
cheerful；　careless；　unpremeditated　half…hour；　which　returned　like
the　scent　of　a　flower　to　the　memories　of　some　of　those　who　enjoyed
it；　even　at　a　distance　of　many　years　after；　when　they　lay　wounded
and　weak　in　foreign　lands。

Then　dragoons　and　horses　wheeled　off　as　the　others　had　done；　and
troops　of　the　German　Legion　next　came　down　and　entered　in　panoramic
procession　the　space　below　Anne's　eyes；　as　if　on　purpose　to　gratify
her。　　These　were　notable　by　their　mustachios；　and　queues　wound
tightly　with　brown　ribbon　to　the　level　of　their　broad
shoulder…blades。　　They　were　charmed；　as　the　others　had　been；　by　the
head　and　neck　of　Miss　Garland　in　the　little　square　window
overlooking　the　scene　of　operations；　and　saluted　her　with　devoted
foreign　civility；　and　in　such　overwhelming　numbers　that　the　modest
girl　suddenly　withdrew　herself　into　the　room；　and　had　a　private
blush　between　the　chest　of　drawers　and　the　washing…stand。

When　she　came　downstairs　her　mother　said；　'I　have　been　thinking　what
I　ought　to　wear　to　Miller　Loveday's　to…night。'

'To　Miller　Loveday's？'　said　Anne。

'Yes。　　The　party　is　to…night。　　He　has　been　in　here　this　morning　to
tell　me　that　he　has　seen　his　son；　and　they　have　fixed　this　evening。'

'Do　you　think　we　ought　to　go；　mother？'　said　Anne　slowly；　and　looking
at　the　smaller　features　of　the　window…flowers。

'Why　not？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'He　will　only　have　men　there　except　ourselves；　will　he？　　And　shall
we　be　right　to　go　alone　among　'em？'

Anne　had　not　recovered　from　the　ardent　gaze　of　the　gallant　York
Hussars；　whose　voices　reached　her　even　now　in　converse　with　Loveday。

'La；　Anne；　how　proud　you　are！'　said　Widow　Garland。　　'Why；　isn't　he
our　nearest　neighbour　and　our　landlord？　and　don't　he　always　fetch
our　faggots　from　the　wood；　and　keep　us　in　vegetables　for　next　to
nothing？'

'That's　true；'　said　Anne。

'Well；　we　can't　be　distant　with　the　man。　　And　if　the　enemy　land　next
autumn；　as　everybody　says　they　will；　we　shall　have　quite　to　depend
upon　the　miller's　waggon　and　horses。　　He's　our　only　friend。'

'Yes；　so　he　is；'　said　Anne。　　'And　you　had　better　go；　mother；　and
I'll　stay　at　home。　　They　will　be　all　men；　and　I　don't　like　going。'

Mrs。　Garland　reflected。　　'Well；　if　you　don't　want　to　go；　I　don't；'
she　said。　　'Perhaps；　as　you　are　growing　up；　it　would　be　better　to
stay　at　home　this　time。　　Your　father　was　a　professional　man；
certainly。'　　Having　spoken　as　a　mother；　she　sighed　as　a　woman。

'Why　do　you　sigh；　mother？'

'You　are　so　prim　and　stiff　about　everything。'

'Very　wellwe'll　go。'

'O　noI　am　not　sure　that　we　ought。　　I　did　not　promise；　and　there
will　be　no　trouble　in　keeping　away。'

Anne　apparently　did　not　feel　certain　of　her　own　opinion；　and；
instead　of　supporting　or　contradicting；　looked　thoughtfully　down；
and　abstractedly　brought　her　hands　together　on　her　bosom；　till　her
fingers　met　tip　to　tip。

As　the　day　advanced　the　young　woman　and　her　mother　became　aware　that
great　preparations　were　in　progress　in　the　miller's　wing　of　the
house。　　The　partitioning　between　the　Lovedays　and　the　Garlands　was
not　very　thorough；　consisting　in　many　cases　of　a　simple　screwing　up
of　the　doors　in　the　dividing　walls；　and　thus　when　the　mill　began　any
new　performances　they　proclaimed　themselves　at　once　in　the　more
private　dwelling。　　The　smell　of　Miller　Loveday's　pipe　came　down　Mrs。
Garland's　chimney　of　an　evening　with　the　greatest　regularity。　　Every
time　that　he　poked　his　fire　they　knew　from　the　vehemence　or
deliberateness　of　the　blows　the　precise　state　of　his　mind；　and　when
he　wound　his　clock　on　Sunday　nights　the　whirr　of　that　monitor
reminded　the　widow　to　wind　hers。　　This　transit　of　noises　was　most
perfect　where　Loveday's　lobby　adjoined　Mrs。　Garland's　pantry；　and
Anne；　who　was　occupied　for　some　time　in　the　latter　apartment；
enjoyed　the　privilege　of　hearing　the　visitors　arrive　and　of　catching
stray　sounds　and　words　without　the　connecting　phrases　that　made　them
entertaining；　to　judge　from　the　laughter　they　evoked。　　The　arrivals
passed　through　the　house　and　went　into　the　garden；　where　they　had
tea　in　a　large　summer…house；　an　occasional　blink　of　bright　colour；
through　the　foliage；　being　all　that　was　visible　of　the　assembly　from
Mrs。　Garland's　windows。　　When　it　grew　dusk　they　all　could　be　heard
coming　indoors　to　finish　the　evening　in　the　parlour。

Then　there　was　an　intensified　continuation　of　the　above…mentioned
signs　of　enjoyment；　talkings　and　haw…haws；　runnings　upstairs　and
runnings　down；　a　slamming　of　doors　and　a　clinking　of　cups　and
glasses；　till　the　proudest　adjoining　tenant　without　friends　on　his
own　side　of　the　partition　might　have　been　tempted　to　wish　for
entrance　to　that　merry　dwelling；　if　only　to　know　the　cause　of　these
fluctuations　of　hilarity；　and　to　see　if　the　guests　were　really　so
numerous；　and　the　observations　so　very　amusing　as　they　seemed。

The　stagnation　of　life　on　the　Garland　side　of　the　party…wall　began
to　have　a　very　gloomy　effect　by　the　contrast。　　When；　about　half…past
nine　o'clock；　one　of　these　tantalizing　bursts　of　gaiety　had
resounded　for　a　longer　time　than　usual；　Anne　said；　'I　believe；
mother；　that　you　are　wishing　you　had　gone。'

'I　own　to　feeling　that　it　would　have　been　very　cheerful　if　we　had
joined　in；'　said　Mrs。　Garland；　in　a　hankering　tone。　　'I　was　rather
too　nice　in　listening　to　you　and　not　going。　　The　parson　never　calls
upon　us　except　in　his　spiritual　capacity。　　Old　Derriman　is　hardly
genteel；　and　there's　nobody　left　to　speak　to。　　Lonely　people　must
accept　what　company　they　can　get。'

'Or　do　without　it　altogether。'

'That's　not　natural；　Anne；　and　I　am　surprised　to　hear　a　young　woman
like　you　say　such　a　thing。　　Nature　will　not　be　stifled　in　that　way。
。　。　。'　　（Song　and　powerful　chorus　heard　through　partition。）　　'I
declare　the　room　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall　seems　quite　a
paradise　compared　with　this。'

'Mother；　you　are　quite　a　girl；'　said　Anne　in　slightly　superior
accents。　　'Go　in　and　join　them　by　all　means。'

'O　nonot　now；'　said　her　mother；　resignedly　shaking　her　head。　　'It
is　too　late　now。　　We　ought　to　have　taken　advantage　of　the
invitation。　　They　would　look　hard　at　me　as　a　poor　mortal　who　had　no
real　business　there；　and　the　miller　would　say；　with　his　broad　smile；
〃Ah；　you　be　obliged　to　come　round。〃'

While　the　sociable　and　unaspiring　Mrs。　Garland　continued　thus　to
pass　the　evening　in　two　places；　her　body　in　her　own　house　and　her
mind　in　the　miller's；　somebody　knocked　at　the　door；　and　directly
after　the　elder　Loveday　himself　was　admitted　to　the　room。　　He　was
dressed　in　a　suit　between　grand　and　gay；　which　he　used　for　such
occasions　as　the　present；　and　his　blue　coat；　yellow　and　red
waistcoat　with　the　three　lower　buttons　unfastened；　steel…buckled
shoes　and　speckled　stockings；　became　him　very　well　in　Mrs。　Martha
Garland's　eyes。

'Your　servant；　ma'am；'　said　the　miller；　adopting　as　a　matter　of
propriety　the　raised　standard　of　politeness　required　by　his　higher
costume。　　'Now；　begging　your　pardon；　I　can't　hae　this。　　'Tis
unnatural　that　you　two　ladies　should　be　biding　here　and　we　under　the
same　roof　making　merry　without　ye。　　Your　husband；　poor　manlovely
picters　that　a'　would　make　to　be　surewould　have　been　in　with　us
long　ago　if　he　had　been　in　your　place。　　I　can　take　no　nay　from　ye；
upon　my　honour。　　You　and　maidy　Anne　must　come　in；　if　it　be　only　for
half…an…hour。　　John　and　his　friends　have　got　passes　till　twelve
o'clock　to…night；　and；　saving　a　few　of　our　own　village　folk；　the
lowest　visitor　present　is　a　very　genteel　German　corporal。　　If　you
should　hae　any　misgivings　on　the　score　of　respectability；　ma'am；
we'll　pack　off　the　underbred　ones　into　the　back　kitchen。'

Widow　Garland　and　Anne　looked　yes　at　each　other　after　this　appeal。

'We'll　follow　you　in　a　few　minutes；'　said　the　elder；　smiling；　and
she　rose　with　Anne　to　go　upstairs。

'No；　I'll　wait　for　ye；'　said　the　miller　doggedly；　'or　perhaps　you'll
alter　your　mind　again。'

While　the　mother　and　daughter　were　upstairs　dressing；　and　saying
laughingly　to　each　other；　'Well；　we　must　go　now；'　as　if　they　hadn't
wished　to　go　all　the　evening；　other　steps　were　heard　in　the　passage；
and　the　miller　cried　from　below；　'Your　pardon；　Mrs。　Garland；　but　my
son　John　has　come　to　help　fetch　ye。　　Shall　I　ask　him　in　till　ye　be
ready？'

'Certainly；　I　shall　be　down　in　a　minute；'　screamed　Anne's　mother　in
a　slanting　voice　towards　the　staircase。

When　she　descended；　the　outline　of　the　trumpet…major　appeared
half…way　down　the　passage。　　'This　is　John；'　said　the　miller　simply。
'John；　you　can　mind　Mrs。　Martha　Garland　very　well？'

'Very　well；　indeed；'　said　the　dragoon；　coming　in　a　little　further。
'I　should　have　called　to　see　her　last　time；　but　I　was　only　home　a
week。　　How　is　your　little　girl；　ma'am？'

Mrs。　Garland　said　Anne　was　quite　well。　　'She　is　grown…up　now。　　She
will　be　down　in　a　moment。'

There　was　a　slight　noise　of　military　heels　without　the　door；　at
which　the　trumpet…major　went　and　put　his　head　outside；　and　said；
'All　rightcoming　in　a　minute；'　when　voices　in　the　darkness
replied；　'No　hurry。'

'More　friends？'　said　Mrs。　Garland。

'O；　it　is　only　Buck　and　Jones　come　to　fetch　me；'　said　the　soldier。
'Shall　I　ask　'em　in　a　minute；　Mrs　Garland；　ma'am？'

'O　yes；'　said　the　lady；　and　the　two　interesting　forms　of　Trumpeter
Buck　and　Saddler…sergeant　Jones　then　came　forward　in　the　most
friendly　ma