the trumpet-major-第52部分

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going　to　show　everybody　that　I　can　do　my　duty。'

Neither　of　the　other　three　answered；　Anne　and　the　miller　having
their　eyes　bent　upon　the　ground；　and　the　former　trying　to　repress
her　tears。

'Now　don't　you　grieve；　either　of　you；'　he　continued；　'nor　vex
yourselves　that　this　has　happened。　　Please　not　to　be　angry　with　me；
father；　for　deserting　you　and　the　mill；　where　you　want　me；　for　I
MUST　GO。　　For　these　three　years　we　and　the　rest　of　the　country　have
been　in　fear　of　the　enemy；　trade　has　been　hindered；　poor　folk　made
hungry；　and　many　rich　folk　made　poor。　　There　must　be　a　deliverance；
and　it　must　be　done　by　sea。　　I　have　seen　Captain　Hardy；　and　I　shall
serve　under　him　if　so　be　I　can。'

'Captain　Hardy？'

'Yes。　　I　have　been　to　his　house　at　Pos'ham；　where　he's　staying　with
his　sisters；　walked　there　and　back；　and　I　wouldn't　have　missed　it
for　fifty　guineas。　　I　hardly　thought　he　would　see　me；　but　he　did　see
me。　　And　he　hasn't　forgot　you。'

Bob　then　opened　his　tale　in　order；　relating　graphically　the
conversation　to　which　he　had　been　a　party；　and　they　listened　with
breathless　attention。

'Well；　if　you　must　go；　you　must；'　said　the　miller　with　emotion；　'but
I　think　it　somewhat　hard　that；　of　my　two　sons；　neither　one　of　'em
can　be　got　to　stay　and　help　me　in　my　business　as　I　get　old。'

'Don't　trouble　and　vex　about　it；'　said　Mrs。　Loveday　soothingly。
'They　are　both　instruments　in　the　hands　of　Providence；　chosen　to
chastise　that　Corsican　ogre；　and　do　what　they　can　for　the　country　in
these　trying　years。'

'That's　just　the　shape　of　it；　Mrs。　Loveday；'　said　Bob。

'And　he'll　come　back　soon；'　she　continued；　turning　to　Anne。　　'And
then　he'll　tell　us　all　he　has　seen；　and　the　glory　that　he's　won；　and
how　he　has　helped　to　sweep　that　scourge　Buonaparty　off　the　earth。'

'When　be　you　going；　Bob？'　his　father　inquired。

'To…morrow；　if　I　can。　　I　shall　call　at　the　barracks　and　tell　John　as
I　go　by。　　When　I　get　to　Portsmouth'

A　burst　of　sobs　in　quick　succession　interrupted　his　words；　they　came
from　Anne；　who　till　that　moment　had　been　sitting　as　before　with　her
hand　in　that　of　Bob；　and　apparently　quite　calm。　　Mrs。　Loveday　jumped
up；　but　before　she　could　say　anything　to　soothe　the　agitated　girl
she　had　calmed　herself　with　the　same　singular　suddenness　that　had
marked　her　giving　way。　　'I　don't　mind　Bob's　going；'　she　said。　　'I
think　he　ought　to　go。　　Don't　suppose；　Bob；　that　I　want　you　to　stay！'

After　this　she　left　the　apartment；　and　went　into　the　little　side
room　where　she　and　her　mother　usually　worked。　　In　a　few　moments　Bob
followed　her。　　When　he　came　back　he　was　in　a　very　sad　and　emotional
mood。　　Anybody　could　see　that　there　had　been　a　parting　of　profound
anguish　to　both。

'She　is　not　coming　back　to…night；'　he　said。

'You　will　see　her　to…morrow　before　you　go？'　said　her　mother。

'I　may　or　I　may　not；'　he　replied。　　'Father　and　Mrs。　Loveday；　do　you
go　to　bed　now。　　I　have　got　to　look　over　my　things　and　get　ready；　and
it　will　take　me　some　little　time。　　If　you　should　hear　noises　you
will　know　it　is　only　myself　moving　about。'

When　Bob　was　left　alone　he　suddenly　became　brisk；　and　set　himself　to
overhaul　his　clothes　and　other　possessions　in　a　business…like
manner。　　By　the　time　that　his　chest　was　packed；　such　things　as　he
meant　to　leave　at　home　folded　into　cupboards；　and　what　was　useless
destroyed；　it　was　past　two　o'clock。　　Then　he　went　to　bed；　so　softly
that　only　the　creak　of　one　weak　stair　revealed　his　passage　upward。
At　the　moment　that　he　passed　Anne's　chamber…door　her　mother　was
bending　over　her　as　she　lay　in　bed；　and　saying　to　her；　'Won't　you
see　him　in　the　morning？'

'No；　no；'　said　Anne。　　'I　would　rather　not　see　him！　　I　have　said　that
I　may。　　But　I　shall　not。　　I　cannot　see　him　again！'

When　the　family　got　up　next　day　Bob　had　vanished。　　It　was　his　way　to
disappear　like　this；　to　avoid　affecting　scenes　at　parting。　　By　the
time　that　they　had　sat　down　to　a　gloomy　breakfast；　Bob　was　in　the
boat　of　a　Budmouth　waterman；　who　pulled　him　alongside　the　guardship
in　the　roads；　where　he　laid　hold　of　the　man…rope；　mounted；　and
disappeared　from　external　view。　　In　the　course　of　the　day　the　ship
moved　off；　set　her　royals；　and　made　sail　for　Portsmouth；　with　five
hundred　new　hands　for　the　service　on　board；　consisting　partly　of
pressed　men　and　partly　of　volunteers；　among　the　latter　being　Robert
Loveday。



XXXIV。　　A　SPECK　ON　THE　SEA

In　parting　from　John；　who　accompanied　him　to　the　quay；　Bob　had　said：
'Now；　Jack；　these　be　my　last　words　to　you：　　I　give　her　up。　　I　go
away　on　purpose；　and　I　shall　be　away　a　long　time。　　If　in　that　time
she　should　list　over　towards　ye　ever　so　little；　mind　you　take　her。
You　have　more　right　to　her　than　I。　　You　chose　her　when　my　mind　was
elsewhere；　and　you　best　deserve　her；　for　I　have　never　known　you
forget　one　woman；　while　I've　forgot　a　dozen。　　Take　her　then；　if　she
will　come；　and　God　bless　both　of　ye。'

Another　person　besides　John　saw　Bob　go。　　That　was　Derriman；　who　was
standing　by　a　bollard　a　little　further　up　the　quay。　　He　did　not
repress　his　satisfaction　at　the　sight。　　John　looked　towards　him　with
an　open　gaze　of　contempt；　for　the　cuffs　administered　to　the　yeoman
at　the　inn　had　not；　so　far　as　the　trumpet…major　was　aware；　produced
any　desire　to　avenge　that　insult；　John　being；　of　course；　quite
ignorant　that　Festus　had　erroneously　retaliated　upon　Bob；　in　his
peculiar　though　scarcely　soldierly　way。　　Finding　that　he　did　not
even　now　approach　him；　John　went　on　his　way；　and　thought　over　his
intention　of　preserving　intact　the　love　between　Anne　and　his
brother。

He　was　surprised　when　he　next　went　to　the　mill　to　find　how　glad　they
all　were　to　see　him。　　From　the　moment　of　Bob's　return　to　the　bosom
of　the　deep　Anne　had　had　no　existence　on　land；　people　might　have
looked　at　her　human　body　and　said　she　had　flitted　thence。　　The　sea
and　all　that　belonged　to　the　sea　was　her　daily　thought　and　her
nightly　dream。　　She　had　the　whole　two…and…thirty　winds　under　her
eye；　each　passing　gale　that　ushered　in　returning　autumn　being
mentally　registered；　and　she　acquired　a　precise　knowledge　of　the
direction　in　which　Portsmouth；　Brest；　Ferrol；　Cadiz；　and　other　such
likely　places　lay。　　Instead　of　saying　her　own　familiar　prayers　at
night　she　substituted；　with　some　confusion　of　thought；　the　Forms　of
Prayer　to　be　used　at　sea。　　John　at　once　noticed　her　lorn；　abstracted
looks；　pitied　her；how　much　he　pitied　her！and　asked　when　they
were　alone　if　there　was　anything　he　could　do。

'There　are　two　things；'　she　said；　with　almost　childish　eagerness　in
her　tired　eyes。

'They　shall　be　done。'

'The　first　is　to　find　out　if　Captain　Hardy　has　gone　back　to　his
ship；　and　the　other　isO　if　you　will　do　it；　John！to　get　me
newspapers　whenever　possible。'

After　this　duologue　John　was　absent　for　a　space　of　three　hours；　and
they　thought　he　had　gone　back　to　barracks。　　He　entered；　however；　at
the　end　of　that　time；　took　off　his　forage…cap；　and　wiped　his
forehead。

'You　look　tired；　John；'　said　his　father。

'O　no。'　　He　went　through　the　house　till　he　had　found　Anne　Garland。

'I　have　only　done　one　of　those　things；'　he　said　to　her。

'What；　already！　　I　didn't　hope　for　or　mean　to…day。'

'Captain　Hardy　is　gone　from　Pos'ham。　　He　left　some　days　ago。　　We
shall　soon　hear　that　the　fleet　has　sailed。'

'You　have　been　all　the　way　to　Pos'ham　on　purpose？　　How　good　of　you！'

'Well；　I　was　anxious　to　know　myself　when　Bob　is　likely　to　leave。　　I
expect　now　that　we　shall　soon　hear　from　him。'

Two　days　later　he　came　again。　　He　brought　a　newspaper；　and　what　was
better；　a　letter　for　Anne；　franked　by　the　first　lieutenant　of　the
Victory。

'Then　he's　aboard　her；'　said　Anne；　as　she　eagerly　took　the　letter。

It　was　short；　but　as　much　as　she　could　expect　in　the　circumstances；
and　informed　them　that　the　captain　had　been　as　good　as　his　word；　and
had　gratified　Bob's　earnest　wish　to　serve　under　him。　　The　ship；　with
Admiral　Lord　Nelson　on　board；　and　accompanied　by　the　frigate
Euryalus；　was　to　sail　in　two　days　for　Plymouth；　where　they　would　be
joined　by　others；　and　thence　proceed　to　the　coast　of　Spain。

Anne　lay　awake　that　night　thinking　of　the　Victory；　and　of　those　who
floated　in　her。　　To　the　best　of　Anne's　calculation　that　ship　of　war
would；　during　the　next　twenty…four　hours；　pass　within　a　few　miles　of
where　she　herself　then　lay。　　Next　to　seeing　Bob；　the　thing　that
would　give　her　more　pleasure　than　any　other　in　the　world　was　to　see
the　vessel　that　contained　himhis　floating　city；　his　sole
dependence　in　battle　and　stormupon　whose　safety　from　winds　and
enemies　hung　all　her　hope。

The　morrow　was　market…day　at　the　seaport；　and　in　this　she　saw　her
opportunity。　　A　carrier　went　from　Overcombe　at　six　o'clock　thither；
and　having　to　do　a　little　shopping　for　herself　she　gave　it　as　a
reason　for　her　intended　day's　absence；　and　took　a　place　in　the　van。
When　she　reached　the　town　it　was　still　early　morning；　but　the
borough　was　already　in　the　zenith　of　its　daily　bustle　and　show。　　The
King　was　always　out…of…doors　by　six　o'clock；　and　such　cock…crow
hours　at　Gloucester　Lodge　produced　an　equally　forward　stir　among　the
population。　　She　alighted；　and　passed　down　the　esplanade；　as　fully
thronged　by　persons　of　fashion　at　this　time　of　mist　and　level
sunlight　as　a　watering…place　in　the　present　day　is　at　four　in　the
afternoon。　　Dashing　bucks　and　beaux　in　cocked　hats；　black　feathers；
ruffles；　and　frills；　stared　at　her　as　she　hurried　along；　the　beach
was　swarming　with　bathing　women；　wearing　waistbands　that　bore　the
national　refrain；　'God　save　the　King；'　in　gilt　letters；　the　shops
were　all　open；　and　Sergeant　Stanner；　with　his　sword…stuck　bank…notes
and　heroic　gaze；　was　beating　up　at　two　guineas　and　a　crown；　the
crown　to　drink　his　Majesty's　health。

She　soon　finished　her　shopping；　and　then；　crossing　over　into　the　old
town；　pursued　her　way　along　the　coast…road　to　Portland。　　At　the　end
of　an　hour　she　had　been　rowed　across　the　Fleet　（which　then　lacked
the　convenience　of　a　bridge）；　and　reached　the　base　of　Portland　Hill。
The　steep　incline　before　her　was　dotted　with　houses；　showing　the
pleasant　peculiarity　of　one　man's　doorstep　being　behind　his
neighbour's　chimney；　and　slabs　of　stone　as　the　common　material　fo