The TrumpetMajor..........................................................................................................................................1

The present tale is founded more largely on testimonyoral and writtenthan any other in this series. The

external incidents which direct its course are mostly an unexaggerated reproduction of the recollections of old

persons well known to the author in childhood, but now long dead, who were eyewitnesses of those scenes.

If wholly transcribed their recollections would have filled a volume thrice the length of 'The TrumpetMajor.'

Down to the middle of this century, and later, there were not wanting, in the neighbourhood of the places

more or less clearly indicated herein, casual relics of the circumstances amid which the action movesour

preparations for defence against the threatened invasion of England by Buonaparte. An outhouse door riddled

with bulletholes, which had been extemporized by a solitary man as a target for firelock practice when the

landing was hourly expected, a heap of bricks and clods on a beaconhill, which had formed the chimney and

walls of the hut occupied by the beaconkeeper, wormeaten shafts and iron heads of pikes for the use of

those who had no better weapons, ridges on the down thrown up during the encampment, fragments of

volunteer uniform, and other such lingering remains, brought to my imagination in early childhood the state

of affairs at the date of the war more vividly than volumes of history could have done.

Those who have attempted to construct a coherent narrative of past times from the fragmentary information

furnished by survivors, are aware of the difficulty of ascertaining the true sequence of events indiscriminately

recalled. For this purpose the newspapers of the date were indispensable. Of other documents consulted I may

mention, for the satisfaction of those who love a true story, that the 'Address to all Ranks and Descriptions of

Englishmen' was transcribed from an original copy in a local museum; that the hieroglyphic portrait of

Napoleon existed as a print down to the present day in an old woman's cottage near 'Overcombe;' that the

particulars of the King's doings at his favourite wateringplace were augmented by details from records of

the time. The drilling scene of the local militia received some additions from an account given in so grave a

work as Gifford's 'History of the Wars of the French Revolution' (London, 1817). But on reference to the

History I find I was mistaken in supposing the account to be advanced as authentic, or to refer to rural

England. However, it does in a large degree accord with the local traditions of such scenes that I have heard

recounted, times without number, and the system of drill was tested by reference to the Army Regulations of

1801, and other military handbooks. Almost the whole narrative of the supposed landing of the French in the

Bay is from oral relation as aforesaid. Other proofs of the veracity of this chronicle have escaped my

In the days of highwaisted and muslingowned women, when the vast amount of soldiering going on in the

country was a cause of much trembling to the sex, there lived in a village near the Wessex coast two ladies of

good report, though unfortunately of limited means. The elder was a Mrs. Martha Garland, a

Anne was fair, very fair, in a poetical sense; but in complexion she was of that particular tint between blonde

and brunette which is inconveniently left without a name. Her eyes were honest and inquiring, her mouth

cleanly cut and yet not classical, the middle point of her upper lip scarcely descending so far as it should have

done by rights, so that at the merest pleasant thought, not to mention a smile, portions of two or three white

teeth were uncovered whether she would or not. Some people said that this was very attractive. She was

graceful and slender, and, though but little above five feet in height, could draw herself up to look tall. In her

manner, in her comings and goings, in her 'I'll do this,' or 'I'll do that,' she combined dignity with sweetness as

no other girl could do; and any impressionable stranger youths who passed by were led to yearn for a windfall

of speech from her, and to see at the same time that they would not get it. In short, beneath all that was

charming and simple in this young woman there lurked a real firmness, unperceived at first, as the speck of

She wore a white handkerchief to cover her white neck, and a cap on her head with a pink ribbon round it,

tied in a bow at the front. She had a great variety of these capribbons, the young men being fond of sending

them to her as presents until they fell definitely in love with a special sweetheart elsewhere, when they left

off doing so. Between the border of her cap and her forehead were ranged a row of round brown curls, like

She lived with her widowed mother in a portion of an ancient building formerly a manorhouse, but now a

mill, which, being too large for his own requirements, the miller had found it convenient to divide and

appropriate in part to these highly respectable tenants. In this dwelling Mrs. Garland's and Anne's ears were

soothed morning, noon, and night by the music of the mill, the wheels and cogs of which, being of wood,

produced notes that might have borne in their minds a remote resemblance to the wooden tones of the

stopped diapason in an organ. Occasionally, when the miller was bolting, there was added to these continuous

sounds the cheerful clicking of the hopper, which did not deprive them of rest except when it was kept going

all night; and over and above all this they had the pleasure of knowing that there crept in through every

crevice, door, and window of their dwelling, however tightly closed, a subtle mist of superfine flour from the

grinding room, quite invisible, but making its presence known in the course of time by giving a pallid and

ghostly look to the best furniture. The miller frequently apologized to his tenants for the intrusion of this

insidious dry fog; but the widow was of a friendly and thankful nature, and she said that she did not mind it at

By goodhumour of this sort, and in other ways, Mrs. Garland acknowledged her friendship for her

neighbour, with whom Anne and herself associated to an extent which she never could have anticipated

when, tempted by the lowness of the rent, they first removed thither after her husband's death from a larger

house at the other end of the village. Those who have lived in remote places where there is what is called no

society will comprehend the gradual levelling of distinctions that went on in this case at some sacrifice of

gentility on the part of one household. The widow was sometimes sorry to find with what readiness Anne

caught up some dialectword or accent from the miller and his friends; but he was so good and truehearted

a man, and she so easyminded, unambitious a woman, that she would not make life a solitude for fastidious

reasons. More than all, she had good ground for thinking that the miller secretly admired her, and this added a

On a fine summer morning, when the leaves were warm under the sun, and the more industrious bees abroad,

diving into every blue and red cup that could possibly be considered a flower, Anne was sitting at the back

window of her mother's portion of the house, measuring out lengths of worsted for a fringed rug that she was

making, which lay, about threequarters finished, beside her. The work, though chromatically brilliant, was

tedious: a hearthrug was a thing which nobody worked at from morning to night; it was taken up and put

down; it was in the chair, on the floor, across the handrail, under the bed, kicked here, kicked there, rolled

away in the closet, brought out again, and so on more capriciously perhaps than any other homemade

article. Nobody was expected to finish a rug within a calculable period, and the wools of the beginning

became faded and historical before the end was reached. A sense of this inherent nature of worstedwork

Immediately before her was the large, smooth millpond, overfull, and intruding into the hedge and into the

road. The water, with its flowing leaves and spots of froth, was stealing away, like Time, under the dark arch,

to tumble over the great slimy wheel within. On the other side of the millpond was an open place called the

Cross, because it was threequarters of one, two lanes and a cattledrive meeting there. It was the general

rendezvous and arena of the surrounding village. Behind this a steep slope rose high into the sky, merging in

a wide and open down, now littered with sheep newly shorn. The upland by its height completely sheltered

the mill and village from north winds, making summers of springs, reducing winters to autumn temperatures,

The heaviness of noon pervaded the scene, and under its influence the sheep had ceased to feed. Nobody was

standing at the Cross, the few inhabitants being indoors at their dinner. No human being was on the down,

and no human eye or interest but Anne's seemed to be concerned with it. The bees still worked on, and the

butterflies did not rest from roving, their smallness seeming to shield them from the stagnating effect that this

The girl glanced at the down and the sheep for no particular reason; the steep margin of turf and daisies rising

above the roofs, chimneys, appletrees, and church tower of the hamlet around her, bounded the view from

her position, and it was necessary to look somewhere when she raised her head. While thus engaged in

working and stopping her attention was attracted by the sudden rising and running away of the sheep squatted

on the down; and there succeeded sounds of a heavy tramping over the hard sod which the sheep had quitted,

the tramp being accompanied by a metallic jingle. Turning her eyes further she beheld two cavalry soldiers

on bulky grey chargers, armed and accoutred throughout, ascending the down at a point to the left where the

incline was comparatively easy. The burnished chains, buckles, and plates of their trappings shone like little

lookingglasses, and the blue, red, and white about them was unsubdued by weather or wear.

The two troopers rode proudly on, as if nothing less than crowns and empires ever concerned their

magnificent minds. They reached that part of the down which lay just in front of her, where they came to a

halt. In another minute there appeared behind them a group containing some halfdozen more of the same

Two of the soldiers then walked some distance onward together, when one stood still, the other advancing

further, and stretching a white line of tape between them. Two more of the men marched to another outlying

point, where they made marks in the ground. Thus they walked about and took distances, obviously according

At the end of this systematic proceeding one solitary horsemana commissioned officer, if his uniform

could be judged rightly at that distancerode up the down, went over the ground, looked at what the others

had done, and seemed to think that it was good. And then the girl heard yet louder tramps and clankings, and

she beheld rising from where the others had risen a whole column of cavalry in marching order. At a distance

behind these came a cloud of dust enveloping more and more troops, their arms and accoutrements reflecting

the sun through the haze in faint flashes, stars, and streaks of light. The whole body approached slowly

Anne threw down her work, and letting her eyes remain on the nearing masses of cavalry, the worsteds

getting entangled as they would, said, 'Mother, mother; come here! Here's such a fine sight! What does it

The mother thus invoked ran upstairs and came forward to the window. She was a woman of sanguine mouth

and eye, unheroic manner, and pleasant general appearance; a little more tarnished as to surface, but not

Widow Garland's thoughts were those of the period. 'Can it be the French,' she said, arranging herself for the

extremest form of consternation. 'Can that archenemy of mankind have landed at last?' It should be stated

that at this time there were two archenemies of mankindSatan as usual, and Buonaparte, who had sprung

up and eclipsed his elder rival altogether. Mrs. Garland alluded, of course, to the junior gentleman.

'It cannot be he,' said Anne. 'Ah! there's Simon Burden, the man who watches at the beacon. He'll know!'

She waved her hand to an aged form of the same colour as the road, who had just appeared beyond the

millpond, and who, though active, was bowed to that degree which almost reproaches a feeling observer for

standing upright. The arrival of the soldiery had drawn him out from his drop of drink at the 'Duke of York'

as it had attracted Anne. At her call he crossed the millbridge, and came towards the window.

Anne inquired of him what it all meant; but Simon Burden, without answering, continued to move on with

parted gums, staring at the cavalry on his own private account with a concern that people often show about

temporal phenomena when such matters can affect them but a short time longer. 'You'll walk into the

millpond!' said Anne. 'What are they doing? You were a soldier many years ago, and ought to know.'

'Don't ask me, Mis'ess Anne,' said the military relic, depositing his body against the wall one limb at a time. 'I

were only in the foot, ye know, and never had a clear understanding of horses. Ay, I be a old man, and of no

judgment now.' Some additional pressure, however, caused him to search further in his wormeaten

magazine of ideas, and he found that he did know in a dim irresponsible way. The soldiers must have come

there to camp: those men they had seen first were the markers: they had come on before the rest to measure

out the ground. He who had accompanied them was the quartermaster. 'And so you see they have got all the

lines marked out by the time the regiment have come up,' he added. 'And then they will welladeary!

'Then Ah, it's gone from me again!' said Simon. 'O, and then they will raise their tents, you know, and

By this time the column of horse had ascended into full view, and they formed a lively spectacle as they rode

along the high ground in marching order, backed by the pale blue sky, and lit by the southerly sun. Their

uniform was bright and attractive; white buckskin pantaloons, threequarter boots, scarlet shakos set off with

lace, mustachios waxed to a needle point; and above all, those richly ornamented blue jackets mantled with

the historic pelisse that fascination to women, and encumbrance to the wearers themselves.

''Tis the York Hussars!' said Simon Burden, brightening like a dying ember fanned. 'Foreigners to a man, and

enrolled long since my time. But as good hearty comrades, they say, as you'll find in the King's service.'

Other troops had, during the last few minutes, been ascending the down at a remoter point, and now drew

near. These were of different weight and build from the others; lighter men, in helmet hats, with white

Simon, who had been looking hard at the latter, now said that they were the th Dragoons.

'All Englishmen they,' said the old man. 'They lay at Budmouth barracks a few years ago.'

'And lots of the chaps about here 'listed at the time,' said Simon. 'I can call to mind that there wasah, 'tis

The dragoons passed in front of the lookerson as the others had done, and their gay plumes, which had hung

lazily during the ascent, swung to northward as they reached the top, showing that on the summit a fresh

breeze blew. 'But look across there,' said Anne. There had entered upon the down from another direction

several battalions of foot, in white kerseymere breeches and cloth gaiters. They seemed to be weary from a

long march, the original black of their gaiters and boots being whitybrown with dust. Presently came

regimental waggons, and the private canteen carts which followed at the end of a convoy.

The space in front of the millpond was now occupied by nearly all the inhabitants of the village, who had

turned out in alarm, and remained for pleasure, their eyes lighted up with interest in what they saw; for

trappings and regimentals, war horses and men, in towns an attraction, were here almost a sublimity.

The troops filed to their lines, dismounted, and in quick time took off their accoutrements, rolled up their

sheepskins, picketed and unbitted their horses, and made ready to erect the tents as soon as they could be

taken from the waggons and brought forward. When this was done, at a given signal the canvases flew up

Though nobody seemed to be looking on but the few at the window and in the village street, there were, as a

matter of fact, many eyes converging upon that military arrival in its high and conspicuous position, not to

mention the glances of birds and other wild creatures. Men in distant gardens, women in orchards and at

cottagedoors, shepherds on remote hills, turniphoers in bluegreen enclosures miles away, captains with

spyglasses out at sea, were regarding the picture keenly. Those three or four thousand men of one

machinelike movement, some of them swashbucklers by nature; others, doubtless, of a quiet shopkeeping

disposition who had inadvertently got into uniformall of them had arrived from nobody knew where, and

hence were matter of great curiosity. They seemed to the mere eye to belong to a different order of beings

from those who inhabited the valleys below. Apparently unconscious and careless of what all the world was

doing elsewhere, they remained picturesquely engrossed in the business of making themselves a habitation on

Mrs. Garland was of a festive and sanguine turn of mind, a woman soon set up and soon set down, and the

coming of the regiments quite excited her. She thought there was reason for putting on her best cap, thought

that perhaps there was not; that she would hurry on the dinner and go out in the afternoon; then that she

would, after all, do nothing unusual, nor show any silly excitements whatever, since they were unbecoming in

a mother and a widow. Thus circumscribing her intentions till she was toned down to an ordinary person of

forty, Mrs. Garland accompanied her daughter downstairs to dine, saying, 'Presently we will call on Miller

Miller Loveday was the representative of an ancient family of corngrinders whose history is lost in the mists

of antiquity. His ancestral line was contemporaneous with that of De Ros, Howard, and De La Zouche; but,

owing to some trifling deficiency in the possessions of the house of Loveday, the individual names and

intermarriages of its members were not recorded during the Middle Ages, and thus their private lives in any

given century were uncertain. But it was known that the family had formed matrimonial alliances with

farmers not so very small, and once with a gentleman tanner, who had for many years purchased after their

death the horses of the most aristocratic persons in the countyfiery steeds that earlier in their career had

It was also ascertained that Mr. Loveday's greatgrandparents had been eight in number, and his

greatgreatgrandparents sixteen, every one of whom reached to years of discretion: at every stage

backwards his sires and gammers thus doubled and doubled till they became a vast body of Gothic ladies and

gentlemen of the rank known as ceorls or villeins, full of importance to the country at large, and ramifying

throughout the unwritten history of England. His immediate father had greatly improved the value of their

residence by building a new chimney, and setting up an additional pair of millstones.

Overcombe Mill presented at one end the appearance of a hardworked house slipping into the river, and at

the other of an idle, genteel place, halfcloaked with creepers at this time of the year, and having no visible

connexion with flour. It had hips instead of gables, giving it a roundshouldered look, four chimneys with no

smoke coming out of them, two zigzag cracks in the wall, several open windows, with a lookingglass here

and there inside, showing its warped back to the passerby; snowy dimity curtains waving in the draught; two

mill doors, one above the other, the upper enabling a person to step out upon nothing at a height of ten feet

from the ground; a gaping arch vomiting the river, and a lean, longnosed fellow looking out from the mill

doorway, who was the hired grinder, except when a bulging fifteen stone man occupied the same place,

Behind the mill door, and invisible to the mere wayfarer who did not visit the family, were chalked addition

and subtraction sums, many of them originally done wrong, and the figures half rubbed out and corrected,

noughts being turned into nines, and ones into twos. These were the miller's private calculations. There were

also chalked in the same place rows and rows of strokes like open palings, representing the calculations of the

grinder, who in his youthful ciphering studies had not gone so far as Arabic figures.

In the court in front were two wornout millstones, made useful again by being let in level with the ground.

Here people stood to smoke and consider things in muddy weather; and cats slept on the clean surfaces when

it was hot. In the large stubbardtree at the corner of the garden was erected a pole of larch fir, which the

miller had bought with others at a sale of small timber in Damer's Wood one Christmas week. It rose from the

upper boughs of the tree to about the height of a fisherman's mast, and on the top was a vane in the form of a

sailor with his arm stretched out. When the sun shone upon this figure it could be seen that the greater part of

his countenance was gone, and the paint washed from his body so far as to reveal that he had been a soldier in

red before he became a sailor in blue. The image had, in fact, been John, one of our coming characters, and

was then turned into Robert, another of them. This revolving piece of statuary could not, however, be relied

on as a vane, owing to the neighbouring hill, which formed variable currents in the wind.

The leafy and quieter wing of the millhouse was the part occupied by Mrs. Garland and her daughter, who

made up in summertime for the narrowness of their quarters by overflowing into the garden on stools and

chairs. The parlour or diningroom had a stone floora fact which the widow sought to disguise by double

carpeting, lest the standing of Anne and herself should be lowered in the public eye. Here now the midday

meal went lightly and mincingly on, as it does where there is no greedy carnivorous man to keep the dishes

about, and was hanging on the close when somebody entered the passage as far as the chink of the parlour

door, and tapped. This proceeding was probably adopted to kindly avoid giving trouble to Susan, the

neighbour's pink daughter, who helped at Mrs. Garland's in the mornings, but was at that moment particularly

occupied in standing on the waterbutt and gazing at the soldiers, with an inhaling position of the mouth and

There was a flutter in the little diningroomthe sensitiveness of habitual solitude makes hearts beat for

preternaturally small reasonsand a guessing as to who the visitor might be. It was some military gentleman

from the camp perhaps? No; that was impossible. It was the parson? No; he would not come at dinnertime.

It was the wellinformed man who travelled with drapery and the best Birmingham earrings? Not at all; his

time was not till Thursday at three. Before they could think further the visitor moved forward another step,

and the diners got a glimpse of him through the same friendly chink that had afforded him a view of the

This approximation to nobody was the miller above mentioned, a hale man of fiftyfive or sixtyhale all

through, as many were in those days, and not merely veneered with purple by exhilarating victuals and

drinks, though the latter were not at all despised by him. His face was indeed rather pale than otherwise, for

he had just come from the mill. It was capable of immense changes of expression: mobility was its essence, a

roll of flesh forming a buttress to his nose on each side, and a deep ravine lying between his lower lip and the

tumulus represented by his chin. These fleshy lumps moved stealthily, as if of their own accord, whenever his

His eyes having lighted on the tablecloth, plates, and viands, he found himself in a position which had a

sensible awkwardness for a modest man who always liked to enter only at seasonable times the presence of a

girl of such pleasantly soft ways as Anne Garland, she who could make apples seem like peaches, and throw

'Dinner is over, neighbour Loveday; please come in,' said the widow, seeing his case. The miller said

something about coming in presently; but Anne pressed him to stay, with a tender motion of her lip as it

played on the verge of a solicitous smile without quite lapsing into oneher habitual manner when speaking.

Loveday took off his lowcrowned hat and advanced. He had not come about pigs or fowls this time. 'You

have been looking out, like the rest o' us, no doubt, Mrs. Garland, at the mampus of soldiers that have come

upon the down? Well, one of the horse regiments is the th Dragoons, my son John's regiment, you know.'

The announcement, though it interested them, did not create such an effect as the father of John had seemed

to anticipate; but Anne, who liked to say pleasant things, replied, 'The dragoons looked nicer than the foot, or

'They are a handsome body of men,' said the miller in a disinterested voice. 'Faith! I didn't know they were

coming, though it may be in the newspaper all the time. But old Derriman keeps it so long that we never

This Derriman was a squireen living near, who was chiefly distinguished in the present warlike time by

'We were told that the yeomanry went along the turnpike road yesterday,' said Anne; 'and they say that they

'Ah! wellthey be not regulars,' said Miller Loveday, keeping back harsher criticism as uncalled for. But

inflamed by the arrival of the dragoons, which had been the exciting cause of his call, his mind would not go

'He's trumpetmajor, ma'am; and a good musician.' The miller, who was a good father, went on to explain

that John had seen some service, too. He had enlisted when the regiment was lying in this neighbourhood,

more than eleven years before, which put his father out of temper with him, as he had wished him to follow

on at the mill. But as the lad had enlisted seriously, and as he had often said that he would be a soldier, the

miller had thought that he would let Jack take his chance in the profession of his choice.

Loveday had two sons, and the second was now brought into the conversation by a remark of Anne's that

'No,' said Loveday in a less buoyant tone. 'Robert, you see, must needs go to sea.'

About four years, the miller told her. His soldier son was twoandthirty, and Bob was twentyeight. When

Bob returned from his present voyage, he was to be persuaded to stay and assist as grinder in the mill, and go

'O, he knows as much about mill business as I do,' said Loveday; 'he was intended for it, you know, like John.

But, bless me!' he continued, 'I am before my story. I'm come more particularly to ask you, ma'am, and you,

Anne my honey, if you will join me and a few friends at a leetle homely supper that I shall gi'e to please the

chap now he's come? I can do no less than have a bit of a randy, as the saying is, now that he's here safe and

Mrs. Garland wanted to catch her daughter's eye; she was in some doubt about her answer. But Anne's eye

was not to be caught, for she hated hints, nods, and calculations of any kind in matters which should be

regulated by impulse; and the matron replied, 'If so be 'tis possible, we'll be there. You will tell us the day?'

He would, as soon as he had seen son John. ''Twill be rather untidy, you know, owing to my having no

womenfolks in the house; and my man David is a poor dunderheaded feller for getting up a feast. Poor

chap! his sight is bad, that's true, and he's very good at making the beds, and oiling the legs of the chairs and

'Yes, I should, but. Well, 'tis a fine day, neighbours. Hark! I fancy I hear the noise of pots and pans up at

the camp, or my ears deceive me. Poor fellows, they must be hungry! Good day t'ye, ma'am.' And the miller

All that afternoon Overcombe continued in a ferment of interest in the military investment, which brought the

excitement of an invasion without the strife. There were great discussions on the merits and appearance of the

soldiery. The event opened up, to the girls unbounded possibilities of adoring and being adored, and to the

young men an embarrassment of dashing acquaintances which quite superseded falling in love. Thirteen of

these lads incontinently stated within the space of a quarter of an hour that there was nothing in the world like

going for a soldier. The young women stated little, but perhaps thought the more; though, in justice, they

glanced round towards the encampment from the corners of their blue and brown eyes in the most demure

In the evening the village was lively with soldiers' wives; a tree full of starlings would not have rivalled the

chatter that was going on. These ladies were very brilliantly dressed, with more regard for colour than for

material. Purple, red, and blue bonnets were numerous, with bunches of cocks' feathers; and one had on an

Arcadian hat of green sarcenet, turned up in front to show her cap underneath. It had once belonged to an

officer's lady, and was not so much stained, except where the occasional storms of rain, incidental to a

military life, had caused the green to run and stagnate in curious watermarks like peninsulas and islands.

Some of the prettiest of these butterfly wives had been fortunate enough to get lodgings in the cottages, and

were thus spared the necessity of living in huts and tents on the down. Those who had not been so fortunate

were not rendered more amiable by the success of their sistersinarms, and called them names which

brought forth retorts and rejoinders; till the end of these alternative remarks seemed dependent upon the close

One of these new arrivals, who had a rosy nose and a slight thickness of voice, which, as Anne said, she

couldn't help, poor thing, seemed to have seen so much of the world, and to have been in so many campaigns,

that Anne would have liked to take her into their own house, so as to acquire some of that practical

knowledge of the history of England which the lady possessed, and which could not be got from books. But

the narrowness of Mrs. Garland's rooms absolutely forbade this, and the houseless treasury of experience was

That night Anne retired early to bed. The events of the day, cheerful as they were in themselves, had been

unusual enough to give her a slight headache. Before getting into bed she went to the window, and lifted the

white curtains that hung across it. The moon was shining, though not as yet into the valley, but just peeping

above the ridge of the down, where the white cones of the encampment were softly touched by its light. The

quarterguard and foremost tents showed themselves prominently; but the body of the camp, the officers'

tents, kitchens, canteen, and appurtenances in the rear were blotted out by the ground, because of its height

above her. She could discern the forms of one or two sentries moving to and fro across the disc of the moon

at intervals. She could hear the frequent shuffling and tossing of the horses tied to the pickets; and in the other

direction the mileslong voice of the sea, whispering a louder note at those points of its length where

hampered in its ebb and flow by some jutting promontory or group of boulders. Louder sounds suddenly

broke this approach to silence; they came from the camp of dragoons, were taken up further to the right by

the camp of the Hanoverians, and further on still by the body of infantry. It was tattoo. Feeling no desire to

sleep, she listened yet longer, looked at Charles's Wain swinging over the church tower, and the moon

ascending higher and higher over the righthand streets of tents, where, instead of parade and bustle, there

was nothing going on but snores and dreams, the tired soldiers lying by this time under their proper canvases,

At last Anne gave up thinking, and retired like the rest. The night wore on, and, except the occasional 'All's

The next morning Miss Garland awoke with an impression that something more than usual was going on, and

she recognized as soon as she could clearly reason that the proceedings, whatever they might be, lay not far

away from her bedroom window. The sounds were chiefly those of pickaxes and shovels. Anne got up, and,

A number of soldiers were busily engaged in making a zigzag path down the incline from the camp to the

riverhead at the back of the house, and judging from the quantity of work already got through they must

have begun very early. Squads of men were working at several equidistant points in the proposed pathway,

and by the time that Anne had dressed herself each section of the length had been connected with those above

and below it, so that a continuous and easy track was formed from the crest of the down to the bottom of the

The down rested on a bed of solid chalk, and the surface exposed by the roadmakers formed a white ribbon,

Then the relays of working soldiers all disappeared, and, not long after, a troop of dragoons in watering order

rode forward at the top and began to wind down the new path. They came lower and closer, and at last were

immediately beneath her window, gathering themselves up on the space by the millpond. A number of the

horses entered it at the shallow part, drinking and splashing and tossing about. Perhaps as many as thirty, half

of them with riders on their backs, were in the water at one time; the thirsty animals drank, stamped,

flounced, and drank again, letting the clear, cool water dribble luxuriously from their mouths. Miller Loveday

was looking on from over his garden hedge, and many admiring villagers were gathered around.

Gazing up higher, Anne saw other troops descending by the new road from the camp, those which had

already been to the pond making room for these by withdrawing along the village lane and returning to the

Suddenly the miller exclaimed, as in fulfilment of expectation, 'Ah, John, my boy; good morning!' And the

reply of 'Morning, father,' came from a wellmounted soldier near him, who did not, however, form one of

the watering party. Anne could not see his face very clearly, but she had no doubt that this was John Loveday.

There were tones in the voice which reminded her of old times, those of her very infancy, when Johnny

Loveday had been top boy in the village school, and had wanted to learn painting of her father. The deeps and

shallows of the millpond being better known to him than to any other man in the camp, he had apparently

come down on that account, and was cautioning some of the horsemen against riding too far in towards the

Since her childhood and his enlistment Anne had seen him only once, and then but casually, when he was

home on a short furlough. His figure was not much changed from what it had been; but the many sunrises and

sunsets which had passed since that day, developing her from a comparative child to womanhood, had

abstracted some of his angularities, reddened his skin, and given him a foreign look. It was interesting to see

what years of training and service had done for this man. Few would have supposed that the white and the

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 milltail, and stretching to the waterside. 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 foragecaps, 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

halfhour, 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

shoulderblades. 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

When she came downstairs her mother said, 'I have been thinking what I ought to wear to Miller Loveday's

'Yes. The party is tonight. He has been in here this morning to tell me that he has seen his son, and they

'Do you think we ought to go, mother?' said Anne slowly, and looking at the smaller features of the

'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

'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?'

'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

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

'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 summerhouse, 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

Then there was an intensified continuation of the abovementioned signs of enjoyment, talkings and

hawhaws, 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 partywall began to have a very gloomy effect by the

contrast. When, about halfpast 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

'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

'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, steelbuckled shoes and speckled stockings, became him very well in Mrs. Martha Garland's

'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

halfanhour. John and his friends have got passes till twelve o'clock tonight, 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.'

'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

'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 trumpetmajor appeared halfway down the passage. 'This is John,'

'Very well, indeed,' said the dragoon, coming in a little further. 'I should have called to see her last time, but I

Mrs. Garland said Anne was quite well. 'She is grownup now. She will be down in a moment.'

There was a slight noise of military heels without the door, at which the trumpetmajor went and put his head

outside, and said, 'All rightcoming in a minute,' when voices in the darkness replied, 'No hurry.'

'O, it is only Buck and Jones come to fetch me,' said the soldier. 'Shall I ask 'em in a minute, Mrs Garland,

'O yes,' said the lady; and the two interesting forms of Trumpeter Buck and Saddlersergeant Jones then

came forward in the most friendly manner; whereupon other steps were heard without, and it was discovered

that Sergeantmastertailor Brett and Farrier extraordinary Johnson were outside, having come to fetch

As there seemed a possibility of Mrs. Garland's small passage being choked up with human figures

'Here's my little girl,' said Mrs. Garland, and the trumpetmajor 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

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

millhouse and up the passage, the paving of which was worn into a gutter by the ebb and flow of feet that

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 halfformed girl, resumed their tales and tosspotting with

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 sergeantmajors of Loveday's regiment, fine hearty men, who sat facing the

candles, entirely resigned to physical comfort. Then there were other noncommissioned 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 LordLieutenant 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 tonight they had found deputies

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

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.'

'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,

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

'I am very sorry for it,' she said; but, being afraid to shout in such a company, the effect of her remark upon

'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, Ninetythree. '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 fiveandtwenty years'

'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

'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

Ninetyfour; and strange stories were told of the ghastliness of his appearance bareheaded, 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

'Knocked to a pummy at the same time as my head,' said Tullidge dispassionately.

'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.

'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?'

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

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

The trumpetmajor 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 flatbottomed boats that the enemy were

'My brother Robert saw several of them paddling about the shore the last time he passed the Straits of Dover,'

said the trumpetmajor; 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

'The nighttime 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, tried to show no signs of trepidation.

'I can't answer to a day,' said the corporal, 'but it will certainly be in a downchannel tide; and instead of

pulling hard against it, he'll let his boats drift, and that will bring 'em right into Budmouth Bay. 'Twill be a

'Beautiful,' said Cripplestraw, moving inside his clothes. 'But how if we should be all abed, corpel? You can't

expect a man to be brave in his shirt, especially we Locals, that have only got so far as shoulder firelocks.'

'He's not coming this summer. He'll never come at all,' said a tall sergeantmajor decisively.

Loveday the soldier was too much engaged in attending upon Anne and her mother to join in these surmises,

bestirring himself to get the ladies some of the best liquor the house afforded, which had, as a matter of fact,

crossed the Channel as privately as Buonaparte wished his army to do, and had been landed on a dark night

over the cliff. After this he asked Anne to sing, but though she had a very pretty voice in private

performances of that nature, she declined to oblige him; turning the subject by making a hesitating inquiry

'Robert is as well as ever, thank you, Miss Garland,' he said. 'He is now mate of the brig Pewitrather young

for such a command; but the owner puts great trust in him.' The trumpetmajor added, deepening his

'I can't exactly say. And the strange part of it is that he never tells us who the woman is. Nobody knows at

'He will tell, of course?' said Anne, in the remote tone of a person with whose sex such matters had no

Loveday shook his head, and the teteatete was put an end to by a burst of singing from one of the

sergeants, who was followed at the end of his song by others, each giving a ditty in his turn; the singer

standing up in front of the table, stretching his chin well into the air, as though to abstract every possible

wrinkle from his throat, and then plunging into the melody. When this was over one of the foreign

hussarsthe genteel German of Miller Loveday's description, who called himself a Hungarian, and in reality

belonged to no definite countryperformed at Trumpetmajor Loveday's request the series of wild motions

that he denominated his national dance, that Anne might see what it was like. Miss Garland was the flower of

the whole company; the soldiers one and all, foreign and English, seemed to be quite charmed by her

presence, as indeed they well might be, considering how seldom they came into the society of such as she.

Anne and her mother were just thinking of retiring to their own dwelling when Sergeant Stanner of the th

When law'yers strive' to heal' a breach', And parsons prac'tise what' they preach'; Then lit'tle Boney

When jus'tices' hold e'qual scales', And rogues' are on'ly found' in jails'; Then lit'tle Bo'ney he'll pounce

When rich' men find' their wealth' a curse', And fill' therewith' the poor' man's purse'; Then lit'tle Bo'ney

Poor Stanner! In spite of his satire, he fell at the bloody battle of Albuera a few years after this pleasantly

spent summer at the Georgian wateringplace, being mortally wounded and trampled down by a French

While Miller Loveday was saying 'Well done, Mr. Stanner!' at the close of the thirteenth stanza, which

seemed to be the last, and Mr. Stanner was modestly expressing his regret that he could do no better, a

The company was silent in a moment at this reinforcement, and only the military tried not to look surprised.

While all wondered who the singer could be somebody entered the porch; the door opened, and in came a

young man, about the size and weight of the Farnese Hercules, in the uniform of the yeomanry cavalry.

''Tis young Squire Derriman, old Mr. Derriman's nephew,' murmured voices in the background.

Without waiting to address anybody, or apparently seeing who were gathered there, the colossal man waved

When hus'bands with' their wives' agree'. And maids' won't wed' from mod'esty', Then lit'tle Bo'ney

It was a verse which had been omitted by the gallant Stanner, out of respect to the ladies.

The newcomer was redhaired and of florid complexion, and seemed full of a conviction that his whim of

'No ceremony, good men all,' he said; 'I was passing by, and my ear was caught by the singing. I like singing;

'tis warming and cheering, and shall not be put down. I should like to hear anybody say otherwise.'

'Welcome, Master Derriman,' said the miller, filling a glass and handing it to the yeoman. 'Come all the way

from quarters, then? I hardly knowed ye in your soldier's clothes. You'd look more natural with a spud in

your hand, sir. I shouldn't ha' known ye at all if I hadn't heard that you were called out.'

'More natural with a spud!have a care, miller,' said the young giant, the fire of his complexion increasing

The military in the background laughed a little, and the yeoman then for the first time discovered that there

were more regulars present than one. He looked momentarily disconcerted, but expanded again to full

'Right, right, Master Derriman, no offence'twas only my joke,' said the genial miller. 'Everybody's a soldier

The young man drank without the least reluctance, and said, 'Yes, miller, I am called out. 'Tis ticklish times

for us soldiers now; we hold our lives in our handsWhat are those fellows grinning at behind the table?I

'No, no; as I told you, six mile off. Billeted at Casterbridge. But I have to call and see the old, old'

'Gentleman!no, skinflint. He lives upon the sweepings of the barton; ha, ha!' And the speaker's regular

white teeth showed themselves like snow in a Dutch cabbage. 'Well, well, the profession of arms makes a

'No, no. I'll take no more than is good for meno man should; so don't tempt me.'

The yeoman then saw Anne, and by an unconscious gravitation went towards her and the other women,

flinging a remark to John Loveday in passing. 'Ah, Loveday! I heard you were come; in short, I come o'

The trumpetmajor replied civilly, though not without grimness, for he seemed hardly to like Derriman's

'Widow Garland's daughter!yes, 'tis! surely. You remember me? I have been here before. Festus Derriman,

'Yes, 'tis well knownespecially latterly.' He dropped his voice to confidence pitch. 'I suppose your friends

here are disturbed by my coming in, as they don't seem to talk much? I don't mean to interrupt the party; but I

often find that people are put out by my coming among 'em, especially when I've got my regimentals on.'

'Yes; 'tis the way I have.' He further lowered his tone, as if they had been old friends, though in reality he had

only seen her three or four times. 'And how did you come to be here? Dash my wig, I don't like to see a nice

young lady like you in this company. You should come to some of our yeomanry sprees in Casterbridge or

ShottsfordForum. O, but the girls do come! The yeomanry are respected men, men of good substantial

families, many farming their own land; and every one among us rides his own charger, which is more than

'Hush, hush! Why, these are friends and neighbours of Miller Loveday, and he is a great friend of oursour

best friend,' said Anne with great emphasis, and reddening at the sense of injustice to their host. 'What are

'Ha, ha! I've affronted you. Isn't that it, fair angel, fairwhat do you call it?fair vestal? Ah, well! would

you was safe in my own house! But honour must be minded now, not courting. Rollicum rorum,

tollollorum. Pardon me, my sweet, I like ye! It may be a come down for me, owning land; but I do like ye.'

'I will, I will. Well, Corporal Tullidge, how's your head?' he said, going towards the other end of the room,

The company had again recovered its liveliness, and it was a long time before the bouncing Rufus who had

joined them could find heart to tear himself away from their society and good liquors, although he had had

quite enough of the latter before he entered. The natives received him at his own valuation, and the soldiers of

the camp, who sat beyond the table, smiled behind their pipes at his remarks, with a pleasant twinkle of the

eye which approached the satirical, John Loveday being not the least conspicuous in this bearing. But he and

his friends were too courteous on such an occasion as the present to challenge the young man's large remarks,

and readily permitted him to set them right on the details of camping and other military routine, about which

the troopers seemed willing to let persons hold any opinion whatever, provided that they themselves were not

obliged to give attention to it; showing, strangely enough, that if there was one subject more than another

which never interested their minds, it was the art of war. To them the art of enjoying good company in

Overcombe Mill, the details of the miller's household, the swarming of his bees, the number of his chickens,

The present writer, to whom this party has been described times out of number by members of the Loveday

family and other aged people now passed away, can never enter the old livingroom of Overcombe Mill

without beholding the genial scene through the mists of the seventy or eighty years that intervene between

then and now. First and brightest to the eye are the dozen candles, scattered about regardless of expense, and

kept well snuffed by the miller, who walks round the room at intervals of five minutes, snuffers in hand, and

nips each wick with great precision, and with something of an executioner's grim look upon his face as he

closes the snuffers upon the neck of the candle. Next to the candlelight show the red and blue coats and

white breeches of the soldiersnearly twenty of them in all besides the ponderous Derrimanthe head of

the latter, and, indeed, the heads of all who are standing up, being in dangerous proximity to the black beams

of the ceiling. There is not one among them who would attach any meaning to 'Vittoria,' or gather from the

syllables 'Waterloo' the remotest idea of his own glory or death. Next appears the correct and innocent Anne,

little thinking what things Time has in store for her at no great distance off. She looks at Derriman with a

halfuneasy smile as he clanks hither and thither, and hopes he will not single her out again to hold a private

dialogue withwhich, however, he does, irresistibly attracted by the white muslin figure. She must, of

course, look a little gracious again now, lest his mood should turn from sentimental to quarrelsomeno

impossible contingency with the yeomansoldier, as her quick perception had noted.

'Well, well; this idling won't do for me, folks,' he at last said, to Anne's relief. 'I ought not to have come in, by

rights; but I heard you enjoying yourselves, and thought it might be worth while to see what you were up to; I

have several miles to go before bedtime;' and stretching his arms, lifting his chin, and shaking his head, to

eradicate any unseemly curve or wrinkle from his person, the yeoman wished them an offhand goodnight,

'You should have teased him a little more, father,' said the trumpetmajor drily. 'You could soon have made

'I didn't want to provoke the chap'twasn't worth while. He came in friendly enough,' said the gentle miller

''Tis as well to be neighbourly with folks, if they be not quite onbearable,' his father genially replied, as he

took off his coat to go and draw more alethis periodical stripping to the shirtsleeves being necessitated by

the narrowness of the cellar and the smeary effect of its numerous cobwebs upon best clothes.

Some of the guests then spoke of Fess Derriman as not such a bad young man if you took him right and

humoured him; others said that he was nobody's enemy but his own; and the elder ladies mentioned in a tone

of interest that he was likely to come into a deal of money at his uncle's death. The person who did not praise

was the one who knew him best, who had known him as a boy years ago, when he had lived nearer to

Overcombe than he did at present. This unappreciative person was the trumpetmajor.

At this time in the history of Overcombe one solitary newspaper occasionally found its way into the village.

It was lent by the postmaster at Budmouth (who, in some mysterious way, got it for nothing through his

connexion with the mail) to Mr. Derriman at the Hall, by whom it was handed on to Mrs. Garland when it

was not more than a fortnight old. Whoever remembers anything about the old farmersquire will, of course,

know well enough that this delightful privilege of reading history in long columns was not accorded to the

Widow Garland for nothing. It was by such ingenuous means that he paid her for her daughter's occasional

services in reading aloud to him and making out his accounts, in which matters the farmer, whose guineas

Mrs. Martha Garland, as a respectable widow, occupied a twilight rank between the benighted villagers and

the wellinformed gentry, and kindly made herself useful to the former as letterwriter and reader, and

general translator from the printing tongue. It was not without satisfaction that she stood at her door of an

evening, newspaper in hand, with three or four cottagers standing round, and poured down their open throats

any paragraph that she might choose to select from the stirring ones of the period. When she had done with

the sheet Mrs. Garland passed it on to the miller, the miller to the grinder, and the grinder to the grinder's boy,

in whose hands it became subdivided into half pages, quarter pages, and irregular triangles, and ended its

Notwithstanding his compact with Mrs. Garland, old Mr. Derriman kept the paper so long, and was so chary

of wasting his man's time on a merely intellectual errand, that unless she sent for the journal it seldom

reached her hands. Anne was always her messenger. The arrival of the soldiers led Mrs. Garland to despatch

her daughter for it the day after the party; and away she went in her hat and pelisse, in a direction at right

Walking across the fields for the distance of a mile or two, she came out upon the highroad by a

wicketgate. On the other side of the way was the entrance to what at first sight looked like a neglected

meadow, the gate being a rotten one, without a bottom rail, and brokendown palings lying on each side. The

dry hard mud of the opening was marked with several horse and cow tracks, that had been half obliterated by

fifty score sheep tracks, surcharged with the tracks of a man and a dog. Beyond this geological record

appeared a carriageroad, nearly grown over with grass, which Anne followed. It descended by a gentle

slope, dived under darkrinded elm and chestnut trees, and conducted her on till the hiss of a waterfall and

the sound of the sea became audible, when it took a bend round a swamp of fresh watercress and brooklime

that had once been a fish pond. Here the grey, weatherworn front of a building edged from behind the trees.

It was Oxwell Hall, once the seat of a family now extinct, and of late years used as a farmhouse.

Benjamin Derriman, who owned the crumbling place, had originally been only the occupier and

tenantfarmer of the fields around. His wife had brought him a small fortune, and during the growth of their

only son there had been a partition of the Oxwell estate, giving the farmer, now a widower, the opportunity of

acquiring the building and a small portion of the land attached on exceptionally low terms. But two years

after the purchase the boy died, and Derriman's existence was paralyzed forthwith. It was said that since that

event he had devised the house and fields to a distant female relative, to keep them out of the hands of his

The hall was as interesting as mansions in a state of declension usually are, as the excellent county history

showed. That popular work in folio contained an old plate dedicated to the last scion of the original owners,

from which drawing it appeared that in 1750, the date of publication, the windows were covered with little

scratches like black flashes of lightning; that a horn of hard smoke came out of each of the twelve chimneys;

that a lady and a lapdog stood on the lawn in a strenuously walking position; and a substantial cloud and

The rambling and neglected dwelling had all the romantic excellencies and practical drawbacks which such

mildewed places share in common with caves, mountains, wildernesses, glens, and other homes of poesy that

people of taste wish to live and die in. Mustard and cress could have been raised on the inner plaster of the

dewy walls at any height not exceeding three feet from the floor; and mushrooms of the most refined and

thinstemmed kinds grew up through the chinks of the larder paving. As for the outside, Nature, in the ample

time that had been given her, had so mingled her filings and effacements with the marks of human wear and

tear upon the house, that it was often hard to say in which of the two or if in both, any particular obliteration

had its origin. The keenness was gone from the mouldings of the doorways, but whether worn out by the

rubbing past of innumerable people's shoulders, and the moving of their heavy furniture, or by Time in a

grander and more abstract form, did not appear. The iron stanchions inside the windowpanes were eaten

away to the size of wires at the bottom where they entered the stone, the condensed breathings of generations

having settled there in pools and rusted them. The panes themselves had either lost their shine altogether or

become iridescent as a peacock's tail. In the middle of the porch was a vertical sundial, whose gnomon

swayed loosely about when the wind blew, and cast its shadow hither and thither, as much as to say, 'Here's

your fine model dial; here's any time for any man; I am an old dial; and shiftiness is the best policy.'

Anne passed under the arched gateway which screened the main front; over it was the porter's lodge, reached

by a spiral staircase. Across the archway was fixed a row of wooden hurdles, one of which Anne opened and

closed behind her. Their necessity was apparent as soon as she got inside. The quadrangle of the ancient pile

was a bed of mud and manure, inhabited by calves, geese, ducks, and sow pigs surprisingly large, with young

ones surprisingly small. In the groined porch some heifers were amusing themselves by stretching up their

necks and licking the carved stone capitals that supported the vaulting. Anne went on to a second and open

door, across which was another hurdle to keep the live stock from absolute community with the inmates.

There being no knocker, she knocked by means of a short stick which was laid against the post for that

purpose; but nobody attending, she entered the passage, and tried an inner door.

A slight noise was heard inside, the door opened about an inch, and a strip of decayed face, including the eye

'O, is it you, dear Anne?' whined the inmate, opening the door a little further. 'I could hardly get to the door to

The speaker was a wizened old gentleman, in a coat the colour of his farmyard, breeches of the same hue,

unbuttoned at the knees, revealing a bit of leg above his stocking and a dazzlingly white shirtfrill to

compensate for this untidiness below. The edge of his skull round his eyesockets was visible through the

skin, and he had a mouth whose corners made towards the back of his head on the slightest provocation. He

'Well, you can have the paper if you want it; but you never give me much time to see what's in en! Here's the

paper.' He held it out, but before she could take it he drew it back again, saying, 'I have not had my share o'

the paper by a good deal, what with my weak sight, and people coming so soon for en. I am a poor putupon

soul; but my "Duty of Man" will be left to me when the newspaper is gone.' And he sank into his chair with

Anne said that she did not wish to take the paper if he had not done with it, and that she was really later in the

'Soldiers, yesrot the soldiers! And now hedges will be broke, and hens' nests robbed, and suckingpigs

stole, and I don't know what all. Who's to pay for't, sure? I reckon that because the soldiers be come you don't

She would read if he wished, she said; she was in no hurry. And sitting herself down she unfolded the paper.

'Ye may read that if ye will. I hope there will be no billeting in this parish, or any wild work of that sort; for

what would a poor old lamiger like myself do with soldiers in his house, and nothing to feed 'em with?'

Anne began reading, and continued at her task nearly ten minutes, when she was interrupted by the

appearance in the quadrangular slough without of a large figure in the uniform of the yeomanry cavalry.

'What do you see out there?' said the farmer with a start, as she paused and slowly blushed.

'Scrounch it all'tis my nephew!' exclaimed the old man, his face turning to a phosphoric pallor, and his

body twitching with innumerable alarms as he formed upon his face a gasping smile of joy, with which to

Before she had read far the visitor straddled over the doorhurdle into the passage and entered the room.

'Well, nunc, how do you feel?' said the giant, shaking hands with the farmer in the manner of one violently

'Bad and weakish, Festus,' replied the other, his person responding passively to the rapid vibrations imparted.

'O, be tender, please a little softer, there's a dear nephew! My arm is no more than a cobweb.'

'Sorry to hear that; but I'll bear your affliction in mind. Why, you are all in a tremble, Uncle Benjy!'

''Tis because I am so gratified,' said the old man. 'I always get all in a tremble when I am taken by surprise by

'Ah, that's it!' said the yeoman, bringing his hand down on the back of his uncle's chair with a loud smack, at

which Uncle Benjy nervously sprang three inches from his seat and dropped into it again. 'Ask your pardon

for frightening ye, uncle. 'Tis how we do in the army, and I forgot your nerves. You have scarcely expected to

'Yes, EVER so long,' said the young gentleman, sitting on the slope of the bureau and stretching out his legs

as props. 'I am going to make this quite my own home whenever I am off duty, as long as we stay out. And

after that, when the campaign is over in the autumn, I shall come here, and live with you like your own son,

and help manage your land and your farm, you know, and make you a comfortable old man.'

'Ah! How you do please me!' said the farmer, with a horrified smile, and grasping the arms of his chair to

'Yes; I have been meaning to come a long time, as I knew you'd like to have me, Uncle Benjy; and 'tisn't in

'Yes; I always was. But I ought to tell you at once, not to disappoint you, that I shan't be here alwaysall

'I knew you'd say so. And I shan't be able to sleep here at night sometimes, for the same reason.'

'Not sleep here o' nights?' said the old gentleman, still more relieved. 'You ought to sleep hereyou certainly

'Not while we are with the colours. But directly that's overthe very next dayI'll stay here all day, and all

'Yes, I knew 'twould relieve ye.' And he kindly stroked his uncle's head, the old man expressing his

enjoyment at the affectionate token by a death'shead grimace. 'I should have called to see you the other

night when I passed through here,' Festus continued; 'but it was so late that I couldn't come so far out of my

'Not at all, if you COULDN'T. I never shall think it unkind if you really CAN'T come, you know, Festy.'

There was a few minutes' pause, and as the nephew said nothing Uncle Benjy went on: 'I wish I had a little

present for ye. But as illluck would have it we have lost a deal of stock this year, and I have had to pay away

'Poor old manI know you have. Shall I lend you a sevenshilling piece, Uncle Benjy?'

'Ha, ha!you must have your joke; well, I'll think o' that. And so they expect Buonaparty to choose this very

part of the coast for his landing, hey? And that the yeomanry be to stand in front as the forlorn hope?'

'O, there's nothing in that,' said Festus bravely. 'The gover'ment thought it possible at one time; but they don't

Festus turned himself as he talked, and now said abruptly: 'Ah, who's this? Why, 'tis our little Anne!' He had

not noticed her till this moment, the young woman having at his entry kept her face over the newspaper, and

then got away to the back part of the room. 'And are you and your mother always going to stay down there in

She said that it was uncertain, in a tone of truthful precision which the question was hardly worth, looking

forcedly at him as she spoke. But she blushed fitfully, in her arms and hands as much as in her face. Not that

she was overpowered by the great boots, formidable spurs, and other fierce appliances of his person, as he

'I hope you will, I am sure, for my own good,' said he, letting his eyes linger on the round of her cheek.

Anne became a little more dignified, and her look showed reserve. But the yeoman on perceiving this went

on talking to her in so civil a way that he irresistibly amused her, though she tried to conceal all feeling. At a

brighter remark of his than usual her mouth moved, her upper lip playing uncertainly over her white teeth; it

would stay stillno, it would withdraw a little way in a smile; then it would flutter down again; and so it

wavered like a butterfly in a tender desire to be pleased and smiling, and yet to be also sedate and composed;

to show him that she did not want compliments, and yet that she was not so cold as to wish to repress any

'Shall you want any more reading, Mr. Derriman?' said she, interrupting the younger man in his remarks. 'If

'Don't let me hinder you longer,' said Festus. 'I'm off in a minute or two, when your man has cleaned my

'Ye don't hinder us, nephew. She must have the paper: 'tis the day for her to have 'n. She might read a little

more, as I have had so little profit out o' en hitherto. Well, why don't ye speak? Will ye, or won't ye, my

'Ho, ho! damn it, I must go then, I suppose,' said Festus, laughing; and unable to get a further glance from her

he left the room and clanked into the back yard, where he saw a man; holding up his hand he cried, 'Anthony

Cripplestraw came up in a trot, moved a lock of his hair and replaced it, and said, 'Yes, Maister Derriman.' He

was old Mr. Derriman's odd hand in the yard and garden, and like his employer had no great pretensions to

manly beauty, owing to a limpness of backbone and speciality of mouth, which opened on one side only,

'Well, Cripplestraw, how is it today?' said Festus, with sociallysuperior heartiness.

'Fairish. Well, now, see and clean these military boots of mine. I'll cock my foot up on this bench. This pigsty

'Well, let's see, sir. I can call to mind that we've lost three chickens, a tompigeon, and a weakly suckingpig,

'O nothing. He's within there.' Festus flung his forehead in the direction of a right line towards the inner

'Hee, hee; fie, fie, Master Derriman!' said Cripplestraw, shaking his head in delighted censure. 'Gentlefolks

shouldn't talk so. And an officer, Mr. Derriman! 'Tis the duty of all cavalry gentlemen to bear in mind that

'Well, maister, he isI own he is a little. 'Tis the nater of some old venerable gentlemen to be so. We'll hope

'Hope he will. Do people talk about me here, Cripplestraw?' asked the yeoman, as the other continued busy

'Well, yes, sir; they do off and on, you know. They says you be as fine a piece of calvery flesh and bones as

was ever growed on fallowground; in short, all owns that you be a fine fellow, sir. I wish I wasn't no more

afraid of the French than you be; but being in the Locals, Maister Derriman, I assure ye I dream of having to

'You should take it careless, Cripplestraw, as I do; and 'twould soon come natural to you not to mind it at all.

Well, a fine fellow is not everything, you know. O no. There's as good as I in the army, and even better.'

'Yes, sure, Maister Derriman. Poor soul o' thee! I shan't forget 'ee as you lie mouldering in yer soldier's

'Yes, and by all accounts 'tis true. And naterelly they'll be mowed down like grass; and you among 'em, poor

'Look here, Cripplestraw. This is a reg'lar foolish report. How can yeomanry be put in front? Nobody's put in

front. We yeomanry have nothing to do with Buonaparte's landing. We shall be away in a safe place,

guarding the possessions and jewels. Now, can you see, Cripplestraw, any way at all that the yeomanry can

'Well, maister, I am afraid I do,' said the cheering Cripplestraw. 'And I know a great warrior like you is only

too glad o' the chance. 'Twill be a great thing for ye, death and glory! In short, I hope from my heart you will

Festus gloomily returned to his uncle's room and found that Anne was just leaving. He was inclined to follow

her at once, but as she gave him no opportunity for doing this he went to the window, and remained tapping

'Well, nephy, you are not gone yet?' said the farmer, looking dubiously at Festus from under one eyelid. 'You

see how I am. Not by any means better, you see; so I can't entertain 'ee as well as I would.'

'You can't, nunc, you can't. I don't think you are worseif I do, dash my wig. But you'll have plenty of

opportunities to make me welcome when you are better. If you are not so brisk inwardly as you was, why not

'Up into the garret in the north corner. There is no fireplace in the room; but I shan't want that, poor soul o'

''Tis not. But I have not a soul belonging to me within ten mile; and you know very well that I couldn't afford

'I know itI know it, Uncle Benjy! Well, don't be disturbed. I'll come and manage for you as soon as ever

this Boney alarm is over; but when a man's country calls he must obey, if he is a man.'

'A splendid spirit!' said Uncle Benjy, with much admiration on the surface of his countenance. 'I never had it.

'Perhaps so. Well, take care of yourself, nephy,' said the farmer, waving his hand impressively. 'Take care! In

these warlike times your spirit may carry ye into the arms of the enemy; and you are the last of the family.

'Don't be disturbed, uncle; I'll control myself,' said Festus, betrayed into selfcomplacency against his will.

'At least I'll do what I can, but nature will out sometimes. Well, I'm off.' He began humming 'Brighton Camp,'

and, promising to come again soon, retired with assurance, each yard of his retreat adding private joyousness

When the bulky young man had disappeared through the porter's lodge, Uncle Benjy showed preternatural

activity for one in his invalid state, jumping up quickly without his stick, at the same time opening and

shutting his mouth quite silently like a thirsty frog, which was his way of expressing mirth. He ran upstairs as

quick as an old squirrel, and went to a dormer window which commanded a view of the grounds beyond the

'Yes, yes!' he said in a suppressed scream, dancing up and down, 'he's after her: she've hit en!' For there

appeared upon the path the figure of Anne Garland, and, hastening on at some little distance behind her, the

swaggering shape of Festus. She became conscious of his approach, and moved more quickly. He moved

more quickly still, and overtook her. She turned as if in answer to a call from him, and he walked on beside

her, till they were out of sight. The old man then played upon an imaginary fiddle for about half a minute;

'You often come this way?' said Festus to Anne rather before he had overtaken her.

'I come for the newspaper and other things,' she said, perplexed by a doubt whether he were there by accident

They moved on in silence, Festus beating the grass with his switch in a masterful way. 'Did you speak,

'Ten thousand pardons. I thought you did. Now don't let me drive you out of the path. I can walk among the

high grass and giltycups they will not yellow my stockings as they will yours. Well, what do you think of a

'I think it is very lively, and a great change,' she said with demure seriousness.

'Why, you are laughing!' said the yeoman, looking searchingly at her and blushing like a little fire. 'What do

'Why, yes; you know you did, you young sneerer,' he said like a cross baby. 'You are laughing at methat's

who you are laughing at! I should like to know what you would do without such as me if the French were to

'Can you ask such a question? What are we for? But you don't think anything of soldiers.'

O yes, she liked soldiers, she said, especially when they came home from the wars, covered with glory;

though when she thought what doings had won them that glory she did not like them quite so well. The

gallant and appeased yeoman said he supposed her to mean chopping off heads, blowing out brains, and that

kind of business, and thought it quite right that a tenderhearted thing like her should feel a little horrified.

But as for him, he should not mind such another Blenheim this summer as the army had fought a hundred

years ago, or whenever it wasdash his wig if he should mind it at all. 'Hullo! now you are laughing again;

yes, I saw you!' And the choleric Festus turned his blue eyes and flushed face upon her as though he would

read her through. Anne strove valiantly to look calmly back; but her eyes could not face his, and they fell.

'Yes, yes! I knew you meant some jeering o' that sort, Mistress Anne. But I suppose 'tis the way of women,

and I take no notice. I'll confess that some of us are no great things: but I know how to draw a sword, don't

'I am sure you do,' said Anne sweetly. 'If a Frenchman came up to you, Mr. Derriman, would you take him on

'Now you are flattering!' he said, his white teeth uncovering themselves in a smile. 'Well, of course I should

draw my swordno, I mean my sword would be already drawn; and I should put spurs to my

horsecharger, as we call it in the army; and I should ride up to him and sayno, I shouldn't say anything,

of coursemen never waste words in battle; I should take him with the third guard, low point, and then

'How can you say that!' he cried, the beams upon his face turning to a lurid cloud in a moment. 'How can you

understand military terms who've never had a sword in your life? I shouldn't take him with the sword at all.'

He went on with eager sulkiness, 'I should take him with my pistol. I should pull off my right glove, and

throw back my goatskin; then I should open my primingpan, prime, and cast aboutno, I shouldn't, that's

wrong; I should draw my right pistol, and as soon as loaded, seize the weapon by the butt; then at the word

'Then there is plenty of time to give such words of command in the heat of battle?' said Anne innocently.

'No!' said the yeoman, his face again in flames. 'Why, of course I am only telling you what WOULD be the

'No, I don't think you did; it was my mistake. Well, then I come smartly to Present, looking well along the

barrelalong the barrel and fire. Of course I know well enough how to engage the enemy! But I expect

'He has not said a word,' replied Anne; 'though I have heard of you, of course.'

'What have you heard? Nothing good, I dare say. It makes my blood boil within me!'

'Now, come, tell me, there's a dear. I don't like to be crossed. It shall be a sacred secret between us. Come,

Anne was embarrassed, and her smile was uncomfortable. 'I shall not tell you,' she said at last.

'There it is again!' said the yeoman, throwing himself into a despair. 'I shall soon begin to believe that my

'That means it might have been for me,' said Festus, in a mollified tone. 'Well, though, to speak the truth, I

'Well, I am not much at farming, and I am not much in company, and I am not much at figures, but perhaps I

must own, since it is forced upon me, that I can show as fine a soldier's figure on the Esplanade as any man of

'You can,' said Anne; for though her flesh crept in mortal terror of his irascibility, she could not resist the

'What? Well, they say I am goodlooking. I don't make myself, so 'tis no praise. Hullo! what are you looking

'What? Only at a bird, do you say?' he heaved out in a voice of thunder. 'I see your shoulders ashaking,

'Then go away!' said Anne, changed from mirthfulness to irritation by his rough manner. 'I don't want your

company, you great bragging thing! You are so touchy there's no bearing with you. Go away!'

'No, no, Anne; I am wrong to speak to you so. I give you free liberty to say what you will to me. Say I am not

a bit of a soldier, or anything! Abuse medo now, there's a dear. I'm scum, I'm froth, I'm dirt before the

'Well, there's such command in your looks that I ha'n't heart to go against you. You will come this way

She was too generous not to forgive him, but the short little lip murmured that she did not think it at all likely

She answered that she should probably not see him on either day, and, cutting short the argument, went

through the wicket into the other field. Festus paused, looking after her; and when he could no longer see her

slight figure he swept away his deliberations, began singing, and turned off in the other direction.

When Anne was crossing the last field, she saw approaching her an old woman with wrinkled cheeks, who

surveyed the earth and its inhabitants through the medium of brassrimmed spectacles. Shaking her head at

Anne till the glasses shone like two moons, she said, 'Ah, ah; I zeed ye! If I had only kept on my short ones

that I use for reading the Collect and Gospel I shouldn't have zeed ye; but thinks I, I be going out o' doors,

and I'll put on my long ones, little thinking what they'd show me. Ay, I can tell folk at any distance with

these'tis a beautiful pair for out o' doors; though my short ones be best for close work, such as darning, and

'Fie, fie, Miss Nancy! you know,' said Granny Seamore, shaking her head still. 'But he's a fine young feller,

and will have all his uncle's money when 'a's gone.' Anne said nothing to this, and looking ahead with a smile

Festus, the subject of the remark, was at this time about threeandtwenty, a fine fellow as to feet and inches,

and of a remarkably warm tone in skin and hair. Symptoms of beard and whiskers had appeared upon him at

a very early age, owing to his persistent use of the razor before there was any necessity for its operation. The

brave boy had scraped unseen in the outhouse, in the cellar, in the woodshed, in the stable, in the unused

parlour, in the cowstalls, in the barn, and wherever he could set up his triangular bit of lookingglass

without observation, or extemporize a mirror by sticking up his hat on the outside of a windowpane. The

result now was that, did he neglect to use the instrument he once had trifled with, a fine rust broke out upon

his countenance on the first day, a golden lichen on the second, and a fiery stubble on the third to a degree

His disposition divided naturally into two, the boastful and the cantankerous. When Festus put on the big pot,

as it is classically called, he was quite blinded ipso facto to the diverting effect of that mood and manner upon

others; but when disposed to be envious or quarrelsome he was rather shrewd than otherwise, and could do

some pretty strokes of satire. He was both liked and abused by the girls who knew him, and though they were

pleased by his attentions, they never failed to ridicule him behind his back. In his cups (he knew those

vessels, though only twentythree) he first became noisy, then excessively friendly, and then invariably

nagging. During childhood he had made himself renowned for his pleasant habit of pouncing down upon

boys smaller and poorer than himself, and knocking their birds' nests out of their hands, or overturning their

little carts of apples, or pouring water down their backs; but his conduct became singularly the reverse of

aggressive the moment the little boys' mothers ran out to him, brandishing brooms, fryingpans, skimmers,

and whatever else they could lay hands on by way of weapons. He then fled and hid behind bushes, under

faggots, or in pits till they had gone away; and on one such occasion was known to creep into a badger's hole

quite out of sight, maintaining that post with great firmness and resolution for two or three hours. He had

brought more vulgar exclamations upon the tongues of respectable parents in his native parish than any other

boy of his time. When other youngsters snowballed him he ran into a place of shelter, where he kneaded

snowballs of his own, with a stone inside, and used these formidable missiles in returning their pleasantry.

Sometimes he got fearfully beaten by boys his own age, when he would roar most lustily, but fight on in the

He was early in love, and had at the time of the story suffered from the ravages of that passion thirteen

distinct times. He could not love lightly and gaily; his love was earnest, crosstempered, and even savage. It

was a positive agony to him to be ridiculed by the object of his affections, and such conduct drove him into a

frenzy if persisted in. He was a torment to those who behaved humbly towards him, cynical with those who

denied his superiority, and a very nice fellow towards those who had the courage to illuse him.

This stalwart gentleman and Anne Garland did not cross each other's paths again for a week. Then her mother

began as before about the newspaper, and, though Anne did not much like the errand, she agreed to go for it

on Mrs. Garland pressing her with unusual anxiety. Why her mother was so persistent on so small a matter

As she had expected, Festus appeared at a stile over which she sometimes went for shortness' sake, and

showed by his manner that he awaited her. When she saw this she kept straight on, as if she would not enter

She paused, as if she were not inclined to say. 'I go that way when the grass is wet,' she returned at last.

'It is not wet now,' he persisted; 'the sun has been shining on it these nine hours.' The fact was that the way by

the path was less open than by the road, and Festus wished to walk with her uninterrupted. 'But, of course, it

is nothing to me what you do.' He flung himself from the stile and walked away towards the house.

Anne, supposing him really indifferent, took the same way, upon which he turned his head and waited for her

'Then you are unkind, and I must submit,' she said, her eyes brimming with tears.

'Ho, ho; what a shame of me! My wig, I won't do any such thing for the world,' said the repentant yeoman.

'Haw, haw; why, I thought your "go away" meant "come on," as it does with so many of the women I meet,

'I see you have a deal more caution and a deal less goodnature than I ever thought you had,' he continued

'No, sir; it is not any planned manner of mine at all,' she said earnestly. 'But you will see, I am sure, that I

could not go down to the hall with you without putting myself in a wrong light.'

'Yes; that's it, that's it. I am only a fellow in the yeomanry cavalrya plain soldier, I may say; and we know

what women think of such: that they are a bad lotmen you mustn't speak to for fear of losing your

characterchaps you avoid in the roadschaps that come into a house like oxen, daub the stairs wi' their

boots, stain the furniture wi' their drink, talk rubbish to the servants, abuse all that's holy and righteous, and

are only saved from being carried off by Old Nick because they are wanted for Boney.'

'What! don't my uncle complain to you of me? You are a favourite of that handsome, nice old gaffer's, I

Anne closed her mouth up tight, built it up, in fact, to show that no answer was coming to that question.

'What a close little rogue you are! There is no getting anything out of you. I believe you would say "I don't

know," to every mortal question, so very discreet as you are. Upon my heart, there are some women who

The brightness upon Anne's cheek and in her eyes during this remark showed that there was a fair quantity of

life and warmth beneath the discretion he complained of. Having spoken thus, he drew aside that she might

She had been at vexation point all the time that he was present, from a haunting sense that he would not have

spoken to her so freely had she been a young woman with thriving male relatives to keep forward admirers in

check. But she had been struck, now as at their previous meeting, with the power she possessed of working

him up either to irritation or to complacency at will; and this consciousness of being able to play upon him as

upon an instrument disposed her to a humorous considerateness, and made her tolerate even while she

When Anne got to the hall the farmer, as usual, insisted upon her reading what he had been unable to get

through, and held the paper tightly in his skinny hand till she had agreed. He sent her to a hard chair that she

could not possibly injure to the extent of a pennyworth by sitting in it a twelvemonth, and watched her from

the outer angle of his near eye while she bent over the paper. His look might have been suggested by the sight

that he had witnessed from his window on the last occasion of her visit, for it partook of the nature of

concern. The old man was afraid of his nephew, physically and morally, and he began to regard Anne as a

fellowsufferer under the same despot. After this sly and curious gaze at her he withdrew his eye again, so

that when she casually lifted her own there was nothing visible but his keen bluish profile as before.

When the reading was about halfway through, the door behind them opened, and footsteps crossed the

threshold. The farmer diminished perceptibly in his chair, and looked fearful, but pretended to be absorbed in

the reading, and quite unconscious of an intruder. Anne felt the presence of the swashing Festus, and stopped

'Please go on, Miss Anne,' he said, 'I am not going to speak a word.' He withdrew to the mantelpiece and

'Go on, do ye, maidy Anne,' said Uncle Benjy, keeping down his tremblings by a great effort to half their

Anne's voice became much lower now that there were two listeners, and her modesty shrank somewhat from

exposing to Festus the appreciative modulations which an intelligent interest in the subject drew from her

when unembarrassed. But she still went on that he might not suppose her to be disconcerted, though the

ensuing ten minutes was one of disquietude. She knew that the bothering yeoman's eyes were travelling over

her from his position behind, creeping over her shoulders, up to her head, and across her arms and hands. Old

Benjy on his part knew the same thing, and after sundry endeavours to peep at his nephew from the corner of

'No, uncle, thank ye,' said Festus heartily. 'I like to stay here, thinking of you and looking at your back hair.'

The nervous old man writhed under this vivisection, and Anne read on; till, to the relief of both, the gallant

fellow grew tired of his amusement and went out of the room. Anne soon finished her paragraph and rose to

go, determined never to come again as long as Festus haunted the precincts. Her face grew warmer as she

On this account, when she left the house, instead of going in the customary direction, she bolted round to the

further side, through the bushes, along under the kitchengarden wall, and through a door leading into a

rutted carttrack, which had been a pleasant gravelled drive when the fine old hall was in its prosperity. Once

out of sight of the windows she ran with all her might till she had quitted the park by a route directly opposite

to that towards her home. Why she was so seriously bent upon doing this she could hardly tell but the instinct

It was necessary now to clamber over the down to the left of the camp, and make a complete circuit round the

latterinfantry, cavalry, sutlers, and alldescending to her house on the other side. This tremendous walk

she performed at a rapid rate, never once turning her head, and avoiding every beaten track to keep clear of

the knots of soldiers taking a walk. When she at last got down to the levels again she paused to fetch breath,

and murmured, 'Why did I take so much trouble? He would not, after all, have hurt me.'

As she neared the mill an erect figure with a blue body and white thighs descended before her from the down

towards the village, and went past the mill to a stile beyond, over which she usually returned to her house.

Here he lingered. On coming nearer Anne discovered this person to be Trumpetmajor Loveday; and not

wishing to meet anybody just now Anne passed quickly on, and entered the house by the garden door.

Anne looked thoughtful and reticent, for her reason was almost too silly a one to confess. 'Well, I wanted to

Her mother glanced out of the window. 'And there he is, I suppose,' she said, as John Loveday, tired of

looking for Anne at the stile, passed the house on his way to his father's door. He could not help casting his

Anne's reluctance to mention Festus was such that she did not correct her mother's error, and the dame went

on: 'Well, you are quite right, my dear. Be friendly with him, but no more at present. I have heard of your

other affair, and think it is a very wise choice. I am sure you have my best wishes in it, and I only hope it will

'You and Mr. Festus Derriman, dear. You need not mind me; I have known it for several days. Old Granny

Seamore called here Saturday, and told me she saw him coming home with you across Park Close last week,

when you went for the newspaper; so I thought I'd send you again today, and give you another chance.'

'He has given up the freehold farm his father held at Pitstock, and lives in independence on what the land

brings him. And when Farmer Derriman dies, he'll have all the old man's, for certain. He'll be worth ten

thousand pounds, if a penny, in money, besides sixteen horses, cart and hack, a fiftycow dairy, and at least

Anne turned away, and instead of informing her mother that she had been running like a doe to escape the

interesting heirpresumptive alluded to, merely said 'Mother, I don't like this at all.'

After this, Anne would on no account walk in the direction of the hall for fear of another encounter with

young Derriman. In the course of a few days it was told in the village that the old farmer had actually gone

for a week's holiday and change of air to the Royal wateringplace near at hand, at the instance of his nephew

Festus. This was a wonderful thing to hear of Uncle Benjy, who had not slept outside the walls of Oxwell

Hall for many a long year before; and Anne well imagined what extraordinary pressure must have been put

upon him to induce him to take such a step. She pictured his unhappiness at the bustling wateringplace, and

She spent much of her time indoors or in the garden, hearing little of the camp movements beyond the

periodical Tatatataa of the trumpeters sounding their various ingenious calls for watchsetting, stables,

feed, bootandsaddle, parade, and so on, which made her think how clever her friend the trumpetmajor

On the third morning after Uncle Benjy's departure, she was disturbed as usual while dressing by the tramp of

the troops down the slope to the millpond, and during the now familiar stamping and splashing which

followed there sounded upon the glass of the window a slight smack, which might have been caused by a

As John Loveday was the only dragoon likely to be aware that she slept in that particular apartment, she

imagined the signal to come from him, though wondering that he should venture upon such a freak of

Wrapping herself up in a red cloak, she went to the window, gently drew up a corner of the curtain, and

peeped out, as she had done many times before. Nobody who was not quite close beneath her window could

see her face; but as it happened, somebody was close. The soldiers whose floundering Anne had heard were

not Loveday's dragoons, but a troop of the York Hussars, quite oblivious of her existence. They had passed

on out of the water, and instead of them there sat Festus Derriman alone on his horse, and in plain clothes, the

water reaching up to the animal's belly, and Festus' heels elevated over the saddle to keep them out of the

stream, which threatened to wash rider and horse into the deep millhead just below. It was plainly he who

had struck her lattice, for in a moment he looked up, and their eyes met. Festus laughed loudly, and slapped

her window again; and just at that moment the dragoons began prancing down the slope in review order. She

could not but wait a minute or two to see them pass. While doing so she was suddenly led to draw back, drop

the corner of the curtain, and blush privately in her room. She had not only been seen by Festus Derriman, but

by John Loveday, who, riding along with his trumpet slung up behind him, had looked over his shoulder at

the phenomenon of Derriman beneath Anne's bedroom window and seemed quite astounded at the sight.

She was quite vexed at the conjunction of incidents, and went no more to the window till the dragoons had

ridden far away and she had heard Festus's horse laboriously wade on to dry land. When she looked out there

was nobody left but Miller Loveday, who usually stood in the garden at this time of the morning to say a

word or two to the soldiers, of whom he already knew so many, and was in a fair way of knowing many

more, from the liberality with which he handed round mugs of cheering liquor whenever parties of them

In the afternoon of this day Anne walked to a christening party at a neighbour's in the adjoining parish of

Springham, intending to walk home again before it got dark; but there was a slight fall of rain towards

evening, and she was pressed by the people of the house to stay over the night. With some hesitation she

accepted their hospitality; but at ten o'clock, when they were thinking of going to bed, they were startled by a

smart rap at the door, and on it being unbolted a man's form was seen in the shadows outside.

'Is Miss Garland here?' the visitor inquired, at which Anne suspended her breath.

'Her mother is very anxious to know what's become of her. She promised to come home.' To her great relief

'Yes, I did, Mr. Loveday,' said she, coming forward; 'but it rained, and I thought my mother would guess

Loveday said with diffidence that it had not rained anything to speak of at the camp, or at the mill, so that her

This was a question which the trumpetmajor had been dreading during the whole of his walk thither. 'Well,

she didn't exactly ask me,' he said rather lamely, but still in a manner to show that Mrs. Garland had

indirectly signified such to be her wish. In reality Mrs. Garland had not addressed him at all on the subject.

She had merely spoken to his father on finding that her daughter did not return, and received an assurance

from the miller that the precious girl was doubtless quite safe. John heard of this inquiry, and, having a pass

that evening, resolved to relieve Mrs. Garland's mind on his own responsibility. Ever since his morning view

of Festus under her window he had been on thorns of anxiety, and his thrilling hope now was that she would

He shifted his foot nervously as he made the bold request. Anne felt at once that she would go. There was

nobody in the world whose care she would more readily be under than the trumpetmajor's in a case like the

present. He was their nearest neighbour's son, and she had liked his singleminded ingenuousness from the

When they had started on their walk, Anne said in a practical way, to show that there was no sentiment

whatever in her acceptance of his company, 'Mother was much alarmed about me, perhaps?'

'Yes; she was uneasy,' he said; and then was compelled by conscience to make a clean breast of it. 'I know

she was uneasy, because my father said so. But I did not see her myself. The truth is, she doesn't know I am

Anne now saw how the matter stood; but she was not offended with him. What woman could have been?

They walked on in silence, the respectful trumpetmajor keeping a yard off on her right as precisely as if that

measure had been fixed between them. She had a great feeling of civility toward him this evening, and spoke

again. 'I often hear your trumpeters blowing the calls. They do it beautifully, I think.'

'Pretty fair; they might do better,' said he, as one too wellmannered to make much of an accomplishment in

'It must require wonderful practice to get them into the way of beginning and finishing so exactly at one time.

It is like one throat doing it all. How came you to be a trumpeter, Mr. Loveday?'

'Well, I took to it naturally when I was a little boy,' said he, betrayed into quite a gushing state by her

delightful interest. 'I used to make trumpets of paper, eldersticks, eltrot stems, and even stingingnettle stalks,

you know. Then father set me to keep the birds off that little barleyground of his, and gave me an old horn

to frighten 'em with. I learnt to blow that horn so that you could hear me for miles and miles. Then he bought

me a clarionet, and when I could play that I borrowed a serpent, and I learned to play a tolerable bass. So

'Sometimes, however, I wish I had never joined the army. My father gave me a very fair education, and your

father showed me how to draw horseson a slate, I mean. Yes, I ought to have done more than I have.'

'O yes, for years. You were a little mite of a thing then; and you used to cry when we big boys looked at you,

and made pig's eyes at you, which we did sometimes. Many and many a time have I stood by your poor father

Anne remained thoughtful; and the moon broke from behind the clouds, lighting up the wet foliage with a

twinkling brightness, and lending to each of the trumpetmajor's buttons and spurs a little ray of its own.

They had come to Oxwell park gate, and he said, 'Do you like going across, or round by the lane?'

They entered the park, following the halfobliterated drive till they came almost opposite the hall, when they

entered a footpath leading on to the village. While hereabout they heard a shout, or chorus of exclamation,

He went round the intervening swamp of watercress and brooklime which had once been the fishpond,

crossed by a culvert the trickling brook that still flowed that way, and advanced to the wall of the house.

Boisterous noises were resounding from within, and he was tempted to go round the corner, where the low

windows were, and look through a chink into the room whence the sounds proceeded.

It was the room in which the owner dinedtraditionally called the great parlourand within it sat about a

dozen young men of the yeomanry cavalry, one of them being Festus. They were drinking, laughing, singing,

thumping their fists on the tables, and enjoying themselves in the very perfection of confusion. The candles,

blown by the breeze from the partly opened window, had guttered into coffin handles and shrouds, and,

choked by their long black wicks for want of snuffing, gave out a smoky yellow light. One of the young men

might possibly have been in a maudlin state, for he had his arm round the neck of his next neighbour.

Another was making an incoherent speech to which nobody was listening. Some of their faces were red, some

were sallow; some were sleepy, some wide awake. The only one among them who appeared in his usual

frame of mind was Festus, whose huge, burly form rose at the head of the table, enjoying with a serene and

triumphant aspect the difference between his own condition and that of his neighbours. While the

trumpetmajor looked, a young woman, niece of Anthony Cripplestraw, and one of Uncle Benjy's servants,

was called in by one of the crew, and much against her will a fiddle was placed in her hands, from which they

The absence of Uncle Benjy had, in fact, been contrived by young Derriman that he might make use of the

hall on his own account. Cripplestraw had been left in charge, and Festus had found no difficulty in forcing

from that dependent the keys of whatever he required. John Loveday turned his eyes from the scene to the

neighbouring moonlit path, where Anne still stood waiting. Then he looked into the room, then at Anne

again. It was an opportunity of advancing his own cause with her by exposing Festus, for whom he began to

He moved away, and then perceived that Anne, tired of waiting, had crossed the stream, and almost come up

'Company? Farmer Derriman is not at home,' said Anne, and went on to the window whence the rays of light

leaked out, the trumpetmajor standing where he was. He saw her face enter the beam of candlelight, stay

there for a moment, and quickly withdraw. She came back to him at once. 'Let us go on,' she said.

Loveday imagined from her tone that she must have an interest in Derriman, and said sadly, 'You blame me

'Not a bit,' said Anne, seeing his mistake as to the state of her heart, and being rather angry with him for it. 'I

Silence again. 'Derriman is sober as a judge,' said Loveday, as they turned to go. 'It was only the others who

'Of course not. I know it,' said the trumpetmajor, in accents expressing unhappiness at her somewhat curt

Before they had emerged from the shadow of the hall some persons were seen moving along the road.

Loveday was for going on just the same; but Anne, from a shy feeling that it was as well not to be seen

On nearer view the group was seen to comprise a man on a piebald horse, and another man walking beside

him. When they were opposite the house they halted, and the rider dismounted, whereupon a dispute between

''Tis old Mr. Derriman come home!' said Anne. 'He has hired that horse from the bathingmachine to bring

Before they had gone many steps further the farmer and his companion had ended their dispute, and the latter

mounted the horse and cantered away, Uncle Benjy coming on to the house at a nimble pace. As soon as he

observed Loveday and Anne, he fell into a feebler gait; when they came up he recognized Anne.

'And you have torn yourself away from King George's Esplanade so soon, Farmer Derriman?' said she.

'Yes, faith! I couldn't bide at such a ruination place,' said the farmer. 'Your hand in your pocket every minute

of the day. 'Tis a shilling for this, halfacrown for that; if you only eat one egg, or even a poor windfall of

an apple, you've got to pay; and a bunch o' radishes is a halfpenny, and a quart o' cider a good tuppence

threefarthings at lowest reckoning. Nothing without paying! I couldn't even get a ride homeward upon that

screw without the man wanting a shilling for it, when my weight didn't take a penny out of the beast. I've

saved a penn'orth or so of shoeleather to be sure; but the saddle was so rough wi' patches that 'a took

twopence out of the seat of my best breeches. King George hev' ruined the town for other folks. More than

that, my nephew promised to come there tomorrow to see me, and if I had stayed I must have treated en.

'My nephew HERE?' gasped the old man. 'Good folks, will you come up to the door with me? I

meanheeheejust for company! Dear me, I thought my house was as quiet as a church?'

They went back to the window, and the farmer looked in, his mouth falling apart to a greater width at the

''Tis my best silver tankards they've got, that I've never used! O! 'tis my strong beer! 'Tis eight candles

guttering away, when I've used nothing but twenties myself for the last halfyear!'

'O no!' said the farmer, shaking his head halfway. 'Nothing's known to poor I! There's my best rummers

jingling as careless as if 'twas tin cups; and my table scratched, and my chairs wrenched out of joint. See how

they tilt 'em on the two back legsand that's ruin to a chair! Ah! when I be gone he won't find another old

man to make such work with, and provide goods for his breaking, and houseroom and drink for his

'Comrades and fellowsoldiers,' said Festus to the hot farmers and yeomen he entertained within, 'as we have

vowed to brave danger and death together, so we'll share the couch of peace. You shall sleep here tonight,

for it is getting late. My scram bluevinnied gallicrow of an uncle takes care that there shan't be much

comfort in the house, but you can curl up on the furniture if beds run short. As for my sleep, it won't be much.

I'm melancholy! A woman has, I may say, got my heart in her pocket, and I have hers in mine. She's not

muchto other folk, I meanbut she is to me. The little thing came in my way, and conquered me. I fancy

that simple girl! I ought to have looked higherI know it; what of that? 'Tis a fate that may happen to the

'Whash her name?' said one of the warriors, whose head occasionally drooped upon his epaulettes, and whose

eyes fell together in the casual manner characteristic of the tired soldier. (It was really Farmer Stubb, of

'Her name? Well, 'tis spelt, A, Nbut, by gad, I won't give ye her name here in company. She don't live a

hundred miles off, however, and she wears the prettiest capribbons you ever saw. Well, well, 'tis weakness!

'Prithee stand by an old man till he's got into his house!' implored Uncle Benjy. 'I only ask ye to bide within

'I'll stand by you for halfanhour, sir,' said Loveday. 'After that I must bolt to camp.'

'Very well; bide back there under the trees,' said Uncle Benjy. 'I don't want to spite 'em?'

'You'll wait a few minutes, just to see if he gets in?' said the trumpetmajor to Anne as they retired from the

When they had quite receded behind the treetrunks and he stood alone, Uncle Benjy, to their surprise, set up

'Man alost! man alost!' he cried, repeating the exclamation several times; and then ran and hid himself

behind a corner of the building. Soon the door opened, and Festus and his guests came tumbling out upon the

''Tis our duty to help folks in distress,' said Festus. 'Man alost, where are you?'

Meanwhile Uncle Benjy, coming from his hidingplace, had scampered with the quickness of a boy up to the

door they had quitted, and slipped in. In a moment the door flew together, and Anne heard him bolting and

barring it inside. The revellers, however, did not notice this, and came on towards the spot where the

'Here's succour at hand, friends,' said Festus. 'We are all king's men; do not fear us.'

'Thank you,' said Loveday; 'so are we.' He explained in two words that they were not the distressed traveller

''Tis she! my life, 'tis she said Festus, now first recognizing Anne. 'Fair Anne, I will not part from you till I

'She's in my hands,' said Loveday civilly, though not without firmness, 'so it is not required, thank you.'

'Come,' said Loveday, 'I don't want to quarrel. Let's put it to her. Whichever of us she likes best, he shall take

Anne would much rather have gone home alone, but seeing the remainder of the yeomanry party staggering

up she thought it best to secure a protector of some kind. How to choose one without offending the other and

'You must both walk home with me,' she adroitly said, 'one on one side, and one on the other. And if you are

not quite civil to one another all the time, I'll never speak to either of you again.'

They agreed to the terms, and the other yeomen arriving at this time said they would go also as rearguard.

'Ah, yes; our hats,' said the yeomanry, whose heads were so hot that they had forgotten their nakedness till

Anne and Loveday said yes, and Festus ran back to the house, followed by all his band.

'Promised to wait!' said Anne indignantly. 'As if one ought to keep such a promise to drunken men as that.

'It is hardly fair to leave the chaps,' said Loveday reluctantly, and looking back at them. But she heard no

Festus and the rest had by this time reached Uncle Benjy's door, which they were discomfited and astonished

to find closed. They began to knock, and then to kick at the venerable timber, till the old man's head, crowned

with a tasselled nightcap, appeared at an upper window, followed by his shoulders, with apparently nothing

'Fie, fie upon ye all for making such a hullaballoo at a weak old man's door,' he said, yawning. 'What's in ye

'Hang mewhyit's Uncle Benjy! Hawhawhaw ?' said Festus. 'Nunc, why how the devil's this? 'Tis

'O no, no, my clever man, whoever you be!' said Uncle Benjy in a tone of incredulous integrity. 'My nephew,

dear boy, is miles away at quarters, and sound asleep by this time, as becomes a good soldier. That story

'Not tonight, my man; not tonight! Anthony, bring my blunderbuss,' said the farmer, turning and

'No; forbear, forbear,' said Festus, beginning to he frightened at the spirit he had raised. 'I forget; we should

drive him into fits, for he's subject to 'em, and then perhaps 'twould be manslaughter. Comrades, we must

march! No, we'll lie in the barn. I'll see into this, take my word for 't. Our honour is at stake. Now let's back to

'We can't, as we hav'n't got our hats,' said one of his fellowtroopersin domestic life Jacob Noakes, of

'No more we can,' said Festus, in a melancholy tone. 'But I must go to her and tell her the reason. She pulls

'She's gone. I saw her flee across park while we were knocking at the door,' said another of the yeomanry.

'Gone!' said Festus, grinding his teeth and putting himself into a rigid shape. 'Then 'tis my enemyhe has

tempted her away with him! But I am a rich man, and he's poor, and rides the King's horse while I ride my

'I,'said Festus, starting round,'I would seize him by the hand and say, "Guard her; if you are my friend,

They then unceremoniously left Loveday, without wishing him goodnight, and proceeded towards the barn.

He crossed the park and ascended the down to the camp, grieved that he had given Anne cause of complaint,

Anne was so flurried by the military incidents attending her return home that she was almost afraid to venture

alone outside her mother's premises. Moreover, the numerous soldiers, regular and otherwise, that haunted

Overcombe and its neighbourhood, were getting better acquainted with the villagers, and the result was that

they were always standing at garden gates, walking in the orchards, or sitting gossiping just within cottage

doors, with the bowls of their tobaccopipes thrust outside for politeness' sake, that they might not defile the

air of the household. Being gentlemen of a gallant and most affectionate nature, they naturally turned their

heads and smiled if a pretty girl passed by, which was rather disconcerting to the latter if she were unused to

society. Every belle in the village soon had a lover, and when the belles were all allotted those who scarcely

deserved that title had their turn, many of the soldiers being not at all particular about halfaninch of nose

more or less, a trifling deficiency of teeth, or a larger crop of freckles than is customary in the Saxon race.

Thus, with one and another, courtship began to be practised in Overcombe on rather a large scale, and the

dispossessed young men who had been born in the place were left to take their walks alone, where, instead of

studying the works of nature, they meditated gross outrages on the brave men who had been so good as to

Anne watched these romantic proceedings from her window with much interest, and when she saw how

triumphantly other handsome girls of the neighbourhood walked by on the gorgeous arms of Lieutenant

Knockheelmann, Cornet Flitzenhart, and Captain Klaspenkissen, of the thrilling York Hussars, who swore the

most picturesque foreign oaths, and had a wonderful sort of estate or property called the Vaterland in their

country across the sea, she was filled with a sense of her own loneliness. It made her think of things which

she tried to forget, and to look into a little drawer at something soft and brown that lay in a curl there,

'Why not, mother?' said Anne, blushing with an indefinite sense of being very wicked.

'Because you must not. I have been going to tell you several times not to go into the street at this time of day.

So poor Anne, who really had not the slightest wish to throw her heart away upon a soldier, but merely

wanted to displace old thoughts by new, turned into the inner garden from day to day, and passed a good

many hours there, the pleasant birds singing to her, and the delightful butterflies alighting on her hat, and the

This garden was undivided from Loveday's, the two having originally been the single garden of the whole

house. It was a quaint old place, enclosed by a thorn hedge so shapely and dense from incessant clipping that

the millboy could walk along the top without sinking ina feat which he often performed as a means of

filling out his day's work. The soil within was of that intense fat blackness which is only seen after a century

of constant cultivation. The paths were grassed over, so that people came and went upon them without being

heard. The grass harboured slugs, and on this account the miller was going to replace it by gravel as soon as

he had time; but as he had said this for thirty years without doing it, the grass and the slugs seemed likely to

The miller's man attended to Mrs. Garland's piece of the garden as well as to the larger portion, digging,

planting, and weeding indifferently in both, the miller observing with reason that it was not worth while for a

helpless widow lady to hire a man for her little plot when his man, working alongside, could tend it without

much addition to his labour. The two households were on this account even more closely united in the garden

than within the mill. Out there they were almost one family, and they talked from plot to plot with a zest and

animation which Mrs. Garland could never have anticipated when she first removed thither after her

The lower half of the garden, farthest from the road, was the most snug and sheltered part of this snug and

sheltered enclosure, and it was well watered as the land of Lot. Three small brooks, about a yard wide, ran

with a tinkling sound from side to side between the plots, crossing the path under wood slabs laid as bridges,

and passing out of the garden through little tunnels in the hedge. The brooks were so far overhung at their

brinks by grass and garden produce that, had it not been for their perpetual babbling, few would have noticed

that they were there. This was where Anne liked best to linger when her excursions became restricted to her

own premises; and in a spot of the garden not far removed the trumpetmajor loved to linger also.

Having by virtue of his office no stable duty to perform, he came down from the camp to the mill almost

every day; and Anne, finding that he adroitly walked and sat in his father's portion of the garden whenever

she did so in the other half, could not help smiling and speaking to him. So his epaulettes and blue jacket, and

Anne's yellow gipsy hat, were often seen in different parts of the garden at the same time; but he never

intruded into her part of the enclosure, nor did she into Loveday's. She always spoke to him when she saw

him there, and he replied in deep, firm accents across the gooseberry bushes, or through the tall rows of

flowering peas, as the case might be. He thus gave her accounts at fifteen paces of his experiences in camp, in

quarters, in Flanders, and elsewhere; of the difference between line and column, of forced marches, billeting,

and suchlike, together with his hopes of promotion. Anne listened at first indifferently; but knowing no one

else so goodnatured and experienced, she grew interested in him as in a brother. By degrees his gold lace,

buckles, and spurs lost all their strangeness and were as familiar to her as her own clothes.

At last Mrs. Garland noticed this growing friendship, and began to despair of her motherly scheme of uniting

Anne to the moneyed Festus. Why she could not take prompt steps to check interference with her plans arose

partly from her nature, which was the reverse of managing, and partly from a new emotional circumstance

with which she found it difficult to reckon. The near neighbourhood that had produced the friendship of Anne

for John Loveday was slowly effecting a warmer liking between her mother and his father.

Thus the month of July passed. The troop horses came with the regularity of clockwork twice a day down to

drink under her window, and, as the weather grew hotter, kicked up their heels and shook their heads

furiously under the maddening sting of the dunfly. The green leaves in the garden became of a darker dye,

the gooseberries ripened, and the three brooks were reduced to half their winter volume.

At length the earnest trumpetmajor obtained Mrs. Garland's consent to take her and her daughter to the

camp, which they had not yet viewed from any closer point than their own windows. So one afternoon they

went, the miller being one of the party. The villagers were by this time driving a roaring trade with the

soldiers, who purchased of them every description of garden produce, milk, butter, and eggs at liberal prices.

The figures of these rural sutlers could be seen creeping up the slopes, laden like bees, to a spot in the rear of

Mrs. Garland, Anne, and the miller were conducted from one place to another, and on to the quarter where

the soldiers' wives lived who had not been able to get lodgings in the cottages near. The most sheltered place

had been chosen for them, and snug huts had been built for their use by their husbands, of clods, hurdles, a

little thatch, or whatever they could lay hands on. The trumpetmajor conducted his friends thence to the

large barn which had been appropriated as a hospital, and to the cottage with its windows bricked up, that was

used as the magazine; then they inspected the lines of shining dark horses (each representing the then high

figure of twoandtwenty guineas purchase money), standing patiently at the ropes which stretched from one

picketpost to another, a bank being thrown up in front of them as a protection at night.

They passed on to the tents of the German Legion, a wellgrown and rather dandy set of men, with a poetical

look about their faces which rendered them interesting to feminine eyes. Hanoverians, Saxons, Prussians,

Swedes, Hungarians, and other foreigners were numbered in their ranks. They were cleaning arms, which

On their return they passed the messhouse, a temporary wooden building with a brick chimney. As Anne

and her companions went by, a group of three or four of the hussars were standing at the door talking to a

dashing young man, who was expatiating on the qualities of a horse that one was inclined to buy. Anne

recognized Festus Derriman in the seller, and Cripplestraw was trotting the animal up and down. As soon as

she caught the yeoman's eye he came forward, making some friendly remark to the miller, and then turning to

Miss Garland, who kept her eyes steadily fixed on the distant landscape till he got so near that it was

impossible to do so longer. Festus looked from Anne to the trumpetmajor, and from the trumpetmajor back

to Anne, with a dark expression of face, as if he suspected that there might be a tender understanding between

'Are you offended with me?' he said to her in a low voice of repressed resentment.

'Nonsense, Anne,' said Mrs. Garland, who had come near, and smiled pleasantly on Festus. 'You can go at

'Let her come with me now, Mrs. Garland; I should be pleased to walk along with her. My man can lead

The widow looked unhappily in her daughter's face, distressed between her desire that Anne should

'Leave her alone, leave her alone,' said Festus, his gaze blackening. 'Now I think of it I am glad she can't

Anne moved on with her mother, young Loveday silently following, and they began to descend the hill.

Mrs. Garland looked behind her solicitously; and the miller, who had been waiting for the event, beckoned to

'I'll overtake you in a minute,' she said to the younger pair, and went back, her colour, for some

unaccountable reason, rising as she did so. The miller and she then came on slowly together, conversing in

very low tones, and when they got to the bottom they stood still. Loveday and Anne waited for them, saying

but little to each other, for the rencounter with Festus had damped the spirits of both. At last the widow's

private talk with Miller Loveday came to an end, and she hastened onward, the miller going in another

direction to meet a man on business. When she reached the trumpetmajor and Anne she was looking very

bright and rather flurried, and seemed sorry when Loveday said that he must leave them and return to the

camp. They parted in their usual friendly manner, and Anne and her mother were left to walk the few

'There, I've settled it,' said Mrs. Garland. 'Anne, what are you thinking about? I have settled in my mind that it

'That you do not care for Derriman, and mean to encourage John Loveday. What's all the world so long as

folks are happy! Child, don't take any notice of what I have said about Festus, and don't meet him any more.'

'It is easy to call me a weathercock,' said the matron, putting on the look of a good woman; 'but I have

reasoned it out, and at last, thank God, I have got over my ambition. The Lovedays are our true and only

'But,' said Anne, 'what has made you change all of a sudden from what you have said before?'

Anne knew that her mother's sentiments were naturally so versatile that they could not be depended on for

two days together; but it did not occur to her for the moment that a change had been helped on in the present

case by a romantic talk between Mrs. Garland and the miller. But Mrs. Garland could not keep the secret

long. She chatted gaily as she walked, and before they had entered the house she said, 'What do you think Mr

To explain the miller's sudden proposal it is only necessary to go back to that moment when Anne, Festus,

and Mrs. Garland were talking together on the down. John Loveday had fallen behind so as not to interfere

with a meeting in which he was decidedly superfluous; and his father, who guessed the trumpetmajor's

secret, watched his face as he stood. John's face was sad, and his eyes followed Mrs. Garland's encouraging

manner to Festus in a way which plainly said that every parting of her lips was tribulation to him. The miller

loved his son as much as any miller or private gentleman could do, and he was pained to see John's gloom at

such a trivial circumstance. So what did he resolve but to help John there and then by precipitating a matter

which, had he himself been the only person concerned, he would have delayed for another six months.

He had long liked the society of his impulsive, tractable neighbour, Mrs. Garland; had mentally taken her up

and pondered her in connexion with the question whether it would not be for the happiness of both if she

were to share his home, even though she was a little his superior in antecedents and knowledge. In fact he

loved her; not tragically, but to a very creditable extent for his years; that is, next to his sons, Bob and John,

though he knew very well of that ploughedground appearance near the corners of her once handsome eyes,

and that the little depression in her right cheek was not the lingering dimple it was poetically assumed to be,

but a result of the abstraction of some wornout nether millstones within the cheek by Rootle, the Budmouth

man, who lived by such practices on the heads of the elderly. But what of that, when he had lost two to each

one of hers, and exceeded her in age by some eight years! To do John a service, then, he quickened his

designs, and put the question to her while they were standing under the eyes of the younger pair.

Mrs. Garland, though she had been interested in the miller for a long time, and had for a moment now and

then thought on this question as far as, 'Suppose he should, 'If he were to,' and so on, had never thought much

further; and she was really taken by surprise when the question came. She answered without affectation that

Her mother's infirmity of purpose set Anne thinking, and she was suddenly filled with a conviction that in

such a case she ought to have some purpose herself. Mrs. Garland's complacency at the miller's offer had, in

truth, amazed her. While her mother had held up her head, and recommended Festus, it had seemed a very

pretty thing to rebel; but the pressure being removed an awful sense of her own responsibility took possession

of her mind. As there was no longer anybody to be wise or ambitious for her, surely she should be wise and

ambitious for herself, discountenance her mother's attachment, and encourage Festus in his addresses, for her

own and her mother's good. There had been a time when a Loveday thrilled her own heart; but that was long

ago, before she had thought of position or differences. To wake into cold daylight like this, when and because

her mother had gone into the land of romance, was dreadful and new to her, and like an increase of years

But it was easier to think that she ought to marry the yeoman than to take steps for doing it; and she went on

Two days after the visit to the camp, when she was again in the garden, Soldier Loveday said to her, at a

'Yes; to Gloucester Lodge; and he will pass this way. He can't arrive till long past the middle of the night, if

what they say is true, that he is timed to change horses at Woodyates Innbetween Mid and South

Wessexat twelve o'clock,' continued Loveday, encouraged by her interest to cut off the parsleybed from

Anne said that she had just heard of it; and the trumpetmajor, who hardly welcomed his father at such a

Young Loveday said that the men of the German Legion were to perform that duty. And turning half from his

father, and half towards Anne, he added, in a tentative tone, that he thought he might get leave for the night,

if anybody would like to be taken to the top of the Ridgeway over which the royal party must pass.

Anne, knowing by this time of the budding hope in the gallant dragoon's mind, and not wishing to encourage

She went indoors and rather coldly told her mother of the proposal. Mrs. Garland, though she had determined

not to answer the miller's question on matrimony just yet, was quite ready for this jaunt, and in spite of Anne

she sailed off at once to the garden to hear more about it. When she reentered, she said

'Anne, I have not seen the King or the King's horses for these many years; and I am going.'

'I have very different things to think of,' said her daughter with virtuous emphasis, 'than going to see sights at

Mrs. Garland was sorry, but resolved to adhere to the arrangement. The night came on; and it having gone

abroad that the King would pass by the road, many of the villagers went out to see the procession. When the

two Lovedays and Mrs. Garland were gone, Anne bolted the door for security, and sat down to think again on

her grave responsibilities in the choice of a husband, now that her natural guardian could no longer be trusted.

Anne's instinct was at once to be silent, that the comer might think the family had retired.

The knocking person, however, was not to be easily persuaded. He had in fact seen rays of light over the top

of the shutter, and, unable to get an answer, went on to the door of the mill, which was still going, the miller

sometimes grinding all night when busy. The grinder accompanied the stranger to Mrs. Garland's door.

'The daughter is certainly at home, sir,' said the grinder. 'I'll go round to t'other side, and see if she's there,

Anne had started at the sound of the voice. No opportunity could have been better for carrying out her new

convictions on the disposal of her hand. But in her mortal dislike of Festus, Anne forgot her principles, and

her idea of keeping herself above the Lovedays. Tossing on her hat and blowing out the candle, she slipped

out at the back door, and hastily followed in the direction that her mother and the rest had taken. She

'What! you have altered your mind after all?' said the widow. 'How came you to do that, my dear?'

'To be sure you did,' said the miller heartily. 'A good deal better than biding at home there.'

John said nothing, though she could almost see through the gloom how glad he was that she had altered her

mind. When they reached the ridge over which the highway stretched they found many of their neighbours

who had got there before them idling on the grass border between the roadway and the hedge, enjoying a sort

of midnight picnic, which it was easy to do, the air being still and dry. Some carriages were also standing

near, though most people of the district who possessed four wheels, or even two, had driven into the town to

await the King there. From this height could be seen in the distance the position of the wateringplace, an

additional number of lanterns, lamps, and candles having been lighted tonight by the loyal burghers to grace

Mrs. Garland touched Anne's elbow several times as they walked, and the young woman at last understood

that this was meant as a hint to her to take the trumpetmajor's arm, which its owner was rather suggesting

than offering to her. Anne wondered what infatuation was possessing her mother, declined to take the arm,

and contrived to get in front with the miller, who mostly kept in the van to guide the others' footsteps. The

trumpetmajor was left with Mrs. Garland, and Anne's encouraging pursuit of them induced him to say a few

'By your leave, ma'am, I'll speak to you on something that concerns my mind very much indeed?'

The spot on which they had finally chosen to wait for the King was by a field gate, whence the white road

could be seen for a long distance northwards by day, and some little distance now. They lingered and

lingered, but no King came to break the silence of that beautiful summer night. As halfhour after halfhour

glided by, and nobody came, Anne began to get weary; she knew why her mother did not propose to go back,

and regretted the reason. She would have proposed it herself, but that Mrs. Garland seemed so cheerful, and

The trumpetmajor at last made up his mind, and tried to draw Anne into a private conversation. The feeling

which a week ago had been a vague and piquant aspiration, was today altogether too lively for the reasoning

of this warmhearted soldier to regulate. So he persevered in his intention to catch her alone, and at last, in

spite of her manoeuvres to the contrary, he succeeded. The miller and Mrs. Garland had walked about fifty

But the gallant musician's soul was so much disturbed by tender vibrations and by the sense of his

presumption that he could not begin; and it may be questioned if he would ever have broached the subject at

all, had not a distant church clock opportunely assisted him by striking the hour of three. The trumpetmajor

'Yes; and since then I had a wager about that bell with the bandmaster of the North Wessex Militia. He said

the note was G; I said it wasn't. When we found it G sharp we didn't know how to settle it.'

'O no! The finest tenor bell about here is the bell of Peter's, Casterbridgein E flat. Tummmmthat's

the notetummmm.' The trumpetmajor sounded from far down his throat what he considered to be E

flat, with a parenthetic sense of luxury unquenchable even by his present distraction.

'Shall we go on to where my mother is?' said Anne, less impressed by the beauty of the note than the

'In one minute,' he said tremulously. 'Talking of musicI fear you don't think the rank of a trumpetmajor

'I am glad to hear you say that. It is given out by the King's command that trumpetmajors are to be

'And, by the orders of the War Office, I am to exert over them (that's the government word) exert over them

full authority; and if any one behaves towards me with the least impropriety, or neglects my orders, he is to

'It is really a dignified post,' she said, with, however, a reserve of enthusiasm which was not altogether

'And of course some day I shall,' stammered the dragoon'shall be in rather a better position than I am at

'And in short, Mistress Anne,' continued John Loveday bravely and desperately, 'may I pay court to you in the

hope thatno, no, don't go away!you haven't heard yetthat you may make me the happiest of men; not

yet, but when peace is proclaimed and all is smooth and easy again? I can't put it any better, though there's

'This is most awkward,' said Anne, evidently with pain. 'I cannot possibly agree; believe me, Mr. Loveday, I

'But there's more than this. You would be surprised to see what snug rooms the married trumpet and

'That brings me to my strong point!' exclaimed the soldier hopefully. 'My father is better off than most

noncommissioned officers' fathers; and there's always a home for you at his house in any emergency. I can

tell you privately that he has enough to keep us both, and if you wouldn't hear of barracks, well, peace once

established, I'd live at home as a miller and farmernext door to your own mother.'

'That's very good of you,' said Anne, her face warming with a generous sense of his straightforwardness. 'But

my mother is so entirely ignorant of a soldier's life, and the life of a soldier's wifeshe is so simple in all

such matters, that I cannot listen to you any more readily for what she may say.'

'Then it is all over for me,' said the poor trumpetmajor, wiping his face and putting away his handkerchief

Anne was silent. Any woman who has ever tried will know without explanation what an unpalatable task it is

to dismiss, even when she does not love him, a man who has all the natural and moral qualities she would

desire, and only fails in the social. Wouldbe lovers are not so numerous, even with the best women, that the

sacrifice of one can be felt as other than a good thing wasted, in a world where there are few good things.

When she drew near to the miller and her mother she perceived that they were engaged in a conversation of

that peculiar kind which is all the more full and communicative from the fact of definitive words being few.

In short, here the game was succeeding which with herself had failed. It was pretty clear from the symptoms,

marks, tokens, telegraphs, and general byplay between widower and widow, that Miller Loveday must have

again said to Mrs. Garland some such thing as he had said before, with what result this time she did not

As the situation was delicate, Anne halted awhile apart from them. The trumpetmajor, quite ignorant of how

his cause was entered into by the whitecoated man in the distance (for his father had not yet told him of his

designs upon Mrs. Garland), did not advance, but stood still by the gate, as though he were attending a

princess, waiting till he should be called up. Thus they lingered, and the day began to break. Mrs. Garland

and the miller took no heed of the time, and what it was bringing to earth and sky, so occupied were they with

themselves; but Anne in her place and the trumpetmajor in his, each in private thought of no bright kind,

watched the gradual glory of the east through all its tones and changes. The world of birds and insects got

lively, the blue and the yellow and the gold of Loveday's uniform again became distinct; the sun bored its

way upward, the fields, the trees, and the distant landscape kindled to flame, and the trumpetmajor, backed

by a lilac shadow as tall as a steeple, blazed in the rays like a very god of war.

It was halfpast three o'clock. A short time after, a rattle of horses and wheels reached their ears from the

quarter in which they gazed, and there appeared upon the white line of road a moving mass, which presently

Then there arose a huzza from the few knots of watchers gathered there, and they cried, 'Long live King

Jarge!' The cortege passed abreast. It consisted of three travellingcarriages, escorted by a detachment of the

German Legion. Anne was told to look in the first carriagea postchariot drawn by four horsesfor the

King and Queen, and was rewarded by seeing a profile reminding her of the current coin of the realm; but as

the party had been travelling all night, and the spectators here gathered were few, none of the royal family

looked out of the carriage windows. It was said that the two elder princesses were in the same carriage, but

they remained invisible. The next vehicle, a coach and four, contained more princesses, and the third some of

Nobody else expressed any thankfulness, for most of them had expected a more pompous procession than the

bucolic tastes of the King cared to indulge in; and one old man said grimly that that sight of dusty old leather

coaches was not worth waiting for. Anne looked hither and thither in the bright rays of the day, each of her

eyes having a little sun in it, which gave her glance a peculiar golden fire, and kindled the brown curls

grouped over her forehead to a yellow brilliancy, and made single hairs, blown astray by the night, look like

lacquered wires. She was wondering if Festus were anywhere near, but she could not see him.

Before they left the ridge they turned their attention towards the Royal wateringplace, which was visible at

this place only as a portion of the seashore, from which the nightmist was rolling slowly back. The sea

beyond was still wrapped in summer fog, the ships in the roads showing through it as black spiders

suspended in the air. While they looked and walked a white jet of smoke burst from a spot which the miller

knew to be the battery in front of the King's residence, and then the report of guns reached their ears. This

announcement was answered by a salute from the Castle of the adjoining Isle, and the ships in the

neighbouring anchorage. All the bells in the town began ringing. The King and his family had arrived.

As the days went on, echoes of the life and bustle of the town reached the ears of the quiet people in

Overcombe hollowexciting and moving those unimportant natives as a groundswell moves the weeds in a

cave. Travellingcarriages of all kinds and colours climbed and descended the road that led towards the

seaside borough. Some contained those personages of the King's suite who had not kept pace with him in his

journey from Windsor; others were the coaches of aristocracy, big and little, whom news of the King's arrival

drew thither for their own pleasure: so that the highway, as seen from the hills about Overcombe, appeared

like an antwalka constant succession of dark spots creeping along its surface at nearly uniform rates of

The traffic and intelligence between camp and town passed in a measure over the villagers' heads. It being

summer time the miller was much occupied with business, and the trumpetmajor was too constantly

engaged in marching between the camp and Gloucester Lodge with the rest of the dragoons to bring his

At last he sent a message that there was to be a review on the downs by the King, and that it was fixed for the

day following. This information soon spread through the village and country round, and next morning the

whole population of Overcombeexcept two or three very old men and women, a few babies and their

nurses, a cripple, and Corporal Tullidgeascended the slope with the crowds from afar, and awaited the

The miller wore his best coat on this occasion, which meant a good deal. An Overcombe man in those days

would have a best coat, and keep it as a best coat half his life. The miller's had seen five and twenty summers

chiefly through the chinks of a clothesbox, and was not at all shabby as yet, though getting singular. But that

could not be helped; common coats and best coats were distinct species, and never interchangeable. Living so

near the scene of the review he walked up the hill, accompanied by Mrs. Garland and Anne as usual.

It was a clear day, with little wind stirring, and the view from the downs, one of the most extensive in the

county, was unclouded. The eye of any observer who cared for such things swept over the wavewashed

town, and the bay beyond, and the Isle, with its pebble bank, lying on the sea to the left of these, like a great

crouching animal tethered to the mainland. On the extreme east of the marine horizon, St. Aldhelm's Head

closed the scene, the sea to the southward of that point glaring like a mirror under the sun. Inland could be

seen Badbury Rings, where a beacon had been recently erected; and nearer, Rainbarrow, on Egdon Heath,

where another stood: farther to the left Bulbarrow, where there was yet another. Not far from this came

Nettlecombe Tout; to the west, Dogberry Hill, and Black'on near to the foreground, the beacon thereon being

built of furze faggots thatched with straw, and standing on the spot where the monument now raises its head.

At nine o'clock the troops marched upon the groundsome from the camps in the vicinity, and some from

quarters in the different towns round about. The approaches to the down were blocked with carriages of all

descriptions, ages, and colours, and with pedestrians of every class. At ten the royal personages were said to

be drawing near, and soon after the King, accompanied by the Dukes of Cambridge and Cumberland, and a

couple of generals, appeared on horseback, wearing a round hat turned up at the side, with a cockade and

military feather. (Sensation among the crowd.) Then the Queen and three of the princesses entered the field in

a great coach drawn by six beautiful creamcoloured horses. Another coach, with four horses of the same

sort, brought the two remaining princesses. (Confused acclamations, 'There's King Jarge!' 'That's Queen

Sharlett!' 'Princess 'Lizabeth!' 'Princesses Sophiar and Meelyer!' etc., from the surrounding spectators.)

Anne and her party were fortunate enough to secure a position on the top of one of the barrows which rose

here and there on the down; and the miller having gallantly constructed a little cairn of flints, he placed the

two women thereon, by which means they were enabled to see over the heads, horses, and coaches of the

multitudes below and around. At the marchpast the miller's eye, which had been wandering about for the

purpose, discovered his son in his place by the trumpeters, who had moved forwards in two ranks, and were

'That's John!' he cried to the widow. 'His trumpetsling is of two colours, d'ye see; and the others be plain.'

Mrs. Garland too saw him now, and enthusiastically admired him from her hands upwards, and Anne silently

did the same. But before the young woman's eyes had quite left the trumpetmajor they fell upon the figure

of Yeoman Festus riding with his troop, and keeping his face at a medium between haughtiness and mere

bravery. He certainly looked as soldierly as any of his own corps, and felt more soldierly than halfadozen,

as anybody could see by observing him. Anne got behind the miller, in case Festus should discover her, and,

regardless of his monarch, rush upon her in a rage with, 'Why the devil did you run away from me that

nighthey, madam?' But she resolved to think no more of him just now, and to stick to Loveday, who was

her mother's friend. In this she was helped by the stirring tones which burst from the latter gentleman and his

'Well,' said the miller complacently, 'there's few of more consequence in a regiment than a trumpeter. He's the

'They could no more do without Jack and his men than they could without generals.'

'Indeed they could not,' said Mrs. Garland again, in a tone of pleasant agreement with any one in Great

It was said that the line that day was three miles long, reaching from the high ground on the right of where the

people stood to the turnpike road on the left. After the review came a sham fight, during which action the

crowd dispersed more widely over the downs, enabling Widow Garland to get still clearer glimpses of the

King, and his handsome charger, and the head of the Queen, and the elbows and shoulders of the princesses

in the carriages, and fractional parts of General Garth and the Duke of Cumberland; which sights gave her

great gratification. She tugged at her daughter at every opportunity, exclaiming, 'Now you can see his

feather!' 'There's her hat!' 'There's her Majesty's India muslin shawl!' in a minor form of ecstasy, that made

In those military manoeuvres the miller followed the fortunes of one man; Anne Garland of two. The

spectators, who, unlike our party, had no personal interest in the soldiery, saw only troops and battalions in

the concrete, straight lines of red, straight lines of blue, white lines formed of innumerable kneebreeches,

black lines formed of many gaiters, coming and going in kaleidoscopic change. Who thought of every point

in the line as an isolated man, each dwelling all to himself in the hermitage of his own mind? One person did,

a young man far removed from the barrow where the Garlands and Miller Loveday stood. The natural

expression of his face was somewhat obscured by the bronzing effects of rough weather, but the lines of his

mouth showed that affectionate impulses were strong within himperhaps stronger than judgment well

could regulate. He wore a blue jacket with little brass buttons, and was plainly a seafaring man.

Meanwhile, in the part of the plain where rose the tumulus on which the miller had established himself, a

broadbrimmed tradesman was elbowing his way along. He saw Mr. Loveday from the base of the barrow,

and beckoned to attract his attention. Loveday went halfway down, and the other came up as near as he could.

'Miller,' said the man, 'a letter has been lying at the postoffice for you for the last three days. If I had known

The miller thanked him for the news, and they parted, Loveday returning to the summit. 'What a very strange

thing!' he said to Mrs. Garland, who had looked inquiringly at his face, now very grave. 'That was Budmouth

postmaster, and he says there's a letter for me. Ah, I now call to mind that there WAS a letter in the candle

three days ago this very nighta large red one; but foolishlike I thought nothing o't. Who CAN that letter

A letter at this time was such an event for hamleteers, even of the miller's respectable standing, that Loveday

thenceforward was thrown into a fit of abstraction which prevented his seeing any more of the sham fight, or

the people, or the King. Mrs. Garland imbibed some of his concern, and suggested that the letter might come

'I should naturally have thought that,' said Miller Loveday; 'but he wrote to me only two months ago, and his

brother John heard from him within the last four weeks, when he was just about starting on another voyage. If

you'll pardon me, Mrs. Garland, ma'am, I'll see if there's any Overcombe man here who is going to Budmouth

So Mr. Loveday left them for awhile; and as they were so near home Mrs. Garland did not wait on the barrow

for him to come back, but walked about with Anne a little time, until they should be disposed to trot down the

slope to their own door. They listened to a man who was offering one guinea to receive ten in case

Buonaparte should be killed in three months, and to other entertainments of that nature, which at this time

were not rare. Once during their peregrination the eyes of the sailor beforementioned fell upon Anne; but he

glanced over her and passed her unheedingly by. Loveday the elder was at this time on the other side of the

line, looking for a messenger to the town. At twelve o'clock the review was over, and the King and his family

left the hill. The troops then cleared off the field, the spectators followed, and by one o'clock the downs were

They still spread their grassy surface to the sun as on that beautiful morning not, historically speaking, so

very long ago; but the King and his fifteen thousand armed men, the horses, the bands of music, the

princesses, the creamcoloured teamsthe gorgeous centrepiece, in short, to which the downs were but the

mere mount or marginhow entirely have they all passed and gone!lying scattered about the world as

military and other dust, some at Talavera, Albuera, Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse, and Waterloo; some in

In the afternoon John Loveday, lightened of his trumpet and trappings, appeared at the old millhouse door,

Loveday seemed pleased. 'Did you really take the trouble to find me? That was very good of you.'

'Of course I looked at the dragoons most,' said Anne, disconcerted. 'And when I looked at them my eyes

She did not mean to show any vexation to the trumpetmajor, but he fancied otherwise, and stood repressed.

'I am very much concerned, John; I did not go to the review for nothing. There's a letter awaiting for me at

'I'll go, of course,' said John; 'and perhaps Miss Garland would like to see what's doing there today?

'Let David drive Miss Garland,' said the trumpetmajor, not wishing to coerce her; 'I would just as soon

In the afternoon they drove off, John Loveday being nowhere visible. All along the road they passed and

were overtaken by vehicles of all descriptions going in the same direction; among them the extraordinary

machines which had been invented for the conveyance of troops to any point of the coast on which the enemy

should land; they consisted of four boards placed across a sort of trolly, thirty men of the volunteer

The popular Georgian wateringplace was in a paroxysm of gaiety. The town was quite overpowered by the

country round, much to the town's delight and profit. The fear of invasion was such that six frigates lay in the

roads to ensure the safety of the royal family, and from the regiments of horse and foot quartered at the

barracks, or encamped on the hills round about, a picket of a thousand men mounted guard every day in front

of Gloucester Lodge, where the King resided. When Anne and her attendant reached this point, which they

did on foot, stabling the horse on the outskirts of the town, it was about six o'clock. The King was on the

Esplanade, and the soldiers were just marching past to mount guard. The band formed in front of the King,

Anne now felt herself close to and looking into the stream of recorded history, within whose banks the littlest

things are great, and outside which she and the general bulk of the human race were content to live on as an

When she turned from her interested gaze at this scene, there stood John Loveday. She had had a

presentiment that he would turn up in this mysterious way. It was marvellous that he could have got there so

quickly; but there he wasnot looking at the King, or at the crowd, but waiting for the turn of her head.

'Trumpetmajor, I didn't see you,' said Anne demurely. 'How is it that your regiment is not marching past?'

She wanted to know then if they were afraid that the King would be carried off by the First Consul. Yes,

Loveday told her; and his Majesty was rather venturesome. A day or two before he had gone so far to sea that

he was nearly caught by some of the enemy's cruisers. 'He is anxious to fight Boney singlehanded,' he said.

Loveday seemed anxious to come to more personal matters. 'Will you let me take you round to the other side,

where you can see better?' he asked. 'The Queen and the princesses are at the window.'

Anne passively assented. 'David, wait here for me,' she said; 'I shall be back again in a few minutes.'

The trumpetmajor then led her off triumphantly, and they skirted the crowd and came round on the side

towards the sands. He told her everything he could think of, military and civil, to which Anne returned pretty

syllables and parenthetic words about the colour of the sea and the curl of the foama way of speaking that

moved the soldier's heart even more than long and direct speeches would have done.

'O no!' she said, gazing at the bathingmachines, digging children, and other common objects of the seashore,

'But I am not worthy of the daughter of a genteel professional man that's what you mean?'

'There's something more than worthiness required in such cases, you know,' she said, still without calling her

mind away from surrounding scenes. 'Ah, there are the Queen and princesses at the window!'

The trumpetmajor seemed to be less concerned about this than about her supposed superiority. 'If it were all

right on that point, would you mind the other?' he asked, like a man who knows he is too persistent, yet who

'How can I say, when I don't know? What a pretty chip hat the elder princess wears?'

Her companion's general disappointment extended over him almost to his lace and his plume. 'Your mother

'Yes, that's the worst of it,' she said. 'Let us go back to David; I have seen all I want to see, Mr. Loveday.'

The mass of the people had by this time noticed the Queen and princesses at the window, and raised a cheer,

to which the ladies waved their embroidered handkerchiefs. Anne went back towards the pavement with her

trumpetmajor, whom all the girls envied her, so finelooking a soldier was he; and not only for that, but

because it was well known that he was not a soldier from necessity, but from patriotism, his father having

repeatedly offered to set him up in business: his artistic taste in preferring a horse and uniform to a dirty,

rumbling flourmill was admired by all. She, too, had a very nice appearance in her best clothes as she

walked alongthe sarcenet hat, muslin shawl, and tightsleeved gown being of the newest Overcombe

fashion, that was only about a year old in the adjoining town, and in London three or four. She could not be

harsh to Loveday and dismiss him curtly, for his musical pursuits had refined him, educated him, and made

him quite poetical. Today he had been particularly wellmannered and tender; so, instead of answering,

'Never speak to me like this again,' she merely put him off with a 'Let us go back to David.'

'He's only gone to drink the King's health,' said Loveday, who had privately given David the money for

'Will you go and find him?' said she, with intense propriety in her looks and tone.

Anne stood still. She could now escape her gallant friend, for, although the distance was long, it was not

impossible to walk home. On the other hand, Loveday was a good and sincere fellow, for whom she had

almost a brotherly feeling, and she shrank from such a trick. While she stood and mused, scarcely heeding the

music, the marching of the soldiers, the King, the dukes, the brilliant staff, the attendants, and the happy

Before her she saw a flower lyinga crimson sweetwilliamfresh and uninjured. An instinctive wish to

save it from destruction by the passengers' feet led her to pick it up; and then, moved by a sudden

selfconsciousness, she looked around. She was standing before an inn, and from an upper window Festus

Derriman was leaning with two or three kindred spirits of his cut and kind. He nodded eagerly, and signified

What should she do? To throw it away would seem stupid, and to keep it was awkward. She held it between

her finger and thumb, twirled it round on its axis and twirled it back again, regarding and yet not examining

'I can't find David anywhere,' he said; and his heart was not sorry as he said it.

Anne was still holding out the sweetwilliam as if about to drop it, and, scarcely knowing what she did under

Then Anne saw what a misleading blunder she had committed towards Loveday in playing to the yeoman.

'It was not my sweetwilliam,' she said hastily; 'it was lying on the ground. I don't mean anything by giving it

'But I'll keep it all the same,' said the innocent soldier, as if he knew a good deal about womankind; and he

put the flower carefully inside his jacket, between his white waistcoat and his heart.

Festus, seeing this, enlarged himself wrathfully, got hot in the face, rose to his feet, and glared down upon

'I'll see you safe to your own door, depend upon me,' said Loveday. 'ButI had near forgotthere's father's

letter, that he's so anxiously waiting for! Will you come with me to the postoffice? Then I'll take you

Anne, expecting Festus to pounce down every minute, was glad to be off anywhere; so she accepted the

Loveday set this down as a proof of Anne's relenting. Thus in joyful spirits he entered the office, paid the

'It is from Bob, after all!' he said. 'Father told me to read it at once, in case of bad news. Ask your pardon for

Anne did not answer. The blood swept impetuously up her face at his words, and as suddenly went away

again, leaving her rather paler than before. She disguised her agitation and then overcame it, Loveday

'That I don't know,' said John, turning the letter about. 'The woman is a stranger.'

'Come, John,' he cried, 'I have been waiting and waiting for that there letter till I was nigh crazy!'

John briefly explained the news, and when his father had recovered from his astonishment, taken off his hat,

and wiped the exact line where his forehead joined his hair, he walked with Anne up the street, leaving John

to return alone. The miller was so absorbed in his mental perspective of Bob's marriage, that he saw nothing

of the gaieties they passed through; and Anne seemed also so much impressed by the same intelligence, that

she crossed before the inn occupied by Festus without showing a recollection of his presence there.

When they reached home the sun was going down. It had already been noised abroad that miller Loveday had

received a letter, and, his cart having been heard coming up the lane, the population of Overcombe drew

down towards the mill as soon as he had gone indoors a sudden flash of brightness from the window

showing that he had struck such an early light as nothing but the immediate deciphering of literature could

require. Letters were matters of public moment, and everybody in the parish had an interest in the reading of

those rare documents; so that when the miller had placed the candle, slanted himself, and called in Mrs.

Garland to have her opinion on the meaning of any hieroglyphics that he might encounter in his course, he

found that he was to be additionally assisted by the opinions of the other neighbours, whose persons appeared

in the doorway, partly covering each other like a hand of cards, yet each showing a large enough piece of

himself for identification. To pass the time while they were arranging themselves, the miller adopted his

'Yes; "Southampton, the twelfth of August, dear father,"' said Loveday; and they were as silent as relations at

the reading of a will. Anne, for whom the letter had a singular fascination, came in with her mother and sat

Bob stated in his own way that having, since landing, taken into consideration his father's wish that he should

renounce a seafaring life and become a partner in the mill, he had decided to agree to the proposal; and with

that object in view he would return to Overcombe in three days from the time of writing.

He then said incidentally that since his voyage he had been in lodgings at Southampton, and during that time

had become acquainted with a lovely and virtuous young maiden, in whom he found the exact qualities

necessary to his happiness. Having known this lady for the full space of a fortnight he had had ample

opportunities of studying her character, and, being struck with the recollection that, if there was one thing

more than another necessary in a mill which had no mistress, it was somebody who could play that part with

grace and dignity, he had asked Miss Matilda Johnson to be his wife. In her kindness she, though sacrificing

far better prospects, had agreed; and he could not but regard it as a happy chance that he should have found at

the nick of time such a woman to adorn his home, whose innocence was as stunning as her beauty. Without

much ado, therefore, he and she had arranged to be married at once, and at Overcombe, that his father might

not be deprived of the pleasures of the wedding feast. She had kindly consented to follow him by land in the

course of a few days, and to live in the house as their guest for the week or so previous to the ceremony.

''Tis a proper good letter,' said Mrs. Comfort from the background. 'I never heerd true love better put out of

'That's nothing,' said Esther Beach. 'Nater will find her way, very rapid when the time's come for't. Well, 'tis

'Yes, sure, I hope 'tis,' said Loveday, without, however, showing any great hurry to burst into the frantic form

of fatherly joy which the event should naturally have produced, seeming more disposed to let off his feelings

'I was five years acourting my wife,' he presently remarked. 'But folks were slower about everything in them

days. Well, since she's coming we must make her welcome. Did any of ye catch by my reading which day it

is he means? What with making out the penmanship, my mind was drawn off from the sense here and there.'

'He says in three days,' said Mrs. Garland. 'The date of the letter will fix it.'

On examination it was found that the day appointed was the one nearly expired; at which the miller jumped

up and said, 'Then he'll be here before bedtime. I didn't gather till now that he was coming afore Saturday.

He had scarcely spoken when footsteps were heard coming along the front, and they presently halted at the

door. Loveday pushed through the neighbours and rushed out; and, seeing in the passage a form which

obscured the declining light, the miller seized hold of him, saying, 'O my dear Bob; then you are come!'

'Scrounch it all, miller, don't quite pull my poor shoulder out of joint! Whatever is the matter?' said the

newcomer, trying to release himself from Loveday's grasp of affection. It was Uncle Benjy.

'Thought 'twas my son!' faltered the miller, sinking back upon the toes of the neighbours who had closely

followed him into the entry. 'Well, come in, Mr. Derriman, and make yerself at home. Why, you haven't been

here for years! Whatever has made you come now, sir, of all times in the world?'

Farmer Derriman breathed a breath of relief. 'Well, I've called to tell ye,' he said, 'that there's more news of

the French. We shall have 'em here this month as sure as a gun. The gunboats be all readynear two

thousand of 'emand the whole army is at Boulogne. And, miller, I know ye to be an honest man.'

'Neighbour Loveday, I know ye to be an honest man,' repeated the old squireen. 'Can I speak to ye alone?'

As the house was full, Loveday took him into the garden, all the while upon tenterhooks, not lest

Buonaparte should appear in their midst, but lest Bob should come whilst he was not there to receive him.

When they had got into a corner Uncle Benjy said, 'Miller, what with the French, and what with my nephew

Festus, I assure ye my life is nothing but wherrit from morning to night. Miller Loveday, you are an honest

'Well, I've come to ask a favourto ask if you will take charge of my few poor titledeeds and documents

and suchlike, while I am away from home next week, lest anything should befall me, and they should be stole

away by Boney or Festus, and I should have nothing left in the wide world? I can trust neither banks nor

Loveday after some hesitation agreed to take care of anything that Derriman should bring, whereupon the

farmer said he would call with the parchments and papers alluded to in the course of a week. Derriman then

went away by the garden gate, mounted his pony, which had been tethered outside, and rode on till his form

The miller rejoined his friends, and found that in the meantime John had arrived. John informed the company

that after parting from his father and Anne he had rambled to the harbour, and discovered the Pewit by the

quay. On inquiry he had learnt that she came in at eleven o'clock, and that Bob had gone ashore.

So, as the dew rose from the meads and formed fleeces in the hollows, Loveday and his friends and

neighbours strolled out, and loitered by the stiles which hampered the footpath from Overcombe to the high

road at intervals of a hundred yards. John Loveday, being obliged to return to camp, was unable to

accompany them, but Widow Garland thought proper to fall in with the procession. When she had put on her

bonnet she called to her daughter. Anne said from upstairs that she was coming in a minute; and her mother

What was Anne doing? Having hastily unlocked a receptacle for emotional objects of small size, she took

thence the little folded paper with which we have already become acquainted, and, striking a light from her

private tinderbox, she held the paper, and curl of hair it contained, in the candle till they were burnt. Then

she put on her hat and followed her mother and the rest of them across the moist grey fields, cheerfully

singing in an undertone as she went, to assure herself of her indifference to circumstances.

While Loveday and his neighbours were thus rambling forth, full of expectancy, some of them, including

Anne in the rear, heard the crackling of light wheels along the curved lane to which the path was the chord.

At once Anne thought, 'Perhaps that's he, and we are missing him.' But recent events were not of a kind to

induce her to say anything; and the others of the company did not reflect on the sound.

Had they gone across to the hedge which hid the lane, and looked through it, they would have seen a light

cart driven by a boy, beside whom was seated a seafaring man, apparently of good standing in the merchant

service, with his feet outside on the shaft. The vehicle went over the main bridge, turned in upon the other

bridge at the tail of the mill, and halted by the door. The sailor alighted, showing himself to be a wellshaped,

active, and fine young man, with a bright eye, an anonymous nose, and of such a rich complexion by

exposure to ripening suns that he might have been some connexion of the foreigner who calls his likeness the

Portrait of a Gentleman in galleries of the Old Masters. Yet in spite of this, and though Bob Loveday had

been all over the world from Cape Horn to Pekin, and from India's coral strand to the White Sea, the most

conspicuous of all the marks that he had brought back with him was an increased resemblance to his mother,

Captain Loveday tried the house door; finding this locked he went to the mill door: this was locked also, the

'They are not at home,' he said to the boy. 'But never mind that. Just help to unload the things and then I'll pay

The cart was unloaded, and the boy was dismissed, thanking the sailor profusely for the payment rendered.

Then Bob Loveday, finding that he had still some leisure on his hands, looked musingly east, west, north,

south, and nadir; after which he bestirred himself by carrying his goods, article by article, round to the back

door, out of the way of casual passers. This done, he walked round the mill in a more regardful attitude, and

surveyed its familiar features one by onethe panes of the grindingroom, now as heretofore clouded with

flour as with stale hoarfrost; the meal lodged in the corners of the windowsills, forming a soil in which

lichens grew without ever getting any bigger, as they had done since his smallest infancy; the mosses on the

plinth towards the river, reaching as high as the capillary power of the walls would fetch up moisture for their

nourishment, and the penned millpond, now as ever on the point of overflowing into the garden. Everything

When he had had enough of this it occurred to Loveday that he might get into the house in spite of the locked

doors; and by entering the garden, placing a pole from the fork of an appletree to the windowsill of a

bedroom on that side, and climbing across like a Barbary ape, he entered the window and stepped down

inside. There was something anomalous in being close to the familiar furniture without having first seen his

father, and its silent, impassive shine was not cheering; it was as if his relations were all dead, and only their

tables and chests of drawers left to greet him. He went downstairs and seated himself in the dark parlour.

Finding this place, too, rather solitary, and the tick of the invisible clock preternaturally loud, he unearthed

the tinderbox, obtained a light, and set about making the house comfortable for his father's return, divining

Robert's interest in this work increased as he proceeded, and he bustled round and round the kitchen as lightly

as a girl. David, the indoor factotum, having lost himself among the quart pots of Budmouth, there had been

nobody left here to prepare supper, and Bob had it all to himself. In a short time a fire blazed up the chimney,

a tablecloth was found, the plates were clapped down, and a search made for what provisions the house

afforded, which, in addition to various meats, included some fresh eggs of the elongated shape that produces

cockerels when hatched, and had been set aside on that account for putting under the next broody hen.

A more reckless cracking of eggs than that which now went on had never been known in Overcombe since

the last large christening; and as Loveday gashed one on the side, another at the end, another longways, and

another diagonally, he acquired adroitness by practice, and at last made every son of a hen of them fall into

two hemispheres as neatly as if it opened by a hinge. From eggs he proceeded to ham, and from ham to

Not to be tempted to fall to before his father came back, the returned navigator emptied the whole into a dish,

laid a plate over the top, his coat over the plate, and his hat over his coat. Thus completely stopping in the

appetizing smell, he sat down to await events. He was relieved from the tediousness of doing this by hearing

'And we've been out waiting to meet thee!' said the miller, as he entered the room, followed by

representatives of the houses of Cripplestraw, Comfort, Mitchell, Beach, and Snooks, together with some

small beginnings of Fencible Tremlett's posterity. In the rear came David, and quite in the vanishingpoint of

'I should have been here this morning; but not so much as a wheelbarrow could I get for my traps; everything

was gone to the review. So I went too, thinking I might meet you there. I was then obliged to return to the

Then there was a welcoming of Captain Bob by pulling out his arms like drawers and shutting them again,

smacking him on the back as if he were choking, holding him at arm's length as if he were of too large type to

read close. All which persecution Bob bore with a wide, genial smile that was shaken into fragments and

'Get a chair for 'n!' said the miller to David, whom they had met in the fields and found to have got nothing

'Never mindI am not tiredI have been here ever so long,' said Bob. 'And I' But the chair having been

placed behind him, and a smart touch in the hollow of a person's knee by the edge of that piece of furniture

having a tendency to make the person sit without further argument, Bob sank down dumb, and the others

drew up other chairs at a convenient nearness for easy analytic vision and the subtler forms of good

fellowship. The miller went about saying, 'David, the nine best glasses from the corner cupboard!''David,

the corkscrew!''David, whisk the tail of thy smockfrock round the inside of these quart pots afore you

draw drink in 'emthey be an inch thick in dust!''David, lower that chimneycrook a couple of notches

that the flame may touch the bottom of the kettle, and light three more of the largest candles!''If you can't

get the cork out of the jar, David, bore a hole in the tub of Hollands that's buried under the scroff in the

fuelhouse; d'ye hear?Dan Brown left en there yesterday as a return for the little porker I gied en.'

When they had all had a thimbleful round, and the superfluous neighbours had reluctantly departed, one by

one, the inmates gave their minds to the supper, which David had begun to serve up.

'Maister Bob have put down one of the under sheets by mistake, and I thought you might not like it, sir, as

'Faith, 'twas the first thing that came to hand,' said Robert. 'It seemed a tablecloth to me.'

'Never minddon't pull off the things now he's laid 'em downlet it bide,' said the miller. 'But where's

'They were here but a minute ago,' said David. 'Depend upon it they have slinked off 'cause they be shy.'

The miller at once went round to ask them to come back and sup with him; and while he was gone David told

'Yes, Cap'n Bob, as I suppose I must call ye; I've worked for yer father these eightandthirty years, and we

have always got on very well together. Trusts me with all the keys, lends me his sleevewaistcoat, and leaves

the house entirely to me. Widow Garland next door, too, is just the same with me, and treats me as if I was

Mrs. Garland would not come in to supper, and the meal proceeded without her, Bob recommending to his

father the dish he had cooked, in the manner of a householder to a stranger just come. The miller was anxious

to know more about his son's plans for the future, but would not for the present interrupt his eating, looking

up from his own plate to appreciate Bob's travelled way of putting English victuals out of sight, as he would

David had only just got the table clear, and set the plates in a row under the bakehouse table for the cats to

lick, when the door was hastily opened, and Mrs. Garland came in, looking concerned.

'I have been waiting to hear the plates removed to tell you how frightened we are at something we hear at the

backdoor. It seems like robbers muttering; but when I look out there's nobody there!'

'This must be seen to,' said the miller, rising promptly. 'David, light the middlesized lantern. I'll go and

'And I'll go too,' said his son, taking up a cudgel. 'Lucky I've come home just in time!'

They went out stealthily, followed by the widow and Anne, who had been afraid to stay alone in the house

under the circumstances. No sooner were they beyond the door when, sure enough, there was the muttering

almost close at hand, and low upon the ground, as from persons lying down in hiding.

'Bless my heart!' said Bob, striking his head as though it were some enemy's: 'why, 'tis my luggage. I'd quite

'My luggage. Really, if it hadn't been for Mrs. Garland it would have stayed there all night, and they, poor

things! would have been starved. I've got all sorts of articles for ye. You go inside, and I'll bring 'em in. 'Tis

parrots that you hear a muttering, Mrs. Garland. You needn't be afraid any more.'

'Parrots?' said the miller. 'Well, I'm glad 'tis no worse. But how couldst forget so, Bob?'

The packages were taken in by David and Bob, and the first unfastened were three, wrapped in cloths, which

'This one is for you, father, to hang up outside the door, and amuse us,' said Bob. 'He'll talk very well, but he's

sleepy tonight. This other one I brought along for any neighbour that would like to have him. His colours

are not so bright; but 'tis a good bird. If you would like to have him you are welcome to him,' he said, turning

to Anne, who had been tempted forward by the birds. 'You have hardly spoken yet, Miss Anne, but I recollect

Anne said she was much obliged, but did not know what she could do with such a present. Mrs. Garland

accepted it for her, and the sailor went on'Now this other bird I hardly know what to do with; but I dare say

'He is by far the prettiest,' said the widow. 'I would rather have it than the other, if you don't mind.'

'Yes,' said Bob, with embarrassment. 'But the fact is, that bird will hardly do for ye, ma'am. He's a hard

'We could keep him in the mill,' suggested the miller. 'It won't matter about the grinder hearing him, for he

'The grinder shall have him, then,' said Bob. 'The one I have given you, ma'am, has no harm in him at all.

The sailor now untied a small wooden box about a foot square, perforated with holes. 'Here are two

marmosets,' he continued. 'You can't see them tonight; but they are beautiesthe tufted sort.'

'O, a little kind of monkey. They bite strangers rather hard, but you'll soon get used to 'em.'

'They are wrapped up in something, I declare,' said Mrs. Garland, peeping in through a chink.

'Yes, that's my flannel shirt,' said Bob apologetically. 'They suffer terribly from cold in this climate, poor

things! and I had nothing better to give them. Well, now, in this next box I've got things of different sorts.'

The latter was a regular seaman's chest, and out of it he produced shells of many sizes and colours, carved

ivories, queer little caskets, gorgeous feathers, and several silk handkerchiefs, which articles were spread out

upon all the available tables and chairs till the house began to look like a bazaar.

'What a lovely shawl!' exclaimed Widow Garland, in her interest forestalling the regular exhibition by

'O yes,' said the mate, pulling out a couple of the most bewitching shawls that eyes ever saw. 'One of these I

am going to give to that young lady I am shortly to be married to, you know, Mrs. Garland. Has father told

'But the other one I've got no use for at all; and,' he continued, looking round, 'will you have it, Miss Anne?

'Thank you,' said Anne calmly, but much distressed; 'but really I don't want it, and couldn't take it.'

'But do have it!' said Bob in hurt tones, Mrs. Garland being all the while on tenterhooks lest Anne should

'Why, there's another reason why you ought to!' said he, his face lighting up with recollections. 'It never came

into my head till this moment that I used to be your beau in a humble sort of way. Faith, so I did, and we used

to meet at places sometimes, didn't we that is, when you were not too proud; and once I gave you, or

'Ah, perhaps it was,' said Bob innocently. 'But it was you I used to meet, or try to, I am sure. Well, I've never

thought of that boyish time for years till this minute! I am sure you ought to accept some one gift, dear, out of

'Well, Mrs. Garland, then you shall have it,' said Bob, tossing the shawl to that ready receiver. 'If you don't,

upon my life I will throw it out to the first beggar I see. Now, here's a parcel of cap ribbons of the splendidest

'I promised them to Matilda,' continued Bob; 'but I am sure she won't want 'em, as she has got some of her

'I think you had better keep them for your bride if you have promised them to her,' said Mrs. Garland mildly.

'It wasn't exactly a promise. I just said, "Til, there's some cap ribbons in my box, if you would like to have

them." But she's got enough things already for any bride in creation. Anne, now you shall have 'emupon

Anne had meant to be perfectly firm in refusing everything, for reasons obvious even to that poor waif, the

meanest capacity; but when it came to this point she was absolutely compelled to give in, and reluctantly

received the cap ribbons in her arms, blushing fitfully, and with her lip trembling in a motion which she tried

'Yes, indeedand it is wrong of him!' Anne instantly cried, tears running down her face as she threw the

parcel of ribbons on the floor. 'You'd better bestow your gifts where you bestow your ll love, Mr.

'Now that's a pity,' said Bob, looking regretfully after Anne. 'I didn't remember that she was a

quicktempered sort of girl at all. Tell her, Mrs. Garland, that I ask her pardon. But of course I didn't know

she was too proud to accept a little presenthow should I? Upon my life if it wasn't for Matilda I'dWell,

'What's this?' said Mrs. Garland, touching with her foot a large package that had been laid down by Bob

The examination of presents at last ended, and the two families parted for the night. When they were alone,

Mrs. Garland said to Anne, 'What a close girl you are! I am sure I never knew that Bob Loveday and you had

'O yesso we were,' said Anne, now quite recovered. 'It was when we first came here, about a year after

father died. We did not walk together in any regular way. You know I have never thought the Lovedays high

It is to be hoped that somebody's sins were forgiven her that night before she went to bed.

When Bob and his father were left alone, the miller said, 'Well, Robert, about this young woman of

'Well, she is an excellent body,' continued Bob; 'that can truly be saida real charmer, you knowa nice

good comely young woman, a miracle of genteel breeding, you know, and all that. She can throw her hair

into the nicest curls, and she's got splendid gowns and headclothes. In short, you might call her a land

'No doubt she will,' said the miller; 'for I have never known thee wanting in sense in a jineral way.' He turned

his cup round on its axis till the handle had travelled a complete circle. 'How long did you say in your letter

'It don't sound long, 'tis true; and 'twas really longer'twas fifteen days and a quarter. But hang it, father, I

could see in the twinkling of an eye that the girl would do. I know a woman well enough when I see herI

ought to, indeed, having been so much about the world. Now, for instance, there's Widow Garland and her

daughter. The girl is a nice little thing; but the old womanO no!' Bob shook his head.

'Well, she's, she'sI mean, I should never have chose her, you know. She's of a nice disposition, and young

for a widow with a grownup daughter; but if all the men had been like me she would never have had a

husband. I like her in some respects; but she's a style of beauty I don't care for.'

'O, if 'tis only looks you are thinking of,' said the miller, much relieved, 'there's nothing to be said, of course.

Though there's many a duchess worselooking, if it comes to argument, as you would find, my son,' he

'As to my marrying Matilda, thinks I, here's one of the very genteelest sort, and I may as well do the job at

once. So I chose her. She's a dear girl; there's nobody like her, search where you will.'

'Well, she was the only young woman I happened to know in Southampton, that's true. But what of that? It

'Her mother? No, I didn't. I think her mother is dead; but she has got a very rich aunt living at Melchester. I

didn't see her aunt, because there wasn't time to go; but of course we shall know her when we are married.'

'Yes, yes, of course,' said the miller, trying to feel quite satisfied. 'And she will soon be here?'

'Ay, she's coming soon,' said Bob. 'She has gone to this aunt's at Melchester to get her things packed, and

suchlike, or she would have come with me. I am going to meet the coach at the King's Arms, Casterbridge, on

Sunday, at one o'clock. To show what a capital sort of wife she'll be, I may tell you that she wanted to come

by the Mercury, because 'tis a little cheaper than the other. But I said, "For once in your life do it well, and

come by the Royal Mail, and I'll pay." I can have the pony and trap to fetch her, I suppose, as 'tis too far for

'Of course you can, Bob, or anything else. And I'll do all I can to give you a good wedding feast.'

Preparations for Matilda's welcome, and for the event which was to follow, at once occupied the attention of

the mill. The miller and his man had but dim notions of housewifery on any large scale; so the great wedding

cleaning was kindly supervised by Mrs. Garland, Bob being mostly away during the day with his brother, the

trumpetmajor, on various errands, one of which was to buy paint and varnish for the gig that Matilda was to

By the widow's direction the old familiar incrustation of shining dirt, imprinted along the back of the settle by

the heads of countless jolly sitters, was scrubbed and scraped away; the brown circle round the nail whereon

the miller hung his hat, stained by the brim in wet weather, was whitened over; the tawny smudges of bygone

shoulders in the passage were removed without regard to a certain genial and historical value which they had

acquired. The face of the clock, coated with verdigris as thick as a diachylon plaister, was rubbed till the

figures emerged into day; while, inside the case of the same chronometer, the cobwebs that formed triangular

hammocks, which the pendulum could hardly wade through, were cleared away at one swoop.

Mrs. Garland also assisted at the invasion of wormeaten cupboards, where layers of ancient smells lingered

on in the stagnant air, and recalled to the reflective nose the many good things that had been kept there. The

upper floors were scrubbed with such abundance of water that the oldestablished deathwatches,

woodlice, and flourworms were all drowned, the suds trickling down into the room below in so lively and

novel a manner as to convey the romantic notion that the miller lived in a cave with dripping stalactites.

They moved what had never been moved beforethe oak coffer, containing the miller's wardrobea

tremendous weight, what with its locks, hinges, nails, dirt, framework, and the hard stratification of old

jackets, waistcoats, and kneebreeches at the bottom, never disturbed since the miller's wife died, and half

pulverized by the moths, whose flattened skeletons lay amid the mass in thousands.

'It fairly makes my back open and shut!' said Loveday, as, in obedience to Mrs. Garland's direction, he lifted

one corner, the grinder and David assisting at the others. 'All together: speak when ye be going to heave.

The pot covers and skimmers were brought to such a state that, on examining them, the beholder was not

conscious of utensils, but of his own face in a condition of hideous elasticity. The broken clockline was

mended, the kettles rocked, the creeper nailed up, and a new handle put to the warmingpan. The large

household lantern was cleaned out, after three years of uninterrupted accumulation, the operation yielding a

conglomerate of candlesnuffs, candleends, remains of matches, lampblack, and eleven ounces and a half

of good greaseinvaluable as dubbing for skitty boots and ointment for cartwheels.

Everybody said that the mill residence had not been so thoroughly scoured for twenty years. The miller and

David looked on with a sort of awe tempered by gratitude, tacitly admitting by their gaze that this was

beyond what they had ever thought of. Mrs. Garland supervised all with disinterested benevolence. It would

never have done, she said, for his future daughterinlaw to see the house in its original state. She would

'Why don't ye come and live here with me, and then you would be able to see to it at all times?' said the miller

as she bustled about again. To which she answered that she was considering the matter, and might in good

time. He had previously informed her that his plan was to put Bob and his wife in the part of the house that

she, Mrs. Garland, occupied, as soon as she chose to enter his, which relieved her of any fear of being

The cooking for the wedding festivities was on a proportionate scale of thoroughness. They killed the four

supernumerary chickens that had just begun to crow, and the little curlytailed barrow pig, in preference to

the sow; not having been put up fattening for more than five weeks it was excellent small meat, and therefore

more delicate and likely to suit a townbred lady's taste than the large one, which, having reached the weight

of fourteen score, might have been a little gross to a cultured palate. There were also provided a cold chine,

stuffed veal, and two pigeon pies. Also thirty rings of blackpot, a dozen of whitepot, and ten knots of

tender and wellwashed chitterlings, cooked plain in case she should like a change.

As additional reserves there were sweetbreads, and five milts, sewed up at one side in the form of a chrysalis,

and stuffed with thyme, sage, parsley, mint, groats, rice, milk, chopped egg, and other ingredients. They were

The business of chopping so many herbs for the various stuffings was found to be aching work for women;

and David, the miller, the grinder, and the grinder's boy being fully occupied in their proper branches, and

Bob being very busy painting the gig and touching up the harness, Loveday called in a friendly dragoon of

John's regiment who was passing by, and he, being a muscular man, willingly chopped all the afternoon for a

quart of strong, judiciously administered, and all other victuals found, taking off his jacket and gloves, rolling

up his shirtsleeves and unfastening his collar in an honourable and energetic way.

All windfalls and maggotcored codlins were excluded from the apple pies; and as there was no known dish

large enough for the purpose, the puddings were stirred up in the milkingpail, and boiled in the threelegged

bellmetal crock, of great weight and antiquity, which every travelling tinker for the previous thirty years had

In the liquor line Loveday laid in an ample barrel of Casterbridge 'strong beer.' This renowned drinknow

almost as much a thing of the past as Falstaff's favourite beveragewas not only well calculated to win the

hearts of soldiers blown dry and dusty by residence in tents on a hilltop, but of any wayfarer whatever in

that land. It was of the most beautiful colour that the eye of an artist in beer could desire; full in body, yet

brisk as a volcano; piquant, yet without a twang; luminous as an autumn sunset; free from streakiness of

taste; but, finally, rather heady. The masses worshipped it, the minor gentry loved it more than wine, and by

the most illustrious county families it was not despised. Anybody brought up for being drunk and disorderly

in the streets of its natal borough, had only to prove that he was a stranger to the place and its liquor to be

honourably dismissed by the magistrates, as one overtaken in a fault that no man could guard against who

In addition, Mr. Loveday also tapped a hogshead of fine cider that he had had mellowing in the house for

several months, having bought it of an honest downcountry man, who did not colour, for any special

occasion like the present. It had been pressed from fruit judiciously chosen by an old handHorner and

Cleeves apple for the body, a few TomPutts for colour, and just a dash of Old Fivecorners for sparklea

selection originally made to please the palate of a wellknown temperate earl who was a regular

On the morning of the Sunday appointed for her coming Captain Bob Loveday set out to meet his bride. He

had been all the week engaged in painting the gig, assisted by his brother at odd times, and it now appeared of

a gorgeous yellow, with blue streaks, and tassels at the corners, and red wheels outlined with a darker shade.

He put in the pony at halfpast eleven, Anne looking at him from the door as he packed himself into the

vehicle and drove off. There may be young women who look out at young men driving to meet their brides as

Anne looked at Captain Bob, and yet are quite indifferent to the circumstances; but they are not often met

So much dust had been raised on the highway by traffic resulting from the presence of the Court at the town

further on, that brambles hanging from the fence, and giving a friendly scratch to the wanderer's face, were

dingy as church cobwebs; and the grass on the margin had assumed a papershaving hue. Bob's father had

wished him to take David, lest, from want of recent experience at the whip, he should meet with any mishap;

but, picturing to himself the awkwardness of three in such circumstances, Bob would not hear of this; and

nothing more serious happened to his driving than that the wheelmarks formed two serpentine lines along

the road during the first mile or two, before he had got his hand in, and that the horse shied at a milestone, a

piece of paper, a sleeping tramp, and a wheelbarrow, just to make use of the opportunity of being in bad

He entered Casterbridge between twelve and one, and, putting up at the Old Greyhound, walked on to the

Bow. Here, rather dusty on the ledges of his clothes, he stood and waited while the people in their best

summer dresses poured out of the three churches round him. When they had all gone, and a smell of cinders

and gravy had spread down the ancient highstreet, and the piedishes from adjacent bakehouses had all

travelled past, he saw the mail coach rise above the arch of Grey's Bridge, a quarter of a mile distant,

surmounted by swaying knobs, which proved to be the heads of the outside travellers.

'That's the way for a man's bride to come to him,' said Robert to himself with a feeling of poetry; and as the

horn sounded and the horses clattered up the street he walked down to the inn. The knot of hostlers and

innservants had gathered, the horses were dragged from the vehicle, and the passengers for Casterbridge

began to descend. Captain Bob eyed them over, looked inside, looked outside again; to his disappointment

Matilda was not there, nor her boxes, nor anything that was hers. Neither coachman nor guard had seen or

Depressed by forebodings to an extent which took away nearly a third of his appetite, he sat down in the

parlour of the Old Greyhound to a slice from the family joint of the landlord. This gentleman, who dined in

his shirtsleeves, partly because it was August, and partly from a sense that they would not be so fit for

public view further on in the week, suggested that Bob should wait till three or four that afternoon, when the

roadwaggon would arrive, as the lost lady might have preferred that mode of conveyance; and when Bob

appeared rather hurt at the suggestion, the landlord's wife assured him, as a woman who knew good life, that

many genteel persons travelled in that way during the present high price of provisions. Loveday, who knew

little of travelling by land, readily accepted her assurance and resolved to wait.

Wandering up and down the pavement, or leaning against some hot wall between the waggonoffice and the

corner of the street above, he passed the time away. It was a still, sunny, drowsy afternoon, and scarcely a

soul was visible in the length and breadth of the street. The office was not far from All Saints' Church, and

the churchwindows being open, he could hear the afternoon service from where he lingered as distinctly as

if he had been one of the congregation. Thus he was mentally conducted through the Psalms, through the first

and second lessons, through the burst of fiddles and clarionets which announced the eveninghymn, and well

into the sermon, before any signs of the waggon could be seen upon the London road.

The afternoon sermons at this church being of a dry and metaphysical nature at that date, it was by a special

providence that the waggonoffice was placed near the ancient fabric, so that whenever the Sunday waggon

was late, which it always was in hot weather, in cold weather, in wet weather, and in weather of almost every

other sort, the rattle, dismounting, and swearing outside completely drowned the parson's voice within, and

sustained the flagging interest of the congregation at precisely the right moment. No sooner did the charity

children begin to writhe on their benches, and adult snores grow audible, than the waggon arrived.

Captain Loveday felt a kind of sinking in his poetry at the possibility of her for whom they had made such

preparations being in the slow, unwieldy vehicle which crunched its way towards him; but he would not give

in to the weakness. Neither would he walk down the street to meet the waggon, lest she should not be there.

At last the broad wheels drew up against the kerb, the waggoner with his white smockfrock, and whip as

long as a fishingline, descended from the pony on which he rode alongside, and the six broadchested

horses backed from their collars and shook themselves. In another moment something showed forth, and he

Bob felt three cheers rise within him as she stepped down; but it being Sunday he did not utter them. In dress,

Miss Johnson passed his expectationsa green and white gown, with long, tight sleeves, a green silk

handkerchief round her neck and crossed in front, a green parasol, and green gloves. It was strange enough to

see this verdant caterpillar turn out of a roadwaggon, and gracefully shake herself free from the bits of straw

and fluff which would usually gather on the raiment of the grandest travellers by that vehicle.

'But, my dear Matilda,' said Bob, when he had kissed her three times with much publicitythe practical step

he had determined on seeming to demand that these things should no longer be done in a corner 'my dear

'That's my scrimping!' said Matilda in a delightful gush. 'I know you won't be offended when you know I did

Bob, of course, was not offended, though the glory of meeting her had been less; and even if vexation were

possible, it would have been out of place to say so. Still, he would have experienced no little surprise had he

learnt the real reason of his Matilda's change of plan. That angel had, in short, so wildly spent Bob's and her

own money in the adornment of her person before setting out, that she found herself without a sufficient

'Well, I have got the trap out at the Greyhound,' said Bob. 'I don't know whether it will hold your luggage and

us too; but it looked more respectable than the waggon on a Sunday, and if there's not room for the boxes I

'I think there will be room,' said Miss Johnson mildly. And it was soon very evident that she spoke the truth;

for when her property was deposited on the pavement, it consisted of a trunk about eighteen inches long, and

'That's all,' said the young woman assuringly. 'I didn't want to give trouble, you know, and what I have

'Yes, of course,' he answered readily. 'And as it's no bigger, I can carry it in my hand to the inn, and so it will

He caught up the little box, and they went side by side to the Greyhound; and in ten minutes they were

Bob did not hurry the horse, there being many things to say and hear, for which the present situation was

admirably suited. The sun shone occasionally into Matilda's face as they drove on, its rays picking out all her

features to a great nicety. Her eyes would have been called brown, but they were really eelcolour, like many

other nice brown eyes; they were wellshaped and rather bright, though they had more of a broad shine than

a sparkle. She had a firm, sufficient nose, which seemed to say of itself that it was good as noses go. She had

rather a picturesque way of wrapping her upper in her lower lip, so that the red of the latter showed strongly.

Whenever she gazed against the sun towards the distant hills, she brought into her forehead, without knowing

it, three short vertical linesnot there at other timesgiving her for the moment rather a hard look. And in

turning her head round to a far angle, to stare at something or other that he pointed out, the drawn flesh of her

neck became a mass of lines. But Bob did not look at these things, which, of course, were of no significance;

for had she not told him, when they compared ages, that she was a little over twoandtwenty?

As Nature was hardly invented at this early point of the century, Bob's Matilda could not say much about the

glamour of the hills, or the shimmering of the foliage, or the wealth of glory in the distant sea, as she would

doubtless have done had she lived later on; but she did her best to be interesting, asking Bob about matters of

'Is your wateringplace a large city?' she inquired when they mounted the hill where the Overcombe folk had

'Bless you, my dearno! 'Twould be nothing if it wasn't for the Royal Family, and the lords and ladies, and

the regiments of soldiers, and the frigates, and the King's messengers, and the actors and actresses, and the

At the words 'actors and actresses,' the innocent young thing pricked up her ears.

'O no, no! I have heard of Budmouthread in the papers, you know, dear Robert, about the doings there, and

'Yes, yes, I see. Well, I have been away from England a long time, and don't know much about the theatre in

'O, an amazing treat!' said Miss Johnson, with an ecstasy in which a close observer might have discovered a

'Nnever,' said Matilda flatly. 'Whatever do I see yondera row of white things on the down?'

'Yes, that's a part of the encampment above Overcombe. Lots of soldiers are encamped about here; those are

He pointed to a wing of the camp that had become visible. Matilda was much interested.

Meanwhile Miller Loveday was expecting the pair with interest; and about five o'clock, after repeated

outlooks, he saw two specks the size of caraway seeds on the far line of ridge where the sunlit white of the

road met the blue of the sky. Then the remainder parts of Bob and his lady became visible, and then the

whole vehicle, end on, and he heard the dry rattle of the wheels on the dusty road. Miller Loveday's plan, as

far as he had formed any, was that Robert and his wife should live with him in the millhouse until Mrs.

Garland made up her mind to join him there; in which event her present house would be made over to the

young couple. Upon all grounds, he wished to welcome becomingly the woman of his son's choice, and came

'What a lovely place you've got here!' said Miss Johnson, when the miller had received her from the captain.

'Yes, 'tis real enough,' said Loveday, looking at the river with balanced sentiments; 'and so you will say when

you've lived here a bit as mis'ess, and had the trouble of claning the furniture.'

At this Miss Johnson looked modest, and continued to do so till Anne, not knowing they were there, came

round the corner of the house, with her prayerbook in her hand, having just arrived from church. Bob turned

and smiled to her, at which Miss Johnson looked glum. How long she would have remained in that phase is

unknown, for just then her ears were assailed by a loud bass note from the other side, causing her to jump

'O la! what dreadful thing is it?' she exclaimed, and beheld a cow of Loveday's, of the name of Crumpler,

standing close to her shoulder. It being about milkingtime, she had come to look up David and hasten on the

'O, what a horrid bull!it did frighten me so. I hope I shan't faint,' said Matilda.

The miller immediately used the formula which has been uttered by the proprietors of live stock ever since

Noah's time. 'She won't hurt ye. Hoosh, Crumpler! She's as timid as a mouse, ma'am.'

But as Crumpler persisted in making another terrific inquiry for David, Matilda could not help closing her

eyes and saying, 'O, I shall be gored to death!' her head falling back upon Bob's shoulder, whichseeing the

urgent circumstances, and knowing her delicate naturehe had providentially placed in a position to catch

her. Anne Garland, who had been standing at the corner of the house, not knowing whether to go back or

come on, at this felt her womanly sympathies aroused. She ran and dipped her handkerchief into the splashing

milltail, and with it damped Matilda's face. But as her eyes still remained closed, Bob, to increase the effect,

took the handkerchief from Anne and wrung it out on the bridge of Matilda's nose, whence it ran over the rest

'O, Captain Loveday!' said Anne, 'the water is running over her green silk handkerchief, and into her pretty

'Thereif I didn't think so!' exclaimed Matilda, opening her eyes, starting up, and promptly pulling out her

own handkerchief, with which she wiped away the drops, and an unimportant trifle of her complexion,

assisted by Anne, who, in spite of her background of antagonistic emotions, could not help being interested.

'That's right!' said the miller, his spirits reviving with the revival of Matilda. 'The lady is not used to country

'O dear, dear! more hideous country sounds, I suppose?' she inquired, with another start.

'O no,' said the miller cheerfully. ''Tis only my son John's trumpeter chaps at the camp of dragoons just above

us, ablowing Mess, or Feed, or Picket, or some other of their vagaries. John will be much pleased to tell you

the meaning on't when he comes down. He's trumpetmajor, as you may know, ma'am.'

'If you come round to Widow Garland's side of the house, you can see the camp,' said the miller.

'Don't force her; she's tired with her long journey,' said Mrs. Garland humanely, the widow having come out

in the general wish to see Captain Bob's choice. Indeed, they all behaved towards her as if she were a tender

She went into the house, accompanied by Mrs. Garland and her daughter; though before leaving Bob she

managed to whisper in his ear, 'Don't tell them I came by waggon, will you, dear?'a request which was

quite needless, for Bob had long ago determined to keep that a dead secret; not because it was an uncommon

mode of travel, but simply that it was hardly the usual conveyance for a gorgeous lady to her bridal.

As the men had a feeling that they would be superfluous indoors just at present, the miller assisted David in

taking the horse round to the stables, Bob following, and leaving Matilda to the women. Indoors, Miss

Johnson admired everything: the new parrots and marmosets, the black beams of the ceiling, the

doublecorner cupboard with the glass doors, through which gleamed the remainders of sundry china sets

acquired by Bob's mother in her housekeeping twohandled sugarbasins, nohandled teacups, a teapot

like a pagoda, and a creamjug in the form of a spotted cow. This sociability in their visitor was returned by

Mrs. Garland and Anne; and Miss Johnson's pleasing habit of partly dying whenever she heard any unusual

bark or bellow added to her piquancy in their eyes. But conversation, as such, was naturally at first of a

nervous, tentative kind, in which, as in the works of some minor poets, the sense was considerably led by the

'Apples are plentiful, it seems. You countryfolk call St. Swithin's their christening day, if it rains?'

'Yes, dear. Ah me! I have not been to a christening for these many years; the baby's name was George, I

'I hear that King George is still staying at the town here. I HOPE he'll stay till I have seen him!'

'Do they? I was not aware of that. I struck my elbow last week so hard against the door of my aunt's mansion

Before they were quite overwhelmed by the interest of this discourse, the miller and Bob came in. In truth,

Mrs. Garland found the office in which he had placed herthat of introducing a strange woman to a house

which was not the widow's owna rather awkward one, and yet almost a necessity. There was no woman

belonging to the house except that wondrous compendium of usefulness, the intermittent maidservant,

whom Loveday had, for appearances, borrowed from Mrs. Garland, and Mrs. Garland was in the habit of

borrowing from the girl's mother. And as for the demiwoman David, he had been informed as peremptorily

as Pharaoh's baker that the office of housemaid and bedmaker was taken from him, and would be given to

this girl till the wedding was over, and Bob's wife took the management into her own hands.

They all sat down to high tea, Anne and her mother included, and the captain sitting next to Miss Johnson.

Anne had put a brave face upon the matteroutwardly, at leastand seemed in a fair way of subduing any

lingering sentiment which Bob's return had revived. During the evening, and while they still sat over the

meal, John came down on a hurried visit, as he had promised, ostensibly on purpose to be introduced to his

intended sisterinlaw, but much more to get a word and a smile from his beloved Anne. Before they saw

him, they heard the trumpetmajor's smart step coming round the corner of the house, and in a moment his

form darkened the door. As it was Sunday, he appeared in his fulldress laced coat, white waistcoat and

breeches, and towering plume, the latter of which he instantly lowered, as much from necessity as good

manners, the beam in the millhouse ceiling having a tendency to smash and ruin all such headgear without

'John, we've been hoping you would come down,' said the miller, 'and so we have kept the tay about on

purpose. Draw up, and speak to Mrs. Matilda Johnson. . . . Ma'am, this is Robert's brother.'

As it was getting dusk in the low, smallpaned room, he instinctively moved towards Miss Johnson as he

spoke, who sat with her back to the window. He had no sooner noticed her features than his helmet nearly fell

from his hand; his face became suddenly fixed, and his natural complexion took itself off, leaving a greenish

yellow in its stead. The young person, on her part, had no sooner looked closely at him than she said weakly,

'Robert's brother!' and changed colour yet more rapidly than the soldier had done. The faintness, previously

'I don't feel well,' she said, suddenly rising by an effort. 'This warm day has quite upset me!'

There was a regular collapse of the teaparty, like that of the Hamlet play scene. Bob seized his sweetheart

and carried her upstairs, the miller exclaiming, 'Ah, she's terribly worn by the journey! I thought she was

when I saw her nearly go off at the blare of the cow. No woman would have been frightened at that if she'd

'That, and being so very shy of men, too, must have made John's handsome regimentals quite overpowering

to her, poor thing,' added Mrs. Garland, following the catastrophic young lady upstairs, whose indisposition

was this time beyond question. And yet, by some perversity of the heart, she was as eager now to make light

The miller and John stood like straight sticks in the room the others had quitted, John's face being hastily

turned towards a caricature of Buonaparte on the wall that he had not seen more than a hundred and fifty

'Come, sit down and have a dish of tea, anyhow,' said his father at last. 'She'll soon be right again, no doubt.'

'Thanks; I don't want any tea,' said John quickly. And, indeed, he did not, for he was in one gigantic ache

The light had been too dim for anybody to notice his amazement; and not knowing where to vent it, the

trumpetmajor said he was going out for a minute. He hastened to the bakehouse; but David being there, he

went to the pantry; but the maid being there, he went to the cartshed; but a couple of tramps being there, he

went behind a row of French beans in the garden, where he let off an ejaculation the most pious that he had

And then he walked wildly about the paths of the dusky garden, where the trickling of the brooks seemed

loud by comparison with the stillness around; treading recklessly on the cracking snails that had come forth

to feed, and entangling his spurs in the long grass till the rowels were choked with its blades. Presently he

heard another person approaching, and his brother's shape appeared between the stubbard tree and the hedge.

'She is getting round nicely again; and as I am not wanted indoors just now, I am going into the village to call

'All right, old boy,' he said. 'Going into the village? You'll be back again, I suppose, before it gets very late?'

John allowed his eyes to follow his brother till his shape could not be seen, and then he turned and again

John continued his sad and heavy pace till walking seemed too old and wornout a way of showing sorrow so

new, and he leant himself against the fork of an appletree like a log. There the trumpetmajor remained for

a considerable time, his face turned towards the house, whose ancient, manychimneyed outline rose against

the darkened sky, and just shut out from his view the camp above. But faint noises coming thence from

horses restless at the pickets, and from visitors taking their leave, recalled its existence, and reminded him

that, in consequence of Matilda's arrival, he had obtained leave for the nighta fact which, owing to the

startling emotions that followed his entry, he had not yet mentioned to his friends.

While abstractedly considering how he could best use that privilege under the new circumstances which had

arisen, he heard Farmer Derriman drive up to the front door and hold a conversation with his father. The old

man had at last apparently brought the tin box of private papers that he wished the miller to take charge of

during Derriman's absence; and it being a calm night, John could hear, though he little heeded, Uncle Benjy's

reiterated supplications to Loveday to keep it safe from fire and thieves. Then Uncle Benjy left, and John's

father went upstairs to deposit the box in a place of security, the whole proceeding reaching John's

The next thing was the appearance of a light in the bedroom which had been assigned to Matilda Johnson.

This effectually aroused the trumpetmajor, and with a stealthiness unusual in him he went indoors. No light

was in the lower rooms, his father, Mrs. Garland, and Anne having gone out on the bridge to look at the new

moon. John went upstairs on tiptoe, and along the uneven passage till he came to her door. It was standing

ajar, a band of candlelight shining across the passage and up the opposite wall. As soon as he entered the

radiance he saw her. She was standing before the lookingglass, apparently lost in thought, her fingers being

clasped behind her head in abstraction, and the light falling full upon her face.

She started, turned and grew paler than before; and then, as if moved by a sudden impulse, she swung the

door wide open, and, coming out, said quite collectedly and with apparent pleasantness, 'O yes; you are my

'You mistake. I'll remind you of particulars,' he said drily. And he did remind her at some length.

But she had miscalculated her staying powers, and her adversary's character. Five minutes after that she was

in tears, and the conversation had resolved itself into words, which, on the soldier's part, were of the nature of

The whole scene did not last ten minutes. When it was over, the trumpetmajor walked from the doorway

where they had been standing, and brushed moisture from his eyes. Reaching a dark lumberroom, he stood

still there to calm himself, and then descended by a Flemish ladder to the bakehouse, instead of by the front

stairs. He found that the others, including Bob, had gathered in the parlour during his absence and lighted the

Miss Johnson, having sent down some time before John reentered the house to say that she would prefer to

keep her room that evening, was not expected to join them, and on this account Bob showed less than his

customary liveliness. The miller wishing to keep up his son's spirits, expressed his regret that, it being Sunday

night, they could have no songs to make the evening cheerful; when Mrs. Garland proposed that they should

sing psalms which, by choosing lively tunes and not thinking of the words, would be almost as good as

This they did, the trumpetmajor appearing to join in with the rest; but as a matter of fact no sound came

from his moving lips. His mind was in such a state that he derived no pleasure even from Anne Garland's

presence, though he held a corner of the same book with her, and was treated in a winsome way which it was

not her usual practice to indulge in. She saw that his mind was clouded, and, far from guessing the reason

At length the Garlands found that it was the hour for them to leave, and John Loveday at the same time

wished his father and Bob goodnight, and went as far as Mrs. Garland's door with her.

He had said not a word to show that he was free to remain out of camp, for the reason that there was painful

work to be done, which it would be best to do in secret and alone. He lingered near the house till its reflected

windowlights ceased to glimmer upon the millpond, and all within the dwelling was dark and still. Then he

entered the garden and waited there till the back door opened, and a woman's figure timorously came

forward. John Loveday at once went up to her, and they began to talk in low yet dissentient tones.

They had conversed about ten minutes, and were parting as if they had come to some painful arrangement,

Miss Johnson sobbing bitterly, when a head stealthily arose above the dense hedgerow, and in a moment a

Matilda vanished into the house, and John Loveday hastened to the hedge. 'For heaven's sake, hold your

'Your box is safe enough, I assure you. It was only'here the trumpetmajor gave vent to an artificial

'Ha, ha, I see!' said the relieved old squireen. 'Courting Miss Anne! Then you've ousted my nephew,

trumpetmajor! Well, so much the better. As for myself, the truth on't is that I haven't been able to go to bed

easy, for thinking that possibly your father might not take care of what I put under his charge; and at last I

thought I would just step over and see if all was safe here before I turned in. And when I saw your two shapes

my poor nerves magnified ye to housebreakers, and Boneys, and I don't know what all.'

'You have alarmed the house,' said the trumpetmajor, hearing the clicking of flint and steel in his father's

bedroom, followed in a moment by the rise of a light in the window of the same apartment. 'You have got me

'I am sorry for that,' said Uncle Benjy. 'But step back; I'll put it all right again.'

'What, for heaven's sake, is the matter?' said the miller, his tasselled nightcap appearing in the opening.

'Nothing, nothing!' said the farmer. 'I was uneasy about my few bonds and documents, and I walked this way,

miller, before going to bed, as I start from home tomorrow morning. When I came down by your

Here a lump of earth from the trumpetmajor's hand struck Uncle Benjy in the back as a reminder.

'No thieves are like to try my house,' said Miller Loveday. 'Now don't you come alarming us like this again,

farmer, or you shall keep your box yourself, begging your pardon for saying so. Goodnight t' ye!'

'Miller, will ye just look, since I am herejust look and see if the box is all right? there's a good man! I am

old, you know, and my poor remains are not what my original self was. Look and see if it is where you put it,

'Neighbour Loveday! on second thoughts I will take my box home again, after all, if you don't mind. You

won't deem it ill of me? I have no suspicion, of course; but now I think on't there's rivalry between my

nephew and your son; and if Festus should take it into his head to set your house on fire in his enmity,

'twould be bad for my deeds and documents. No offence, miller, but I'll take the box, if you don't mind.'

'Faith! I don't mind,' said Loveday. 'But your nephew had better think twice before he lets his enmity take that

colour.' Receding from the window, he took the candle to a back part of the room and soon reappeared with

'I won't trouble ye to dress,' said Derriman considerately; 'let en down by anything you have at hand.'

The box was lowered by a cord, and the old man clasped it in his arms. 'Thank ye!' he said with heartfelt

'Quite, quite!' said Derriman; and, leaning on his walkingstick, he pursued his lonely way.

That night Anne lay awake in her bed, musing on the traits of the new friend who had come to her

neighbour's house. She would not be critical, it was ungenerous and wrong; but she could not help thinking of

what interested her. And were there, she silently asked, in Miss Johnson's mind and person such rare qualities

as placed that lady altogether beyond comparison with herself? O yes, there must be; for had not Captain Bob

singled out Matilda from among all other women, herself included? Of course, with his worldwide

When the moon had set, and only the summer stars threw their light into the great damp garden, she fancied

that she heard voices in that direction. Perhaps they were the voices of Bob and Matilda taking a lover's walk

before retiring. If so, how sleepy they would be next day, and how absurd it was of Matilda to pretend she

was tired! Ruminating in this way, and saying to herself that she hoped they would be happy, Anne fell

Partly from the excitement of having his Matilda under the paternal roof, Bob rose next morning as early as

his father and the grinder, and, when the big wheel began to patter and the little ones to mumble in response,

went to sun himself outside the millfront, among the fowls of brown and speckled kinds which haunted that

Standing on the wornout millstone inlaid in the gravel, he talked with his father on various improvements

of the premises, and on the proposed arrangements for his permanent residence there, with an enjoyment that

was half based upon this prospect of the future, and half on the penetrating warmth of the sun to his back and

shoulders. Then the different troops of horses began their morning scramble down to the millpond, and,

after making it very muddy round the edge, ascended the slope again. The bustle of the camp grew more and

'Is Miss Johnson downstairs?' said the miller; and Bob listened for the answer, looking at a blue sentinel aloft

David went indoors again, and Loveday and Bob continued their morning survey by ascending into the

mysterious quivering recesses of the mill, and holding a discussion over a second pair of burrstones, which

had to be redressed before they could be used again. This and similar things occupied nearly twenty

minutes, and, looking from the window, the elder of the two was reminded of the time of day by seeing Mrs.

Garland's tablecloth fluttering from her back door over the heads of a flock of pigeons that had alighted for

'I suppose David can't find us,' he said, with a sense of hunger that was not altogether strange to Bob. He put

'No hurry, no hurry,' said the miller, with cheerful emptiness. 'Bob, to pass the time we'll look into the

'She'll get up sooner than this, you know, when she's signed articles and got a berth here,' Bob observed

Here they turned over sundry flat stones and killed the slugs sheltered beneath them from the coming heat of

the day, talking of slugs in all their branchesof the brown and the black, of the tough and the tender, of the

reason why there were so many in the garden that year, of the coming time when the grasswalks harbouring

them were to be taken up and gravel laid, and of the relatively exterminatory merits of a pair of scissors and

the heel of the shoe. At last the miller said, 'Well, really, Bob, I'm hungry; we must begin without her.'

They were about to go in, when David appeared with haste in his motions, his eyes wider vertically than

'Maister, I've been to call her; and as 'a didn't speak I rapped, and as 'a didn't answer I kicked, and not being

Bob went off like a swallow towards the house, and the miller followed like the rather heavy man that he

was. That Miss Matilda was not in her room, or a scrap of anything belonging to her, was soon apparent.

They searched every place in which she could possibly hide or squeeze herself, every place in which she

Captain Bob was quite wild with astonishment and grief. When he was quite sure that she was nowhere in his

father's house, he ran into Mrs. Garland's, and telling them the story so hastily that they hardly understood the

particulars, he went on towards Comfort's house, intending to raise the alarm there, and also at Mitchell's,

Beach's, Cripplestraw's, the parson's, the clerk's, the camp of dragoons, of hussars, and so on through the

whole county. But he paused, and thought it would be hardly expedient to publish his discomfiture in such a

way. If Matilda had left the house for any freakish reason he would not care to look for her, and if her deed

In his trouble he thought of Anne. She was a nice girl and could be trusted. To her he went, and found her in a

''Tis so lonely to cruise for her all by myself!' said Bob disconsolately, his forehead all in wrinkles, 'and I've

'O, in the holes of rivers, you know, and down wells, and in quarries, and over cliffs, and like that. Your eyes

might catch the loom of any bit of a shawl or bonnet that I should overlook, and it would do me a real service.

So Anne took pity upon him, and put on her hat and went, the miller and David having gone off in another

direction. They examined the ditches of fields, Bob going round by one fence and Anne by the other, till they

met at the opposite side. Then they peeped under culverts, into outhouses, and down old wells and quarries,

till the theory of a tragical end had nearly spent its force in Bob's mind, and he began to think that Matilda

had simply run away. However, they still walked on, though by this time the sun was hot and Anne would

'Now, didn't you think highly of her, Miss Garland?' he inquired, as the search began to languish.

'None. Her beauty was thoroughly ripenot too young. We should all have got to love her. What can have

'I don't know, and, upon my life, I shall soon be drove to say I don't care!' replied the mate despairingly. 'Let

me pilot ye down over those stones,' he added, as Anne began to descend a rugged quarry. He stepped

She gave him her hand and sprang down. Before he relinquished his hold, Captain Bob raised her fingers to

'O, Captain Loveday!' cried Anne, snatching away her hand in genuine dismay, while a tear rose

unexpectedly to each eye. 'I never heard of such a thing! I won't go an inch further with you, sir; it is too

'Upon my life I didn't mean it!' said the repentant captain, hastening after. 'I do love her bestindeed I

doand I don't love you at all! I am not so fickle as that! I merely just for the moment admired you as a

sweet little craft, and that's how I came to do it. You know, Miss Garland,' he continued earnestly, and still

running after, ''tis like this: when you come ashore after having been shut up in a ship for eighteen months,

womenfolks seem so new and nice that you can't help liking them, one and all in a body; and so your heart

is apt to get scattered and to yaw a bit; but of course I think of poor Matilda most, and shall always stick to

her.' He heaved a sigh of tremendous magnitude, to show beyond the possibility of doubt that his heart was

'I am glad to hear thatof course I am very glad!' said she, with quick petulance, keeping her face turned

from him. 'And I hope we shall find her, and that the wedding will not be put off, and that you'll both be

happy. But I won't look for her any more! No; I don't care to look for herand my head aches. I am going

'No, no; go on looking for her, of courseall the afternoon, and all night. I am sure you will, if you love her.'

'No, you ought not; and I shall not accept your company. Goodmorning, sir!' And she went off over one of

the stone stiles with which the spot abounded, leaving the friendly sailor standing in the field.

He sighed again, and, observing the camp not far off, thought he would go to his brother John and ask him his

opinion on the sorrowful case. On reaching the tents he found that John was not at liberty just at that time,

being engaged in practising the trumpeters; and leaving word that he wished the trumpetmajor to come

''Tis no good looking for her,' he said gloomily. 'She liked me well enough, but when she came here and saw

the house, and the place, and the old horse, and the plain furniture, she was disappointed to find us all so

'Yes, 'tis as I've been thinking, father,' Bob said. 'We weren't good enough for her, and she went away in

'Well, that can't be helped,' said the miller. 'What we be, we be, and have been for generations. To my mind

'Yes, yesfor the momentbecause of the flowers, and birds, and what's pretty in the place,' said Bob

tragically. 'But you don't know, fatherhow should you know, who have hardly been out of Overcombe in

your life?you don't know what delicate feelings are in a real refined woman's mind. Any little vulgar

action unreaves their nerves like a marlinespike. Now I wonder if you did anything to disgust her?'

'Faith! not that I know of,' said Loveday, reflecting. 'I didn't say a single thing that I should naturally have

'I wonder what it could have been,' Bob continued, wandering about restlessly. 'You didn't go drinking out of

'That I'll swear I didn't!' said the miller firmly. 'Thinks I, there's no knowing what I may do to shock her, so

I'll take my solid victuals in the bakehouse, and only a crumb and a drop in her company for manners.'

'If my manners be good enough for wellbroughtup people like the Garlands, they be good enough for her,'

'That's true. Then it must have been David. David, come here! How did you behave before that lady? Now,

'Yes, Mr. Captain Robert,' said David earnestly. 'I assure ye she was served like a royal queen. The best silver

spoons wez put down, and yer poor grandfer's silver tanket, as you seed, and the feather cushion for her to sit

'Now I've got it!' said Bob decisively, bringing down his hand upon the windowsill. 'Her bed was

hard!and there's nothing shocks a true lady like that. The bed in that room always was as hard as the Rock

'No, Captain Bob! The beds were changedwasn't they maister? We put the goose bed in her room, and the

'Yes, we did,' corroborated the miller. 'David and I changed 'em with our own hands, because they were too

'Sure I didn't know I had the flock bed,' murmured Bob. 'I slept on, little thinking what I was going to wake

to. Well, well, she's gone; and search as I will I shall never find another like her! She was too good for me.

She must have carried her box with her own hands, poor girl. As far as that goes, I could overtake her even

Miller Loveday and David, feeling themselves to be rather a desecration in the presence of Bob's sacred

emotions, managed to edge off by degrees, the former burying himself in the most floury recesses of the mill,

his invariable resource when perturbed, the rumbling having a soothing effect upon the nerves of those

Bob was so impatient that, after going up to her room to assure himself once more that she had not undressed,

but had only lain down on the outside of the bed, he went out of the house to meet John, and waited on the

sunny slope of the down till his brother appeared. John looked so brave and shapely and warlike that, even in

Bob's present distress, he could not but feel an honest and affectionate pride at owning such a relative. Yet he

fancied that John did not come along with the same swinging step he had shown yesterday; and when the

trumpetmajor got nearer he looked anxiously at the mate and waited for him to speak first.

'You know our great trouble, John?' said Robert, gazing stoically into his brother's eyes.

'Come and sit down, and tell me all about it,' answered the trumpetmajor, showing no surprise.

They went towards a slight ravine, where it was easier to sit down than on the flat ground, and here John

'Yes; and if you will listen I'll tell you all. Do you remember what happened when I came into the room last

night? Why, she turned colour and nearly fainted away. That was because she knew me.'

'For once, Bob, I must say something that will hurt thee a good deal,' continued John. 'She was not a woman

'Perhaps I had better,' said the trumpetmajor, his blue eyes resting on the far distant sea, that seemed to rise

And then he told a tale of Miss Johnson and the th Dragoons which wrung his heart as much in the telling

as it did Bob's to hear, and which showed that John had been temporarily cruel to be ultimately kind. Even

Bob, excited as he was, could discern from John's manner of speaking what a terrible undertaking that night's

business had been for him. To justify the course he had adopted the dictates of duty must have been

imperative; but the trumpetmajor, with a becoming reticence which his brother at the time was naturally

unable to appreciate, scarcely dwelt distinctly enough upon the compelling cause of his conduct. It would,

indeed, have been hard for any man, much less so modest a one as John, to do himself justice in that

remarkable relation, when the listener was the lady's lover; and it is no wonder that Robert rose to his feet and

'I had a pass. I carried her box to the coachoffice. She was to follow at dawn.'

'Yes, she had; I took particular care of that.' John did not add, as he might have done, that he had given her, in

his pity, all the money he possessed, and at present had only eighteenpence in the world. 'Well, it is over,

'Ah, Jack, it is well enough for you to speak like that,' said the disquieted sailor; 'but I can't help feeling that it

is a cruel thing you have done. After all, she would have been snug enough for me. Would I had never found

out this about her! John, why did you interfere? You had no right to overhaul my affairs like this. Why didn't

you tell me fairly all you knew, and let me do as I chose? You have turned her out of the house, and it's a

'You can do as you like,' said John; 'but I would advise you strongly to leave matters where they are.'

'I won't leave matters where they are,' said Bob impetuously. 'You have made me miserable, and all for

nothing. I tell you she was good enough for me; and as long as I knew nothing about what you say of her

history, what difference would it have made to me? Never was there a young woman who was better

'That's because you didn't know your man. Can I ask you to do me one kindness? I don't suppose I can. Can I

'Certainly. The very reason why I got her to go off silently, as she has done, was because nothing should be

'That we shall see,' replied Robert with determination; and he went away rapidly towards the mill. The

trumpetmajor had no heart to followno good could possibly come of further opposition; and there on the

down he remained like a graven image till Bob had vanished from his sight into the mill.

Bob entered his father's only to leave word that he was going on a renewed search for Matilda, and to pack up

a few necessaries for his journey. Ten minutes later he came out again with a bundle in his hand, and John

'And this is all the good I have done!' said John, musingly readjusting his stock where it cut his neck, and

Meanwhile Anne Garland had gone home, and, being weary with her ramble in search of Matilda, sat silent in

a corner of the room. Her mother was passing the time in giving utterance to every conceivable surmise on

the cause of Miss Johnson's disappearance that the human mind could frame, to which Anne returned

monosyllabic answers, the result, not of indifference, but of intense preoccupation. Presently Loveday, the

father, came to the door; her mother vanished with him, and they remained closeted together a long time.

Anne went into the garden and seated herself beneath the branching tree whose boughs had sheltered her

during so many hours of her residence here. Her attention was fixed more upon the miller's wing of the

irregular building before her than upon that occupied by her mother, for she could not help expecting every

moment to see some one run out with a wild face and announce some awful clearing up of the mystery.

Every sound set her on the alert, and hearing the tread of a horse in the lane she looked round eagerly. Gazing

at her over the hedge was Festus Derriman, mounted on such an incredibly tall animal that he could see to her

very feet over the thick and broad thorn fence. She no sooner recognized him than she withdrew her glance;

'I saw you look round!' he exclaimed crossly. 'What have I done to make you behave like that? Come, Miss

Garland, be fair. 'Tis no use to turn your back upon me.' As she did not turn he went on 'Well, now, this is

enough to provoke a saint. Now I tell you what, Miss Garland; here I'll stay till you do turn round, if 'tis all

the afternoon. You know my temperwhat I say I mean.' He seated himself firmly in the saddle, plucked

some leaves from the hedge, and began humming a song, to show how absolutely indifferent he was to the

'What have you come for, that you are so anxious to see me?' inquired Anne, when at last he had wearied her

patience, rising and facing him with the added independence which came from a sense of the hedge between

'There, I knew you would turn round!' he said, his hot angry face invaded by a smile in which his teeth

'"What do you want, Mr. Derriman?"now listen to that! Is that my encouragement?'

'I have just heard news that explains all that,' said the giant, eyeing her movements with somnolent

irascibility. 'My uncle has been letting things out. He was here late last night, and he saw you.'

'O, now! He saw Trumpetmajor Loveday courting somebody like you in that garden walk; and when he

'Upon my life, he said so! How can you do it, Miss Garland, when I, who have enough money to buy up all

the Lovedays, would gladly come to terms with ye? What a simpleton you must be, to pass me over for him!

There, now you are angry because I said simpleton!I didn't mean simpleton, I meant

misguidedmisguided rosebud! That's it run off,' he continued in a raised voice, as Anne made towards

the garden door. 'But I'll have you yet. Much reason you have to be too proud to stay with me. But it won't

When he was quite gone, and Anne had calmed down from the not altogether unrelished fear and excitement

that he always caused her, she returned to her seat under the tree, and began to wonder what Festus

Derriman's story meant, which, from the earnestness of his tone, did not seem like a pure invention. It

suddenly flashed upon her mind that she herself had heard voices in the garden, and that the persons seen by

Farmer Derriman, of whose visit and reclamation of his box the miller had told her, might have been Matilda

and John Loveday. She further recalled the strange agitation of Miss Johnson on the preceding evening, and

that it occurred just at the entry of the dragoon, till by degrees suspicion amounted to conviction that he knew

It was just at this time that the trumpetmajor descended to the mill after his talk with his brother on the

down. As fate would have it, instead of entering the house he turned aside to the garden and walked down

that pleasant enclosure, to learn if he were likely to find in the other half of it the woman he loved so well.

Yes, there she was, sitting on the seat of logs that he had repaired for her, under the appletree; but she was

not facing in his direction. He walked with a noisier tread, he coughed, he shook a bough, he did everything,

in short, but the one thing that Festus did in the same circumstancescall out to her. He would not have

ventured on that for the world. Any of his signs would have been sufficient to attract her a day or two earlier;

now she would not turn. At last, in his fond anxiety, he did what he had never done before without an

invitation, and crossed over into Mrs. Garland's half of the garden, till he stood before her.

When she could not escape him she arose, and, saying 'Good afternoon, trumpetmajor,' in a glacial manner

Loveday, quite at a loss, had not the strength of mind to persevere further. He had a vague apprehension that

some imperfect knowledge of the previous night's unhappy business had reached her; and, unable to remedy

the evil without telling more than he dared, he went into the mill, where his father still was, looking doleful

enough, what with his concern at events and the extra quantity of flour upon his face through sticking so

'Well, John; Bob has told you all, of course? A queer, strange, perplexing thing, isn't it? I can't make it out at

all. There must be something wrong in the woman, or it couldn't have happened. I haven't been so upset for

'Nor have I. I wouldn't it should have happened for all I own in the world,' said the dragoon. 'Have you spoke

John guessed the rest, and, after standing on the threshold in silence awhile, walked away towards the camp.

All this time his brother Robert had been hastening along in pursuit of the woman who had withdrawn from

the scene to avoid the exposure and complete overthrow which would have resulted had she remained. As the

distance lengthened between himself and the mill, Bob was conscious of some cooling down of the

excitement that had prompted him to set out; but he did not pause in his walk till he had reached the head of

the river which fed the millstream. Here, for some indefinite reason, he allowed his eyes to be attracted by

the bubbling spring whose waters never failed or lessened, and he stopped as if to look longer at the scene; it

The sun was warm, the spot was a pleasant one, and he deposited his bundle and sat down. By degrees, as he

reflected, first on John's view and then on his own, his convictions became unsettled; till at length he was so

balanced between the impulse to go on and the impulse to go back, that a puff of wind either way would have

been wellnigh sufficient to decide for him. When he allowed John's story to repeat itself in his ears, the

reasonableness and good sense of his advice seemed beyond question. When, on the other hand, he thought of

his poor Matilda's eyes, and her, to him, pleasant ways, their charming arrangements to marry, and her

probable willingness still, he could hardly bring himself to do otherwise than follow on the road at the top of

This strife of thought was so well maintained that sitting and standing, he remained on the borders of the

spring till the shadows had stretched out eastwards, and the chance of overtaking Matilda had grown

considerably less. Still he did not positively go towards home. At last he took a guinea from his pocket, and

resolved to put the question to the hazard. 'Heads I go; tails I don't.' The piece of gold spun in the air and

'No, I won't go, after all,' he said. 'I won't be steered by accidents any more.'

He picked up his bundle and switch, and retraced his steps towards Overcombe Mill, knocking down the

brambles and nettles as he went with gloomy and indifferent blows. When he got within sight of the house he

'All rightall right again, captain!', shouted that retainer. 'A wedding after all! Hurrah!'

'Ahshe's back again?' cried Bob, seizing David, ecstatically, and dancing round with him.

'Nobut it's all the same! it is of no consequence at all, and no harm will be done! Maister and Mrs. Garland

have made up a match, and mean to marry at once, that the wedding victuals may not be wasted! They felt

'twould be a thousand pities to let such good things get bluevinnied for want of a ceremony to use 'em upon,

'VictualsI don't care for the victuals!' bitterly cried Bob, in a tone of far higher thought. 'How you

His father appeared in the opening of the milldoor, looking more cheerful than when they had parted. 'What,

Robert, you've been after her?' he said. 'Faith, then, I wouldn't have followed her if I had been as sure as you

were that she went away in scorn of us. Since you told me that, I have not looked for her at all.'

'I was wrong, father,' Bob replied gravely, throwing down his bundle and stick. 'Matilda, I find, has not gone

away in scorn of us; she has gone away for other reasons. I followed her some way; but I have come back

Bob had intended, for Matilda's sake, to give no reason to a living soul for her departure. But he could not

'She has made great fools of us,' said the miller deliberately; 'and she might have made us greater ones. Bob, I

'Well, don't say anything against her, father,' implored Bob. ''Twas a sorry haul, and there's an end on't. Let

'I do.' Loveday the elder remained thinking awhile, and then went on'Well, what I was going to say is this:

I've hit upon a plan to get out of the awkward corner she has put us in. What you'll think of it I can't say.'

'NoI'll bring myself to bear it, anyhow! Why should I object to other people's happiness because I have lost

'Well said!' answered the miller heartily. 'But you may be sure that there will be no unseemly rejoicing, to

disturb ye in your present frame of mind. All the morning I felt more ashamed than I cared to own at the

thought of how the neighbours, great and small, would laugh at what they would call your folly, when they

knew what had happened; so I resolved to take this step to stave it off, if so be 'twas possible. And when I

saw Mrs. Garland I knew I had done right. She pitied me so much for having had the house cleaned in vain,

and laid in provisions to waste, that it put her into the humour to agree. We mean to do it right off at once,

afore the pies and cakes get mouldy and the blackpot stale. 'Twas a good thought of mine and hers, and I am

'ThereI was afraid 'twould hurt thy feelings,' said the miller, with selfreproach: 'making preparations for

'No,' said Bob heroically; 'it shall not. It will be a great comfort in my sorrow to feel that the splendid grub,

and the ale, and your stunning new suit of clothes, and the great tablecloths you've bought, will be just as

useful now as if I had married myself. Poor Matilda! But you won't expect me to join inyou hardly can. I

'Deuce take me if I would have asked her, then, if I had known 'twas going to drive thee out of the house!

Now, come, Bob, I'll find a way of arranging it and sobering it down, so that it shall be as melancholy as you

Having entered into this solemn compact with his son, the elder Loveday's next action was to go to Mrs.

Garland, and ask her how the toning down of the wedding had best be done. 'It is plain enough that to make

merry just now would be slighting Bob's feelings, as if we didn't care who was not married, so long as we

'Give a dinner to the poor folk,' she suggested. 'We can get everything used up that way.'

'That's true' said the miller. 'There's enough of 'em in these times to carry off any extras whatsoever.'

'And it will save Bob's feelings wonderfully. And they won't know that the dinner was got for another sort of

The miller smiled at the subtlety of the view. 'That can hardly be called fair,' he said. 'Still, I did mean some

Upon the whole the idea pleased him well, particularly when he noticed the forlorn look of his sailor son as

he walked about the place, and pictured the inevitably jarring effect of fiddles and tambourines upon Bob's

shattered nerves at such a crisis, even if the notes of the former were dulled by the application of a mute, and

Bob shut up in a distant bedrooma plan which had at first occurred to him. He therefore told Bob that the

surcharged larder was to be emptied by the charitable process above alluded to, and hoped he would not mind

making himself useful in such a good and gloomy work. Bob readily fell in with the scheme, and it was at

The alacrity with which the substituted wedding was carried out, seemed to show that the worthy pair of

neighbours would have joined themselves into one long ago, had there previously occurred any domestic

incident dictating such a step as an apposite expedient, apart from their personal wish to marry.

The appointed morning came, and the service quietly took place at the cheerful hour of ten, in the face of a

triangular congregation, of which the base was the front pew, and the apex the west door. Mrs. Garland

dressed herself in the muslin shawl like Queen Charlotte's, that Bob had brought home, and her best

plumcoloured gown, beneath which peeped out her shoes with red rosettes. Anne was present, but she

considerately toned herself down, so as not to too seriously damage her mother's appearance. At moments

during the ceremony she had a distressing sense that she ought not to be born, and was glad to get home

The interest excited in the village, though real, was hardly enough to bring a serious blush to the face of

coyness. Neighbours' minds had become so saturated by the abundance of showy military and regal incident

lately vouchsafed to them, that the wedding of middleaged civilians was of small account, excepting in so

far that it solved the question whether or not Mrs. Garland would consider herself too genteel to mate with a

In the evening, Loveday's heart was made glad by seeing the baked and boiled in rapid process of

consumption by the kitchenful of people assembled for that purpose. Threequarters of an hour were

sufficient to banish for ever his fears as to spoilt food. The provisions being the cause of the assembly, and

not its consequence, it had been determined to get all that would not keep consumed on that day, even if

highways and hedges had to be searched for operators. And, in addition to the poor and needy, every

cottager's daughter known to the miller was invited, and told to bring her lover from campan expedient

which, for letting daylight into the inside of full platters, was among the most happy ever known.

While Mr. and Mrs. Loveday, Anne, and Bob were standing in the parlour, discussing the progress of the

entertainment in the next room, John, who had not been down all day, entered the house and looked in upon

'Had to see the captain, andother duties,' said the trumpetmajor, in a tone which showed no great zeal for

'Well, come in, however,' continued the miller, as his son remained with his hand on the doorpost, surveying

'I cannot stay long,' said John, advancing. 'The Route is come, and we are going away.'

'I am sorry for this,' said the miller, not expressing half his sorrow by the simple utterance. 'I wish you could

have been here today, since this is the case,' he added, looking at the horizon through the window.

Mrs. Loveday also expressed her regret, which seemed to remind the trumpetmajor of the event of the day,

and he went to her and tried to say something befitting the occasion. Anne had not said that she was either

sorry or glad, but John Loveday fancied that she had looked rather relieved than otherwise when she heard his

news. His conversation with Bob on the down made Bob's manner, too, remarkably cool, notwithstanding

that he had after all followed his brother's advice, which it was as yet too soon after the event for him to

rightly value. John did not know why the sailor had come back, never supposing that it was because he had

Bob, however, still loved Matilda too well to be other than dissatisfied with John and the event that he had

precipitated, which the elder brother only too promptly perceived; and it made his stay that evening of short

duration. Before leaving he said with some hesitation to his father, including Anne and her mother by his

The miller answered for them all, and said that of course they would come. 'But you'll step down again

'I'll try to.' He added after a pause, 'In case I should not, remember that Revalley will sound at half past five;

we shall leave about eight. Next summer, perhaps, we shall come and camp here again.'

There was something in John's manner which indicated to Anne that he scarcely intended to come down

again; but the others did not notice it, and she said nothing. He departed a few minutes later, in the dusk of

the August evening, leaving Anne still in doubt as to the meaning of his private meeting with Miss Johnson.

John Loveday had been going to tell them that on the last night, by an especial privilege, it would be in his

power to come and stay with them until eleven o'clock, but at the moment of leaving he abandoned the

intention. Anne's attitude had chilled him, and made him anxious to be off. He utilized the spare hours of that

This was by coming down from the outskirts of the camp in the evening, and seating himself near the brink of

the millpond as soon as it was quite dark; where he watched the lights in the different windows till one

appeared in Anne's bedroom, and she herself came forward to shut the casement, with the candle in her hand.

The light shone out upon the broad and deep millhead, illuminating to a distinct individuality every moth

and gnat that entered the quivering chain of radiance stretching across the water towards him, and every

bubble or atom of froth that floated into its width. She stood for some time looking out, little thinking what

the darkness concealed on the other side of that wide stream; till at length she closed the casement, drew the

curtains, and retreated into the room. Presently the light went out, upon which John Loveday returned to

The next morning was dull and windy, and the trumpets of the th sounded Reveille for the last time on

Overcombe Down. Knowing that the Dragoons were going away, Anne had slept heedfully, and was at once

awakened by the smart notes. She looked out of the window, to find that the miller was already astir, his

white form being visible at the end of his garden, where he stood motionless, watching the preparations.

Anne also looked on as well as she could through the dim grey gloom, and soon she saw the blue smoke from

the cooks' fires creeping fitfully along the ground, instead of rising in vertical columns, as it had done during

the fine weather season. Then the men began to carry their bedding to the waggons, and others to throw all

refuse into the trenches, till the down was lively as an anthill. Anne did not want to see John Loveday again,

but hearing the household astir, she began to dress at leisure, looking out at the camp the while.

When the soldiers had breakfasted, she saw them selling and giving away their superfluous crockery to the

natives who had clustered round; and then they pulled down and cleared away the temporary kitchens which

they had constructed when they came. A tapping of tentpegs and wriggling of picketposts followed, and

soon the cones of white canvas, now almost become a component part of the landscape, fell to the ground. At

this moment the miller came indoors and asked at the foot of the stairs if anybody was going up the hill with

Anne felt that, in spite of the cloud hanging over John in her mind, it would ill become the present moment

not to see him off, and she went downstairs to her mother, who was already there, though Bob was nowhere

to be seen. Each took an arm of the miller, and thus climbed to the top of the hill. By this time the men and

horses were at the place of assembly, and, shortly after the millparty reached level ground, the troops slowly

began to move forward. When the trumpetmajor, half buried in his uniform, arms, and horsefurniture,

drew near to the spot where the Lovedays were waiting to see him pass, his father turned anxiously to Anne

Anne faintly replied 'Yes,' and allowed the miller to take her forward on his arm to the trackway, so as to be

close to the flank of the approaching column. It came up, many people on each side grasping the hands of the

troopers in bidding them farewell; and as soon as John Loveday saw the members of his father's household,

he stretched down his hand across his right pistol for the same performance. The miller gave his, then Mrs.

Loveday gave hers, and then the hand of the trumpetmajor was extended towards Anne. But as the horse did

not absolutely stop, it was a somewhat awkward performance for a young woman to undertake, and, more on

that account than on any other, Anne drew back, and the gallant trooper passed by without receiving her

adieu. Anne's heart reproached her for a moment; and then she thought that, after all, he was not going off to

immediate battle, and that she would in all probability see him again at no distant date, when she hoped that

the mystery of his conduct would be explained. Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice at her elbow:

The words had slipped out quite unintentionally, and she blushed quickly. She would have given anything to

Anne went forward to the miller to avoid replying, and Festus caught her no more.

'Has anybody been hanging about Overcombe Mill except Loveday's son the soldier?' he asked of a comrade.

At this particular moment the object of Festus Derriman's fulmination was assuredly not dangerous as a rival.

Bob, after abstractedly watching the soldiers from the front of the house till they were out of sight, had gone

within doors and seated himself in the millparlour, where his father found him, his elbows resting on the

table and his forehead on his hands, his eyes being fixed upon a document that lay open before him.

Bob sighed, and then Mrs. Loveday and Anne entered. ''Tis only a statepaper that I fondly thought I should

have a use for,' he said gloomily. And, looking down as before, he cleared his voice, as if moved inwardly to

go on, and began to read in feeling tones from what proved to be his nullified marriage licence:

'"Timothy Titus Philemon, by permission Bishop of Bristol: To our wellbeloved Robert Loveday, of the

parish of Overcombe, Bachelor; and Matilda Johnson, of the same parish, Spinster. Greeting."'

'Beautiful language, isn't it!' said Bob. 'I was never greeted like that afore!'

'Yes; I have often thought it very excellent language myself,' said Mrs. Loveday.

'Come to that, the old gentleman will greet thee like it again any day for a couple of guineas,' said the miller.

'That's not the point, father! You never could see the real meaning of these things. . . . Well, then he goes on:

"Whereas ye are, as it is alleged, determined to enter into the holy estate of matrimony" But why should I

read on? It all means nothing now nothing, and the splendid words are all wasted upon air. It seems as if I

had been hailed by some venerable hoary prophet, and had turned away, put the helm hard up, and wouldn't

Nobody replied, feeling probably that sympathy could not meet the case, and Bob went on reading the rest of

'I wouldn't set my mind so much upon her, if I was thee,' said his father at last.

Bob was apparently much struck by this thought, and, instead of continuing the discourse further, he carefully

folded up the licence, went out, and walked up and down the garden. It was startlingly apt what his father had

said; and, worse than that, what people would call him might be true, and the liquefaction of his brains turn

out to be no fable. By degrees he became much concerned, and the more he examined himself by this new

On reflection he remembered that since Miss Johnson's departure his appetite had decreased amazingly. He

had eaten in meat no more than fourteen or fifteen ounces a day, but onethird of a quartern pudding on an

average, in vegetables only a small heap of potatoes and half a York cabbage, and no gravy whatever; which,

considering the usual appetite of a seaman for fresh food at the end of a long voyage, was no small index of

the depression of his mind. Then he had waked once every night, and on one occasion twice. While dressing

each morning since the gloomy day he had not whistled more than seven bars of a hornpipe without stopping

and falling into thought of a most painful kind; and he had told none but absolutely true stories of foreign

parts to the neighbouring villagers when they saluted and clustered about him, as usual, for anything he chose

to pour forthexcept that story of the whale whose eye was about as large as the round pond in Derriman's

eweleasewhich was like tempting fate to set a seal for ever upon his tongue as a traveller. All this

He also considered what he had lost of the rational amusements of manhood during these unfortunate days.

He might have gone to the neighbouring fashionable resort every afternoon, stood before Gloucester Lodge

till the King and Queen came out, held his hat in his hand, and enjoyed their Majesties' smiles at his homage

all for nothingwatched the picketmounting, heard the different bands strike up, observed the staff; and,

above all, have seen the pretty town girls go triptriptrip along the esplanade, deliberately fixing their

innocent eyes on the distant sea, the grey cliffs, and the sky, and accidentally on the soldiers and himself.

'I'll raze out her image,' he said. 'She shall make a fool of me no more.' And his resolve resulted in conduct

He went back to his father, whom he found in the millloft. ''Tis true, father, what you say,' he observed: 'my

brains will turn to bilgewater if I think of her much longer. By the oath of a navigator, I wish I could sigh

less and laugh more! She's gonewhy can't I let her go, and be happy? But how begin?'

'Take it careless, my son,' said the miller, 'and lay yourself out to enjoy snacks and cordials.'

'Baccy is good for't. So is sperrits. Though I don't advise thee to drink neat.'

He went to his room, hastily untied the package of tobacco that he had brought home, and began to make use

of it in his own way, calling to David for a bottle of the old household mead that had lain in the cellar these

eleven years. He was discovered by his father threequarters of an hour later as a halfinvisible object behind

The miller drew a breath of relief. 'Why, Bob,' he said, 'I thought the house was afire!'

To tempt his attenuated appetite the unhappy mate made David cook an omelet and bake a seedcake, the

latter so richly compounded that it opened to the knife like a freckled buttercup. With the same object he

stuck nightlines into the banks of the millpond, and drew up next morning a family of fat eels, some of

which were skinned and prepared for his breakfast. They were his favourite fish, but such had been his

condition that, until the moment of making this effort, he had quite forgotten their existence at his father's

In a few days Bob Loveday had considerably improved in tone and vigour. One other obvious remedy for his

dejection was to indulge in the society of Miss Garland, love being so much more effectually got rid of by

displacement than by attempted annihilation. But Loveday's belief that he had offended her beyond

forgiveness, and his everpresent sense of her as a woman who by education and antecedents was fitted to

adorn a higher sphere than his own, effectually kept him from going near her for a long time, notwithstanding

that they were inmates of one house. The reserve was, however, in some degree broken by the appearance

one morning, later in the season, of the point of a saw through the partition which divided Anne's room from

the Loveday half of the house. Though she dined and supped with her mother and the Loveday family, Miss

Garland had still continued to occupy her old apartments, because she found it more convenient there to

pursue her hobbies of woolwork and of copying her father's old pictures. The division wall had not as yet

As the saw worked its way downwards under her astonished gaze Anne jumped up from her drawing; and

presently the temporary canvasing and papering which had sealed up the old door of communication was cut

completely through. The door burst open, and Bob stood revealed on the other side, with the saw in his hand.

'I beg your ladyship's pardon,' he said, taking off the hat he had been working in, as his handsome face

'I am pulling down the division on principle, as we are now one family. But I really thought the door opened

But Anne was so interested in the novelty of a new doorway that she walked through it, and found herself in a

'It leads to the mill,' said Bob. 'Would you like to go in and see it at work? But perhaps you have already.'

She followed him along the dark passage, in the side of which he opened a little trap, when she saw a great

slimy cavern, where the long arms of the millwheel flung themselves slowly and distractedly round, and

splashing waterdrops caught the little light that strayed into the gloomy place, turning it into stars and

flashes. A cold mistladen puff of air came into their faces, and the roar from within made it necessary for

Bob shut the trap, the roar ceased, and they went on to the inner part of the mill, where the air was warm and

nutty, and pervaded by a fog of flour. Then they ascended the stairs, and saw the stones lumbering round and

round, and the yellow corn running down through the hopper. They climbed yet further to the top stage,

where the wheat lay in bins, and where long rays like feelers stretched in from the sun through the little

window, got nearly lost among cobwebs and timber, and completed their course by marking the opposite wall

In his earnestness as an exhibitor Bob opened the bolter, which was spinning rapidly round, the result being

that a dense cloud of flour rolled out in their faces, reminding Anne that her complexion was probably much

paler by this time than when she had entered the mill. She thanked her companion for his trouble, and said

she would now go down. He followed her with the same deference as hitherto, and with a sudden and

increasing sense that of all cures for his former unhappy passion this would have been the nicest, the easiest,

and the most effectual, if he had only been fortunate enough to keep her upon easy terms. But Miss Garland

showed no disposition to go further than accept his services as a guide; she descended to the open air, shook

the flour from her like a bird, and went on into the garden amid the September sunshine, whose rays lay level

across the blue haze which the earth gave forth. The gnats were dancing up and down in airy companies, the

nasturtium flowers shone out in groups from the dark hedge over which they climbed, and the mellow smell

of the decline of summer was exhaled by everything. Bob followed her as far as the gate, looked after her,

thought of her as the same girl who had half encouraged him years ago, when she seemed so superior to him;

though now they were almost equal she apparently thought him beneath her. It was with a new sense of

pleasure that his mind flew to the fact that she was now an inmate of his father's house.

His obsequious bearing was continued during the next week. In the busy hours of the day they seldom met,

but they regularly encountered each other at meals, and these cheerful occasions began to have an interest for

him quite irrespective of dishes and cups. When Anne entered and took her seat she was always loudly hailed

by Miller Loveday as he whetted his knife; but from Bob she condescended to accept no such familiar

greeting, and they often sat down together as if each had a blind eye in the direction of the other. Bob

sometimes told serious and correct stories about sea captains, pilots, boatswains, mates, able seamen, and

other curious fauna of the marine world; but these were directly addressed to his father and Mrs. Loveday,

Anne being included at the clinchingpoint by a glance only. He sometimes opened bottles of sweet cider for

her, and then she thanked him; but even this did not lead to her encouraging his chat.

One day when Anne was paring an apple she was left at table with the young man. 'I have made something

He arose, and Anne followed with curiosity in her eyes, and with her firm little mouth pouted up to a puzzled

shape. On reaching the mossy millhead she found that he had fixed in the keen damp draught which always

prevailed over the wheel an AEolian harp of large size. At present the strings were partly covered with a

cloth. He lifted it, and the wires began to emit a weird harmony which mingled curiously with the plashing of

She thanked him very warmly, for she had never seen anything like such an instrument before, and it

interested her. 'It was very thoughtful of you to make it,' she added. 'How came you to think of such a thing?'

'O I don't know exactly,' he replied, as if he did not care to be questioned on the point. 'I have never made one

Every night after this, during the mournful gales of autumn, the strange mixed music of water, wind, and

strings met her ear, swelling and sinking with an almost supernatural cadence. The character of the

instrument was far enough removed from anything she had hitherto seen of Bob's hobbies; so that she

marvelled pleasantly at the new depths of poetry this contrivance revealed as existent in that young seaman's

nature, and allowed her emotions to flow out yet a little further in the old direction, notwithstanding her late

One breezy night, when the mill was kept going into the small hours, and the wind was exactly in the

direction of the watercurrent, the music so mingled with her dreams as to wake her: it seemed to

rhythmically set itself to the words, 'Remember me! think of me!' She was much impressed; the sounds were

'How strange it is that you should have thought of fixing that harp where the water gushes!' she gently

observed. 'It affects me almost painfully at night. You are poetical, Captain Bob. But it is too too sad!'

'I will take it away,' said Captain Bob promptly. 'It certainly is too sad; I thought so myself. I myself was kept

'Well,' said Bob, 'it is hardly worth saying why. It is not a good place for such a queer noisy machine; and I'll

'On second thoughts,' said Anne, 'I should like it to remain a little longer, because it sets me thinking.'

'Well, yes,' she said, trying to infuse much plain matteroffact into her voice. 'Of course I am led to think of

Bob seemed unaccountably embarrassed, and the subject was not pursued. About halfanhour later he came

'There was a little matter I didn't tell you just now, Miss Garland,' he said. 'About that harp thing, I mean. I

did make it, certainly, but it was my brother John who asked me to do it, just before he went away. John is

very musical, as you know, and he said it would interest you; but as he didn't ask me to tell, I did not. Perhaps

'O, it is nothing!' said Anne quickly. 'It is a very incomplete instrument after all, and it will be just as well for

He said that he would, but he forgot to do it that day; and the following night there was a high wind, and the

harp cried and moaned so movingly that Anne, whose window was quite near, could hardly bear the sound

with its new associations. John Loveday was present to her mind all night as an illused man; and yet she

The harp was removed next day. Bob, feeling that his credit for originality was damaged in her eyes, by way

of recovering it set himself to paint the summerhouse which Anne frequented, and when he came out he

'Yes; you can't quite reach up. That's because you are not very tall; is it not, Captain Loveday?'

'O, I don't mean that you are much less than tall! Shall I hold the paint for you, to save your stepping down?'

She took the paintpot, and stood looking at the brush as it moved up and down in his hand.

'But perhaps not quite so much art is demanded to paint a summerhouse as to paint a picture?'

Thinking that, as a painter's daughter, and a person of education superior to his own, she spoke with a flavour

'I was perhaps too young then to take any pleasure in giving pain,' she observed daringly.

'I like to give pain to people who have given pain to me,' she said smartly, without removing her eyes from

Bob looked and looked at her side face till he was bewitched into putting down his brush.

'It was that stupid forgetting of 'ee for a time!' he exclaimed. 'Well, I hadn't seen you for so very

longconsider how many years! O, dear Anne!' he said, advancing to take her hand, 'how well we knew one

another when we were children! You was a queen to me then; and so you are now, and always.'

Possibly Anne was thrilled pleasantly enough at having brought the truant village lad to her feet again; but he

was not to find the situation so easy as he imagined, and her hand was not to be taken yet.

'Very pretty!' she said, laughing. 'And only six weeks since Miss Johnson left.'

'Zounds, don't say anything about that!' implored Bob. 'I swear that I nevernever deliberately loved

herfor a long time together, that is; it was a sudden sort of thing, you know. But towards youI have

more or less honoured and respectfully loved you, off and on, all my life. There, that's true.'

'I am willing, off and on, to believe you, Captain Robert. But I don't see any good in your making these

'Give me leave to explain, dear Miss Garland. It is to get you to be pleased to renew an old promisemade

'Well, well, I won't urge 'ee today. Only let me beg of you to get over the quite wrong notion you have of me;

Anne turned away from him and entered the house, whither in the course of a quarter of an hour he followed

her, knocking at her door, and asking to be let in. She said she was busy; whereupon he went away, to come

She heard him breathe a heavy sigh and withdraw, murmuring something about his bad luck in being cut

away from the starn like this. But it was not over yet. When suppertime came and they sat down together,

'Now, I beg you this one thing,' he said. 'Just let me know your whole mind. Then I shall have a chance to

She answered with quickness, but not loud enough to be heard by the old people at the other end of the

table'Then, Captain Loveday, I will tell you one thing, one fault, that perhaps would have been more

proper to my character than to yours. You are too easily impressed by new faces, and that gives me a BAD

'O, that's it!' said Bob slowly, looking at her with the intense respect of a pupil for a master, her words being

spoken in a manner so precisely between jest and earnest that he was in some doubt how they were to be

The popping of a cork, and the pouring out of strong beer by the miller with a view to giving it a head, were

apparently distractions sufficient to excuse her in not attending further to him; and during the remainder of

the sitting her gentle chiding seemed to be sinking seriously into his mind. Perhaps her own heart ached to

see how silent he was; but she had always meant to punish him. Day after day for two or three weeks she

preserved the same demeanour, with a selfcontrol which did justice to her character. And, on his part,

considering what he had to put up withhow she eluded him, snapped him off, refused to come out when he

called her, refused to see him when he wanted to enter the little parlour which she had now appropriated to

Christmas had passed. Dreary winter with dark evenings had given place to more dreary winter with light

evenings. Rapid thaws had ended in rain, rain in wind, wind in dust. Showery days had come the season of

The chief incident that concerned the household at the mill was that the miller, following the example of all

his neighbours, had become a volunteer, and duly appeared twice a week in a red, longtailed military coat,

pipeclayed breeches, black cloth gaiters, a heelballed helmethat, with a tuft of green wool, and epaulettes

of the same colour and material. Bob still remained neutral. Not being able to decide whether to enrol himself

as a seafencible, a local militiaman, or a volunteer, he simply went on dancing attendance upon Anne. Mrs.

Loveday had become awake to the fact that the pair of young people stood in a curious attitude towards each

other; but as they were never seen with their heads together, and scarcely ever sat even in the same room, she

Strangely enough (or perhaps naturally enough), since entering the Loveday family herself, she had gradually

grown to think less favourably of Anne doing the same thing, and reverted to her original idea of encouraging

Festus; this more particularly because he had of late shown such perseverance in haunting the precincts of the

mill, presumably with the intention of lighting upon the young girl. But the weather had kept her mostly

One afternoon it was raining in torrents. Such leaves as there were on trees at this time of yearthose of the

laurel and other evergreensstaggered beneath the hard blows of the drops which fell upon them, and

afterwards could be seen trickling down the stems beneath and silently entering the ground. The surface of

the millpond leapt up in a thousand spirts under the same downfall, and clucked like a hen in the ratholes

along the banks as it undulated under the wind. The only dry spot visible from the front windows of the

millhouse was the inside of a small shed, on the opposite side of the courtyard. While Mrs. Loveday was

noticing the threads of rain descending across its interior shade, Festus Derriman walked up and entered it for

shelter, which, owing to the lumber within, it but scantily afforded to a man who would have been a match

It was an excellent opportunity for helping on her scheme. Anne was in the back room, and by asking him in

till the rain was over she would bring him face to face with her daughter, whom, as the days went on, she

increasingly wished to marry other than a Loveday, now that the romance of her own alliance with the millet

had in some respects worn off. She was better provided for than before; she was not unhappy; but the plain

fact was that she had married beneath her. She beckoned to Festus through the windowpane; he instantly

complied with her signal, having in fact placed himself there on purpose to be noticed; for he knew that Miss

'Good afternoon, Mrs. Loveday,' said Festus on entering. 'There nowif I didn't think that's how it would

be!' His voice had suddenly warmed to anger, for he had seen a door close in the back part of the room, a

Mrs. Loveday turned, observed that Anne was gone, and said, 'What is it?' as if she did not know.

'O, nothing, nothing!' said Festus crossly. 'You know well enough what it is, ma'am; only you make pretence

otherwise. But I'll bring her to book yet. You shall drop your haughty airs, my charmer! She little thinks I

'But you must treat her politely, sir,' said Mrs. Loveday, secretly pleased at these signs of uncontrollable

'Don't tell me of politeness or generosity, ma'am! She is more than a match for me. She regularly gets over

me. I have passed by this house fiveandfifty times since last Martinmas, and this is all my reward for't!'

'No. I don't mind rain. I'm off again. She's got somebody else in her eye!' And the yeoman went out,

Meanwhile the slippery object of his hopes had gone along the dark passage, passed the trap which opened on

the wheel, and through the door into the mill, where she was met by Bob, who looked up from the

He looked at her to know if she meant it, and finding that she did, returned to his post. When the mill had

'Bob,' she said, when she saw him move, 'remember that you are at work, and have no time to stand close to

He bowed and went to his original post again, Anne watching from the window till Festus should leave. The

mill rumbled on as before, and at last Bob came to her for the third time. 'Now, Bob' she began.

'On my honour, 'tis only to ask a question. Will you walk with me to church next Sunday afternoon?'

'Perhaps I will,' she said. But at this moment the yeoman left the house, and Anne, to escape further parley,

Sunday afternoon arrived, and the family was standing at the door waiting for the church bells to begin. From

that side of the house they could see southward across a paddock to the rising ground further ahead, where

there grew a large elmtree, beneath whose boughs footpaths crossed in different directions, like meridians at

the pole. The tree was old, and in summer the grass beneath it was quite trodden away by the feet of the many

trysters and idlers who haunted the spot. The tree formed a conspicuous object in the surrounding landscape.

While they looked, a foot soldier in red uniform and white breeches came along one of the paths, and

stopping beneath the elm, took from his pocket a paper, which he proceeded to nail up by the four corners to

the trunk. He drew back, looked at it, and went on his way. Bob got his glass from indoors and levelled it at

the placard, but after looking for a long time he could make out nothing but a lion and a unicorn at the top.

Anne, who was ready for church, moved away from the door, though it was yet early, and showed her

intention of going by way of the elm. The paper had been so impressively nailed up that she was curious to

read it even at this theological time. Bob took the opportunity of following, and reminded her of her promise.

The ludicrous humility of his manner led her to add playfully over her shoulder, 'It serves you right, you

'I deserve anything, but I must take the liberty to say that I hope my behaviour about Matil, in forgetting

She replied confidentially, 'Why I am so earnest not to be seen with you is that I may appear to people to be

independent of you. Knowing what I do of your weaknesses I can do no otherwise. You must be schooled

'O, Anne,' sighed Bob, 'you hit me hardtoo hard! If ever I do win you I am sure I shall have fairly earned

'You are not what you once seemed to be,' she returned softly. 'I don't quite like to let myself love you.' The

last words were not very audible, and as Bob was behind he caught nothing of them, nor did he see how

sentimental she had become all of a sudden. They walked the rest of the way in silence, and coming to the

FRIENDS AND COUNTRYMEN,The French are now assembling the largest force that ever was prepared

to invade this Kingdom, with the professed purpose of effecting our complete Ruin and Destruction. They do

not disguise their intentions, as they have often done to other Countries; but openly boast that they will come

Wherever the French have lately appeared they have spared neither Rich nor Poor, Old nor Young; but like a

Destructive Pestilence have laid waste and destroyed every Thing that before was fair and flourishing.

On this occasion no man's service is compelled, but you are invited voluntarily to come forward in defence of

everything that is dear to you, by entering your Names on the Lists which are sent to the Tythingman of

every Parish, and engaging to act either as ASSOCIATED VOLUNTEERS BEARING ARMS, AS

As Associated Volunteers you will be called out only once a week, unless the actual Landing of the Enemy

As Pioneers or Labourers you will be employed in Breaking up Roads to hinder the Enemy's advance.

Those who have Pickaxes, Spades, Shovels, Billhooks, or other Working Implements, are desired to

mention them to the Constable or Tythingman of their Parish, in order that they may be entered on the Lists

It is thought desirable to give you this Explanation, that you may not be ignorant of the Duties to which you

may be called. But if the love of true Liberty and honest Fame has not ceased to animate the Hearts of

Englishmen, Pay, though necessary, will be the least Part of your Reward. You will find your best

Recompense in having done your Duty to your King and Country by driving back or destroying your old and

implacable Enemy, envious of your Freedom and Happiness, and therefore seeking to destroy them; in having

protected your Wives and Children from Death, or worse than Death, which will follow the Success of such

ROUSE, therefore, and unite as one man in the best of Causes! United we may defy the World to conquer us;

Anne turned to him, all the playfulness gone from her face. 'I wish we lived in the north of England, Bob, so

'It is not right to talk so lightly at such a serious time,' she thoughtfully returned, going on towards the church.

On drawing near, they saw through the boughs of a clump of intervening trees, still leafless, but bursting into

buds of amber hue, a glittering which seemed to be reflected from points of steel. In a few moments they

heard above the tender chiming of the church bells the loud voice of a man giving words of command, at

which all the metallic points suddenly shifted like the bristles of a porcupine, and glistened anew.

''Tis the drilling,' said Loveday. 'They drill now between the services, you know, because they can't get the

men together so readily in the week. It makes me feel that I ought to be doing more than I am!'

When they had passed round the belt of trees, the company of recruits became visible, consisting of the

ablebodied inhabitants of the hamlets thereabout, more or less known to Bob and Anne. They were

assembled on the green plot outside the churchyardgate, dressed in their common clothes, and the sergeant

who had been putting them through their drill was the man who nailed up the proclamation. He was now

engaged in untying a canvas moneybag, from which he drew forth a handful of shillings, giving one to each

'Men, I dismissed ye too soonparade, parade again, I say,' he cried. 'My watch is fast, I find. There's

another twenty minutes afore the worship of God commences. Now all of you that ha'n't got firelocks, fall in

As every man was anxious to see how the rest stood, those at the end of the line pressed forward for that

They dressed forthwith; but impelled by the same motive they soon resumed their former figure, and so they

'Now, I hope you'll have a little patience,' said the sergeant, as he stood in the centre of the arc, 'and pay strict

attention to the word of command, just exactly as I give it out to ye; and if I should go wrong, I shall be much

obliged to any friend who'll put me right again, for I have only been in the army three weeks myself, and we

'Please, what must we do that haven't got no firelocks!' said the lower end of the line in a helpless voice.

'Now, was ever such a question! Why, you must do nothing at all, but think HOW you'd poise 'em IF you had

'em. You middle men, that are armed with hurdlesticks and cabbagestumps just to makebelieve, must of

course use 'em as if they were the real thing. Now then, cock fawlocks! Present! Fire! (Pretend to, I mean,

and the same time throw yer imagination into the field o' battle.) Very goodvery good indeed; except that

'Please, sergeant, can I fall out, as I am masterplayer in the choir, and my bassviol strings won't stand at

this time o' year, unless they be screwed up a little before the passon comes in?'

'How can you think of such trifles as churchgoing at such a time as this, when your own native country is on

the point of invasion?' said the sergeant sternly. 'And, as you know, the drill ends three minutes afore church

begins, and that's the law, and it wants a quarter of an hour yet. Now, at the word PRIME, shake the powder

(supposing you've got it) into the primingpan, three last fingers behind the rammer; then shut your pans,

drawing your right arm nimblelike towards your body. I ought to have told ye before this, that at HAND

YOUR KATRIDGE, seize it and bring it with a quick motion to your mouth, bite the top well off, and don't

swaller so much of the powder as to make ye hawk and spet instead of attending to your drill. What's that

'Please, sir, 'tis Anthony Cripplestraw, wanting to know how he's to bite off his katridge, when he haven't a

'Man! Why, what's your genius for war? Hold it up to your righthand man's mouth, to be sure, and let him

nip it off for ye. Well, what have you to say, Private Tremlett? Don't ye understand English?'

'Ask yer pardon, sergeant; but what must we infantry of the awkward squad do if Boney comes afore we get

'Take a pike, like the rest of the incapables. You'll find a store of them ready in the corner of the church

'There, they be tinging in the passon!' exclaimed David, Miller Loveday's man, who also formed one of the

company, as the bells changed from chiming all three together to a quick beating of one. The whole line drew

'Well, then, I must dismiss ye,' said the sergeant. 'Come back come back! Next drill is Tuesday afternoon

at four. And, mind, if your masters won't let ye leave work soon enough, tell me, and I'll write a line to

Gover'ment! 'Tention! To the rightleft wheel, I meanno, noright wheel. Marrrrch!'

Some wheeled to the right and some to the left, and some obliging men, including Cripplestraw, tried to

'Stop, stop; try again! 'Cruits and comrades, unfortunately when I'm in a hurry I can never remember my right

hand from my left, and never could as a boy. You must excuse me, please. Practice makes perfect, as the

saying is; and, much as I've learnt since I 'listed, we always find something new. Now then, right wheel!

march! halt! Stand at ease! dismiss! I think that's the order o't, but I'll look in the Gover'ment book afore

Many of the company who had been drilled preferred to go off and spend their shillings instead of entering

the church; but Anne and Captain Bob passed in. Even the interior of the sacred edifice was affected by the

agitation of the times. The religion of the country had, in fact, changed from love of God to hatred of

Napoleon Buonaparte; and, as if to remind the devout of this alteration, the pikes for the pikemen (all those

accepted men who were not otherwise armed) were kept in the church of each parish. There, against the wall,

they always stooda whole sheaf of them, formed of new ash stems, with a spike driven in at one end, the

stick being preserved from splitting by a ferule. And there they remained, year after year, in the corner of the

aisle, till they were removed and placed under the gallery stairs, and thence ultimately to the belfry, where

they grew black, rusty, and wormeaten, and were gradually stolen and carried off by sextons, parish clerks,

whitewashers, windowmenders, and other church servants for use at home as rakestems, benefitclub

staves, and pickhandles, in which degraded situations they may still occasionally be found.

But in their new and shining state they had a terror for Anne, whose eyes were involuntarily drawn towards

them as she sat at Bob's side during the service, filling her with bloody visions of their possible use not far

from the very spot on which they were now assembled. The sermon, too, was on the subject of patriotism; so

that when they came out she began to harp uneasily upon the probability of their all being driven from their

Bob assured her that with the sixty thousand regulars, the militia reserve of a hundred and twenty thousand,

'But I sometimes have a fear that poor John will be killed,' he continued after a pause. 'He is sure to be among

the first that will have to face the invaders, and the trumpeters get picked off.'

'Yesyesthe same chance, such as it is. You have never liked John since that affair of Matilda Johnson,

'Well,' said Bob timidly, 'as it is a ticklish time for him, would it not be worth while to make up any

'I have nothing to make up,' said Anne, with some distress. She still fully believed the trumpetmajor to have

smuggled away Miss Johnson because of his own interest in that lady, which must have made his professions

to herself a mere pastime; but that very conduct had in it the curious advantage to herself of setting Bob free.

'Since John has been gone,' continued her companion, 'I have found out more of his meaning, and of what he

really had to do with that woman's flight. Did you know that he had anything to do with it?'

She looked at Bob with surprise. He was not exasperated with John, and yet he knew so much as this.

He did not explain to her then; but the possibility of John's death, which had been newly brought home to him

by the military events of the day, determined him to get poor John's character cleared. Reproaching himself

for letting her remain so long with a mistaken idea of him, Bob went to his father as soon as they got home,

and begged him to get Mrs. Loveday to tell Anne the true reason of John's objection to Miss Johnson as a

'She thinks it is because they were old lovers new met, and that he wants to marry her,' he exclaimed to his

'Then THAT'S the meaning of the split between Miss Nancy and Jack,' said the miller.

'Well, we must do it,' replied Bob, painfully conscious that common justice to John might bring them into

hazardous rivalry, yet determined to be fair. 'Tell it all to Mrs. Loveday, and get her to tell Anne.'

The result of the explanation upon Anne was bitter selfreproach. She was so sorry at having wronged the

kindly soldier that next morning she went by herself to the down, and stood exactly where his tent had

covered the sod on which he had lain so many nights, thinking what sadness he must have suffered because

of her at the time of packing up and going away. After that she wiped from her eyes the tears of pity which

had come there, descended to the house, and wrote an impulsive letter to him, in which occurred the

'I find all justice, all rectitude, on your side, John; and all impertinence, all inconsiderateness, on mine. I am

so much convinced of your honour in the whole transaction, that I shall for the future mistrust myself in

everything. And if it be possible, whenever I differ from you on any point I shall take an hour's time for

consideration before I say that I differ. If I have lost your friendship, I have only myself to thank for it; but I

After writing this she went to the garden, where Bob was shearing the spring grass from the paths. 'What is

She thanked him and went indoors. When he came in, later in the day, he passed the door of her empty

sittingroom and saw the letter on the mantelpiece. He disliked the sight of it. Hearing voices in the other

room, he entered and found Anne and her mother there, talking to Cripplestraw, who had just come in with a

message from Squire Derriman, requesting Miss Garland, as she valued the peace of mind of an old and

'Maister's very poorly, and he hopes that you'll come, Mis'ess Anne. He wants to see 'ee very particular about

Anne would have gone in a moment, but for the fear that some one besides the farmer might encounter her,

Another hour passed, and the wheels of a vehicle were heard. Cripplestraw had come for the third time, with

a horse and gig; he was dressed in his best clothes, and brought with him on this occasion a basket containing

raisins, almonds, oranges, and sweet cakes. Offering them to her as a gift from the old farmer, he repeated his

request for her to accompany him, the gig and best mare having been sent as an additional inducement.

'There's my letterwhat shall I do about that?' she said, instead of answering him. 'Take my letter to the

He said yes and went out, Cripplestraw retreating to the door till she should be ready.

'Only one to John,' said Anne. 'I have asked him to forgive my suspicions. I could do no less.'

'Well; he will take that letter as an encouragement. Can't you see that he will, you foolish girl?'

Anne did see instantly. 'Of course!' she said. 'Tell Robert that he need not go.'

She went to her room to secure the letter. It was gone from the mantelpiece, and on inquiry it was found that

the miller, seeing it there, had sent David with it to Budmouth hours ago. Anne said nothing, and set out for

'William,' said Mrs. Loveday to the miller when Anne was gone and Bob had resumed his work in the garden,

'Well, I did. I wanted to make sure of it. John likes her, and now 'twill be made up; and why shouldn't he

'Not if she is in love with Bob, and has been for years, and he with her?' asked his wife triumphantly.

When Anne reached the hall she found old Mr. Derriman in his customary chair. His complexion was more

ashen, but his movement in rising at her entrance, putting a chair and shutting the door behind her, were

'Thank God you've come, my dear girl,' he said earnestly. 'Ah, you don't trip across to read to me now! Why

did ye cost me so much to fetch you? Fie! A horse and gig, and a man's time in going three times. And what I

sent ye cost a good deal in Budmouth market, now everything is so dear there, and 'twould have cost more if I

hadn't bought the raisins and oranges some months ago, when they were cheaper. I tell you this because we

are old friends, and I have nobody else to tell my troubles to. But I don't begrudge anything to ye since you've

'I am not much pleased to come, even now,' said she. 'What can make you so seriously anxious to see me?'

'Well, you be a good girl and true; and I've been thinking that of all people of the next generation that I can

trust, you are the best. 'Tis my bonds and my titledeeds, such as they be, and the leases, you know, and a

few guineas in packets, and more than these, my will, that I have to speak about. Now do ye come this way.'

'O, such things as those!' she returned, with surprise. 'I don't understand those things at all.'

'There's nothing to understand. 'Tis just this. The French will be here within two months; that's certain. I have

it on the best authority, that the army at Boulogne is ready, the boats equipped, the plans laid, and the First

Consul only waits for a tide. Heaven knows what will become o' the men o' these parts! But most likely the

He led her across the hall to a stone staircase of semicircular plan, which conducted to the cellars.

'Yes; I must trouble ye to come down here. I have thought and thought who is the woman that can best keep a

secret for six months, and I say, "Anne Garland." You won't be married before then?'

'I wouldn't expect ye to keep a close tongue after such a thing as that. But it will not be necessary.'

When they reached the bottom of the steps he struck a light from a tinderbox, and unlocked the middle one

of three doors which appeared in the whitewashed wall opposite. The rays of the candle fell upon the vault

and sides of a long low cellar, littered with decayed woodwork from other parts of the hall, among the rest

stair balusters, carved finials, tracery panels, and wainscoting. But what most attracted her eye was a small

flagstone turned up in the middle of the floor, a heap of earth beside it, and a measuringtape. Derriman went

to the corner of the cellar, and pulled out a clamped box from under the straw. 'You be rather heavy, my dear,

eh?' he said, affectionately addressing the box as he lifted it. 'But you are going to be put in a safe place, you

know, or that rascal will get hold of ye, and carry ye off and ruin me.' He then with some difficulty lowered

the box into the hole, raked in the earth upon it, and lowered the flagstone, which he was a long time in fixing

to his satisfaction. Miss Garland, who was romantically interested, helped him to brush away the fragments of

loose earth; and when he had scattered over the floor a little of the straw that lay about, they again ascended

'If anything happens to me while the fighting is going onit may be on these very fieldsyou will know

what to do,' he resumed. 'But first please sit down again, there's a dear, whilst I write what's in my head. See,

'What a strange business! I don't think I much like it, Mr. Derriman,' she said, seating herself.

'"Twentythree and a half from N.W. Sixteen and threequarters from N.E."There, that's all. Now I seal it

up and give it to you to keep safe till I ask ye for it, or you hear of my being trampled down by the enemy.'

'Clk! Ha! ha! Why, that's the distance of the box from the two corners of the cellar. I measured it before you

came. And, my honey, to make all sure, if the French soldiery are after ye, tell your mother the meaning on't,

or any other friend, in case they should put ye to death, and the secret be lost. But that I am sure I hope they

won't do, though your pretty face will be a sad bait to the soldiers. I often have wished you was my daughter,

honey; and yet in these times the less cares a man has the better, so I am glad you bain't. Shall my man drive

'No, no,' she said, much depressed by the words he had uttered. 'I can find my way. You need not trouble to

'Then take care of the paper. And if you outlive me, you'll find I have not forgot you.'

Festus Derriman had remained in the Royal wateringplace all that day, his horse being sick at stables; but,

wishing to coax or bully from his uncle a remount for the coming summer, he set off on foot for Oxwell early

in the evening. When he drew near to the village, or rather to the hall, which was a mile from the village, he

overtook a slim, quickeyed woman, sauntering along at a leisurely pace. She was fashionably dressed in a

green spencer, with 'Mameluke' sleeves, and wore a velvet Spanish hat and feather.

'Good afternoon t'ye, ma'am,' said Festus, throwing a swordandpistol air into his greeting. 'You are out for

'I AM out for a walk, captain,' said the lady, who had criticized him from the crevice of her eye, without

seeming to do much more than continue her demure look forward, and gave the title as a sop to his apparent

'Ah, you are a visitor! I know every one of the regular inhabitants; we soldiers are in and out there

continually. Festus Derriman, Yeomanry Cavalry, you know. The fact is, the wateringplace is under our

charge; the folks will be quite dependent upon us for their deliverance in the coming struggle. We hold our

lives in our hands, and theirs, I may say, in our pockets. What made you come here, ma'am, at such a critical

'But it is, though; and so you'd say if you was as much mixed up with the military affairs of the nation as

'Never!' said Festus firmly. 'Ah, you are one of the attendants at court perhaps, come on ahead to get the

'No,' she said; 'I am connected with the theatre, though not just at the present moment. I have been out of luck

for the last year or two; but I have fetched up again. I join the company when they arrive for the season.'

Festus surveyed her with interest. 'Faith! and is it so? Well, ma'am, what part do you play?'

'I am mostly the leading ladythe heroine,' she said, drawing herself up with dignity.

'I'll come and have a look at ye if all's well, and the landing is put offhang me if I don't!Hullo, hullo,

His eyes were stretched towards a distant field, which Anne Garland was at that moment hastily crossing, on

The lady said, 'O, you droll monster!' as she smiled and watched him stride ahead.

Festus bounded on over the hedge, across the intervening patch of green, and into the field which Anne was

still crossing. In a moment or two she looked back, and seeing the wellknown Herculean figure of the

yeoman behind her felt rather alarmed, though she determined to show no difference in her outward carriage.

But to maintain her natural gait was beyond her powers. She spasmodically quickened her pace; fruitlessly,

however, for he gained upon her, and when within a few strides of her exclaimed, 'Well, my darling!' Anne

Festus was already out of breath, and soon found that he was not likely to overtake her. On she went, without

turning her head, till an unusual noise behind compelled her to look round. His face was in the act of falling

back; he swerved on one side, and dropped like a log upon a convenient hedgerowbank which bordered the

Anne was somewhat alarmed; and after standing at gaze for two or three minutes, drew nearer to him, a step

and a half at a time, wondering and doubting, as a meek ewe draws near to some strolling vagabond who

Her heart beat quickly, and she looked around. Nobody was in sight; she advanced a step nearer still and

observed him again. Apparently his face was turning to a livid hue, and his breathing had become obstructed.

''Tis not a swoon; 'tis apoplexy!' she said, in deep distress. 'I ought to untie his neck.' But she was afraid to do

Miss Garland was now within three feet of him, whereupon the senseless man, who could hold his breath no

longer, sprang to his feet and darted at her, saying, 'Ha! ha! a scheme for a kiss!'

She felt his arm slipping round her neck; but, twirling about with amazing dexterity, she wriggled from his

embrace and ran away along the field. The force with which she had extricated herself was sufficient to throw

Festus upon the grass, and by the time that he got upon his legs again she was many yards off. Uttering a

word which was not exactly a blessing, he immediately gave chase; and thus they ran till Anne entered a

meadow divided down the middle by a brook about six feet wide. A narrow plank was thrown loosely across

at the point where the path traversed this stream, and when Anne reached it she at once scampered over. At

the other side she turned her head to gather the probabilities of the situation, which were that Festus Derriman

would overtake her even now. By a sudden forethought she stooped, seized the end of the plank, and

endeavoured to drag it away from the opposite bank. But the weight was too great for her to do more than

slightly move it, and with a desperate sigh she ran on again, having lost many valuable seconds.

But her attempt, though ineffectual in dragging it down, had been enough to unsettle the little bridge; and

when Derriman reached the middle, which he did half a minute later, the plank turned over on its edge, tilting

him bodily into the river. The water was not remarkably deep, but as the yeoman fell flat on his stomach he

was completely immersed; and it was some time before he could drag himself out. When he arose, dripping

on the bank, and looked around, Anne had vanished from the mead. Then Festus's eyes glowed like

carbuncles, and he gave voice to fearful imprecations, shaking his fist in the soft summer air towards Anne, in

a way that was terrible for any maiden to behold. Wading back through the stream, he walked along its bank

with a heavy tread, the water running from his coattails, wrists, and the tips of his ears, in silvery dribbles,

that sparkled pleasantly in the sun. Thus he hastened away, and went round by a bypath to the hall.

Meanwhile the author of his troubles was rapidly drawing nearer to the mill, and soon, to her inexpressible

delight, she saw Bob coming to meet her. She had heard the flounce, and, feeling more secure from her

pursuer, had dropped her pace to a quick walk. No sooner did she reach Bob than, overcome by the

excitement of the moment, she flung herself into his arms. Bob instantly enclosed her in an embrace so very

thorough that there was no possible danger of her falling, whatever degree of exhaustion might have given

rise to her somewhat unexpected action; and in this attitude they silently remained, till it was borne in upon

Anne that the present was the first time in her life that she had ever been in such a position. Her face then

burnt like a sunset, and she did not know how to look up at him. Feeling at length quite safe, she suddenly

resolved not to give way to her first impulse to tell him the whole of what had happened, lest there should be

a dreadful quarrel and fight between Bob and the yeoman, and great difficulties caused in the Loveday family

on her account, the miller having important wheat transactions with the Derrimans.

'Yes,' she replied. 'I saw a man I did not like the look of, and he was inclined to follow me. But, worse than

that, I am troubled about the French. O Bob! I am afraid you will be killed, and my mother, and John, and

'Now I have told you, dear little heart, that it cannot be. We shall drive 'em into the sea after a battle or two,

even if they land, which I don't believe they will. We've got ninety sail of the line, and though it is rather

unfortunate that we should have declared war against Spain at this ticklish time, there's enough for all.' And

Bob went into elaborate statistics of the navy, army, militia, and volunteers, to prolong the time of holding

'I haven't been yet to offer myself as a seafencible, and I ought to have done it long ago.'

Bob shook his head. She arose from her restful position, her eye catching his with a shamefaced expression of

having given way at last. Loveday drew from his pocket a paper, and said, as they slowly walked on, 'Here's

something to make us brave and patriotic. I bought it in Budmouth. Isn't it a stirring picture?'

It was a hieroglyphic profile of Napoleon. The hat represented a maimed French eagle; the face was

ingeniously made up of human carcases, knotted and writhing together in such directions as to form a

physiognomy; a band, or stock, shaped to resemble the English Channel, encircled his throat, and seemed to

choke him; his epaulette was a hand tearing a cobweb that represented the treaty of peace with England; and

She had recovered from her emotion, and walked along beside him with a grave, subdued face. Bob did not

like to assume the privileges of an accepted lover and draw her hand through his arm; for, conscious that she

naturally belonged to a politer grade than his own, he feared lest her exhibition of tenderness were an impulse

which cooler moments might regret. A perfect PaulandVirginia life had not absolutely set in for him as

yet, and it was not to be hastened by force. When they had passed over the bridge into the millfront they

'Since you have been gone,' he said, 'a Government man has been here, and to all the houses, taking down the

numbers of the women and children, and their ages and the number of horses and waggons that can be

mustered, in case they have to retreat inland, out of the way of the invading army.'

The little family gathered themselves together, all feeling the crisis more seriously than they liked to express.

Mrs. Loveday thought how ridiculous a thing social ambition was in such a conjuncture as this, and vowed

that she would leave Anne to love where she would. Anne, too, forgot the little peculiarities of speech and

manner in Bob and his father, which sometimes jarred for a moment upon her more refined sense, and was

On going upstairs she remembered the paper which Farmer Derriman had given her, and searched in her

bosom for it. She could not find it there. 'I must have left it on the table,' she said to herself. It did not matter;

she remembered every word. She took a pen and wrote a duplicate, which she put safely away.

But Anne was wrong. She had, after all, placed the paper where she supposed, and there it ought to have

been. But in escaping from Festus, when he feigned apoplexy, it had fallen out upon the grass. Five minutes

after that event, when pursuer and pursued were two or three fields ahead, the gailydressed woman whom

the yeoman had overtaken, peeped cautiously through the stile into the corner of the field which had been the

scene of the scramble; and seeing the paper she climbed over, secured it, loosened the wafer without tearing

the sheet, and read the memorandum within. Unable to make anything of its meaning, the saunterer put it in

her pocket, and, dismissing the matter from her mind, went on by the bypath which led to the back of the

mill. Here, behind the hedge, she stood and surveyed the old building for some time, after which she

The night which followed was historic and memorable. Mrs. Loveday was awakened by the boom of a distant

gun: she told the miller, and they listened awhile. The sound was not repeated, but such was the state of their

feelings that Mr. Loveday went to Bob's room and asked if he had heard it. Bob was wide awake, looking out

of the window; he had heard the ominous sound, and was inclined to investigate the matter. While the father

and son were dressing they fancied that a glare seemed to be rising in the sky in the direction of the beacon

hill. Not wishing to alarm Anne and her mother, the miller assured them that Bob and himself were merely

going out of doors to inquire into the cause of the report, after which they plunged into the gloom together. A

few steps' progress opened up more of the sky, which, as they had thought, was indeed irradiated by a lurid

light; but whether it came from the beacon or from a more distant point they were unable to clearly tell. They

Their excitement was merely of a piece with that of all men at this critical juncture. Everywhere expectation

was at fever heat. For the last year or two only fiveandtwenty miles of shallow water had divided quiet

English homesteads from an enemy's army of a hundred and fifty thousand men. We had taken the matter

lightly enough, eating and drinking as in the days of Noe, and singing satires without end. We punned on

Buonaparte and his gunboats, chalked his effigy on stagecoaches, and published the same in prints. Still,

between these bursts of hilarity, it was sometimes recollected that England was the only European country

which had not succumbed to the mighty little man who was less than human in feeling, and more than human

in will; that our spirit for resistance was greater than our strength; and that the Channel was often calm. Boats

built of wood which was greenly growing in its native forest three days before it was bent as wales to their

sides, were ridiculous enough; but they might be, after all, sufficient for a single trip between two visible

The English watched Buonaparte in these preparations, and Buonaparte watched the English. At the distance

of Boulogne details were lost, but we were impressed on fine days by the novel sight of a huge army moving

and twinkling like a school of mackerel under the rays of the sun. The regular way of passing an afternoon in

the coast towns was to stroll up to the signal posts and chat with the lieutenant on duty there about the latest

inimical object seen at sea. About once a week there appeared in the newspapers either a paragraph

concerning some adventurous English gentleman who had sailed out in a pleasureboat till he lay near

enough to Boulogne to see Buonaparte standing on the heights among his marshals; or else some lines about

a mysterious stranger with a foreign accent, who, after collecting a vast deal of information on our resources,

had hired a boat at a southern port, and vanished with it towards France before his intention could be divined.

In forecasting his grand venture, Buonaparte postulated the help of Providence to a remarkable degree. Just at

the hour when his troops were on board the flatbottomed boats and ready to sail, there was to be a great fog,

that should spread a vast obscurity over the length and breadth of the Channel, and keep the English blind to

events on the other side. The fog was to last twentyfour hours, after which it might clear away. A dead calm

was to prevail simultaneously with the fog, with the twofold object of affording the boats easy transit and

dooming our ships to lie motionless. Thirdly, there was to be a spring tide, which should combine its

Among the many thousands of minor Englishmen whose lives were affected by these tremendous designs

may be numbered our old acquaintance Corporal Tullidge, who sported the crushed arm, and poor old Simon

Burden, the dazed veteran who had fought at Minden. Instead of sitting snugly in the settle of the Old Ship, in

the village adjoining Overcombe, they were obliged to keep watch on the hill. They made themselves as

comfortable as was possible in the circumstances, dwelling in a hut of clods and turf, with a brick chimney

for cooking. Here they observed the nightly progress of the moon and stars, grew familiar with the heaving of

moles, the dancing of rabbits on the hillocks, the distant hoot of owls, the bark of foxes from woods further

inland; but saw not a sign of the enemy. As, night after night, they walked round the two ricks which it was

their duty to fire at a signalone being of furze for a quick flame, the other of turf, for a long, slow

radiancethey thought and talked of old times, and drank patriotically from a large wood flagon that was

Bob and his father soon became aware that the light was from the beacon. By the time that they reached the

top it was one mass of towering flame, from which the sparks fell on the green herbage like a fiery dew; the

forms of the two old men being seen passing and repassing in the midst of it. The Lovedays, who came up on

the smoky side, regarded the scene for a moment, and then emerged into the light.

'Who goes there?' said Corporal Tullidge, shouldering a pike with his sound arm. 'O, 'tis neighbour Loveday!'

'Chok' it all, wasn't the LordLieutenant's direction, whenever you see Rainbarrow's Beacon burn to the

nor'east'ard, or Haggardon to the nor'west'ard, or the actual presence of the enemy on the shore?'

'No doubt o't! The beach light is only just gone down, and Simon heard the guns even better than I.'

They listened with parted lips, the night wind blowing through Simon Burden's few teeth as through the ruins

of Stonehenge. From far down on the lower levels came the noise of wheels and the tramp of horses upon the

'Well, there must be something in it,' said Miller Loveday gravely. 'Bob, we'll go home and make the

womenfolk safe, and then I'll don my soldier's clothes and be off. God knows where our company will

They hastened down the hill, and on getting into the road waited and listened again. Travellers began to come

up and pass them in vehicles of all descriptions. It was difficult to attract their attention in the dim light, but

'What's the matter?' he cried to a butcher who was flying past in his cart, his wife sitting behind him without a

'In West Bay; and all Budmouth is in uproar!' replied the voice, now faint in the distance.

Bob and his father hastened on till they reached their own house. As they had expected, Anne and her mother,

in common with most of the people, were both dressed, and stood at the door bonneted and shawled, listening

to the traffic on the neighbouring highway, Mrs. Loveday having secured what money and small valuables

they possessed in a huge pocket which extended all round her waist, and added considerably to her weight

''Tis true enough,' said the miller: 'he's come! You and Anne and the maid must be off to Cousin Jim's at

King'sBere, and when you get there you must do as they do. I must assemble with the company.'

The horse was put into the gig, and Mrs. Loveday, Anne, and the servantmaid were hastily packed into the

vehicle, the latter taking the reins; David's duties as a fightingman forbidding all thought of his domestic

offices now. Then the silver tankard, teapot, pair of candlesticks like Ionic columns, and other articles too

large to be pocketed were thrown into a basket and put up behind. Then came the leavetaking, which was as

sad as it was hurried. Bob kissed Anne, and there was no affectation in her receiving that mark of affection as

she said through her tears, 'God bless you!' At last they moved off in the dim light of dawn, neither of the

three women knowing which road they were to take, but trusting to chance to find it.

As soon as they were out of sight Bob went off for a pike, and his father, first newflinting his firelock,

proceeded to don his uniform, pipeclaying his breeches with such cursory haste as to bespatter his black

gaiters with the same ornamental compound. Finding when he was ready that no bugle had as yet sounded, he

went with David to the carthouse, dragged out the waggon, and put therein some of the most useful and

easilyhandled goods, in case there might be an opportunity for conveying them away. By the time this was

done and the waggon pushed back and locked in, Bob had returned with his weapon, somewhat mortified at

being doomed to this low form of defence. The miller gave his son a parting grasp of the hand, and arranged

to meet him at King'sBere at the first opportunity if the news were true; if happily false, here at their own

The miller paused. 'O, I'll go,' he said. 'Perhaps somebody will lend me a little if I get into a hot corner?'

The bugle had been blown ere this, and Loveday the father disappeared towards the place of assembly, his

empty cartridgebox behind him. Bob seized a brace of loaded pistols which he had brought home from the

ship, and, armed with these and a pike, he locked the door and sallied out again towards the turnpike road.

By this time the yeomanry of the district were also on the move, and among them Festus Derriman, who was

sleeping at his uncle's, and had been awakened by Cripplestraw. About the time when Bob and his father

were descending from the beacon the stalwart yeoman was standing in the stableyard adjusting his straps,

while Cripplestraw saddled the horse. Festus clanked up and down, looked gloomily at the beacon, heard the

retreating carts and carriages, and called Cripplestraw to him, who came from the stable leading the horse at

the same moment that Uncle Benjy peeped unobserved from a mullioned window above their heads, the

distant light of the beacon fire touching up his features to the complexion of an old brass clockface.

'I think that before I start, Cripplestraw,' said Festus, whose lurid visage was undergoing a bleaching process

curious to look upon, 'you shall go on to Budmouth, and make a bold inquiry whether the cowardly enemy is

'I'd go in a moment, sir,' said the other, 'if I hadn't my bad leg again. I should have joined my company afore

this; but they said at last drill that I was too old. So I shall wait up in the hayloft for tidings as soon as I have

'Do such alarms as these, Cripplestraw, ever happen without foundation? Buonaparte is a wretch, a miserable

Cripplestraw shook his head. 'I notice yer modesty, Mr. Festus, in making light of things. But there never

was, sir. You may depend upon it he's come. Thank God, my duty as a Local don't require me to go to the

front, but only the valiant men like my master. Ah, if Boney could only see 'ee now, sir, he'd know too well

there is nothing to be got from such a determined skilful officer but blows and musketballs!'

'Yes, yes. Cripplestraw, if I ride off to Budmouth and meet 'em, all my training will be lost. No skill is

'True; that's a point, sir. You would outshine 'em all, and be picked off at the very beginning as a

'But if I stay here and urge on the fainthearted ones, or get up into the turretstair by that gateway, and pop

at the invaders through the loophole, I shouldn't be so completely wasted, should I?'

'You would not, Mr. Derriman. But, as you was going to say next, the fire in yer veins won't let ye do that.

You are valiant; very good: you don't want to husband yer valiance at home. The arg'ment is plain.'

'If my birth had been more obscure,' murmured the yeoman, 'and I had only been in the militia, for instance,

or among the humble pikemen, so much wouldn't have been expected of meof my fiery nature.

Cripplestraw, is there a drop of brandy to be got at in the house? I don't feel very well.'

'Dear nephew,' said the old gentleman from above, whom neither of the others had as yet noticed, 'I haven't

any spirits openedso unfortunate! But there's a beautiful barrel of crabapple cider in draught; and there's

'What, is he listening?' said Festus, staring up. 'Now I warrant how glad he is to see me forced to gocalled

out of bed without breakfast, and he quite safe, and sure to escape because he's an old man!Cripplestraw, I

like being in the yeomanry cavalry; but I wish I hadn't been in the ranks; I wish I had been only the surgeon,

to stay in the rear while the bodies are brought back to himI mean, I should have thrown my heart at such a

time as this more into the labour of restoring wounded men and joining their shattered limbs

togetheruuugh!more than I can into causing the woundsI am too humane, Cripplestraw, for the

'Yes, yes,' said his companion, depressing his spirits to a kindred level. 'And yet, such is fate, that, instead of

joining men's limbs together, you'll have to get your own joinedpoor young sojer!all through having

'Yes,' murmured Festus, and paused. 'You can't think how strange I feel here, Cripplestraw,' he continued,

laying his hand upon the centre buttons of his waistcoat. 'How I do wish I was only the surgeon!'

He slowly mounted, and Uncle Benjy, in the meantime, sang to himself as he looked on,

'Only a hymn for preservation from our enemies, dear nephew,' meekly replied the farmer, who had heard the

Festus allowed his horse to move on a few paces, and then turned again, as if struck by a happy invention.

'Cripplestraw,' he began, with an artificial laugh, 'I am obliged to confess, after allI must see her! 'Tisn't

'I didn't want to confess it; but 'tis a woman. Strange that I should be drawn so entirely against my natural

Cripplestraw, seeing which way the wind blew, found it advisable to blow in harmony. 'Ah, now at last I see,

sir! Spite that few men live that be worthy to command ye; spite that you could rush on, marshal the troops to

victory, as I may say; but thenwhat of it? there's the unhappy fate of being smit with the eyes of a woman,

and you are unmanned! Maister Derriman, who is himself, when he's got a woman round his neck like a

'I feel the case. Be you valiant?I know, of course, the words being a matter of formbe you valiant, I ask?

Yes, of course. Then don't you waste it in the open field. Hoard it up, I say, sir, for a higher class of warthe

defence of yer adorable lady. Think what you owe her at this terrible time! Now, Maister Derriman, once

more I ask ye to cast off that first haughty wish to rush to Budmouth, and to go where your mis'ess is

'But can I? Now, hang flattery!can a man hide without a stain? Of course I would not hide in any mean

'If you be in love, 'tis plain you may, since it is not your own life, but another's, that you are concerned for,

''Tis true, Cripplestraw, in a sense. But will it be understood that way? Will they see it as a brave hiding?'

'Now, sir, if you had not been in love I own to ye that hiding would look queer, but being to save the tears,

groans, fits, swowndings, and perhaps death of a comely young woman, yer principle is good; you

honourably retreat because you be too gallant to advance. This sounds strange, ye may say, sir; but it is plain

Festus did for a moment try to uncover his teeth in a natural smile, but it died away. 'Cripplestraw, you flatter

me; or do you mean it? Well, there's truth in it. I am more gallant in going to her than in marching to the

shore. But we cannot be too careful about our good names, we soldiers. I must not be seen. I'm off.'

Cripplestraw opened the hurdle which closed the arch under the portico gateway, and Festus passed under,

Uncle Benjamin singing, TWENTYTHREE AND A HALF FROM N.W. with a sort of sublime ecstasy,

feeling, as Festus had observed, that his money was safe, and that the French would not personally molest an

old man in such a ragged, mildewed coat as that he wore, which he had taken the precaution to borrow from a

Festus rode on full of his intention to seek out Anne, and under cover of protecting her retreat accompany her

to King'sBere, where he knew the Lovedays had relatives. In the lane he met Granny Seamore, who, having

packed up all her possessions in a small basket, was placidly retreating to the mountains till all should be

'No,' she said, looking up at him through her brazen spectacles. 'If I had I shouldn't ha' seed thee!'

'Faugh!' replied the yeoman, and rode on. Just as he reached the old road, which he had intended merely to

cross and avoid, his countenance fell. Some troops of regulars, who appeared to be dragoons, were rattling

along the road. Festus hastened towards an opposite gate, so as to get within the field before they should see

him; but, as illluck would have it, as soon as he got inside, a party of six or seven of his own yeomanry

troop were straggling across the same field and making for the spot where he was. The dragoons passed

without seeing him; but when he turned out into the road again it was impossible to retreat towards

Overcombe village because of the yeomen. So he rode straight on, and heard them coming at his heels. There

was no other gate, and the highway soon became as straight as a bowstring. Unable thus to turn without

meeting them, and caught like an eel in a waterpipe, Festus drew nearer and nearer to the fateful shore. But

he did not relinquish hope. Just ahead there were crossroads, and he might have a chance of slipping down

one of them without being seen. On reaching the spot he found that he was not alone. A horseman had come

up the righthand lane and drawn rein. It was an officer of the German legion, and seeing Festus he held up

Festus was a man again. He felt that nothing was too much for him. The officer, after some explanation of the

cause of alarm, said that he was going across to the road which led by the moor, to stop the troops and

volunteers converging from that direction, upon which Festus offered to give information along the

Casterbridge road. The German crossed over, and was soon out of sight in the lane, while Festus turned back

upon the way by which he had come. The party of yeomanry cavalry was rapidly drawing near, and he soon

recognized among them the excited voices of Stubb of Duddle Hole, Noakes of Muckleford, and other

comrades of his orgies at the hall. It was a magnificent opportunity, and Festus drew his sword. When they

were within speaking distance he reined round his charger's head to Budmouth and shouted, 'On, comrades,

on! I am waiting for you. You have been a long time getting up with me, seeing the glorious nature of our

'Well said, Derriman, well said!' replied the foremost of the riders. 'Have you heard anything new?'

'Only that he's here with his tens of thousands, and that we are to ride to meet him sword in hand as soon as

'The man who quails now is unworthy of the name of yeoman,' said Festus, still keeping ahead of the other

troopers and holding up his sword to the sun. 'O Noakes, fie, fie! You begin to look pale, man.'

'Faith, perhaps you'd look pale,' said Noakes, with an envious glance upon Festus's daring manner, 'if you had

'I'll take three frogeating Frenchmen singlehanded!' rejoined Derriman, still flourishing his sword.

'They have as good swords as you; as you will soon find,' said another of the yeomen.

'If they were three times armed,' said Festus'ay, thrice three timesI would attempt 'em three to one. How

do you feel now, my old friend Stubb?' (turning to another of the warriors.) 'O, friend Stubb! no bouncing

'No rattling dinners at Stacie's Hotel, and the King below with his staff. No wrenching off doorknockers and

sending 'em to the bakehouse in a pie that nobody calls for. Weeks of cutandthrust work rather!'

'Fight how we may we shan't get rid of the cursed tyrant before autumn, and many thousand brave men will

lie low before it's done,' remarked a young yeoman with a calm face, who meant to do his duty without much

'No grinning matches at Maidun Castle this summer,' Festus resumed; 'no threadtheneedle at Greenhill

'Does it make you seem just a trifle uncomfortable, Noakes? Keep up your spirits, old comrade. Come,

forward! we are only ambling on like so many donkeywomen. We have to get into Budmouth, join the rest

of the troop, and then march along the coast west'ard, as I imagine. At this rate we shan't be well into the

thick of battle before twelve o'clock. Spur on, comrades. No dancing on the green, Lockham, this year in the

moonlight! You was tender upon that girl; gad, what will become o' her in the struggle?'

'Come, come, Derriman,' expostulated Lockham'this is all very well, but I don't care for 't. I am as ready to

'Perhaps when you get into battle, Derriman, and see what it's like, your courage will cool down a little,'

added Noakes on the same side, but with secret admiration of Festus's reckless bravery.

Since Festus was determined to spur on wildly, the rest of the yeomen did not like to seem behindhand, and

they rapidly approached the town. Had they been calm enough to reflect, they might have observed that for

the last halfhour no carts or carriages had met them on the way, as they had done further back. It was not till

the troopers reached the turnpike that they learnt what Festus had known a quarter of an hour before. At the

intelligence Derriman sheathed his sword with a sigh; and the party soon fell in with comrades who had

arrived there before them, whereupon the source and details of the alarm were boisterously discussed.

'What, didn't you know of the mistake till now?' asked one of these of the newcomers. 'Why, when I was

dropping over the hill by the crossroads I looked back and saw that man talking to the messenger, 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

'Beat him black and blue with the flat of our blades!' shouted two or three, turning their horses' heads to drop

But Festus, foreseeing danger from the unexpected revelation, had already judiciously placed a few

intervening yards between himself and his fellowyeomen, 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.

He stopped and reflected how to turn this rebuff to advantage. Baulked in his project of entering the

wateringplace 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

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, crossbelts, firelocks, flintboxes, pickers,

worms, magazines, priminghorns, heelball, 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,

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'sBere. 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

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

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 wateringplace, 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

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 mastermind 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 flyflapping 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

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

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 vacantminded

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

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

Anne did not wait to recognize further; instantly reentering the house, she shut the door and bolted it. In the

dark she sat and listened: not a sound. At the end of ten minutes, thinking that the rider if he were not Festus

had carelessly passed by, or that if he were Festus he had not seen her, she crept softly upstairs and peeped

out of the window. Excepting the spot of shade, formed by the gig as before, the down was quite bare. She

'Ha, young madam! There you are! I knew 'ee! Now you are caught!' came like a clap of thunder from a point

three or four feet beneath her, and turning down her frightened eyes she beheld Festus Derriman lurking close

to the wall. His attention had first been attracted by her shutting the door of the cottage; then by the

overturned gig; and after making sure, by examining the vehicle, that he was not mistaken in her identity, he

Anne started back into the room, and remained still as a stone. Festus went on'Come, you must trust to me.

The French have landed. I have been trying to meet with you every hour since that confounded trick you

played me. You threw me into the water. Faith, it was well for you I didn't catch ye then! I should have taken

a revenge in a better way than I shall now. I mean to have that kiss of ye. Come, Miss Nancy; do you

hear?'Tis no use for you to lurk inside there. You'll have to turn out as soon as Boney comes over the

hillAre you going to open the door, I say, and speak to me in a civil way? What do you think I am, then,

that you should barricade yourself against me as if I was a wild beast or Frenchman? Open the door, or put

It occurred to Anne at this point of the tirade that the best policy would be to temporize till somebody should

'That's better,' said Festus. 'Now I can talk to you. Come, my dear, will you open the door? Why should you

'I am not altogether afraid of you; I am safe from the French here,' said Anne, not very truthfully, and

'Then let me tell you that the alarm is false, and that no landing has been attempted. Now will you open the

door and let me in? I am tired. I have been on horseback ever since daylight, and have come to bring you the

'Dash my wig, then,' he cried, his face flaming up, 'I'll find a way to get in! Now, don't you provoke me! You

'I cannot ask you properly. It is about a serious matter: whether you will accept my heart and hand. I am not

going to throw myself at your feet; but I ask you to do your duty as a woman, namely, give your solemn word

to take my name as soon as the war is over and I have time to attend to you. I scorn to ask it of a haughty

hussy who will only speak to me through a window; however, I put it to you for the last time, madam.'

There was no sign on the down of anybody's return, and she said, 'I'll think of it, sir.'

'Very well; I think I will.' And then she felt that she might be buying personal safety too dearly by shuffling

thus, since he would spread the report that she had accepted him, and cause endless complication. 'No,' she

'That's how you play with me!' he exclaimed, stamping. '"Yes," one moment; "No," the next. Come, you don't

know what you refuse. That old hall is my uncle's own, and he has nobody else to leave it to. As soon as he's

dead I shall throw up farming and start as a squire. And now,' he added with a bitter sneer, 'what a fool you

'Then why do you mistrust me? Now, after this will you open the door, and show that you treat me as a friend

Anne thought she would trust him; it seemed almost impossible that he could harm her. She retired from the

window and went downstairs. When her hand was upon the bolt of the door, her mind misgave her. Instead of

'Now, dash my wig, I will get at you! You've tried me beyond endurance. One kiss would have been enough

He flung himself against the door; but as it was bolted, and had in addition a great wooden bar across it, this

produced no effect. He was silent for a moment, and then the terrified girl heard him attempt the shuttered

window. She ran upstairs and again scanned the down. The yellow gig still lay in the blazing sunshine, and

the horse of Festus stood by the corner of the gardennothing else was to be seen. At this moment there

came to her ear the noise of a sword drawn from its scabbard; and, peeping over the windowsill, she saw her

tormentor drive his sword between the joints of the shutters, in an attempt to rip them open. The sword

snapped off in his hand. With an imprecation he pulled out the piece, and returned the two halves to the

'Ha! ha!' he cried, catching sight of the top of her head. ''Tis only a joke, you know; but I'll get in all the same.

All for a kiss! But never mind, we'll do it yet!' He spoke in an affectedly light tone, as if ashamed of his

previous resentful temper; but she could see by the livid back of his neck that he was brimful of suppressed

passion. 'Only a jest, you know,' he went on. 'How are we going to do it now? Why, in this way. I go and get

a ladder, and enter at the upper window where my love is. And there's the ladder lying under that cornrick in

Anne fearfully surveyed her position. The upper windows of the cottage were of flimsiest leadwork, and to

keep him out would be hopeless. She felt that not a moment was to be lost in getting away. Running

downstairs she opened the door, and then it occurred to her terrified understanding that there would be no

chance of escaping him by flight afoot across such an extensive down, since he might mount his horse and

easily ride after her. The animal still remained tethered at the corner of the garden; if she could release him

and frighten him away before Festus returned, there would not be quite such odds against her. She

accordingly unhooked the horse by reaching over the bank, and then, pulling off her muslin neckerchief,

flapped it in his eyes to startle him. But the gallant steed did not move or flinch; she tried again, and he

seemed rather pleased than otherwise. At this moment she heard a cry from the cottage, and turning, beheld

'I thought I should tole out the mouse by that trick!' cried Festus exultingly. Instead of going for a ladder, he

Poor Anne was now desperate. The bank on which she stood was level with the horse's back, and the creature

seemed quiet as a lamb. With a determination of which she was capable in emergencies, she seized the rein,

flung herself upon the sheepskin, and held on by the mane. The amazed charger lifted his head, sniffed,

wrenched his ears hither and thither, and started off at a frightful speed across the down.

'O, my heart and limbs!' said Festus under his breath, as, thoroughly alarmed, he gazed after her. 'She on

Champion! She'll break her neck, and I shall be tried for manslaughter, and disgrace will be brought upon the

Champion continued to go at a stretchgallop, but he did nothing worse. Had he plunged or reared,

Derriman's fears might have been verified, and Anne have come with deadly force to the ground. But the

course was good, and in the horse's speed lay a comparative security. She was scarcely shaken in her

precarious halfhorizontal position, though she was awed to see the grass, loose stones, and other objects

pass her eyes like strokes whenever she opened them, which was only just for a second at intervals of half a

minute; and to feel how wildly the stirrups swung, and that what struck her knee was the bucket of the

They quickly cleared the down, and Anne became conscious that the course of the horse was homeward. As

soon as the ground began to rise towards the outer belt of upland which lay between her and the coast,

Champion, now panting and reeking with moisture, lessened his speed in sheer weariness, and proceeded at a

rapid jolting trot. Anne felt that she could not hold on half so well; the gallop had been child's play compared

with this. They were in a lane, ascending to a ridge, and she made up her mind for a fall. Over the ridge rose

an animated spot, higher and higher; it turned out to be the upper part of a man, and the man to be a soldier.

Such was Anne's attitude that she only got an occasional glimpse of him; and, though she feared that he might

be a Frenchman, she feared the horse more than the enemy, as she had feared Festus more than the horse.

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

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

'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.

'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

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

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

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.

'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

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 trumpetmajor 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

'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.'

'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 am almost glad you did blame me,' said John cheerfully, 'since, if you had not, the letter would not have

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.

'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

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

The trumpetmajor 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

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

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 puddingcloth. 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 passersby 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 walkingstick, 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 semidiagonals, and a little

square in the middle. Upon the diagonals were the figures 20 and 17, and on each side of the parallelogram

'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,

'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

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

'O, that! That is only a way I have of amusing myself. It showed how the French might have advanced to the

'Festy,' said the farmer reproachfully, 'you always know I use the old glove in the bedroom cupboard for any

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 trumpetmajor, in the meantime, having searched the roads in

vain, heard in the course of the evening of the yeoman's arrival at this place, and that he would probably be

found there still. He accordingly approached the door, reaching it just as the dusk of evening changed to

There was no light in the passage, but John pushed on at hazard, inquired for Derriman, and was told that he

would be found in the back parlour alone. When Loveday first entered the apartment he was unable to see

anything, but following the guidance of a vigorous snoring, he came to the settle, upon which Festus lay

asleep, his position being faintly signified by the shine of his buttons and other parts of his uniform. John laid

his hand upon the reclining figure and shook him, and by degrees Derriman stopped his snore and sat up.

'Who are you?' he said, in the accents of a man who has been drinking hard. 'Is it you, dear Anne? Let me kiss

'Shut your mouth, you pitiful blockhead; I'll teach you genteeler manners than to persecute a young woman in

that way!' and taking Festus by the ear, he gave it a good pull. Festus broke out with an oath, and struck a

vague blow in the air with his fist; whereupon the trumpetmajor dealt him a box on the right ear, and a

similar one on the left to artistically balance the first. Festus jumped up and used his fists wildly, but without

'Want to fight, do ye, eh?' said John. 'Nonsense! you can't fight, you great baby, and never could. You are

only fit to be smacked!' and he dealt Festus a specimen of the same on the cheek with the palm of his hand.

'No, sir, no! O, you are Loveday, the young man she's going to be married to, I suppose? Dash me, I didn't

'Yes, my name is Loveday; and you'll know where to find me, since we can't finish this tonight. Pistols or

swords, whichever you like, my boy. Take that, and that, so that you may not forget to call upon me!' and

again he smacked the yeoman's ears and cheeks. 'Do you know what it is for, eh?'

'What is it for, then? I shall keep smacking until you tell me. Gad! if you weren't drunk, I'd half kill you here

'It is because I served her badly. Damned if I care! I'll do it again, and be hanged to 'ee! Where's my horse

John parried this attack, and taking him firmly by the collar, pushed him down into the seat, saying, 'Here I

hold 'ee till you beg pardon for your doings today. Do you want any more of it, do you?' And he shook the

'I do beg pardonno, I don't. I say this, that you shall not take such liberties with old Squire Derriman's

nephew, you dirty miller's son, you flourworm, you smut in the corn! I'll call you out tomorrow morning,

'Of course you will; that's what I came for.' And pushing him back into the corner of the settle, Loveday went

out of the house, feeling considerable satisfaction at having got himself into the beginning of as nice a quarrel

But of one feature in this curious adventure he had not the least notionthat Festus Derriman, misled by the

darkness, the fumes of his potations, and the constant sight of Anne and Bob together, never once supposed

his assailant to be any other man than Bob, believing the trumpetmajor miles away.

There was a moon during the early part of John's walk home, but when he had arrived within a mile of

Overcombe the sky clouded over, and rain suddenly began to fall with some violence. Near him was a

wooden granary on tall stone staddles, and perceiving that the rain was only a thunderstorm which would

soon pass away, he ascended the steps and entered the doorway, where he stood watching the halfobscured

moon through the streaming rain. Presently, to his surprise, he beheld a female figure running forward with

great rapidity, not towards the granary for shelter, but towards open ground. What could she be running for in

that direction? The answer came in the appearance of his brother Bob from that quarter, seated on the back of

his father's heavy horse. As soon as the woman met him, Bob dismounted and caught her in his arms. They

stood locked together, the rain beating into their unconscious forms, and the horse looking on.

The trumpetmajor fell back inside the granary, and threw himself on a heap of empty sacks which lay in the

corner: he had recognized the woman to be Anne. Here he reclined in a stupor till he was aroused by the

sound of voices under him, the voices of Anne and his brother, who, having at last discovered that they were

'I have been home,' said she. 'Mother and Molly have both got back long ago. We were all anxious about you,

John might have heard every word of the conversation, which was continued in the same strain for a long

time; but he stopped his ears, and would not. Still they remained, and still was he determined that they should

not see him. With the conserved hope of more than half a year dashed away in a moment, he could yet feel

that the cruelty of a protest would be even greater than its inutility. It was absolutely by his own contrivance

that the situation had been shaped. Bob, left to himself, would long ere this have been the husband of another

The rain decreased, and the lovers went on. John looked after them as they strolled, aquatinted by the weak

moon and mist. Bob had thrust one of his arms through the rein of the horse, and the other was round Anne's

waist. When they were lost behind the declivity the trumpetmajor came out, and walked homeward even

more slowly than they. As he went on, his face put off its complexion of despair for one of serene resolve.

For the first time in his dealings with friends he entered upon a course of counterfeiting, set his features to

conceal his thought, and instructed his tongue to do likewise. He threw fictitiousness into his very gait, even

now, when there was nobody to see him, and struck at stems of wild parsley with his regimental switch as he

had used to do when soldiering was new to him, and life in general a charming experience.

Thus cloaking his sickly thought, he descended to the mill as the others had done before him, occasionally

looking down upon the wet road to notice how close Anne's little tracks were to Bob's all the way along, and

how precisely a curve in his course was followed by a curve in hers. But after this he erected his head and

They had all reached home, but before any of them could speak he cried gaily, 'Ah, Bob, I have been thinking

of you! By God, how are you, my boy? No French cutthroats after all, you see. Here we are, well and happy

'A good Providence has watched over us,' said Mrs. Loveday cheerfully. 'Yes, in all times and places we are

'So we be, so we be!' said the miller, who still shone in all the fierceness of uniform. 'Well, now we'll ha'e a

'Afore I went to church for a pike to defend my native country from Boney, I pulled out the spigots of all the

barrels, maister; for, thinks Idamn him!since we can't drink it ourselves, he shan't have it, nor none of

'But you shouldn't have done it till you was sure he'd come!' said the miller, aghast.

'Chok' it all, I was sure!' said David. 'I'd sooner see churches fall than good drink wasted; but how was I to

'Well, well; what with one thing and another this day will cost me a pretty penny!' said Loveday, bustling off

to the cellar, which he found to be several inches deep in stagnant liquor. 'John, how can I welcome 'ee?' he

continued hopelessly, on his return to the room. 'Only go and see what he's done!'

'I've ladled up a drap wi' a spoon, trumpetmajor,' said David. ''Tisn't bad drinking, though it do taste a little

John said that he did not require anything at all; and then they all sat down to supper, and were very

temperately gay with a drop of mild elderwine which Mrs. Loveday found in the bottom of a jar. The

trumpetmajor, adhering to the part he meant to play, gave humorous accounts of his adventures since he had

last sat there. He told them that the season was to be a very lively onethat the royal family was coming, as

usual, and many other interesting things; so that when he left them to return to barracks few would have

Anne was the only one who doubted the reality of this behaviour. When she had gone up to her bedroom she

stood for some time looking at the wick of the candle as if it were a painful object, the expression of her face

being shaped by the conviction that John's afternoon words when he helped her out of the way of Champion

were not in accordance with his words tonight, and that the dimlyrealized kiss during her faintness was no

imaginary one. But in the blissful circumstances of having Bob at hand again she took optimist views, and

persuaded herself that John would soon begin to see her in the light of a sister.

To cursory view, John Loveday seemed to accomplish this with amazing ease. Whenever he came from

barracks to Overcombe, which was once or twice a week, he related news of all sorts to her and Bob with

infinite zest, and made the time as happy a one as had ever been known at the mill, save for himself alone. He

said nothing of Festus, except so far as to inform Anne that he had expected to see him and been

disappointed. On the evening after the King's arrival at his seaside residence John appeared again, staying to

supper and describing the royal entry, the many tasteful illuminations and transparencies which had been

exhibited, the quantities of tallow candles burnt for that purpose, and the swarms of aristocracy who had

When supper was over Bob went outside the house to shut the shutters, which had, as was often the case,

been left open some time after lights were kindled within. John still sat at the table when his brother

approached the window, though the others had risen and retired. Bob was struck by seeing through the pane

how John's face had changed. Throughout the suppertime he had been talking to Anne in the gay tone

habitual with him now, which gave greater strangeness to the gloom of his present appearance. He remained

in thought for a moment, took a letter from his breastpocket, opened it, and, with a tender smile at his

weakness, kissed the writing before restoring it to its place. The letter was one that Anne had written to him

Bob stood perplexed; and then a suspicion crossed his mind that John, from brotherly goodness, might be

feigning a satisfaction with recent events which he did not feel. Bob now made a noise with the shutters, at

'In courting our little Anne. Well, you see, John, she was in the same house with me, and somehow or other I

made myself her beau. But I have been thinking that perhaps you had the first claim on her, and if so, Jack,

I'll make way for 'ee. II don't care for her much, you knownot so very much, and can give her up very

well. It is nothing serious between us at all. Yes, John, you try to get her; I can look elsewhere.' Bob never

knew how much he loved Anne till he found himself making this speech of renunciation.

'O Bob, you are mistaken!' said the trumpetmajor, who was not deceived. 'When I first saw her I admired

her, and I admire her now, and like her. I like her so well that I shall be glad to see you marry her.'

'But,' replied Bob, with hesitation, 'I thought I saw you looking very sad, as if you were in love; I saw you

take out a letter, in short. That's what it was disturbed me and made me come to you.'

At this minute Mrs. Loveday and the miller, who were taking a twilight walk in the garden, strolled round

near to where the brothers stood. She talked volubly on events in Budmouth, as most people did at this time.

'And they tell me that the theatre has been painted up afresh,' she was saying, 'and that the actors have come

'One of the actresses at the theatre,' John replied, with a concoctive look at the vanishing forms of Mr. and

Mrs. Loveday. 'She is a very lovely woman, you know. But we won't say anything more about itit dashes a

'But don't you say anything about it!' continued the trumpetmajor heartily. 'I don't want it known.'

'No, not now, Bob. I cannot tell 'ee,' John answered, and with truth, for Loveday did not know the name of

When his brother had gone, Captain Bob hastened off in a state of great animation to Anne, whom he found

on the top of a neighbouring hillock which the daylight had scarcely as yet deserted.

'You have been a long time coming, sir,' said she, in sprightly tones of reproach.

'Yes, dearest; and you'll be glad to hear why. I've found out the whole mysteryyeswhy he's queer, and

'He's up to the gunnel in love! We must try to help him on in it, or I fear he'll go melancholymad like.'

'He's lost his heart to one of the playactresses at Budmouth, and I think she slights him.'

'Well, some men might,' observed Bob judicially. '_I_ couldn't. Perhaps John might. I couldn't forget YOU in

twenty times as long. Do you know, Anne, I half thought it was you John cared about; and it was a weight off

'Yes. He assured me himself that the only person in the hold of his heart was this lovely playactress, and

'I would rather it had been one of our own neighbours' girls, whose birth and breeding we know of; but still, if

that is his taste, I hope it will end well for him. How very quick he has been! I certainly wish we could see

'I don't know so much as her name. He is very close, and wouldn't tell a thing about her.'

'Couldn't we get him to go to the theatre with us? and then we could watch him, and easily find out the right

one. Then we would learn if she is a good young woman; and if she is, could we not ask her here, and so

make it smoother for him? He has been very gay lately; that means budding love: and sometimes between his

Bob thought her plan a good one, and resolved to put it in practice on the first available evening. Anne was

very curious as to whether John did really cherish a new passion, the story having quite surprised her.

Possibly it was true; six weeks had passed since John had shown a single symptom of the old attachment, and

what could not that space of time effect in the heart of a soldier whose very profession it was to leave girls

After this John Loveday did not come to see them for nearly a month, a neglect which was set down by Bob

as an additional proof that his brother's affections were no longer exclusively centred in his old home. When

at last he did arrive, and the theatregoing was mentioned to him, the flush of consciousness which Anne

'Yes, Bob; I should very well like to go to the theatre,' he replied heartily. 'Who is going besides?'

'Only Anne,' Bob told him, and then it seemed to occur to the trumpetmajor that something had been

expected of him. He rose and said privately to Bob with some confusion, 'O yes, of course we'll go. As I am

connected with one of thein short I can get you in for nothing, you know. At least let me manage

'Yes, yes. I wonder you didn't propose to take us before, Jack, and let us have a good look at her.'

'I ought to have. You shall go on a King's night. You won't want me to point her out, Bob; I have my reasons

When the gallant John was gone, Anne observed, 'Bob, how he is changed! I watched him. He showed no

feeling, even when you burst upon him suddenly with the subject nearest his heart.'

In two or three days a message arrived asking them to attend at the theatre on the coming evening, with the

added request that they would dress in their gayest clothes, to do justice to the places taken. Accordingly, in

the course of the afternoon they drove off, Bob having clothed himself in a splendid suit, recently purchased

as an attempt to bring himself nearer to Anne's style when they appeared in public together. As finished off

by this dashing and really fashionable attire, he was the perfection of a beau in the dogdays; pantaloons and

boots of the newest make; yards and yards of muslin wound round his neck, forming a sort of asylum for the

lower part of his face; two fancy waistcoats, and coatbuttons like circular shaving glasses. The absurd

extreme of female fashion, which was to wear muslin dresses in January, was at this time equalled by that of

the men, who wore clothes enough in August to melt them. Nobody would have guessed from Bob's

presentation now that he had ever been aloft on a dark night in the Atlantic, or knew the hundred ingenuities

that could be performed with a rope's end and a marlinespike as well as his mother tongue.

It was a day of days. Anne wore her celebrated celestial blue pelisse, her Leghorn hat, and her muslin dress

with the waist under the arms; the latter being decorated with excellent Honiton lace bought of the woman

who travelled from that place to Overcombe and its neighbourhood with a basketful of her own manufacture,

and a cushion on which she worked by the wayside. John met the lovers at the inn outside the town, and after

stabling the horse they entered the town together, the trumpetmajor informing them that the wateringplace

had never been so full before, that the Court, the Prince of Wales, and everybody of consequence was there,

and that an attic could scarcely be got for money. The King had gone for a cruise in his yacht, and they would

Then drums and fifes were heard, and in a minute or two they saw Sergeant Stanner advancing along the

street with a firm countenance, fiery poll, and rigid staring eyes, in front of his recruitingparty. The

sergeant's sword was drawn, and at intervals of two or three inches along its shining blade were impaled

fluttering onepound notes, to express the lavish bounty that was offered. He gave a stern, suppressed nod of

friendship to our people, and passed by. Next they came up to a waggon, bowered over with leaves and

'Come to see the King, hiphip hurrah!' cried a voice within, and turning they saw through the leaves the nose

'No, trumpetmajor, sir. But young maister is coming to fetch us at nine o'clock, in case we should be too

'Never mind,' said Anne impatiently, at which the trumpetmajor obediently moved on.

By the time they reached the pier it was six o'clock; the royal yacht was returning; a fact announced by the

ships in the harbour firing a salute. The King came ashore with his hat in his hand, and returned the

salutations of the welldressed crowd in his old indiscriminate fashion. While this cheering and waving of

handkerchiefs was going on Anne stood between the two brothers, who protectingly joined their hands

behind her back, as if she were a delicate piece of statuary that a push might damage. Soon the King had

passed, and receiving the military salutes of the piquet, joined the Queen and princesses at Gloucester Lodge,

As there was yet some little time before the theatre would open, they strayed upon the velvet sands, and

listened to the songs of the sailors, one of whom extemporized for the occasion:

'Portland Road the King aboard, the King aboard! Portland Road the King aboard, We weighed and sailed

When they had looked on awhile at the combats at singlestick which were in progress hard by, and seen the

sum of five guineas handed over to the modest gentleman who had broken most heads, they returned to

Gloucester Lodge, whence the King and other members of his family now reappeared, and drove, at a slow

trot, round to the theatre in carriages drawn by the Hanoverian white horses that were so well known in the

When Anne and Bob entered the theatre they found that John had taken excellent places, and concluded that

he had got them for nothing through the influence of the lady of his choice. As a matter of fact he had paid

full prices for those two seats, like any other outsider, and even then had a difficulty in getting them, it being

a King's night. When they were settled he himself retired to an obscure part of the pit, from which the stage

'We can see beautifully,' said Bob, in an aristocratic voice, as he took a delicate pinch of snuff, and drew out

the magnificent pockethandkerchief brought home from the East for such occasions. 'But I am afraid poor

'But we can see him,' replied Anne, 'and notice by his face which of them it is he is so charmed with. The

By this time the King had appeared in his place, which was overhung by a canopy of crimson satin fringed

with gold. About twenty places were occupied by the royal family and suite; and beyond them was a crowd

of powdered and glittering personages of fashion, completely filling the centre of the little building; though

the King so frequently patronized the local stage during these years that the crush was not inconvenient.

The curtain rose and the play began. Tonight it was one of Colman's, who at this time enjoyed great

popularity, and Mr. Bannister supported the leading character. Anne, with her hand privately clasped in

Bob's, and looking as if she did not know it, partly watched the piece and partly the face of the

impressionable John who had so soon transferred his affections elsewhere. She had not long to wait. When a

certain one of the subordinate ladies of the comedy entered on the stage the trumpetmajor in his corner not

She turned to Bob, but at the same moment his hand convulsively closed upon hers as he, too, strangely fixed

Anne looked from one to the other without regarding the stage at all. Her answer came in the voice of the

actress who now spoke for the first time. The accents were those of Miss Matilda Johnson.

One thought rushed into both their minds on the instant, and Bob was the first to utter it.

But, as may be imagined, the unfortunate John was as much surprised by this rencounter as the other two.

Until this moment he had been in utter ignorance of the theatrical company and all that pertained to it.

Moreover, much as he knew of Miss Johnson, he was not aware that she had ever been trained in her youth as

an actress, and that after lapsing into straits and difficulties for a couple of years she had been so fortunate as

The trumpetmajor, though not prominently seated, had been seen by Matilda already, who had observed still

more plainly her old betrothed and Anne in the other part of the house. John was not concerned on his own

account at being face to face with her, but at the extraordinary suspicion that this conjuncture must revive in

the minds of his best beloved friends. After some moments of pained reflection he tapped his knee.

'Gad, I won't explain; it shall go as it is!' he said. 'Let them think her mine. Better that than the truth, after all.'

Had personal prominence in the scene been at this moment proportioned to intentness of feeling, the whole

audience, regal and otherwise, would have faded into an indistinct mist of background, leaving as the sole

emergent and telling figures Bob and Anne at one point, the trumpetmajor on the left hand, and Matilda at

the opposite corner of the stage. But fortunately the deadlock of awkward suspense into which all four had

fallen was terminated by an accident. A messenger entered the King's box with despatches. There was an

instant pause in the performance. The despatchbox being opened the King read for a few moments with

great interest, the eyes of the whole house, including those of Anne Garland, being anxiously fixed upon his

face; for terrible events fell as unexpectedly as thunderbolts at this critical time of our history. The King at

length beckoned to Lord , who was immediately behind him, the play was again stopped, and the contents

Sir Robert Calder, cruising off Finisterre, had come in sight of Villeneuve, and made the signal for action,

which, though checked by the weather, had resulted in the capture of two Spanish lineofbattle ships, and

The news was received with truly national feeling, if noise might be taken as an index of patriotism. 'Rule

Britannia' was called for and sung by the whole house. But the importance of the event was far from being

recognized at this time; and Bob Loveday, as he sat there and heard it, had very little conception how it

This parenthetic excitement diverted for a few minutes the eyes of Bob and Anne from the trumpetmajor;

'He's just slipped round to talk to her behind the scenes,' said Bob knowingly. 'Shall we go too, and tease him

They sat on, and listened to Matilda's speeches which she delivered with such delightful coolness that they

'Well, what a nerve the young woman has!' he said at last in tones of admiration, and gazing at Miss Johnson

with all his might. 'After all, Jack's taste is not so bad. She's really deuced clever.'

'O nolet us see how she fleets herself off that bit of a scrape she's playing at now. Well, what a hand she is

Anne said no more, but waited on, supremely uncomfortable, and almost tearful. She began to feel that she

did not like life particularly well; it was too complicated: she saw nothing of the scene, and only longed to get

away, and to get Bob away with her. At last the curtain fell on the final act, and then began the farce of 'No

Song no Supper.' Matilda did not appear in this piece, and Anne again inquired if they should go home. This

time Bob agreed, and taking her under his care with redoubled affection, to make up for the species of coma

which had seized upon his heart for a time, he quietly accompanied her out of the house.

When they emerged upon the esplanade, the August moon was shining across the sea from the direction of St.

Aldhelm's Head. Bob unconsciously loitered, and turned towards the pier. Reaching the end of the promenade

they surveyed the quivering waters in silence for some time, until a long dark line shot from behind the

'It seems to be some frigate lying in the Roads,' said Bob carelessly, as he brought Anne round with a gentle

Meanwhile, Miss Johnson, having finished her duties for that evening, rapidly changed her dress, and went

out likewise. The prominent position which Anne and Captain Bob had occupied side by side in the theatre,

left her no alternative but to suppose that the situation was arranged by Bob as a species of defiance to

herself; and her heart, such as it was, became proportionately embittered against him. In spite of the rise in

her fortunes, Miss Johnson still rememberedand always would rememberher humiliating departure from

Overcombe; and it had been to her even a more grievous thing that Bob had acquiesced in his brother's ruling

than that John had determined it. At the time of setting out she was sustained by a firm faith that Bob would

follow her, and nullify his brother's scheme; but though she waited Bob never came.

She passed along by the houses facing the sea, and scanned the shore, the footway, and the open road close to

her, which, illuminated by the slanting moon to a great brightness, sparkled with minute facets of crystallized

salts from the water sprinkled there during the day. The promenaders at the further edge appeared in dark

profiles; and beyond them was the grey sea, parted into two masses by the tapering braid of moonlight across

Two forms crossed this line at a startling nearness to her; she marked them at once as Anne and Bob

Loveday. They were walking slowly, and in the earnestness of their discourse were oblivious of the presence

of any human beings save themselves. Matilda stood motionless till they had passed.

'How I love them!' she said, treading the initial step of her walk onwards with a vehemence that walking did

'So do Iespecially one,' said a voice at her elbow; and a man wheeled round her, and looked in her face,

'Don't you remember, ma'am? We walked some way together towards Overcombe earlier in the summer.'

Matilda looked more closely, and perceived that the speaker was Derriman, in plain clothes. He continued,

'You are one of the ladies of the theatre, I know. May I ask why you said in such a queer way that you loved

'I don't mind your knowing that I have good reason to hate them. You do too, it seems?'

'That man,' said Festus savagely, 'came to me one night about that very woman; insulted me before I could

put myself on my guard, and ran away before I could come up with him and avenge myself. The woman

'Then why don't you? There's a splendid opportunity. Do you see that soldier walking along? He's a marine;

he looks into the gallery of the theatre every night: and he's in connexion with the pressgang that came

ashore just now from the frigate lying in Portland Roads. They are often here for men.'

'Well, we have only to tell him that Loveday is a seaman to be clear of him this very night.'

'Done!' said Festus. 'Take my arm and come this way.' They walked across to the footway. 'Fine night,

'What, that little nest of fellows at the "Old Rooms" in Cove Row? I have just heard of 'em.'

'Nocome here.' Festus, with Miss Johnson on his arm, led the sergeant quickly along the parade, and by the

time they reached the Narrows the lovers, who walked but slowly, were visible in front of them. 'There's your

'Twelve months ago he was mate of the brig Pewit; but his father has made money, and keeps him at home.'

'Faith, now you tell of it, there's a hint of sea legs about him. What's the young beau's name?'

But Festus had already said, 'Robert Loveday, son of the miller at Overcombe. You may find several likely

'Dash my eyes now; listen to that! Why, you chickenhearted old stager, you was as well agreed as I. Come

Matilda's acrimony returned. 'I was down on my luck, or he wouldn't have had the chance!' she said.

Miss Garland and Loveday walked leisurely to the inn and called for horseandgig. While the hostler was

bringing it round, the landlord, who knew Bob and his family well, spoke to him quietly in the passage.

'Is this then because you want to throw dust in the eyes of the Black Diamond chaps?' (with an admiring

'She hove in sight just after dark, and at nine o'clock a boat having more than a dozen marines on board, with

'They certainly won't know him for a seaman now,' remarked the landlord, laughing, and again surveying Bob

up and down. 'But if I was you two, I should drive homealong straight and quiet; and be very busy in the

They drove away; and when they had got onward out of the town, Anne strained her eyes wistfully towards

Portland. Its dark contour, lying like a whale on the sea, was just perceptible in the gloom as the background

'They can't make you go, now you are a gentleman tradesman, can they?' she asked.

'If they want me they can have me, dearest. I have often said I ought to volunteer.'

'It cannot make such a vast difference to the country whether one man goes or stays! But if you want to go

Bob put a period to her speech by a mark of affection to which history affords many parallels in every age.

She said no more about the Black Diamond; but whenever they ascended a hill she turned her head to look at

Though Captain Bob had stated that he did not wish to volunteer, and would not leave her if he could help it,

the remark required some qualification. That Anne was charming and loving enough to chain him anywhere

was true; but he had begun to find the millwork terribly irksome at times. Often during the last month, when

standing among the rumbling cogs in his new miller's suit, which ill became him, he had yawned, thought

wistfully of the old peajacket, and the waters of the deep blue sea. His dread of displeasing his father by

showing anything of this change of sentiment was great; yet he might have braved it but for knowing that his

marriage with Anne, which he hoped might take place the next year, was dependent entirely upon his

adherence to the mill business. Even were his father indifferent, Mrs. Loveday would never intrust her only

daughter to the hands of a husband who would be away from home fivesixths of his time.

But though, apart from Anne, he was not averse to seafaring in itself, to be smuggled thither by the

machinery of a pressgang was intolerable; and the process of seizing, stunning, pinioning, and carrying off

unwilling hands was one which Bob as a man had always determined to hold out against to the utmost of his

power. Hence, as they went towards home, he frequently listened for sounds behind him, but hearing none he

assured his sweetheart that they were safe for that night at least. The mill was still going when they arrived,

though old Mr. Loveday was not to be seen; he had retired as soon as he heard the horse's hoofs in the lane,

leaving Bob to watch the grinding till three o'clock; when the elder would rise, and Bob withdraw to beda

Having reached the privacy of her own room, Anne threw open the window, for she had not the slightest

intention of going to bed just yet. The tale of the Black Diamond had disturbed her by a slow, insidious

process that was worse than sudden fright. Her window looked into the court before the house, now wrapped

in the shadow of the trees and the hill; and she leaned upon its sill listening intently. She could have heard

any strange sound distinctly enough in one direction; but in the other all low noises were absorbed in the

However, what she heard came from the hitherto silent side, and was intelligible in a moment as being the

footsteps of men. She tried to think they were some late stragglers from Budmouth. Alas! no; the tramp was

too regular for that of villagers. She hastily turned, extinguished the candle, and listened again. As they were

on the main road there was, after all, every probability that the party would pass the bridge which gave access

to the mill court without turning in upon it, or even noticing that such an entrance existed. In this again she

was disappointed: they crossed into the front without a pause. The pulsations of her heart became a turmoil

now, for why should these men, if they were the pressgang, and strangers to the locality, have supposed that

a sailor was to be found here, the younger of the two millers Loveday being never seen now in any garb

which could suggest that he was other than a miller pure, like his father? One of the men spoke.

Two of the group went towards the carthouse on the opposite side of the yard, and when they reached it a

dark lantern was opened, the rays being directed upon the front of the miller's waggon.

'"Loveday and Son, Overcombe Mill,"' continued the man, reading from the waggon. '"Son," you see, is lately

He moved to turn off the light, but before he had done so it flashed over the forms of the speakers, and

Anne waited to see no more. When Bob stayed up to grind, as he was doing tonight, he often sat in his room

instead of remaining all the time in the mill; and this room was an isolated chamber over the bakehouse,

which could not be reached without going downstairs and ascending the stepladder that served for his

staircase. Anne descended in the dark, clambered up the ladder, and saw that light strayed through the chink

below the door. His window faced towards the garden, and hence the light could not as yet have been seen by

'Bob, dear Bob!' she said, through the keyhole. 'Put out your light, and run out of the backdoor!'

'Why?' said Bob, leisurely knocking the ashes from the pipe he had been smoking.

'They have come? By God! who can have blown upon me? All right, dearest. I'm game.'

Anne, scarcely knowing what she did, descended the ladder and ran to the backdoor, hastily unbolting it to

save Bob's time, and gently opening it in readiness for him. She had no sooner done this than she felt hands

laid upon her shoulder from without, and a voice exclaiming, 'That's how we doos itquite an obleeging

Though the hands held her rather roughly, Anne did not mind for herself, and turning she cried desperately, in

But inexperienced Miss Garland little knew the shrewd habits of the gentlemen she had to deal with, who,

well used to this sort of pastime, had already posted themselves at every outlet from the premises.

'Bring the lantern,' shouted the fellow who held her. 'Why'tis a girl! I half thought soHere is a way in,'

he continued to his comrades, hastening to the foot of the ladder which led to Bob's room.

'What d'ye want?' said Bob, quietly opening the door, and showing himself still radiant in the full dress that

he had worn with such effect at the Theatre Royal, which he had been about to change for his mill suit when

'This gentleman can't be the right one,' observed a marine, rather impressed by Bob's appearance.

'Yes, yes; that's the man,' said the sergeant. 'Now take it quietly, my young cocko'wax. You look as if you

'Only aboard the Black Diamond. If you choose to take the bounty and come voluntarily, you'll be allowed to

go ashore whenever your ship's in port. If you don't, and we've got to pinion ye, you will not have your

liberty at all. As you must come, willynilly, you'll do the first if you've any brains whatever.'

Bob's temper began to rise. 'Don't you talk so large, about your pinioning, my man. When I've settled'

'Come, what jabber is this going on?' said the lieutenant, stepping forward. 'Bring your man.'

One of the marines set foot on the ladder, but at the same moment a shoe from Bob's hand hit the lantern with

wellaimed directness, knocking it clean out of the grasp of the man who held it. In spite of the darkness they

began to scramble up the ladder. Bob thereupon shut the door, which being but of slight construction, was as

he knew only a momentary defence. But it gained him time enough to open the window, gather up his legs

upon the sill, and spring across into the appletree growing without. He alighted without much hurt beyond a

few scratches from the boughs, a shower of falling apples testifying to the force of his leap.

'Here he is!' shouted several below who had seen Bob's figure flying like a raven's across the sky.

There was stillness for a moment in the tree. Then the fugitive made haste to climb out upon a lowhanging

branch towards the garden, at which the men beneath all rushed in that direction to catch him as he dropped,

saying, 'You may as well come down, old boy. 'Twas a spry jump, and we give ye credit for 't.'

The latter movement of Loveday had been a mere feint. Partly hidden by the leaves he glided back to the

other part of the tree, from whence it was easy to jump upon a thatchcovered outhouse. This intention they

did not appear to suspect, which gave him the opportunity of sliding down the slope and entering the back

By this time they had obtained another light, and pursued him closely along the back quarters of the mill. Bob

had entered the lower room, seized hold of the chain by which the floursacks were hoisted from story to

story by connexion with the millwheel, and pulled the rope that hung alongside for the purpose of throwing

it into gear. The foremost pursuers arrived just in time to see Captain Bob's legs and shoebuckles vanishing

through the trapdoor in the joists overhead, his person having been whirled up by the machinery like any

'He's gone up by the hoist!' said the sergeant, running up the ladder in the corner to the next floor, and

elevating the light just in time to see Bob's suspended figure ascending in the same way through the same sort

of trap into the second floor. The second trap also fell together behind him, and he was lost to view as before.

It was more difficult to follow now; there was only a flimsy little ladder, and the men ascended cautiously.

'He must ha' let go here,' said one of the marines, who knew more about mills than the others. 'If he had held

They looked up. The hook by which Bob had held on had ascended to the roof, and was winding round the

cylinder. Nothing was visible elsewhere but boarded divisions like the stalls of a stable, on each side of the

stage they stood upon, these compartments being more or less heaped up with wheat and barley in the grain.

The whole crew jumped into the cornbins, and stirred about their yellow contents; but neither arm, leg, nor

coattail was uncovered. They removed sacks, peeped among the rafters of the roof, but to no purpose. The

'What cursed fools to let the man go! Why, look here, what's this?' He had opened the door by which sacks

were taken in from waggons without, and dangling from the cathead projecting above it was the rope used

in lifting them. 'There's the way he went down,' the officer continued. 'The man's gone.'

Amidst mumblings and curses the gang descended the pair of ladders and came into the open air; but Captain

Bob was nowhere to be seen. When they reached the front door of the house the miller was standing on the

'Your son is a clever fellow, miller,' said the lieutenant; 'but it would have been much better for him if he had

They turned from the door, and leaving four of the marines to keep watch round the house, the remainder of

the party marched into the lane as far as where the other road branched off. While they were pausing to

decide which course to take, one of the soldiers held up the light. A black object was discernible upon the

They tore on rapidly, and the footsteps previously heard became audible again, increasing in clearness, which

told that they gained upon the fugitive, who in another five minutes stopped and turned. The rays of the

They made no reply, but wheeled round and left her. She sank down on the bank to rest, having done all she

could. It was she who had taken down Bob's hat from a nail, and dropped it at the turning with the view of

But Anne Garland was too anxious to remain long away from the centre of operations. When she got back

she found that the pressgang were standing in the court discussing their next move.

'Waste no more time here,' the lieutenant said. 'Two more villages to visit tonight, and the nearest three

When they were moving away, one of the private marines, who had kept his eye on Anne, and noticed her

distress, contrived to say in a whisper as he passed her, 'We are coming back again as soon as it begins to get

They went as they had come; and the little household then met together, Mrs. Loveday having by this time

'Somebody must have told upon the chap,' Loveday remarked. 'How should they have found him out else,

Anne then mentioned what the friendly marine had told her; and fearing lest Bob was in the house, and would

be discovered there when daylight came, they searched and called for him everywhere.

'Well,' said Loveday, 'you two go and lie down now and I'll bide up; and as soon as he comes in, which he'll

do most likely in the course of the night, I'll let him know that they are coming again.'

Anne and Mrs. Loveday went to their bedrooms, and the miller entered the mill as if he were simply staying

up to grind. But he continually left the flourshoot to go outside and walk round; each time he could see no

living being near the spot. Anne meanwhile had lain down dressed upon her bed, the window still open, her

ears intent upon the sound of footsteps and dreading the reappearance of daylight and the gang's return. Three

or four times during the night she descended to the mill to inquire of her stepfather if Bob had shown himself;

At length the curtains of her bed began to reveal their pattern, the brass handles of the drawers gleamed forth,

and day dawned. While the light was yet no more than a suffusion of pallor, she arose, put on her hat, and

determined to explore the surrounding premises before the men arrived. Emerging into the raw loneliness of

the daybreak, she went upon the bridge and looked up and down the road. It was as she had left it, empty, and

the solitude was rendered yet more insistent by the silence of the millwheel, which was now stopped, the

miller having given up expecting Bob and retired to bed about three o'clock. The footprints of the marines

still remained in the dust on the bridge, all the heelmarks towards the house, showing that the party had not

While she lingered she heard a slight noise in the other direction, and, turning, saw a woman approaching.

The woman came up quickly, and, to her amazement, Anne recognized Matilda. Her walk was convulsive,

face pale, almost haggard, and the cold light of the morning invested it with all the ghostliness of death. She

had plainly walked all the way from Budmouth, for her shoes were covered with dust.

Anne looked the woman in the face, and it was impossible to doubt that she was in earnest.

Without either objecting or assenting Anne turned and led the way to the back part of the homestead.

Matilda, too, had suffered that night. From the moment of parting with Festus Derriman a sentiment of

revulsion from the act to which she had been a party set in and increased, till at length it reached an intensity

of remorse which she could not passively bear. She had risen before day and hastened thitherward to know

the worst, and if possible hinder consequences that she had been the first to set in train.

After going hither and thither in the adjoining field, Anne entered the garden. The walks were bathed in grey

dew, and as she passed observantly along them it appeared as if they had been brushed by some foot at a

much earlier hour. At the end of the garden, bushes of broom, laurel, and yew formed a constantly

encroaching shrubbery, that had come there almost by chance, and was never trimmed. Behind these bushes

The ends of his hair were clotted with damp, and there was a foggy film upon the mirrorlike buttons of his

coat, and upon the buckles of his shoes. His bunch of new gold seals was dimmed by the same insidious

dampness; his shirtfrill and muslin neckcloth were limp as seaweed. It was plain that he had been there a

long time. Anne shook him, but he did not awake, his breathing being slow and stertorous.

'Bob, wake; 'tis your own Anne!' she said, with innocent earnestness; and then, fearfully turning her head, she

'You needn't mind me,' said Matilda bitterly. 'I am on your side now. Shake him again.'

Anne shook him again, but he slept on. Then she noticed that his forehead bore the mark of a heavy wound.

'I fancy I hear something!' said her companion, starting forward and endeavouring to wake Bob herself. 'He is

Anne raised her head and listened. From the direction of the eastern road came the sound of a steady tramp.

'They are coming back!' she said, clasping her hands. 'They will take him, ill as he is! He won't open his

Matilda did not reply, but running to the end of the seat on which Bob lay, tried its weight in her arms.

'It is not too heavy,' she said. 'You take that end, and I'll take this. We'll carry him away to some place of

Anne instantly seized the other end, and they proceeded with their burden at a slow pace to the lower

gardengate, which they reached as the tread of the pressgang resounded over the bridge that gave access to

'No!' said the other; 'they will see our foottracks in the dew. We must go into the road.'

So they emerged upon the road, and staggered along without speaking, occasionally resting for a moment to

ease their arms; then shaking him to arouse him, and finding it useless, seizing the seat again. When they had

gone about two hundred yards Matilda betrayed signs of exhaustion, and she asked, 'Is there no shelter near?'

She pointed to a few scrubby bushes overhanging a little stream, which passed under the road near this point.

Entering the opening by which cattle descended to drink, they waded into the weedy water, which here rose a

few inches above their ankles. To ascend the stream, stoop under the arch, and reach the centre of the

They waited, their heads almost in contact with the reeking arch, and their feet encircled by the stream, which

was at its summer lowness now. For some minutes they could hear nothing but the babble of the water over

their ankles, and round the legs of the seat on which Bob slumbered, the sounds being reflected in a musical

tinkle from the hollow sides of the arch. Anne's anxiety now was lest he should not continue sleeping till the

search was over, but start up with his habitual imprudence, and scorning such means of safety, rush out into

A quarter of an hour dragged by, and then indications reached their ears that the reexamination of the mill

had begun and ended. The wellknown tramp drew nearer, and reverberated through the ground over their

heads, where its volume signified to the listeners that the party had been largely augmented by pressed men

since the night preceding. The gang passed the arch, and the noise regularly diminished, as if no man among

Matilda broke the silence. 'I wonder if they have left a watch behind?' she said doubtfully.

'No; I can do no more. When you come back I shall be gone. I ask one thing of you. If all goes well with you

and him, and he marries youdon't be alarmed; my plans lie elsewherewhen you are his wife tell him

who helped to carry him away. But don't mention my name to the rest of your family, either now or at any

Anne regarded the speaker for a moment, and promised; after which she waded out from the archway.

Matilda stood looking at Bob for a moment, as if preparing to go, till moved by some impulse she bent and

'How can you!' cried Anne reproachfully. When leaving the mouth of the arch she had bent back and seen the

Anne hesitated for a moment, then went out from the water, and hastened towards the mill.

She entered by the garden, and, seeing no one, advanced and peeped in at the window. Her mother and Mr.

'Yes. They did not trouble us much, beyond going into every room, and searching about the garden, where

they saw steps. They have been lucky tonight; they have caught fifteen or twenty men at places further on;

so the loss of Bob was no hurt to their feelings. I wonder where in the world the poor fellow is!'

'I will show you,' said Anne. And explaining in a few words what had happened, she was promptly followed

by David and Loveday along the road. She lifted her dress and entered the arch with some anxiety on account

of Matilda; but the actress was gone, and Bob lay on the seat as she had left him.

Bob was brought out, and water thrown upon his face; but though he moved he did not rouse himself until

some time after he had been borne into the house. Here he opened his eyes, and saw them standing round, and

'You are all right, my boy!' said his father. 'What hev happened to ye? Where did ye get that terrible blow?'

'AhI can mind now,' murmured Bob, with a stupefied gaze around. 'I fell in slipping down the topsail

halyardthe rope, that is, was too shortand I fell upon my head. And then I went away. When I came

back I thought I wouldn't disturb ye: so I lay down out there, to sleep out the watch; but the pain in my head

was so great that I couldn't get to sleep; so I picked some of the poppyheads in the border, which I once

heard was a good thing for sending folks to sleep when they are in pain. So I munched up all I could find, and

'Why, you might never have woke again!' said Mrs. Loveday, holding up her hands. 'How is your head now?'

'I hardly know,' replied the young man, putting his hand to his forehead and beginning to doze again. 'Where

be those fellows that boarded us? With thissmooth water andfine breeze we ought to get away from 'em.

'You are at home, dear Bob,' said Anne, bending over him, 'and the men are gone.'

'Come along upstairs: th' beest hardly awake now,' said his father and Bob was assisted to bed.

In fourandtwenty hours Bob had recovered. But though physically himself again, he was not at all sure of

his position as a patriot. He had that practical knowledge of seamanship of which the country stood much in

need, and it was humiliating to find that impressment seemed to be necessary to teach him to use it for her

advantage. Many neighbouring young men, less fortunate than himself, had been pressed and taken; and their

absence seemed a reproach to him. He went away by himself into the millroof, and, surrounded by the

'Certainly, I am no man to lie here so long for the pleasure of sighting that young girl forty times a day, and

letting her sight mebless her eyes!till I must needs want a pressgang to teach me what I've forgot. And

When he was thrown under the influence of Anne's eyes again, which were more tantalizingly beautiful than

ever just now (so it seemed to him), his intention of offering his services to the Government would wax

weaker, and he would put off his final decision till the next day. Anne saw these fluctuations of his mind

between love and patriotism, and being terrified by what she had heard of seafights, used the utmost art of

which she was capable to seduce him from his forming purpose. She came to him in the mill, wearing the

very prettiest of her morning jacketsthe one that only just passed the waist, and was laced so tastefully

round the collar and bosom. Then she would appear in her new hat, with a bouquet of primroses on one side;

and on the following Sunday she walked before him in lemoncoloured boots, so that her feet looked like a

But dress was the least of the means she adopted for chaining him down. She talked more tenderly than ever;

asked him to begin small undertakings in the garden on her account; she sang about the house, that the place

might seem cheerful when he came in. This singing for a purpose required great effort on her part, leaving her

afterwards very sad. When Bob asked her what was the matter, she would say, 'Nothing; only I am thinking

how you will grieve your father, and cross his purposes, if you carry out your unkind notion of going to sea,

Being also quite aware how it would trouble her, he would again postpone, and thus another week passed

All this time John had not come once to the mill. It appeared as if Miss Johnson absorbed all his time and

thoughts. Bob was often seen chuckling over the circumstance. 'A sly rascal!' he said. 'Pretending on the day

she came to be married that she was not good enough for me, when it was only that he wanted her for

Anne could not contest this belief of her lover's, and remained silent; but there had more than once occurred

to her mind a doubt of its probability. Yet she had only abandoned her opinion that John had schemed for

Matilda, to embrace the opposite error; that, finding he had wronged the young lady, he had pitied and grown

'And yet Jack, when he was a boy, was the simplest fellow alive,' resumed Bob. 'By George, though, I should

have been hot against him for such a trick, if in losing her I hadn't found a better! But she'll never come down

to him in the world: she has high notions now. I am afraid he's doomed to sigh in vain!'

Though Bob regretted this possibility, the feeling was not reciprocated by Anne. It was true that she knew

nothing of Matilda's temporary treachery, and that she disbelieved the story of her lack of virtue; but she did

not like the woman. 'Perhaps it will not matter if he is doomed to sigh in vain,' she said. 'But I owe him no

illwill. I have profited by his doings, incomprehensible as they are.' And she bent her fair eyes on Bob and

Bob looked dubious. 'He thinks he has affronted me, now I have seen through him, and that I shall be against

meeting him. But, of course, I am not so touchy. I can stand a practical joke, as can any man who has been

Before he started, Bob bethought him of something which would still further prove to the misapprehending

John that he was entirely forgiven. He went to his room, and took from his chest a packet containing a lock of

Miss Johnson's hair, which she had given him during their brief acquaintance, and which till now he had quite

forgotten. When, at starting, he wished Anne goodbye, it was accompanied by such a beaming face, that she

'Why, this,' he said, smacking his breastpocket. 'A lock of hair that Matilda gave me.'

'I am going to give it to Jackhe'll jump for joy to get it! And it will show him how willing I am to give her

On reaching the outskirts of the town he went straight to the barracks, and was lucky enough to find John in

his room, at the lefthand corner of the quadrangle. John was glad to see him; but to Bob's surprise he

showed no immediate contrition, and thus afforded no room for the brotherly speech of forgiveness which

Bob had been going to deliver. As the trumpetmajor did not open the subject, Bob felt it desirable to begin

'I have brought ye something that you will value, Jack,' he said, as they sat at the window, overlooking the

large square barrackyard. 'I have got no further use for it, and you should have had it before if it had entered

'Thank you, Bob; what is it?' said John, looking absently at an awkward squad of young men who were

'Ah!' said John, quite recovering from his abstraction, and slightly flushing. Could Bob and Anne have

Instead of replying, the trumpetmajor's face became as red as sunset, and he turned to the window to hide

Bob was silent, and then he, too, looked into the court. At length he arose, walked to his brother, and laid his

hand upon his shoulder. 'Jack,' he said, in an altered voice, 'you are a good fellow. Now I see it all.'

'You've been pretending that you care for this woman that I mightn't blame myself for heaving you out from

'But it does matter! I've been making you unhappy all these weeks and weeks through my thoughtlessness.

They seemed to think at home, you know, John, that you had grown not to care for her; or I wouldn't have

'You stick to her, Bob, and never mind me. She belongs to you. She loves you. I have no claim upon her, and

'She likes you, John, thoroughly well; so does everybody; and if I hadn't come home, putting my foot in it

That coming home of mine has been a regular blight upon the family! I ought never to have stayed. The sea is

The trumpetmajor drew Bob's discourse off the subject as soon as he could, and Bob, after some

unconsidered replies and remarks, seemed willing to avoid it for the present. He did not ask John to

accompany him home, as he had intended; and on leaving the barracks turned southward and entered the

It was the 3rd of September, but the King's wateringplace still retained its summer aspect. The royal

bathingmachine had been drawn out just as Bob reached Gloucester Buildings, and he waited a minute, in

the lack of other distraction, to look on. Immediately that the King's machine had entered the water a group of

florid men with fiddles, violoncellos, a trombone, and a drum, came forward, packed themselves into another

machine that was in waiting, and were drawn out into the waves in the King's rear. All that was to be heard

for a few minutes were the slow pulsations of the sea; and then a deafening noise burst from the interior of

the second machine with power enough to split the boards asunder; it was the condensed mass of musicians

inside, striking up the strains of 'God save the King,' as his Majesty's head rose from the water. Bob took off

his hat and waited till the end of the performance, which, intended as a pleasant surprise to George III. by the

loyal burghers, was possibly in the watery circumstances tolerated rather than desired by that dripping

Loveday then passed on to the harbour, where he remained awhile, looking at the busy scene of loading and

unloading craft and swabbing the decks of yachts; at the boats and barges rubbing against the quay wall, and

at the houses of the merchants, some ancient structures of solid stone, others greenshuttered with heavy

wooden bowwindows which appeared as if about to drop into the harbour by their own weight. All these

things he gazed upon, and thought of one thingthat he had caused great misery to his brother John.

The town clock struck, and Bob retraced his steps till he again approached the Esplanade and Gloucester

Lodge, where the morning sun blazed in upon the house fronts, and not a spot of shade seemed to be

attainable. A huzzaing attracted his attention, and he observed that a number of people had gathered before

the King's residence, where a brown curricle had stopped, out of which stepped a hale man in the prime of

life, wearing a blue uniform, gilt epaulettes, cocked hat, and sword, who crossed the pavement and went in.

'O yes. Nelson is determined to find 'em. As soon as he's refitted he'll put to sea again. Ah, here's the King

Bob was so interested in what he had just heard that he scarcely noticed the arrival of the King, and a body of

attendant gentlemen. He went on thinking of his new knowledge; Captain Hardy was come. He was doubtless

staying with his family at their small manorhouse at Pos'ham, a few miles from Overcombe, where he

Loveday returned to the mill without further delay; and shortly explaining that John was very well, and would

'And is he come at last?' said the miller, throwing his thoughts years backward. 'Well can I mind when he first

''Tis more than twenty years ago anyhow. And more than that, I can mind when he was born; I was a lad,

serving my 'prenticeship at the time. He has been in this house often and often when 'a was young. When he

came home after his first voyage he stayed about here a long time, and used to look in at the mill whenever he

went past. "What will you be next, sir?" said mother to him one day as he stood with his back to the doorpost.

"A lieutenant, Dame Loveday," says he. "And what next?" says she. "A commander." "And next?" "Next,

postcaptain." "And then?" "Then it will be almost time to die." I'd warrant that he'd mind it to this very day

Bob heard all this with a manner of preoccupation, and soon retired to the mill. Thence he went to his room

by the back passage, and taking his old seafaring garments from a dark closet in the wall conveyed them to

the loft at the top of the mill, where he occupied the remaining spare moments of the day in brushing the

mildew from their folds, and hanging each article by the window to get aired. In the evening he returned to

the loft, and dressing himself in the old salt suit, went out of the house unobserved by anybody, and ascended

The shadeless downs were now brown with the droughts of the passing summer, and few living things met

his view, the natural rotundity of the elevation being only occasionally disturbed by the presence of a barrow,

a thornbush, or a piece of dry wall which remained from some attempted enclosure. By the time that he

reached the village it was dark, and the larger stars had begun to shine when he walked up to the door of the

oldfashioned house which was the family residence of this branch of the SouthWessex Hardys.

'Will the captain allow me to wait on him tonight?' inquired Loveday, explaining who and what he was.

The servant went away for a few minutes, and then told Bob that he might see the captain in the morning.

'If that's the case, I'll come again,' replied Bob, quite cheerful that failure was not absolute.

He had left the door but a few steps when he was called back and asked if he had walked all the way from

'Then will you come in?' He followed the speaker into a small study or office, and in a minute or two Captain

The captain at this time was a bachelor of thirtyfive, rather stout in build, with light eyes, bushy eyebrows, a

square broad face, plenty of chin, and a mouth whose corners played between humour and grimness. He

'Robert Loveday, sir, son of the miller at Overcombe,' said Bob, making a low bow.

'Ah! I remember your father, Loveday,' the gallant seaman replied. 'Well, what do you want to say to me?'

Seeing that Bob found it rather difficult to begin, he leant leisurely against the mantelpiece, and went on, 'Is

'You used to have a brother in the army, I think? What was his nameJohn? A very fine fellow, if I

'Ay, sir, that's the thing I've come about,' said Bob, recovering confidence. 'I should have been, but 'tis

womankind has hampered me. I've waited and waited on at home because of a young woman lady, I might

have said, for she's sprung from a higher class of society than I. Her father was a landscape paintermaybe

'He painted that view of our village here,' said Captain Hardy, looking towards a dark little picture in the

Bob looked, and went on, as if to the picture, 'Well, sir, I have found that However, the pressgang came a

week or two ago, and didn't get hold of me. I didn't care to go aboard as a pressed man.'

'There has been a severe impressment. It is of course a disagreeable necessity, but it can't be helped.'

'Since then, sir, something has happened that makes me wish they had found me, and I have come tonight to

The captain shook his head severely, and presently observed: 'I am glad to find that you think of entering the

service, Loveday; smart men are badly wanted. But it will not be in your power to choose your ship.'

'Well, well, sir; then I must take my chance elsewhere,' said Bob, his face indicating the disappointment he

would not fully express. ''Twas only that I felt I would much rather serve under you than anybody else, my

father and all of us being known to ye, Captain Hardy, and our families belonging to the same parts.'

Captain Hardy took Bob's altitude more carefully. 'Are you a good practical seaman?' he asked musingly.

'Well, I don't know about the last. I think I can say I am active enough. I could walk the yardarm, if

required, cross from mast to mast by the stays, and do what most fellows do who call themselves spry.'

The captain then put some questions about the details of navigation, which Loveday, having luckily been

used to square rigs, answered satisfactorily. 'As to reefing topsails,' he added, 'if I don't do it like a flash of

lightning, I can do it so that they will stand blowing weather. The Pewit was not a dull vessel, and when we

were convoyed home from Lisbon, she could keep well in sight of the frigate scudding at a distance, by

putting on full sail. We had enough hands aboard to reef topsails mano'war fashion, which is a rare thing in

these days, sir, now that able seamen are so scarce on trading craft. And I hear that men from squarerigged

vessels are liked much the best in the navy, as being more ready for use? So that I shouldn't be altogether so

raw,' said Bob earnestly, 'if I could enter on your ship, sir. Still, if I can't, I can't.'

'I might ask for you, Loveday,' said the captain thoughtfully, 'and so get you there that way. In short, I think I

'You are aware that the Victory is a smart ship, and that cleanliness and order are, of necessity, more strictly

'Well, I hope you will do your duty as well on a lineofbattle ship as you did when mate of the brig, for it is

Bob replied that it should be his one endeavour; and receiving a few instructions for getting on board the

'You'll have a stiff walk before you fetch Overcombe Mill this dark night, Loveday,' concluded the captain,

peering out of the window. 'I'll send you in a glass of grog to help 'ee on your way.'

The captain then left Bob to himself, and when he had drunk the grog that was brought in he started

homeward, with a heart not exactly light, but large with a patriotic cheerfulness, which had not diminished

when, after walking so fast in his excitement as to be beaded with perspiration, he entered his father's door.

They were all sitting up for him, and at his approach anxiously raised their sleepy eyes, for it was nearly

'There; I knew he'd not be much longer!' cried Anne, jumping up and laughing, in her relief. 'They have been

'What's the matter, Bob?' said the miller; for Bob's countenance was sublimed by his recent interview, like

They all saw now that he had something to tell. 'I am going away,' he said when he had sat down. 'I am going

'Now, don't you mind it, there's a dear,' he went on solemnly, taking her hand in his own. 'And you, father,

don't you begin to take it to heart' (the miller was looking grave). 'The pressgang has been here, and though

I showed them that I was a free man, I am 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

'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

'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

Bob then opened his tale in order, relating graphically the conversation to which he had been a party, and

'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.'

'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.'

'Tomorrow, 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

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.

'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

When Bob was left alone he suddenly became brisk, and set himself to overhaul his clothes and other

possessions in a businesslike 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 chamberdoor her mother was bending over her as she lay in bed, and saying to her, 'Won't

'No, no,' said Anne. 'I would rather not see him! I have said that I may. But I shall not. I cannot see him

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

manrope, 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

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

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 trumpetmajor 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

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 twoandthirty 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

'There are two things,' she said, with almost childish eagerness in her tired eyes.

'The first is to find out if Captain Hardy has gone back to his ship; and the other isO if you will do it,

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 foragecap, and wiped his forehead.

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

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

Two days later he came again. He brought a newspaper, and what was better, a letter for Anne, franked by the

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

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 twentyfour 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

The morrow was marketday 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 outofdoors by six

o'clock, and such cockcrow 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 wateringplace 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 swordstuck banknotes and heroic gaze, was

She soon finished her shopping, and then, crossing over into the old town, pursued her way along the

coastroad 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 for walls, roof, floor, pigsty, stablemanger, doorscraper, and

gardenstile. Anne gained the summit, and followed along the central track over the huge lump of freestone

which forms the peninsula, the wide sea prospect extending as she went on. Weary with her journey, she

approached the extreme southerly peak of rock, and gazed from the cliff at Portland Bill, or Beal, as it was in

The wild, herbless, weatherworn promontory was quite a solitude, and, saving the one old lighthouse about

fifty yards up the slope, scarce a mark was visible to show that humanity had ever been near the spot. Anne

found herself a seat on a stone, and swept with her eyes the tremulous expanse of water around her that

seemed to utter a ceaseless unintelligible incantation. Out of the three hundred and sixty degrees of her

complete horizon two hundred and fifty were covered by waves, the coup d'oeil including the area of troubled

waters known as the Race, where two seas met to effect the destruction of such vessels as could not be

mastered by one. She counted the craft within her view: there were five; no, there were only four; no, there

were seven, some of the specks having resolved themselves into two. They were all small coasters, and kept

Anne sank into a reverie. Then she heard a slight noise on her left hand, and turning beheld an old sailor, who

had approached with a glass. He was levelling it over the sea in a direction to the southeast, and somewhat

removed from that in which her own eyes had been wandering. Anne moved a few steps thitherward, so as to

unclose to her view a deeper sweep on that side, and by this discovered a ship of far larger size than any

which had yet dotted the main before her. Its sails were for the most part new and clean, and in comparison

with its rapid progress before the wind the small brigs and ketches seemed standing still. Upon this striking

'Almost nothing,' he answered. 'My sight is so gone off lately that things, one and all, be but a November mist

'I have a son aboard her. He's one of three from these parts. There's the captain, there's my son Ned, and

Anne took the glass, and he supported it by his arm. 'It is a large ship,' she said, 'with three masts, three rows

'That's the admiral's flag, the flag of my Lord Nelson. What is her figurehead, my dear?'

Her companion nodded with satisfaction. 'On the other side of that figurehead is a marine.'

'She is twisting round in a curious way, and her sails sink in like old cheeks, and she shivers like a leaf upon a

'She is in stays, for the larboard tack. I can see what she's been doing. She's been re'ching close in to avoid the

flood tide, as the wind is to the sou'west, and she's bound down; but as soon as the ebb made, d'ye see, they

made sail to the west'ard. Captain Hardy may be depended upon for that; he knows every current about here,

'And now I can see the other side; it is a soldier where a sailor was before. You are SURE it is the Victory?'

After this a frigate came into viewthe Euryalussailing in the same direction. Anne sat down, and her

'She is the best sailer in the service, and she carries a hundred guns. The heaviest be on the lower deck, the

next size on the middle deck, the next on the main and upper decks. My son Ned's place is on the lower deck,

Bob, though not tall, was not likely to be specially selected for shortness. She pictured him on the upper deck,

in his snowwhite trousers and jacket of navy blue, looking perhaps towards the very point of land where she

The great silent ship, with her population of bluejackets, marines, officers, captain, and the admiral who was

not to return alive, passed like a phantom the meridian of the Bill. Sometimes her aspect was that of a large

white bat, sometimes that of a grey one. In the course of time the watching girl saw that the ship had passed

her nearest point; the breadth of her sails diminished by foreshortening, till she assumed the form of an egg

on end. After this something seemed to twinkle, and Anne, who had previously withdrawn from the old

sailor, went back to him, and looked again through the glass. The twinkling was the light falling upon the

'Then we see now what the enemy have seen but once. That was in seventynine, when she sighted the

French and Spanish fleet off Scilly, and she retreated because she feared a landing. Well, 'tis a brave ship and

Anne's tender bosom heaved, but she said nothing, and again became absorbed in contemplation.

The Victory was fast dropping away. She was on the horizon, and soon appeared hull down. That seemed to

be like the beginning of a greater end than her present vanishing. Anne Garland could not stay by the sailor

any longer, and went about a stone'sthrow off, where she was hidden by the inequality of the cliff from his

view. The vessel was now exactly end on, and stood out in the direction of the Start, her width having

contracted to the proportion of a feather. She sat down again, and mechanically took out some biscuits that

she had brought, foreseeing that her waiting might be long. But she could not eat one of them; eating seemed

to jar with the mental tenseness of the moment; and her undeviating gaze continued to follow the lessened

ship with the fidelity of a balanced needle to a magnetic stone, all else in her being motionless.

The courses of the Victory were absorbed into the main, then her topsails went, and then her topgallants.

She was now no more than a dead fly's wing on a sheet of spider's web; and even this fragment diminished.

Anne could hardly bear to see the end, and yet she resolved not to flinch. The admiral's flag sank behind the

watery line, and in a minute the very truck of the last topmast stole away. The Victory was gone.

Anne's lip quivered as she murmured, without removing her wet eyes from the vacant and solemn horizon,

'"These see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep,"' was returned by a man's voice from behind

Looking round quickly, she saw a soldier standing there; and the grave eyes of John Loveday bent on her.

'YesI too came to see him pass. I heard this morning that Lord Nelson had embarked, and I knew at once

that they would sail immediately. The Victory and Euryalus are to join the rest of the fleet at Plymouth. There

was a great crowd of people assembled to see the admiral off; they cheered him and the ship as she dropped

'His coffin!' said Anne, turning deadly pale. 'Something terrible, then, is meant by that! O, why would Bob go

'It was his determination to sail under Captain Hardy, and under no one else,' said John. 'There may be hot

work; but we must hope for the best.' And observing how wretched she looked, he added, 'But won't you let

me help you back? If you can walk as far as Hope Cove it will be enough. A lerret is going from there across

the bay homeward to the harbour in the course of an hour; it belongs to a man I know, and they can take one

She turned her back upon the Channel, and by his help soon reached the place indicated. The boat was lying

there as he had said. She found it to belong to the old man who had been with her at the Bill, and was in

charge of his two younger sons. The trumpetmajor helped her into it over the slippery blocks of stone, one

of the young men spread his jacket for her to sit on, and as soon as they pulled from shore John climbed up

the bluegrey cliff, and disappeared over the top, to return to the mainland by road.

Anne was in the town by three o'clock. The trip in the stern of the lerret had quite refreshed her, with the help

of the biscuits, which she had at last been able to eat. The van from the port to Overcombe did not start till

four o'clock, and feeling no further interest in the gaieties of the place, she strolled on past the King's house to

the outskirts, her mind settling down again upon the possibly sad fate of the Victory when she found herself

alone. She did not hurry on; and finding that even now there wanted another halfhour to the carrier's time,

she turned into a little lane to escape the inspection of the numerous passersby. Here all was quite lonely

and still, and she sat down under a willowtree, absently regarding the landscape, which had begun to put on

the rich tones of declining summer, but which to her was as hollow and faded as a theatre by day. She could

Some yards behind her was a little spring of water, having a stone margin round it to prevent the cattle from

treading in the sides and filling it up with dirt. While she wept, two elderly gentlemen entered unperceived

upon the scene, and walked on to the spring's brink. Here they paused and looked in, afterwards moving

round it, and then stooping as if to smell or taste its waters. The spring was, in fact, a sulphurous one, then

recently discovered by a physician who lived in the neighbourhood; and it was beginning to attract some

attention, having by common report contributed to effect such wonderful cures as almost passed belief. After

a considerable discussion, apparently on how the pool might be improved for better use, one of the two

elderly gentlemen turned away, leaving the other still probing the spring with his cane. The first stranger,

who wore a blue coat with gilt buttons, came on in the direction of Anne Garland, and seeing her sad posture

Anne, who in her grief had observed nothing of the gentlemen's presence, withdrew her handkerchief from

her eyes and started to her feet. She instantly recognised her interrogator as the King.

'Ahpartings are sadvery sadfor us all. You must hope your friend will return soon. Where is he or she

'Then he has reason to be proud,' said the King with interest. 'He is your brother?'

Anne tried to explain what he was, but could not, and blushed with painful heat.

In spite of Anne's confusion and low spirits, her womanly shrewdness told her at once that no harm could be

done by revealing Bob's name; and she answered, 'His name is Robert Loveday, sir.'

'Lovedaya good name. I shall not forget it. Now dry your cheeks, and don't cry any more.

Anne curtseyed, the King smiled goodhumouredly, and turned to rejoin his companion, who was afterwards

heard to be Dr. , the physician in attendance at Gloucester Lodge. This gentleman had in the meantime

filled a small phial with the medicinal water, which he carefully placed in his pocket; and on the King coming

up they retired together and disappeared. Thereupon Anne, now thoroughly aroused, followed the same way

with a gingerly tread, just in time to see them get into a carriage which was in waiting at the turning of the

She quite forgot the carrier, and everything else in connexion with riding home. Flying along the road rapidly

and unconsciously, when she awoke to a sense of her whereabouts she was so near to Overcombe as to make

the carrier not worth waiting for. She had been borne up in this hasty spurt at the end of a weary day by

visions of Bob promoted to the rank of admiral, or something equally wonderful, by the King's special

command, the chief result of the promotion being, in her arrangement of the piece, that he would stay at

home and go to sea no more. But she was not a girl who indulged in extravagant fancies long, and before she

reached home she thought that the King had probably forgotten her by that time, and her troubles, and her

The remaining fortnight of the month of September passed away, with a general decline from the summer's

excitements. The royal family left the wateringplace the first week in October, the German Legion with

their artillery about the same time. The dragoons still remained at the barracks just out of the town, and John

Loveday brought to Anne every newspaper that he could lay hands on, especially such as contained any

fragment of shipping news. This threw them much together; and at these times John was often awkward and

confused, on account of the unwonted stress of concealing his great love for her.

Her interests had grandly developed from the limits of Overcombe and the town life hard by, to an

extensiveness truly European. During the whole month of October, however, not a single grain of information

reached her, or anybody else, concerning Nelson and his blockading squadron off Cadiz. There were the

customary bad jokes about Buonaparte, especially when it was found that the whole French army had turned

its back upon Boulogne and set out for the Rhine. Then came accounts of his march through Germany and

At the beginning of autumn John brought news which fearfully depressed her. The Austrian General Mack

had capitulated with his whole army. Then were revived the old misgivings as to invasion. 'Instead of having

to cope with him weary with waiting, we shall have to encounter This Man fresh from the fields of victory,'

But the week which had led off with such a dreary piping was to end in another key. On the very day when

Mack's army was piling arms at the feet of its conqueror, a blow had been struck by Bob Loveday and his

comrades which eternally shattered the enemy's force by sea. Four days after the receipt of the Austrian news

Corporal Tullidge ran into the miller's house to inform him that on the previous Monday, at eleven in the

morning, the Pickle schooner, Lieutenant Lapenotiere, had arrived at Falmouth with despatches from the

fleet; that the stagecoaches on the highway through Wessex to London were chalked with the words 'Great

Victory!' 'Glorious Triumph!' and so on; and that all the country people were wild to know particulars.

On Friday afternoon John arrived with authentic news of the battle off Cape Trafalgar, and the death of

Nelson. Captain Hardy was alive, though his escape had been narrow enough, his shoebuckle having been

carried away by a shot. It was feared that the Victory had been the scene of the heaviest slaughter among all

the ships engaged, but as yet no returns of killed and wounded had been issued, beyond a rough list of the

The suspense of the little household in Overcombe Mill was great in the extreme. John came thither daily for

more than a week; but no further particulars reached England till the end of that time, and then only the

meagre intelligence that there had been a gale immediately after the battle, and that many of the prizes had

been lost. Anne said little to all these things, and preserved a superstratum of calmness on her countenance;

but some inner voice seemed to whisper to her that Bob was no more. Miller Loveday drove to Pos'ham

several times to learn if the Captain's sisters had received any more definite tidings than these flying reports;

but that family had heard nothing which could in any way relieve the miller's anxiety. When at last, at the end

of November, there appeared a final and revised list of killed and wounded as issued by Admiral

Collingwood, it was a useless sheet to the Lovedays. To their great pain it contained no names but those of

officers, the friends of ordinary seamen and marines being in those good old days left to discover their losses

Anne's conviction of her loss increased with the darkening of the early winter time. Bob was not a cautious

man who would avoid needless exposure, and a hundred and fifty of the Victory's crew had been disabled or

slain. Anybody who had looked into her room at this time would have seen that her favourite reading was the

office for the Burial of the Dead at Sea, beginning 'We therefore commit his body to the deep.' In these first

days of December several of the victorious fleet came into port; but not the Victory. Many supposed that that

noble ship, disabled by the battle, had gone to the bottom in the subsequent tempestuous weather; and the

belief was persevered in till it was told in the town and port that she had been seen passing up the Channel.

Then letters from survivors began to appear in the public prints which John so regularly brought to Anne; but

though he watched the mails with unceasing vigilance there was never a letter from Bob. It sometimes

crossed John's mind that his brother might still be alive and well, and that in his wish to abide by his

expressed intention of giving up Anne and home life he was deliberately lax in writing. If so, Bob was

carrying out the idea too thoughtlessly by half, as could be seen by watching the effects of suspense upon the

It was a clear day in December. The first slight snow of the season had been sifted over the earth, and one

side of the appletree branches in the miller's garden was touched with white, though a few leaves were still

lingering on the tops of the younger trees. A short sailor of the Royal Navy, who was not Bob, nor anything

like him, crossed the mill court and came to the door. The miller hastened out and brought him into the room,

'I'm from aboard the Victory,' said the sailor. 'My name's Jim Cornick. And your lad is alive and well.'

They breathed rather than spoke their thankfulness and relief, the miller's eyes being moist as he turned aside

to calm himself; while Anne, having first jumped up wildly from her seat, sank back again under the almost

'I've come from Spithead to Pos'ham,' the sailor continued, 'and now I am going on to father at Budmouth.'

Loveday then bustled off to draw the visitor something to drink. Anne Garland, with a glowing blush on her

face, had gone to the back part of the room, where she was the very embodiment of sweet content as she

slightly swayed herself without speaking. A little tide of happiness seemed to ebb and flow through her in

listening to the sailor's words, moving her figure with it. The seaman and John went on conversing.

'Bob had a good deal to do with barricading the hawseholes afore we were in action, and the Adm'l and

Cap'n both were very much pleased at how 'twas done. When the Adm'l went up the quarterdeck ladder,

Cap'n Hardy said a word or two to Bob, but what it was I don't know, for I was quartered at a gun some ways

off. However, Bob saw the Adm'l stagger when 'a was wownded, and was one of the men who carried him to

the cockpit. After that he and some other lads jumped aboard the French ship, and I believe they was in her

when she struck her flag. What 'a did next I can't say, for the wind had dropped, and the smoke was like a

cloud. But 'a got a good deal talked about; and they say there's promotion in store for'n.'

At this point in the story Jim Cornick stopped to drink, and a low unconscious humming came from Anne in

her distant corner; the faint melody continued more or less when the conversation between the sailor and the

'Knocked to pieces? You'd say so if so be you could see her! Gad, her sides be battered like an old penny

piece; the shot be still sticking in her wales, and her sails be like so many clapnets: we have run all the way

home under jury topmasts; and as for her decks, you may swab wi' hot water, and you may swab wi' cold, but

there's the bloodstains, and there they'll bide. . . . The Cap'n had a narrow escape, like many o' the resta

shot shaved his ankle like a razor. You should have seen that man's face in the het o' battle, his features were

'Well,' said Jim Cornick, with a smile of toleration, 'you must make allowances. The truth o't is, he's engaged

just now at Portsmouth, like a good many of the rest from our ship. . . . 'Tis a very nice young woman that

he's a courting of, and I make no doubt that she'll be an excellent wife for him.'

They instinctively looked towards Anne. Anne had started as if shaken by an invisible hand, and a thick mist

of doubt seemed to obscure the intelligence of her eyes. This was but for two or three moments. Very pale,

she arose and went right up to the seaman. John gently tried to intercept her, but she passed him by.

'Do you speak of Robert Loveday as courting a wife?' she asked, without the least betrayal of emotion.

'I didn't see you, miss,' replied Cornick, turning. 'Yes, your brother hev' his eye on a wife, and he deserves

'Not in the least,' she said, with a stage laugh. 'I am interested, naturally. And what is she?'

'A very nice young masterbaker's daughter, honey. A very wise choice of the young man's.'

'Yes, yes,' said John, interposing anxiously. 'We don't care for more just at this moment.'

'We DO care for more!' said Anne vehemently. 'Tell it all, sailor. That is a very pretty name, Caroline. When

'I don't know as how the day is settled,' answered Jim, even now scarcely conscious of the devastation he was

causing in one fair breast. 'But from the rate the courting is scudding along at, I should say it won't be long

'If you see him when you go back, give him my best wishes,' she lightly said, as she moved away. 'And,' she

added, with solemn bitterness, 'say that I am glad to hear he is making such good use of the first days of his

escape from the Valley of the Shadow of Death!' She went away, expressing indifference by audibly singing

'Shall we go dance the round, the round, the round, Shall we go dance the round?'

'Yes,' murmured John gloomily, as he gnawed his lower lip and kept his eyes fixed on the fire.

'Well,' continued the man from the Victory, 'I won't say that your brother's intended ha'n't got some ballast,

which is very lucky for'n, as he might have picked up with a girl without a single copper nail. To be sure

there was a time we had when we got into port! It was open house for us all!' And after mentally regarding

The miller was saying some last words to him outside the house, Anne's voice had hardly ceased singing

upstairs, John was standing by the fireplace, and Mrs. Loveday was crossing the room to join her daughter,

whose manner had given her some uneasiness, when a noise came from above the ceiling, as of some heavy

body falling. Mrs. Loveday rushed to the staircase, saying, 'Ah, I feared something!' and she was followed by

When they entered Anne's room, which they both did almost at one moment, they found her lying insensible

upon the floor. The trumpetmajor, his lips tightly closed, lifted her in his arms, and laid her upon the bed;

after which he went back to the door to give room to her mother, who was bending over the girl with some

Presently Mrs. Loveday looked up and said to him, 'She is only in a faint, John, and her colour is coming

back. Now leave her to me; I will be downstairs in a few minutes, and tell you how she is.'

John left the room. When he gained the lower apartment his father was standing by the chimneypiece, the

sailor having gone. The trumpetmajor went up to the fire, and, grasping the edge of the high chimneyshelf,

'Yes, you did,' said John. 'It was she, but her mother says she is better now. Father,' he added impetuously,

'Bob is a worthless blockhead! If there had been any good in him he would have been drowned years ago!'

'John, Johnnot too fast,' said the miller. 'That's a hard thing to say of your brother, and you ought to be

'Well, he tries me more than I can bear. Good God! what can a man be made of to go on as he does? Why

didn't he come home; or if he couldn't get leave why didn't he write? 'Tis scandalous of him to serve a woman

'Gently, gently. The chap hev done his duty as a sailor; and though there might have been something between

him and Anne, her mother, in talking it over with me, has said many times that she couldn't think of their

marrying till Bob had settled down in business with me. Folks that gain victories must have a little liberty

John continued looking at the red coals, till hearing Mrs. Loveday's foot on the staircase, he went to meet her.

Could John have heard what the poor girl was moaning to herself at that moment as she lay writhing on the

bed, he would have doubted her mother's assurance. 'If he had been dead I could have borne it, but this I

Meanwhile Sailor Cornick had gone on his way as far as the forking roads, where he met Festus Derriman on

foot. The latter, attracted by the seaman's dress, and by seeing him come from the mill, at once accosted him.

Jim, with the greatest readiness, fell into conversation, and told the same story as that he had related at the

When Cornick was gone, Festus, instead of passing straight on, halted on the little bridge and meditated. Bob,

being now interested elsewhere, would probably not resent the siege of Anne's heart by another; there could,

at any rate, be no further possibility of that looming duel which had troubled the yeoman's mind ever since

his horseplay on Anne at the house on the down. To march into the mill and propose to Mrs. Loveday for

Anne before John's interest could revive in her was, to this hero's thinking, excellent discretion.

The day had already begun to darken when he entered, and the cheerful fire shone red upon the floor and

walls. Mrs. Loveday received him alone, and asked him to take a seat by the chimneycorner, a little of the

'Your servant, Mrs. Loveday,' he said, 'and I will tell you at once what I come for. You will say that I take

time by the forelock when I inform you that it is to push on my longwishedfor alliance wi' your daughter,

'Thank you, Mr. Derriman,' said the mother placably. 'But she is ill at present. I'll mention it to her when she

'Ask her to alter her cruel, cruel resolves against me, on the score ofof my consuming passion for her. In

short,' continued Festus, dropping his parlour language in his warmth, 'I'll tell thee what, Dame Loveday, I

'Well, 'tis. But Bob has given her up. He never meant to marry her. I'll tell you, Mrs. Loveday, what I have

never told a soul before. I was standing upon Budmouth Quay on that very day in last September that Bob set

'Then it was very unmannerly of him to trifle with her so,' said Mrs. Loveday warmly. 'Who did he give her

'To John? How could he give her up to a man already over head and ears in love with that actress woman?'

Festus arose. Miss Johnson seemed suddenly to acquire high value as a sweetheart at this announcement. He

had himself felt a nameless attractiveness in her, and John had done likewise. John crossed his path in all

Before the yeoman had replied somebody opened the door, and the firelight shone upon the uniform of the

person they discussed. Festus nodded on recognizing him, wished Mrs. Loveday good evening, and went out

'So Bob told you he meant to break off with my Anne when he went away?' Mrs. Loveday remarked to the

John appeared disturbed at the sudden charge. He murmured that he could not deny it, and then hastily turned

'When will you have sense enough to mind your own business, and not come here telling things you have

heard by sneaking behind people's backs?' demanded John hotly. 'If you can't learn in any other way, I shall

'YOU pull my ears? How can you tell that lie, when you know 'twas somebody else pulled 'em?'

'It was in the parlour at the publichouse; you were almost in the dark.' And John added a few details as to

'Then I heartily ask your pardon for saying 'twas a lie!' cried Festus, advancing with extended hand and a

genial smile. 'Sure, if I had known 'TWAS you, I wouldn't have insulted you by denying it.'

'That was it! I wouldn't for the world have hurt your nice sense of honour by letting 'ee go unchallenged, if I

had known! And now, you see, unfortunately I can't mend the mistake. So long a time has passed since it

happened that the heat of my temper is gone off. I couldn't oblige 'ee, try how I might, for I am not a man,

trumpetmajor, that can butcher in cold bloodno, not I, nor you neither, from what I know of 'ee. So,

'We must, I suppose,' said John, smiling grimly. 'Who did you think I was, then, that night when I boxed you

'No, don't press me,' replied the yeoman. 'I can't reveal; it would be disgracing myself to show how very wide

of the truth the mockery of wine was able to lead my senses. We will let it be buried in eternal mixens of

'As you wish,' said the trumpetmajor loftily. 'But if you ever SHOULD think you knew it was me, why, you

The instant that he was gone Festus shook his fist at the evening star, which happened to lie in the same

'Now for my revenge! Duels? Lifelong disgrace to me if ever I fight with a man of blood below my own!

Festus strode along till he reached the Hall, where Cripplestraw appeared gazing at him from under the arch

of the porter's lodge. Derriman dashed open the entrancehurdle with such violence that the whole row of

'Mercy, Maister Festus!' said Cripplestraw. '"Surely," I says to myself when I see ye acoming, "surely

Maister Festus is fuming like that because there's no chance of the enemy coming this year after all."'

'Crrripplestraw! I have been wounded to the heart,' replied Derriman, with a lurid brow.

'And the man yet lives, and you wants yer horsepistols instantly? Certainly, Maister F'

'No, Cripplestraw, not my pistols, but my newcut clothes, my heavy gold seals, my silvertopped cane, and

my buckles that cost more money than he ever saw! Yes, I must tell somebody, and I'll tell you, because

there's no other fool near. He loves her heart and soul. He's poor; she's tiptop genteel, and not rich. I am

rich, by comparison. I'll court the pretty playactress, and win her before his eyes.'

'Yes. I saw her this very day, met her by accident, and spoke to her. She's still in the townperhaps because

of him. I can meet her at any hour of the day But I don't mean to marry her; not I. I will court her for my

pastime, and to annoy him. It will be all the more death to him that I don't want her. Then perhaps he will say

to me, "You have taken my one ewe lamb"meaning that I am the king, and he's the poor man, as in the

church verse; and he'll beg for mercy when 'tis too lateunless, meanwhile, I shall have tired of my new toy.

Full of this resolve to scourge John Loveday to the quick through his passion for Miss Johnson, Festus came

Miss Johnson's theatrical engagement having long ago terminated, she would have left the Royal

wateringplace with the rest of the visitors had not matrimonial hopes detained her there. These had nothing

whatever to do with John Loveday, as may be imagined, but with a stout, staid boatbuilder in Cove Row by

the quay, who had shown much interest in her impersonations. Unfortunately this substantial man had not

been quite so attentive since the end of the season as his previous manner led her to expect; and it was a great

pleasure to the lady to see Mr. Derriman leaning over the harbour bridge with his eyes fixed upon her as she

'Od take it, ma'am, you didn't tell me when I saw you last that the tooting man with the blue jacket and lace

'Who do you mean?' In Matilda's everchanging emotional interests, John Loveday was a stale and

She knew, at any rate, how to take the current when it served. So she glanced at Festus, folded her lips

She shook her head, it being unsafe to speak till she knew a little more of the subject.

'What!' said Festus, reddening, 'do you mean to say that you think of him seriouslyyou, who might look so

'Constant dropping will wear away a stone; and you should only hear his pleading! His handsome face is

impressive, and his manners are O, so genteel! I am not rich; I am, in short, a poor lady of decayed family,

who has nothing to boast of but my blood and ancestors, and they won't find a body in food and clothing!I

hold the world but as the world, Derrimanioa stage where every man must play a part, and mine a sad one!'

'We will talk of this,' said Festus, much affected. 'Let us walk to the Lookout.'

She made no objection, and said, as they turned that way, 'Mr. Derriman, a long time ago I found something

belonging to you; but I have never yet remembered to return it.' And she drew from her bosom the paper

which Anne had dropped in the meadow when eluding the grasp of Festus on that summer day.

'Zounds, I smell fresh meat!' cried Festus when he had looked it over. ''Tis in my uncle's writing, and 'tis what

I heard him singing on the day the French didn't come, and afterwards saw him marking in the road. 'Tis

something he's got hid away. Give me the paper, there's a dear; 'tis worth sterling gold!'

'Gad, yesanything!' replied Festus, blazing into a smile, for she had looked up in her best new manner at

the possibility that he might be worth the winning. They went up the steps to the summit of the cliff, and

There was no letter from Bob, though December had passed, and the new year was two weeks old. His

movements were, however, pretty accurately registered in the papers, which John still brought, but which

Anne no longer read. During the second week in December the Victory sailed for Sheerness, and on the 9th

of the following January the public funeral of Lord Nelson took place in St. Paul's.

Then there came a meagre line addressed to the family in general. Bob's new Portsmouth attachment was not

mentioned, but he told them he had been one of the eightandforty seamen who walked twoandtwo in the

funeral procession, and that Captain Hardy had borne the banner of emblems on the same occasion. The crew

was soon to be paid off at Chatham, when he thought of returning to Portsmouth for a few days to see a

But the spring advanced without bringing him, and John watched Anne Garland's desolation with augmenting

desire to do something towards consoling her. The old feelings, so religiously held in check, were stimulated

to rebelliousness, though they did not show themselves in any direct manner as yet.

The miller, in the meantime, who seldom interfered in such matters, was observed to look meaningly at Anne

His words were short and to the point: Anne was very melancholy; she had thought too much of Bob. Now

'twas plain that they had lost him for many years to come. Well; he had always felt that of the two he would

rather John married her. Now John might settle down there, and succeed where Bob had failed. 'So if you

could get her, my sonny, to think less of him and more of thyself, it would be a good thing for all.'

This discourse was the cause of his penning a letter to his brother. He begged for a distinct statement whether,

as John at first supposed, Bob's verbal renunciation of Anne on the quay had been only a momentary

ebullition of friendship, which it would be cruel to take literally; or whether, as seemed now, it had passed

from a hasty resolve to a standing purpose, persevered in for his own pleasure, with not a care for the result

John waited anxiously for the answer, but no answer came; and the silence seemed even more significant than

a letter of assurance could have been of his absolution from further support to a claim which Bob himself had

so clearly renounced. Thus it happened that paternal pressure, brotherly indifference, and his own released

impulse operated in one delightful direction, and the trumpetmajor once more approached Anne as in the

But it was not till she had been left to herself for a full five months, and the bluebells and raggedrobins of

the following year were again making themselves common to the rambling eye, that he directly addressed

her. She was tying up a group of tall flowering plants in the garden: she knew that he was behind her, but she

did not turn. She had subsided into a placid dignity which enabled her when watched to perform any little

action with seeming composure very different from the flutter of her inexperienced days.

She then did turn, and looked at him for a moment without speaking; a certain suspicion looming in her eyes,

John admitted that it was getting to feel like summer: and, bending his gaze upon her with an earnestness

She replied quickly, 'O, John, you shouldn't begin that again. I am almost another woman now!'

Anne looked thoughtfully to the other end of the garden, faintly shaking her head; 'I don't quite see it like

'QUITE free!' she said instantly, and with proud distinctness; her eyes fell, and she repeated more slowly,

'Quite free.' Then her thoughts seemed to fly from herself to him. 'But you are not?'

'Othat woman! You know as well as I that was all makeup, and that I never for a moment thought of her.'

'Well, that's nothing now. Anne, I want to relieve your life; to cheer you in some way; to make some amends

for my brother's bad conduct. If you cannot love me, liking will be well enough. I have thought over every

side of it so many timesfor months have I been thinking it overand I am at last sure that I do right to put

it to you in this way. That I don't wrong Bob I am quite convinced. As far as he is concerned we be both free.

Had I not been sure of that I would never have spoken. Father wants me to take on the mill, and it will please

him if you can give me one little hope; it will make the house go on altogether better if you can think o' me.'

'You are generous and good, John,' she said, as a big round tear bowled helterskelter down her face and

'I am not that; I fear I am quite the opposite,' he said, without looking at her. 'It would be all gain to me But

She lifted her eyes. 'John, I cannot!' she said, with a cheerless smile. 'Positively I cannot. Will you make me a

'I want you to promise first Yes, it is dreadfully unreasonable,' she added, in a mild distress. 'But do

John by this time seemed to have a feeling that it was all up with him for the present. 'I promise,' he said

'It is that you won't speak to me about this for EVER so long,' she returned, with emphatic kindliness.

'Very good,' he replied; 'very good. Dear Anne, you don't think I have been unmanly or unfair in starting this

Anne looked into his face without a smile. 'You have been perfectly natural,' she murmured. 'And so I think

John, mournfully: 'You will not avoid me for this, or be afraid of me? I will not break my word. I will not

'Well, I am very blind and stupid. I have been hurting your heart all the time without knowing it. It is my fate,

I suppose. Men who love women the very best always blunder and give more pain than those who love them

Anne laid one of her hands on the other as she softly replied, looking down at them, 'No one loves me as well

as you, John; nobody in the world is so worthy to be loved; and yet I cannot anyhow love you rightly.' And

lifting her eyes, 'But I do so feel for you that I will try as hard as I can to think about you.'

'Well, that is something,' he said, smiling. 'You say I must not speak about it again for ever so long; how

'Now that's not fair,' Anne retorted, going down the garden, and leaving him alone.

About a week passed. Then one afternoon the miller walked up to Anne indoors, a weighty topic being

'I was so glad, my honey,' he began, with a knowing smile, 'to see that from the millwindow last week.' He

'Jack and you in the garden together,' he continued laying his hand gently on her shoulder and stroking it. 'It

would so please me, my dear little girl, if you could get to like him better than that weathercock, Master Bob.'

Anne shook her head; not in forcible negation, but to imply a kind of neutrality.

She threw back her head with a little laugh of grievance. 'How you all beset me!' she expostulated. 'It makes

me feel very wicked in not obeying you, and being faithfulfaithful to' But she could not trust that side of

'John is as steady and staunch a fellow as ever blowed a trumpet. I've always thought you might do better

with him than with Bob. Now I've a plan for taking him into the mill, and letting him have a comfortable time

o't after his long knocking about; but so much depends upon you that I must bide a bit till I see what your

pleasure is about the poor fellow. Mind, my dear, I don't want to force ye; I only just ask ye.'

Anne meditatively regarded the miller from under her shady eyelids, the fingers of one hand playing a silent

tattoo on her bosom. 'I don't know what to say to you,' she answered brusquely, and went away.

But these discourses were not without their effect upon the extremely conscientious mind of Anne. They

were, moreover, much helped by an incident which took place one evening in the autumn of this year, when

John came to tea. Anne was sitting on a low stool in front of the fire, her hands clasped across her knee. John

Loveday had just seated himself on a chair close behind her, and Mrs. Loveday was in the act of filling the

teapot from the kettle which hung in the chimney exactly above Anne. The kettle slipped forward suddenly,

whereupon John jumped from the chair and put his own two hands over Anne's just in time to shield them,

and the precious knee she clasped, from the jet of scalding water which had directed itself upon that point.

The accidental overflow was instantly checked by Mrs. Loveday; but what had come was received by the

Anne, who had hardly been aware that he was behind her, started up like a person awakened from a trance.

'What have you done to yourself, poor John, to keep it off me!' she cried, looking at his hands.

John reddened emotionally at her words, 'It is a bit of a scald, that's all,' he replied, drawing a finger across

'You are scalded painfully, and I not at all!' She gazed into his kind face as she had never gazed there before,

and when Mrs. Loveday came back with oil and other liniments for the wound Anne would let nobody dress

it but herself. It seemed as if her coyness had all gone, and when she had done all that lay in her power she

still sat by him. At his departure she said what she had never said to him in her life before: 'Come again

In short, that impulsive act of devotion, the last of a series of the same tenor, had been the added drop which

finally turned the wheel. John's character deeply impressed her. His determined steadfastness to his lode star

won her admiration, the more especially as that star was herself. She began to wonder more and more how

she could have so persistently held out against his advances before Bob came home to renew girlish

memories which had by that time got considerably weakened. Could she not, after all, please the miller, and

try to listen to John? By so doing she would make a worthy man happy, the only sacrifice being at worst that

of her unworthy self, whose future was no longer valuable. 'As for Bob, the woman is to be pitied who loves

him,' she reflected indignantly, and persuaded herself that, whoever the woman might be, she was not Anne

After this there was something of recklessness and something of pleasantry in the young girl's manner of

making herself an example of the triumph of pride and common sense over memory and sentiment. Her

attitude had been epitomized in her defiant singing at the time she learnt that Bob was not leal and true. John,

as was inevitable, came again almost immediately, drawn thither by the sun of her first smile on him, and the

words which had accompanied it. And now instead of going off to her little pursuits upstairs, downstairs,

across the room, in the corner, or to any place except where he happened to be, as had been her custom

hitherto, she remained seated near him, returning interesting answers to his general remarks, and at every

The day was fine, and they went out of doors, where Anne endeavoured to seat herself on the sloping stone of

'How good you have become lately,' said John, standing over her and smiling in the sunlight which blazed

against the wall. 'I fancy you have stayed at home this afternoon on my account.'

'"Do whatever we may for him, dame, we cannot do too much! For he's one that has guarded our land."

'And he has done more than that: he has saved me from a dreadful scalding. The back of your hand will not

He held out his hand to regard its condition, and the next natural thing was to take hers. There was a glow

upon his face when he did it: his star was at last on a fair way towards the zenith after its long and weary

declination. The least penetrating eye could have perceived that Anne had resolved to let him woo, possibly

in her temerity to let him win. Whatever silent sorrow might be locked up in her, it was by this time thrust a

'I want you to go somewhere with me if you will,' he said, still holding her hand.

He pointed to a distant hillside which, hitherto green, had within the last few days begun to show scratches

'Cutting out a huge picture of the king on horseback in the earth of the hill. The king's head is to be as big as

our millpond and his body as big as this garden; he and the horse will cover more than an acre. When shall

John went round, and found his trusty lieutenant, Trumpeter Buck, waiting for him. A letter had come to the

barracks for John in his absence, and the trumpeter, who was going for a walk, had brought it along with him.

Buck then entered the mill to discuss, if possible, a mug of last year's mead with the miller; and John

proceeded to read his letter, Anne being still round the corner where he had left her. When he had read a few

words he turned as pale as a sheet, but he did not move, and perused the writing to the end.

Afterwards he laid his elbow against the wall, and put his palm to his head, thinking with painful intentness.

Then he took himself vigorously in hand, as it were, and gradually became natural again. When he parted

In barracks that evening he read the letter again. It was from Bob; and the agitating contents were these:

'DEAR JOHN,I have drifted off from writing till the present time because I have not been clear about my

feelings; but I have discovered them at last, and can say beyond doubt that I mean to be faithful to my dearest

Anne after all. The fact is, John, I've got into a bit of a scrape, and I've a secret to tell you about it (which

must go no further on any account). On landing last autumn I fell in with a young woman, and we got rather

warm as folks do; in short, we liked one another well enough for a while. But I have got into shoal water with

her, and have found her to be a terrible takein. Nothing in her at allno sense, no niceness, all tantrums and

empty noise, John, though she seemed monstrous clever at first. So my heart comes back to its old anchorage.

I hope my return to faithfulness will make no difference to you. But as you showed by your looks at our

parting that you should not accept my offer to give her upmade in too much haste, as I have since

foundI feel that you won't mind that I have returned to the path of honour. I dare not write to Anne as yet,

and please do not let her know a word about the other young woman, or there will be the devil to pay. I shall

come home and make all things right, please God. In the meantime I should take it as a kindness, John, if you

would keep a brotherly eye upon Anne, and guide her mind back to me. I shall die of sorrow if anybody sets

her against me, for my hopes are getting bound up in her again quite strong. Hoping you are jovial, as times

When the cold daylight fell upon John's face, as he dressed himself next morning, the incipient yesterday's

wrinkle in his forehead had become permanently graven there. He had resolved, for the sake of that only

brother whom he had nursed as a baby, instructed as a child, and protected and loved always, to pause in his

procedure for the present, and at least do nothing to hinder Bob's restoration to favour, if a genuine, even

though temporarily smothered, love for Anne should still hold possession of him. But having arranged to take

her to see the excavated figure of the king, he started for Overcombe during the day, as if nothing had

He paused as if taken aback by her readiness, and replied with much uncertainty, 'Would itwouldn't it be

The very slightest symptom of surprise arose in her as she rejoined, 'But the weather may change; or had we

And along the vale they went, John keeping himself about a yard from her right hand. When the third field

'Why don't he clasp her to his side, like a man?' said the biggest and rudest boy.

'Why don't he clasp her to his side, like a man?' echoed all the rude smaller boys in a chorus.

The trumpetmajor turned, and, after some running, succeeded in smacking two of them with his switch,

returning to Anne breathless. 'I am ashamed they should have insulted you so,' he said, blushing for her.

Poor John was dumb with perception. The gentle hint upon which he would have eagerly spoken only one

They presently came to some steppingstones across a brook. John crossed first without turning his head, and

Anne, just lifting the skirt of her dress, crossed behind him. When they had reached the other side a village

girl and a young shepherd approached the brink to cross. Anne stopped and watched them. The shepherd took

a hand of the young girl in each of his own, and walked backward over the stones, facing her, and keeping

'I was only thinking how happy they are,' she said quietly; and withdrawing her eyes from the tender pair, she

turned and followed him, not knowing that the seeming sound of a passing bumblebee was a suppressed

When they reached the hill they found forty navvies at work removing the dark sod so as to lay bare the chalk

beneath. The equestrian figure that their shovels were forming was scarcely intelligible to John and Anne

now they were close, and after pacing from the horse's head down his breast to his hoof, back by way of the

king's bridlearm, past the bridge of his nose, and into his cockedhat, Anne said that she had had enough of

it, and stepped out of the chalk clearing upon the grass. The trumpetmajor had remained all the time in a

'My shoes are caked with chalk,' she said as they walked downwards again; and she drew back her dress to

'If you was to wipe them in the long grass there,' said John, pointing to a spot where the blades were rank and

dense, 'some of it would come off.' Having said this, he walked on with religious firmness.

Anne raked her little feet on the right side, on the left side, over the toe, and behind the heel; but the tenacious

chalk held its own. Panting with her exertion, she gave it up, and at length overtook him.

'No, indeed!' said she. 'I wanted some assistancesome one to steady me. It is so hard to stand on one foot

and wipe the other without support. I was in danger of toppling over, and so gave it up.'

'Merciful stars, what an opportunity!' thought the poor fellow while she waited for him to offer help. But his

'You seem in such a hurry! Why are you in such a hurry? After all the fine things you have said aboutabout

It was too much for John. 'Upon my heart and life, my dea' he began. Here Bob's letter crackled warningly

in his waistcoat pocket as he laid his hand asseveratingly upon his breast, and he became suddenly scaled up

When they reached home Anne sank upon a stool outside the door, fatigued with her excursion. Her first act

was to try to pull off her shoeit was a difficult matter; but John stood beating with his switch the leaves of

'MotherDavidMolly, or somebodydo come and help me pull off these dirty shoes!' she cried aloud at

'I am very sorry,' said John, coming towards her with incredible slowness and an air of unutterable

'O, I can do without YOU. David is best,' she returned, as the old man approached and removed the

Anne was amazed at this sudden change from devotion to crass indifference. On entering her room she flew

to the glass, almost expecting to learn that some extraordinary change had come over her pretty countenance,

rendering her intolerable for evermore. But it was, if anything, fresher than usual, on account of the exercise.

'Well!' she said retrospectively. For the first time since their acqaintance she had this week encouraged him;

and for the first time he had shown that encouragement was useless. 'But perhaps he does not clearly

When he next came it was, to her surprise, to bring her newspapers, now for some time discontinued. As soon

'The shipping news is very full and long today, though the print is rather small.'

'I take no further interest in the shipping news,' she replied with cold dignity.

She was sitting by the window, inside the table, and hence when, in spite of her negations, he deliberately

unfolded the paper and began to read about the Royal Navy she could hardly rise and go away. With a stoical

mien he read on to the end of the report, bringing out the name of Bob's ship with tremendous force.

The trumpetmajor sat down. Anne turned to the military news, delivering every detail with much apparent

'Butbut Bob is in the navy now, and will most likely rise to be an officer. And then'

'What is there like the army?' she interrupted. 'There is no smartness about sailors. They waddle like ducks,

and they only fight stupid battles that no one can form any idea of. There is no science nor stratagem in

seafightsnothing more than what you see when two rams run their heads together in a field to knock each

other down. But in military battles there is such art, and such splendour, and the men are so smart,

particularly the horsesoldiers. O, I shall never forget what gallant men you all seemed when you came and

pitched your tents on the downs! I like the cavalry better than anything I know; and the dragoons the best of

'O, if it had but come a little sooner!' moaned John within him. He replied as soon as he could regain

selfcommand, 'I am glad Bob is in the navy at lasthe is so much more fitted for that than the

merchantserviceso brave by nature, ready for any daring deed. I have heard ever so much more about his

'I don't want to know anything more about it,' said Anne impatiently; 'of course sailors fight; there's nothing

else to do in a ship, since you can't run away! You may as well fight and be killed as be killed not fighting.'

'Still it is his character to be careless of himself where the honour of his country is concerned,' John pleaded.

'If you had only known him as a boy you would own it. He would always risk his own life to save anybody

else's. Once when a cottage was afire up the lane he rushed in for a baby, although he was only a boy himself,

and he had the narrowest escape. We have got his hat now with the hole burnt in it. Shall I get it and show it

'NoI don't wish it. It has nothing to do with me.' But as he persisted in his course towards the door, she

added, 'Ah! you are leaving because I am in your way. You want to be alone while you read the paperI will

go at once. I did not see that I was interrupting you.' And she rose as if to retreat.

'No, no! I would rather be interrupted by YOU thanO, Miss Garland, excuse me! I'll just speak to father in

It is scarcely necessary to state that Anne (whose unquestionable gentility amid somewhat homely

surroundings has been many times insisted on in the course of this history) was usually the reverse of a

woman with a comingon disposition; but, whether from pique at his manner, or from wilful adherence to a

course rashly resolved on, or from coquettish maliciousness in reaction from long depression, or from any

'The bow of my capribbon has come untied, has it not?' She turned and fixed her bewitching glance upon

The bow was just over her forehead, or, more precisely, at the point where the organ of comparison merges in

that of benevolence, according to the phrenological theory of Gall. John, thus brought to, endeavoured to look

at the bow in a skimming, duckanddrake fashion, so as to avoid dipping his own glance as far as to the

plane of his interrogator's eyes. 'It is untied,' he said, drawing back a little.

As there was no help for it, he nerved himself and assented. As her head only reached to his fourth button she

necessarily looked up for his convenience, and John began fumbling at the bow. Try as he would it was

impossible to touch the ribbon without getting his finger tips mixed with the curls of her forehead.

'Have you almost done it?' She inquiringly directed her gaze upward through his fingers.

'Nonot yet,' he faltered in a warm sweat of emotion, his heart going like a flail.

John was silent instantly, and nothing was to be heard but the rustling of the ribbon; till his hands once more

'O good God!' ejaculated the trumpetmajor in a whisper, turning away hastily to the cornercupboard, and

After this she felt injured, for it seemed to show that he rated her happiness as of meaner value than Bob's;

since he had persisted in his idea of giving Bob another chance when she had implied that it was her wish to

do otherwise. Could Miss Johnson have anything to do with his firmness? An opportunity of testing him in

this direction occurred some days later. She had been up the village, and met John at the milldoor.

'Have you heard the news? Matilda Johnson is going to be married to young Derriman.'

Anne stood with her back to the sun, and as he faced her, his features were searchingly exhibited. There was

no change whatever in them, unless it were that a certain light of interest kindled by her question turned to

complete and blank indifference. 'Well, as times go, it is not a bad match for her,' he said, with a phlegm

John on his part was beginning to find these temptations almost more than he could bear. But being quartered

so near to his father's house it was unnatural not to visit him, especially when at any moment the regiment

might be ordered abroad, and a separation of years ensue; and as long as he went there he could not help

The year changed from green to gold, and from gold to grey, but little change came over the house of

Loveday. During the last twelve months Bob had been occasionally heard of as upholding his country's

honour in Denmark, the West Indies, Gibraltar, Malta, and other places about the globe, till the family

received a short letter stating that he had arrived again at Portsmouth. At Portsmouth Bob seemed disposed to

remain, for though some time elapsed without further intelligence, the gallant seaman never appeared at

Overcombe. Then on a sudden John learnt that Bob's longtalkedof promotion for signal services rendered

was to be an accomplished fact. The trumpetmajor at once walked off to Overcombe, and reached the

village in the early afternoon. Not one of the family was in the house at the moment, and John strolled

onwards over the hill towards Casterbridge, without much thought of direction till, lifting his eyes, he beheld

At first John blushed with delight at the sweet vision; but, recalled by his conscience, the blush of delight was

at once mangled and slain. He looked for a means of retreat. But the field was open, and a soldier was a

'It was quite by accident,' he answered, with an indifferent laugh. 'I thought you was at home.'

Anne blushed and said nothing, and they rambled on together. In the middle of the field rose a fragment of

stone wall in the form of a gable, known as Faringdon Ruin; and when they had reached it John paused and

politely asked her if she were not a little tired with walking so far. No particular reply was returned by the

young lady, but they both stopped, and Anne seated herself on a stone, which had fallen from the ruin to the

'Yes, I have often shaped it out in my mind,' she returned. 'Here where I sit must have been the altar.'

Anne had been adding up her little studies of the trumpetmajor's character, and was surprised to find how

the brightness of that character increased in her eyes with each examination. A kindly and gentle sensation

was again aroused in her. Here was a neglected heroic man, who, loving her to distraction, deliberately

doomed himself to pensive shade to avoid even the appearance of standing in a brother's way.

'If the altar stood here, hundreds of people have been made man and wife just there, in past times,' she said,

with calm deliberateness, throwing a little stone on a spot about a yard westward.

John annihilated another tender burst and replied, 'Yes, this field used to be a village. My grandfather could

call to mind when there were houses here. But the squire pulled 'em down, because poor folk were an eyesore

'Do you know, John, what you once asked me to do?' she continued, not accepting the digression, and turning

He turned his back upon her for a moment, that she might not see his face. 'AhI do remember,' he said at

She looked up with a reproachful smile, and shook her head. 'That summer,' she went on, 'you asked me ten

times if you asked me once. I am older now; much more of a woman, you know; and my opinion is changed

'O Anne, Anne!' he burst out as, racked between honour and desire, he snatched up her hand. The next

moment it fell heavily to her lap. He had absolutely relinquished it halfway to his lips.

'I have been thinking lately,' he said, with preternaturally sudden calmness, 'that men of the military

'Fie, John; pretending religion!' she said sternly. 'It isn't that at all. IT'S BOB!'

'Yes!' cried the miserable trumpetmajor. 'I have had a letter from him today.' He pulled out a sheet of paper

from his breast. 'That's it! He's promotedhe's a lieutenant, and appointed to a sloop that only cruises on our

own coast, so that he'll be at home on leave half his timehe'll be a gentleman some day, and worthy of

He threw the letter into her lap, and drew back to the other side of the gablewall. Anne jumped up from her

seat, flung away the letter without looking at it, and went hastily on. John did not attempt to overtake her.

Picking up the letter, he followed in her wake at a distance of a hundred yards.

But, though Anne had withdrawn from his presence thus precipitately, she never thought more highly of him

in her life than she did five minutes afterwards, when the excitement of the moment had passed. She saw it all

quite clearly; and his selfsacrifice impressed her so much that the effect was just the reverse of what he had

been aiming to produce. The more he pleaded for Bob, the more her perverse generosity pleaded for John.

As soon as the trumpetmajor reached the nearest penandink he flung himself into a seat and wrote wildly

'DEAR ROBERT,I write these few lines to let you know that if you want Anne Garland you must come at

onceyou must come instantly, and posthasteOR SHE WILL BE GONE! Somebody else wants her, and

she wants him! It is your last chance, in the opinion of 'Your faithful brother and wellwisher, 'JOHN.

One night, about a week later, two men were walking in the dark along the turnpike road towards

'Now,' said the taller of the two, the squareness of whose shoulders signified that he wore epaulettes, 'now

you must do the best you can for yourself, Bob. I have done all I can; but th'hast thy work cut out, I can tell

'I wouldn't have run such a risk for the world,' said the other, in a tone of ingenuous contrition. 'But thou'st

see, Jack, I didn't think there was any danger, knowing you was taking care of her, and keeping my place

warm for me. I didn't hurry myself, that's true; but, thinks I, if I get this promotion I am promised I shall

naturally have leave, and then I'll go and see 'em all. Gad, I shouldn't have been here now but for your letter!'

'You little think what risks you've run,' said his brother. 'However, try to make up for lost time.'

'All right. And whatever you do, Jack, don't say a word about this other girl. Hang the girl!I was a great

fool, I know; still, it is over now, and I am come to my senses. I suppose Anne never caught a capful of wind

'Knows? By George, then, I'm ruined!' said Bob, standing stockstill in the road as if he meant to remain

'That's what I meant by saying it would be a hard battle for 'ee,' returned John, with the same quietness as

Bob sighed and moved on. 'I don't deserve that woman!' he cried passionately, thumping his three upper ribs

'I've thought as much myself,' observed John, with a dryness which was almost bitter. 'But it depends on how

'John,' said Bob, taking his brother's hand, 'I'll be a new man. I solemnly swear by that eternal milestone

staring at me there that I'll never look at another woman with the thought of marrying her whilst that darling

is freeno, not if she be a mermaiden of light! It's a lucky thing that I'm slipped in on the quarterdeck! it

'It may with her mother; I don't think it will make much difference with Anne. Still, it is a good thing; and I

Bob shook his head. 'Officers are scarce; but I'm afraid my luck won't carry me so far as that.'

The seaman stood still again. 'Never!' he said. 'How did such a thing as that happen, in Heaven's name?'

As soon as they entered the house the returned officer of the navy was welcomed with acclamation by his

father and David, with mild approval by Mrs. Loveday, and by Anne not at allthat discreet maiden having

carefully retired to her own room some time earlier in the evening. Bob did not dare to ask for her in any

'Why, what's the matter with thy face, my son?' said the miller, staring. 'David, show a light here.' And a

candle was thrust against Bob's cheek, where there appeared a jagged streak like the geological remains of a

'Othat's where that rascally Frenchman's grenade busted and hit me from the Redoubtable, you know, as I

'And here's a sort of dint in yer forehead too; what do that mean, my dear boy?' said the miller, putting his

'That was done in the Indies. Yes, that was rather a troublesome chopa cutlass did it. I should have told 'ee,

but I found 'twould make my letter so long that I put it off, and put it off; and at last thought it wasn't worth

'It's all up with me and her, you see,' said Bob to him outside the door. 'She's not even going to see me.'

'Wait a little,' said the trumpetmajor. It was easy enough on the night of the arrival, in the midst of

excitement, when blood was warm, for Anne to be resolute in her avoidance of Bob Loveday. But in the

morning determination is apt to grow invertebrate; rules of pugnacity are less easily acted up to, and a feeling

of live and let live takes possession of the gentle soul. Anne had not meant even to sit down to the same

breakfasttable with Bob; but when the rest were assembled, and had got some way through the substantial

repast which was served at this hour in the miller's house, Anne entered. She came silently as a phantom, her

eyes cast down, her cheeks pale. It was a good long walk from the door to the table, and Bob made a full

inspection of her as she came up to a chair at the remotest corner, in the direct rays of the morning light,

It was altogether different from how she had expected. Here was she, who had done nothing, feeling all the

embarrassment; and Bob, who had done the wrong, feeling apparently quite at ease.

'You'll speak to Bob, won't you, honey?' said the miller after a silence. To meet Bob like this after an absence

'If he wish me to,' she replied, so addressing the miller that no part, scrap, or outlying beam whatever of her

'He's a lieutenant, you know, dear,' said her mother on the same side; 'and he's been dreadfully wounded.'

'Oh?' said Anne, turning a little towards the false one; at which Bob felt it to be time for him to put in a spoke

He extended his hand. She allowed him to take hers, but only to the extent of a niggardly inch or so. At the

same moment she glanced up at him, when their eyes met, and hers were again withdrawn.

The hitch between the two younger members of the household tended to make the breakfast a dull one. Bob

was so depressed by her unforgiving manner that he could not throw that sparkle into his stories which their

substance naturally required; and when the meal was over, and they went about their different businesses, the

pair resembled the two Dromios in seldom or never being, thanks to Anne's subtle contrivances, both in the

This kind of performance repeated itself during several days. At last, after dogging her hither and thither,

leaning with a wrinkled forehead against doorposts, taking an oblique view into the room where she

happened to be, picking up worsted balls and getting no thanks, placing a splinter from the Victory, several

bullets from the Redoubtable, a strip of the flag, and other interesting relics, carefully labelled, upon her

table, and hearing no more about them than if they had been pebbles from the nearest brook, he hit upon a

new plan. To avoid him she frequently sat upstairs in a window overlooking the garden. Lieutenant Loveday

carefully dressed himself in a new uniform, which he had caused to be sent some days before, to dazzle

admiring friends, but which he had never as yet put on in public or mentioned to a soul. When arrayed he

entered the sunny garden, and there walked slowly up and down as he had seen Nelson and Captain Hardy do

on the quarterdeck; but keeping his right shoulder, on which his one epaulette was fixed, as much towards

But she made no sign, though there was not the least question that she saw him. At the end of halfanhour

he went in, took off his clothes, and gave himself up to doubt and the best tobacco.

He repeated the programme on the next afternoon, and on the next, never saying a word within doors about

Meanwhile the results in Anne's chamber were not uninteresting. She had been looking out on the first day,

and was duly amazed to see a naval officer in full uniform promenading in the path. Finding it to be Bob, she

left the window with a sense that the scene was not for her; then, from mere curiosity, peeped out from

behind the curtain. Well, he was a pretty spectacle, she admitted, relieved as his figure was by a dense mass

of sunny, closetrimmed hedge, over which nasturtiums climbed in wild luxuriance; and if she could care for

him one bit, which she couldn't, his form would have been a delightful study, surpassing in interest even its

splendour on the memorable day of their visit to the town theatre. She called her mother; Mrs. Loveday came

'O, it is nothing,' said Anne indifferently; 'only that Bob has got his uniform.'

Mrs. Loveday peeped out, and raised her hands with delight. 'And he has not said a word to us about it! What

'No, indeed. As I take no interest in him I shall not let people come into my room to admire him.'

Notwithstanding this assertion she again looked out at Bob the next afternoon when his footsteps rustled on

the gravel, and studied his appearance under all the varying angles of the sunlight, as if fine clothes and

uniforms were not altogether a matter of indifference. He certainly was a splendid, gentlemanly, and gallant

sailor from end to end of him; but then, what were a dashing presentment, a naval rank, and telling scars, if a

man was ficklehearted? However, she peeped on till the fourth day, and then she did not peep. The window

was open, she looked right out, and Bob knew that he had got a rise to his bait at last. He touched his hat to

her, keeping his right shoulder forwards, and said, 'Goodday, Miss Garland,' with a smile.

Anne replied, 'Goodday,' with funereal seriousness; and the acquaintance thus revived led to the interchange

of a few words at suppertime, at which Mrs. Loveday nodded with satisfaction. But Anne took especial care

that he should never meet her alone, and to insure this her ingenuity was in constant exercise. There were so

many nooks and windings on the miller's rambling premises that she could never be sure he would not turn

One fine afternoon she accompanied Molly in search of elderberries for making the family wine which was

drunk by Mrs. Loveday, Anne, and anybody who could not stand the rougher and stronger liquors provided

by the miller. After walking rather a long distance over the down they came to a grassy hollow, where

elderbushes in knots of twos and threes rose from an uneven bank and hung their heads towards the south,

black and heavy with bunches of fruit. The charm of fruitgathering to girls is enhanced in the case of

elderberries by the inoffensive softness of the leaves, boughs, and bark, which makes getting into the

branches easy and pleasant to the most indifferent climbers. Anne and Molly had soon gathered a basketful,

and sending the servant home with it, Anne remained in the bush picking and throwing down bunch by bunch

upon the grass. She was so absorbed in her occupation of pulling the twigs towards her, and the rustling of

their leaves so filled her ears, that it was a great surprise when, on turning her head, she perceived a similar

At first she thought they were disturbed by being partly in contact with the boughs of her bush; but in a

moment Robert Loveday's face peered from them, at a distance of about a yard from her own. Anne uttered a

little indignant 'Well!' recovered herself, and went on plucking. Bob thereupon went on plucking likewise.

'I am picking elderberries for your mother,' said the lieutenant at last, humbly.

Anne was now in the westernmost branches of the bush, and Bob had leant across into the eastern branches of

'I beg pardon,' he said, when a further swing than usual had taken him almost in contact with her.

'The wind rocks the bough, and the bough rocks me.' She expressed by a look her opinion of this statement in

the face of the gentlest breeze; and Bob pursued: 'I am afraid the berries will stain your pretty hands.'

Anne hesitated; then slowly stretched out her hand, which he took at once. 'That will do,' she said, finding

that he did not relinquish it immediately. But as he still held it, she pulled, the effect of which was to draw

'I am afraid to let go your hand,' said that officer, 'for if I do your spar will fly back, and you will be thrown

'It reminds me of the times when I used to be aloft clinging to a yard not much bigger than this treestem, in

the midAtlantic, and thinking about you. I could see you in my fancy as plain as I see you now.'

'No!' declared Bob, shaking the bush for emphasis, 'I'll protest that I did not think of anybody but you all the

time we were dropping down channel, all the time we were off Cadiz, all the time through battles and

bombardments. I seemed to see you in the smoke, and, thinks I, if I go to Davy's locker, what will she do?'

'Well, now,' said the lieutenant in a reasoning tone; 'that was a curious thing. You'll hardly believe it, maybe;

but when a man is away from the woman he loves best in the portworld, I meanhe can have a sort of

temporary feeling for another without disturbing the old one, which flows along under the same as ever.'

Molly now appeared with the empty basket, and when it had been filled from the heap on the grass, Anne

The same evening, when Bob was absent, the miller proposed that they should all three go to an upper

window of the house, to get a distant view of some rockets and illuminations which were to be exhibited in

the town and harbour in honour of the King, who had returned this year as usual. They accordingly went

upstairs to an empty attic, placed chairs against the window, and put out the light; Anne sitting in the middle,

her mother close by, and the miller behind, smoking. No sign of any pyrotechnic display was visible over the

port as yet, and Mrs. Loveday passed the time by talking to the miller, who replied in monosyllables. While

this was going on Anne fancied that she heard some one approach, and presently felt sure that Bob was

drawing near her in the surrounding darkness; but as the other two had noticed nothing she said not a word.

All at once the swarthy expanse of southward sky was broken by the blaze of several rockets simultaneously

ascending from different ships in the roads. At the very same moment a warm mysterious hand slipped round

'How nervous you are, child, to be startled by fireworks so far off,' said Mrs. Loveday.

Anne did not reply, being much exercised in trying to get her hand away from the one that imprisoned it; and

whatever the miller thought he kept to himself, because it disturbed his smoking to speak.

Another batch of rockets went up. 'O I never!' said Anne, in a halfsuppressed tone, springing in her chair. A

'Poor girl, you certainly must have change of scene at this rate,' said Mrs. Loveday.

For some minutes nothing further occurred to disturb Anne's serenity. Then a slow, quiet 'ahem' came from

'Not long,' said the lieutenant coolly. 'I heard you were all here, and crept up quietly, not to disturb ye.'

'Why don't you wear heels to your shoes like Christian people, and not creep about so like a cat?'

Meanwhile Anne was gently but firmly trying to pull Bob's arm from her waist, her distressful difficulty

being that in freeing her waist she enslaved her hand, and in getting her hand free she enslaved her waist.

Finding the struggle a futile one, owing to the invisibility of her antagonist, and her wish to keep its nature

secret from the other two, she arose, and saying that she did not care to see any more, felt her way downstairs.

'Dear Anne,' he began, when he had got down, and saw her in the candlelight of the large room. But she

adroitly passed out at the other door, at which he took a candle and followed her to the small room. 'Dear

Anne, do let me speak,' he repeated, as soon as the rays revealed her figure. But she passed into the

bakehouse before he could say more; whereupon he perseveringly did the same. Looking round for her here

he perceived her at the end of the room, where there were no means of exit whatever.

'Dear Anne,' he began again, setting down the candle, 'you must try to forgive me; really you must. I love you

the best of anybody in the wide, wide world. Try to forgive me; come!' And he imploringly took her hand.

Anne's bosom began to surge and fall like a small tide, her eyes remaining fixed upon the floor; till, when

Loveday ventured to draw her slightly towards him, she burst out crying. 'I don't like you, Bob; I don't!' she

suddenly exclaimed between her sobs. 'I did once, but I don't nowI can't, I can't; you have been very cruel

'I have, I have been terribly bad, I know,' answered Bob, consciencestricken by her grief. 'Butif you could

only forgive meI promise that I'll never do anything to grieve 'ee again. Do you forgive me, Anne?'

She withdrew her hand, and still keeping her eyes buried in her handkerchief, said 'No.'

'Very well, then!' exclaimed Bob, with sudden determination. 'Now I know my doom! And whatever you hear

of as happening to me, mind this, you cruel girl, that it is all your causing!' Saying this he strode with a hasty

tread across the room into the passage and out at the door, slamming it loudly behind him.

Anne suddenly looked up from her handkerchief, and stared with round wet eyes and parted lips at the door

by which he had gone. Having remained with suspended breath in this attitude for a few seconds she turned

round, bent her head upon the table, and burst out weeping anew with thrice the violence of the former time.

It really seemed now as if her grief would overwhelm her, all the emotions which had been suppressed,

bottled up, and concealed since Bob's return having made themselves a sluice at last.

But such things have their end; and left to herself in the large, vacant, old apartment, she grew quieter, and at

last calm. At length she took the candle and ascended to her bedroom, where she bathed her eyes and looked

in the glass to see if she had made herself a dreadful object. It was not so bad as she had expected, and she

Nobody was there, and, sitting down, she wondered what Bob had really meant by his words. It was too

dreadful to think that he intended to go straight away to sea without seeing her again, and frightened at what

Her suspense was interrupted by a very gentle tapping at the door, and then the rustle of a hand over its

surface, as if searching for the latch in the dark. The door opened a few inches, and the alabaster face of

'That will do,' he said, coming forward. 'I be wherrited out of my life, and I have thought of you againyou

yourself, dear Anne, and not the miller. If you will only take this and lock it up for a few days till I can find

another good place for itif you only would!' And he breathlessly deposited the tin box on the table.

'Ay; my nephew hath a scent of the placehow, I don't know! but he and a young woman he's met with are

searching everywhere. I worked like a wiredrawer to get it up and away while they were scraping in the next

cellar. Now where could ye put it, dear? 'Tis only a few documents, and my will, and such like, you know.

'I'll put it here till I can think of a better place,' said Anne, lifting the box. 'Dear me, how heavy it is!'

'Yes, yes,' said Uncle Benjy hastily; 'the box is iron, you see. However, take care of it, because I am going to

Anne looked at Uncle Benjy. She had known for some time that she possessed all the affection he had to

'Here,' said Anne, going to the windowseat, which rose as a flap, disclosing a boxed receptacle beneath, as

''Tis very well for the present,' he said dubiously, and they dropped the coffer in, Anne locking down the seat,

and giving him the key. 'Now I don't want ye to be on my side for nothing,' he went on. 'I never did now, did

I? This is for you.' He handed her a little packet of paper, which Anne turned over and looked at curiously. 'I

always meant to do it,' continued Uncle Benjy, gazing at the packet as it lay in her hand, and sighing. 'Come,

'Don't say it!' cried Uncle Benjy, covering his eyes. 'Put 'em away. . . . Well, if you DON'T want 'emBut

put 'em away, dear Anne; they are for you, because you have kept my counsel. Goodnight t'ye. Yes, they are

He went a few steps, and turning back added anxiously, 'You won't spend 'em in clothes, or waste 'em in

'No, no,' said Uncle Benjy, rushing off to escape their shine. But he had got no further than the passage when

'And you won't lend 'em to anybody, or put 'em into the bankfor no bank is safe in these troublous times?. .

. If I was you I'd keep them EXACTLY as they be, and not spend 'em on any account. Shall I lock them into

'Certainly,' said she; and the farmer rapidly unlocked the windowbench, opened the box, and locked them

''Tis much the best plan,' he said with great satisfaction as he returned the keys to his pocket. 'There they will

When the old man had been gone a few minutes, the miller and his wife came in, quite unconscious of all that

had passed. Anne's anxiety about Bob was again uppermost now, and she spoke but meagrely of old

Derriman's visit, and nothing of what he had left. She would fain have asked them if they knew where Bob

was, but that she did not wish to inform them of the rupture. She was forced to admit to herself that she had

somewhat tried his patience, and that impulsive men had been known to do dark things with themselves at

They sat down to supper, the clock ticked rapidly on, and at length the miller said, 'Bob is later than usual.

The nature of the quarrel was at once guessed, and her two elders said no more. Anne rose and went to the

front door, where she listened for every sound with a palpitating heart. Then she went in; then she went out:

and on one occasion she heard the miller say, 'I wonder what hath passed between Bob and Anne. I hope the

Just about this time light footsteps were heard without, and Bob bounced into the passage. Anne, who stood

back in the dark while he passed, followed him into the room, where her mother and the miller were on the

'I have kept ye up, I fear,' began Bob cheerily, and apparently without the faintest recollection of his tragic

exit from the house. 'But the truth on't is, I met with Fess Derriman at the "Duke of York" as I went from

here, and there we have been playing Put ever since, not noticing how the time was going. I haven't had a

good chat with the fellow for years and years, and really he is an out and out good comradea regular

hearty! Poor fellow, he's been very badly used. I never heard the rights of the story till now; but it seems that

old uncle of his treats him shamefully. He has been hiding away his money, so that poor Fess might not have

a farthing, till at last the young man has turned, like any other worm, and is now determined to ferret out what

he has done with it. The poor young chap hadn't a farthing of ready money till I lent him a couple of

guineasa thing I never did more willingly in my life. But the man was very honourable. "No; no," says he,

"don't let me deprive ye." He's going to marry, and what may you think he is going to do it for?'

'No,' said Bob, 'for SPITE. He has been badly serveddeuced badly servedby a woman. I never heard of a

more heartless case in my life. The poor chap wouldn't mention names, but it seems this young woman has

trifled with him in all manner of cruel wayspushed him into the river, tried to steal his horse when he was

called out to defend his countryin short, served him rascally. So I gave him the two guineas and said,

Bob turned and saw her, and at the same moment Mr. and Mrs. Loveday discreetly retired by the other door.

'O yes,' she anxiously replied. 'Ididn't mean to make you think I had no heart.' At this Bob inclined his

countenance towards hers. 'No,' she said, smiling through two incipient tears as she drew back. 'You are to

show good behaviour for six months, and you must promise not to frighten me again by running off when

Youth is foolish; and does a woman often let her reasoning in favour of the worthier stand in the way of her

perverse desire for the less worthy at such times as these? She murmured some soft words, ending with 'Do

But Festus had by this time entered the lobby, and Anne, with a hasty 'Get rid of him at once!' vanished

Here she waited and waited, but Festus did not seem inclined to depart; and at last, foreboding some collision

of interests from Bob's new friendship for this man, she crept into a storeroom which was over the apartment

into which Loveday and Festus had gone. By looking through a knothole in the floor it was easy to

command a view of the room beneath, this being unceiled, with moulded beams and rafters.

Festus had sat down on the hollow windowbench, and was continuing the statement of his wrongs. 'If he

only knew what he was sitting upon,' she thought apprehensively, 'how easily he could tear up the flap, lock

and all, with his strong arm, and seize upon poor Uncle Benjy's possessions!' But he did not appear to know,

unless he were acting, which was just possible. After a while he rose, and going to the table lifted the candle

to light his pipe. At the moment when the flame began diving into the bowl the door noiselessly opened and a

figure slipped across the room to the windowbench, hastily unlocked it, withdrew the box, and beat a

retreat. Anne in a moment recognized the ghostly intruder as Festus Derriman's uncle. Before he could get

Uncle Benjy's eyes grew paralyzed, and his mouth opened and shut like a frog's in a drought, the action

'What have we got herea tin boxthe box of boxes? Why, I'll carry it for 'ee, uncle!I am going home.'

'Don't let him have it, Bob!' screamed the excited Anne through the hole in the floor.

'No, don't let him!' cried the uncle. ''Tis a plotthere's a woman at the window waiting to help him!'

Anne's eyes flew to the window, and she saw Matilda's face pressed against the pane.

Bob, though he did not know whence Anne's command proceeded obeyed with alacrity, pulled the box from

'He's trying to rob me of all I possess!' cried the old man. 'My heartstrings seem as if they were going crack,

At this instant the miller in his shirtsleeves entered the room, having got thus far in his undressing when he

heard the noise. Bob and Festus turned to him to explain; and when the latter had had his say Bob added,

'Well, all I know is that this box'here he stretched out his hand to lay it upon the lid for emphasis. But as

nothing but thin air met his fingers where the box had been, he turned, and found that the box was gone,

Festus, with an imprecation, hastened to the door, but though the night was not dark Farmer Derriman and his

burden were nowhere to be seen. On the bridge Festus joined a shadowy female form, and they went along

the road together, followed for some distance by Bob, lest they should meet with and harm the old man. But

the precaution was unnecessary: nowhere on the road was there any sign of Farmer Derriman, or of the box

that belonged to him. When Bob reentered the house Anne and Mrs. Loveday had joined the miller

downstairs, and then for the first time he learnt who had been the heroine of Festus's lamentable story, with

many other particulars of that yeoman's history which he had never before known. Bob swore that he would

The escape of old Mr. Derriman from the annoyances of his nephew not only held good for that night, but for

next day, and for ever. Just after dawn on the following morning a labouring man, who was going to his

work, saw the old farmer and landowner leaning over a rail in a mead near his house, apparently engaged in

contemplating the water of a brook before him. Drawing near, the man spoke, but Uncle Benjy did not reply.

His head was hanging strangely, his body being supported in its erect position entirely by the rail that passed

under each arm. On afterexamination it was found that Uncle Benjy's poor withered heart had cracked and

stopped its beating from damages inflicted on it by the excitements of his life, and of the previous night in

particular. The unconscious carcass was little more than a light empty husk, dry and fleshless as that of a dead

But the tin box was not discovered with or near him. It was searched for all the week, and all the month. The

millpond was dragged, quarries were examined, woods were threaded, rewards were offered; but in vain.

At length one day in the spring, when the millhouse was about to be cleaned throughout, the chimneyboard

of Anne's bedroom, concealing a yawning fireplace, had to be taken down. In the chasm behind it stood the

Many were the conjectures as to how it had got there. Then Anne remembered that on going to bed on the

night of the collision between Festus and his uncle in the room below, she had seen mud on the carpet of her

room, and the miller remembered that he had seen footprints on the back staircase. The solution of the

mystery seemed to be that the late Uncle Benjy, instead of running off from the house with his box, had

doubled on getting out of the front door, entered at the back, deposited his box in Anne's chamber where it

was found, and then leisurely pursued his way home at the heels of Festus, intending to tell Anne of his trick

Mr. Derriman's solicitor was a Casterbridge man, and Anne placed the box in his hands. Uncle Benjy's will

was discovered within; and by this testament Anne's queer old friend appointed her sole executrix of his said

will, and, more than that, gave and bequeathed to the same young lady all his real and personal estate, with

the solitary exception of five small freehold houses in a back street in Budmouth, which were devised to his

nephew Festus, as a sufficient property to maintain him decently, without affording any margin for

extravagances. Oxwell Hall, with its muddy quadrangle, archways, mullioned windows, cracked battlements,

During this exciting time John Loveday seldom or never appeared at the mill. With the recall of Bob, in

One midday, before Anne had made any change in her manner of living on account of her unexpected

acquisition, Lieutenant Bob came in rather suddenly. He had been to Budmouth, and announced to the

arrested senses of the family that the th Dragoons were ordered to join Sir Arthur Wellesley in the

These tidings produced a great impression on the household. John had been so long in the neighbourhood,

either at camp or in barracks, that they had almost forgotten the possibility of his being sent away; and they

now began to reflect upon the singular infrequency of his calls since his brother's return. There was not much

time, however, for reflection, if they wished to make the most of John's farewell visit, which was to be paid

the same evening, the departure of the regiment being fixed for next day. A hurried valedictory supper was

He seemed to be more thoughtful and a trifle paler than of old, but beyond these traces, which might have

been due to the natural wear and tear of time, he showed no signs of gloom. On his way through the town that

morning a curious little incident had occurred to him. He was walking past one of the churches when a

weddingparty came forth, the bride and bridegroom being Matilda and Festus Derriman. At sight of the

trumpetmajor the yeoman had glared triumphantly; Matilda, on her part, had winked at him slily, as much as

to say. But what she meant heaven knows: the trumpetmajor did not trouble himself to think, and passed

Soon after John's arrival at the mill several of his friends dropped in for the same purpose of bidding adieu.

They were mostly the men who had been entertained there on the occasion of the regiment's advent on the

down, when Anne and her mother were coaxed in to grace the party by their superior presence; and their

welltrained, gallant manners were such as to make them interesting visitors now as at all times. For it was a

period when romance had not so greatly faded out of military life as it has done in these days of short service,

heterogeneous mixing, and transient campaigns; when the esprit de corps was strong, and long experience

stamped noteworthy professional characteristics even on rank and file; while the miller's visitors had the

They could not stay so long tonight as on that earlier and more cheerful occasion, and the final adieus were

spoken at an early hour. It was no mere playing at departure, as when they had gone to Exonbury barracks,

'You'll wish the poor fellows goodbye?' said Bob to Anne, who had not come forward for that purpose like

She then shyly advanced, and every man felt that he must make some pretty speech as he shook her by the

'Goodbye! May you remember us as long as it makes ye happy, and forget us as soon as it makes ye sad,'

'Goodnight! Health, wealth, and long life to ye!' said Sergeantmajor Wills, taking her hand from Brett.

'We'll drink your health throughout the campaign, and so goodbye t'ye,' said Saddlersergeant Jones, raising

Three others followed with similar remarks, to each of which Anne blushingly replied as well as she could,

But, alas, for that! Battles and skirmishes, advances and retreats, fevers and fatigues, told hard on Anne's

gallant friends in the coming time. Of the seven upon whom these wishes were bestowed, five, including the

trumpetmajor, were dead men within the few following years, and their bones left to moulder in the land of

John lingered behind. When the others were outside, expressing a final farewell to his father, Bob, and Mrs.

'But I thought you were going to look in again before leaving?' she said gently.

'John,' said Anne, holding his right hand in both hers, 'I must tell you something. You were wise in not taking

me at my word that day. I was greatly mistaken about myself. Gratitude is not love, though I wanted to make

'My dear Anne,' cried John, with more gaiety than truthfulness, 'don't let yourself be troubled! What happens

is for the best. Soldiers love here today and there tomorrow. Who knows that you won't hear of my

attentions to some Spanish maid before a month is gone by? 'Tis the way of us, you know; a soldier's heart is

Anne felt the expediency of his manner, received the affectation as real, and smiled her reply, not knowing

that the adieu was for evermore. Then with a tear in his eye he went out of the door, where he bade farewell

to the miller, Mrs. Loveday, and Bob, who said at parting, 'It's all right, Jack, my dear fellow. After a coaxing

that would have been enough to win three ordinary Englishwomen, five French, and ten Mulotters, she has

today agreed to bestow her hand upon me at the end of six months. Goodbye, Jack, goodbye!'

The candle held by his father shed its waving light upon John's face and uniform as with a farewell smile he

turned on the doorstone, backed by the black night; and in another moment he had plunged into the darkness,

the ring of his smart step dying away upon the bridge as he joined his companionsinarms, and went off to

blow his trumpet till silenced for ever upon one of the bloody battlefields of Spain.