the trumpet-major-第6部分

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'O　yes；'　said　the　lady；　and　the　two　interesting　forms　of　Trumpeter
Buck　and　Saddler…sergeant　Jones　then　came　forward　in　the　most
friendly　manner；　whereupon　other　steps　were　heard　without；　and　it
was　discovered　that　Sergeant…master…tailor　Brett　and　Farrier…
extraordinary　Johnson　were　outside；　having　come　to　fetch　Messrs。
Buck　and　Jones；　as　Buck　and　Jones　had　come　to　fetch　the
trumpet…major。

As　there　seemed　a　possibility　of　Mrs。　Garland's　small　passage　being
choked　up　with　human　figures　personally　unknown　to　her；　she　was
relieved　to　hear　Anne　coming　downstairs。

'Here's　my　little　girl；'　said　Mrs。　Garland；　and　the　trumpet…major
looked　with　a　sort　of　awe　upon　the　muslin　apparition　who　came
forward；　and　stood　quite　dumb　before　her。　　Anne　recognized　him　as
the　trooper　she　had　seen　from　her　window；　and　welcomed　him　kindly。
There　was　something　in　his　honest　face　which　made　her　feel　instantly
at　home　with　him。

At　this　frankness　of　manner　Lovedaywho　was　not　a　ladies'　man
blushed；　and　made　some　alteration　in　his　bodily　posture；　began　a
sentence　which　had　no　end；　and　showed　quite　a　boy's　embarrassment。
Recovering　himself；　he　politely　offered　his　arm；　which　Anne　took
with　a　very　pretty　grace。　　He　conducted　her　through　his　comrades；
who　glued　themselves　perpendicularly　to　the　wall　to　let　her　pass；
and　then　they　went　out　of　the　door；　her　mother　following　with　the
miller；　and　supported　by　the　body　of　troopers；　the　latter　walking
with　the　usual　cavalry　gait；　as　if　their　thighs　were　rather　too　long
for　them。　　Thus　they　crossed　the　threshold　of　the　mill…house　and　up
the　passage；　the　paving　of　which　was　worn　into　a　gutter　by　the　ebb
and　flow　of　feet　that　had　been　going　on　there　ever　since　Tudor
times。



IV。　　WHO　WERE　PRESENT　AT　THE　MILLER'S　LITTLE　ENTERTAINMENT

When　the　group　entered　the　presence　of　the　company　a　lull　in　the
conversation　was　caused　by　the　sight　of　new　visitors；　and　（of
course）　by　the　charm　of　Anne's　appearance；　until　the　old　men；　who
had　daughters　of　their　own；　perceiving　that　she　was　only　a
half…formed　girl；　resumed　their　tales　and　toss…potting　with
unconcern。

Miller　Loveday　had　fraternized　with　half　the　soldiers　in　the　camp
since　their　arrival；　and　the　effect　of　this　upon　his　party　was
strikingboth　chromatically　and　otherwise。　　Those　among　the　guests
who　first　attracted　the　eye　were　the　sergeants　and　sergeant…majors
of　Loveday's　regiment；　fine　hearty　men；　who　sat　facing　the　candles；
entirely　resigned　to　physical　comfort。　　Then　there　were　other
non…commissioned　officers；　a　German；　two　Hungarians；　and　a　Swede；
from　the　foreign　hussarsyoung　men　with　a　look　of　sadness　on　their
faces；　as　if　they　did　not　much　like　serving　so　far　from　home。　　All
of　them　spoke　English　fairly　well。　　Old　age　was　represented　by　Simon
Burden　the　pensioner；　and　the　shady　side　of　fifty　by　Corporal
Tullidge；　his　friend　and　neighbour；　who　was　hard　of　hearing；　and　sat
with　his　hat　on　over　a　red　cotton　handkerchief　that　was　wound
several　times　round　his　head。　　These　two　veterans　were　employed　as
watchers　at　the　neighbouring　beacon；　which　had　lately　been　erected
by　the　Lord…Lieutenant　for　firing　whenever　the　descent　on　the　coast
should　be　made。　　They　lived　in　a　little　hut　on　the　hill；　close　by
the　heap　of　faggots；　but　to…night　they　had　found　deputies　to　watch
in　their　stead。

On　a　lower　plane　of　experience　and　qualifications　came　neighbour
James　Comfort；　of　the　Volunteers；　a　soldier　by　courtesy；　but　a
blacksmith　by　rights；　also　William　Tremlett　and　Anthony
Cripplestraw；　of　the　local　forces。　　The　two　latter　men　of　war　were
dressed　merely　as　villagers；　and　looked　upon　the　regulars　from　a
humble　position　in　the　background。　　The　remainder　of　the　party　was
made　up　of　a　neighbouring　dairyman　or　two；　and　their　wives；　invited
by　the　miller；　as　Anne　was　glad　to　see；　that　she　and　her　mother
should　not　be　the　only　women　there。

The　elder　Loveday　apologized　in　a　whisper　to　Mrs。　Garland　for　the
presence　of　the　inferior　villagers。　　'But　as　they　are　learning　to　be
brave　defenders　of　their　home　and　country；　ma'am；　as　fast　as　they
can　master　the　drill；　and　have　worked　for　me　off　and　on　these　many
years；　I've　asked　'em　in；　and　thought　you'd　excuse　it。'

'Certainly；　Miller　Loveday；'　said　the　widow。

'And　the　same　of　old　Burden　and　Tullidge。　　They　have　served　well　and
long　in　the　Foot；　and　even　now　have　a　hard　time　of　it　up　at　the
beacon　in　wet　weather。　　So　after　giving　them　a　meal　in　the　kitchen　I
just　asked　'em　in　to　hear　the　singing。　　They　faithfully　promise　that
as　soon　as　ever　the　gunboats　appear　in　view；　and　they　have　fired　the
beacon；　to　run　down　here　first；　in　case　we　shouldn't　see　it。　　'Tis
worth　while　to　be　friendly　with　'em；　you　see；　though　their　tempers
be　queer。'

'Quite　worth　while；　miller；'　said　she。

Anne　was　rather　embarrassed　by　the　presence　of　the　regular　military
in　such　force；　and　at　first　confined　her　words　to　the　dairymen's
wives　she　was　acquainted　with；　and　to　the　two　old　soldiers　of　the
parish。

'Why　didn't　ye　speak　to　me　afore；　chiel？'　said　one　of　these；
Corporal　Tullidge；　the　elderly　man　with　the　hat；　while　she　was
talking　to　old　Simon　Burden。　　'I　met　ye　in　the　lane　yesterday；'　he
added　reproachfully；　'but　ye　didn't　notice　me　at　all。'

'I　am　very　sorry　for　it；'　she　said；　but；　being　afraid　to　shout　in
such　a　company；　the　effect　of　her　remark　upon　the　corporal　was　as　if
she　had　not　spoken　at　all。

'You　was　coming　along　with　yer　head　full　of　some　high　notions　or
other　no　doubt；'　continued　the　uncompromising　corporal　in　the　same
loud　voice。　　'Ah；　'tis　the　young　bucks　that　get　all　the　notice
nowadays；　and　old　folks　are　quite　forgot！　　I　can　mind　well　enough
how　young　Bob　Loveday　used　to　lie　in　wait　for　ye。'

Anne　blushed　deeply；　and　stopped　his　too　excursive　discourse　by
hastily　saying　that　she　always　respected　old　folks　like　him。　　The
corporal　thought　she　inquired　why　he　always　kept　his　hat　on；　and
answered　that　it　was　because　his　head　was　injured　at　Valenciennes；
in　July；　Ninety…three。　　'We　were　trying　to　bomb　down　the　tower；　and
a　piece　of　the　shell　struck　me。　　I　was　no　more　nor　less　than　a　dead
man　for　two　days。　　If　it　hadn't　a　been　for　that　and　my　smashed　arm　I
should　have　come　home　none　the　worse　for　my　five…and…twenty　years'
service。'

'You　have　got　a　silver　plate　let　into　yer　head；　haven't　ye；　corpel？'
said　Anthony　Cripplestraw；　who　had　drawn　near。　　'I　have　heard　that
the　way　they　morticed　yer　skull　was　a　beautiful　piece　of
workmanship。　　Perhaps　the　young　woman　would　like　to　see　the　place？
'Tis　a　curious　sight；　Mis'ess　Anne；　you　don't　see　such　a　wownd　every
day。'

'No；　thank　you；'　said　Anne　hurriedly；　dreading；　as　did　all　the　young
people　of　Overcombe；　the　spectacle　of　the　corporal　uncovered。　　He
had　never　been　seen　in　public　without　the　hat　and　the　handkerchief
since　his　return　in　Ninety…four；　and　strange　stories　were　told　of
the　ghastliness　of　his　appearance　bare…headed；　a　little　boy　who　had
accidentally　beheld　him　going　to　bed　in　that　state　having　been
frightened　into　fits。

'Well；　if　the　young　woman　don't　want　to　see　yer　head；　maybe　she'd
like　to　hear　yer　arm？'　continued　Cripplestraw；　earnest　to　please
her。

'Hey？'　said　the　corporal。

'Your　arm　hurt　too？'　cried　Anne。

'Knocked　to　a　pummy　at　the　same　time　as　my　head；'　said　Tullidge
dispassionately。

'Rattle　yer　arm；　corpel；　and　show　her；'　said　Cripplestraw。

'Yes；　sure；'　said　the　corporal；　raising　the　limb　slowly；　as　if　the
glory　of　exhibition　had　lost　some　of　its　novelty；　though　he　was
willing　to　oblige。　　Twisting　it　mercilessly　about　with　his　right
hand　he　produced　a　crunching　among　the　bones　at　every　motion；
Cripplestraw　seeming　to　derive　great　satisfaction　from　the　ghastly
sound。

'How　very　shocking！'　said　Anne；　painfully　anxious　for　him　to　leave
off。

'O；　it　don't　hurt　him；　bless　ye。　　Do　it；　corpel？'　said　Cripplestraw。

'Not　a　bit；'　said　the　corporal；　still　working　his　arm　with　great
energy。

'There's　no　life　in　the　bones　at　all。　　No　life　in　'em；　I　tell　her；
corpel！'

'None　at　all。'

'They　be　as　loose　as　a　bag　of　ninepins；'　explained　Cripplestraw　in
continuation。　　'You　can　feel　'em　quite　plain；　Mis'ess　Anne。　　If　ye
would　like　to；　he'll　undo　his　sleeve　in　a　minute　to　oblege　ye？'

'O　no；　no；　please　not！　　I　quite　understand；'　said　the　young　woman。

'Do　she　want　to　hear　or　see　any　more；　or　don't　she？'　the　corporal
inquired；　with　a　sense　that　his　time　was　getting　wasted。

Anne　explained　that　she　did　not　on　any　account；　and　managed　to
escape　from　the　corner。



V。　　THE　SONG　AND　THE　STRANGER

The　trumpet…major　now　contrived　to　place　himself　near　her；　Anne's
presence　having　evidently　been　a　great　pleasure　to　him　since　the
moment　of　his　first　seeing　her。　　She　was　quite　at　her　ease　with　him；
and　asked　him　if　he　thought　that　Buonaparte　would　really　come　during
the　summer；　and　many　other　questions　which　the　gallant　dragoon　could
not　answer；　but　which　he　nevertheless　liked　to　be　asked。　　William
Tremlett；　who　had　not　enjoyed　a　sound　night's　rest　since　the　First
Consul's　menace　had　become　known；　pricked　up　his　ears　at　sound　of
this　subject；　and　inquired　if　anybody　had　seen　the　terrible
flat…bottomed　boats　that　the　enemy　were　to　cross　in。

'My　brother　Robert　saw　several　of　them　paddling　about　the　shore　the
last　time　he　passed　the　Straits　of　Dover；'　said　the　trumpet…major；
and　he　further　startled　the　company　by　informing　them　that　there
were　supposed　to　be　more　than　fifteen　hundred　of　these　boats；　and
that　they　would　carry　a　hundred　men　apiece。　　So　that　a　descent　of
one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　men　might　be　expected　any　day　as　soon
as　Boney　had　brought　his　plans　to　bear。

'Lord　ha'　mercy　upon　us！'　said　William　Tremlett。

'The　night…time　is　when　they　will　try　it；　if　they　try　it　at　all；'
said　old　Tullidge；　in　the　tone　of　one　whose　watch　at　the　beacon
must；　in　the　nature　of　things；　have　given　him　comprehensive　views　of
the　situation。　　'It　is　my　belief　that　the　point　they　will　choose　for
making　the　shore　is　just　over　there；'　and　he　nodded　with
indifference　towards　a　section　of　the　coast　at　a　hideous　nearness　to
the　house　in　which　they　were　assembled；　whereupon　Fencible　Tremlett；
and　Cripplestraw　of　the　Locals；　tr