第20章

MeanwhileMillerLovedaywasexpectingthepairwithinterest；andaboutfiveo’clock，afterrepeatedoutlooks，hesawtwospecksthesizeofcarawayseedsonthefarlineofridgewherethesunlitwhiteoftheroadmettheblueofthesky。ThentheremainderpartsofBobandhisladybecamevisible，andthenthewholevehicle，endon，andheheardthedryrattleofthewheelsonthedustyroad。

MillerLoveday’splan，asfarashehadformedany，wasthatRobertandhiswifeshouldlivewithhiminthemillhouseuntilMrs。

Garlandmadeuphermindtojoinhimthere；inwhicheventherpresenthousewouldbemadeovertotheyoungcouple。Uponallgrounds，hewishedtowelcomebecominglythewomanofhisson’schoice，andcameforwardpromptlyastheydrewupatthedoor。

’Whatalovelyplaceyou’vegothere！’saidMissJohnson，whenthemillerhadreceivedherfromthecaptain。’Arealstreamofwater，arealmill-wheel，andrealfowls，andeverything！’

’Yes，’tisrealenough，’saidLoveday，lookingattheriverwithbalancedsentiments；’andsoyouwillsaywhenyou’velivedhereabitasmis’ess，andhadthetroubleofclaningthefurniture。’

AtthisMissJohnsonlookedmodest，andcontinuedtodosotillAnne，notknowingtheywerethere，cameroundthecornerofthehouse，withherprayer-bookinherhand，havingjustarrivedfromchurch。Bobturnedandsmiledtoher，atwhichMissJohnsonlookedglum。Howlongshewouldhaveremainedinthatphaseisunknown，forjustthenherearswereassailedbyaloudbassnotefromtheotherside，causinghertojumpround。

’Ola！whatdreadfulthingisit？’sheexclaimed，andbeheldacowofLoveday’s，ofthenameofCrumpler，standingclosetohershoulder。Itbeingaboutmilking-time，shehadcometolookupDavidandhastenontheoperation。

’O，whatahorridbull！——itdidfrightenmeso。IhopeIshan’tfaint，’saidMatilda。

ThemillerimmediatelyusedtheformulawhichhasbeenutteredbytheproprietorsoflivestockeversinceNoah’stime。’Shewon’thurtye。Hoosh，Crumpler！She’sastimidasamouse，ma’am。’

ButasCrumplerpersistedinmakinganotherterrificinquiryforDavid，Matildacouldnothelpclosinghereyesandsaying，’O，I

shallbegoredtodeath！’herheadfallingbackuponBob’sshoulder，which——seeingtheurgentcircumstances，andknowingherdelicatenature——hehadprovidentiallyplacedinapositiontocatchher。

AnneGarland，whohadbeenstandingatthecornerofthehouse，notknowingwhethertogobackorcomeon，atthisfeltherwomanlysympathiesaroused。Sherananddippedherhandkerchiefintothesplashingmill-tail，andwithitdampedMatilda’sface。Butashereyesstillremainedclosed，Bob，toincreasetheeffect，tookthehandkerchieffromAnneandwrungitoutonthebridgeofMatilda’snose，whenceitranovertherestofherfaceinastream。

’O，CaptainLoveday！’saidAnne，’thewaterisrunningoverhergreensilkhandkerchief，andintoherprettyreticule！’

’There——ifIdidn’tthinkso！’exclaimedMatilda，openinghereyes，startingup，andpromptlypullingoutherownhandkerchief，withwhichshewipedawaythedrops，andanunimportanttrifleofhercomplexion，assistedbyAnne，who，inspiteofherbackgroundofantagonisticemotions，couldnothelpbeinginterested。

’That’sright！’saidthemiller，hisspiritsrevivingwiththerevivalofMatilda。’Theladyisnotusedtocountrylife；areyou，ma’am？’

’Iamnot，’repliedthesufferer。’Allissostrangeabouthere！’

Suddenlytherespreadintothefirmament，fromthedirectionofthedown:——

’Ra，ta，ta！Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta！Ra，ta，ta！’

’Odear，dear！morehideouscountrysounds，Isuppose？’sheinquired，withanotherstart。

’Ono，’saidthemillercheerfully。’’TisonlymysonJohn’strumpeterchapsatthecampofdragoonsjustaboveus，a-blowingMess，orFeed，orPicket，orsomeotheroftheirvagaries。Johnwillbemuchpleasedtotellyouthemeaningon’twhenhecomesdown。He’strumpet-major，asyoumayknow，ma’am。’

’Oyes；youmeanCaptainLoveday’sbrother。DearBobhasmentionedhim。’

’IfyoucomeroundtoWidowGarland’ssideofthehouse，youcanseethecamp，’saidthemiller。

’Don’tforceher；she’stiredwithherlongjourney，’saidMrs。

Garlandhumanely，thewidowhavingcomeoutinthegeneralwishtoseeCaptainBob’schoice。Indeed，theyallbehavedtowardsherasifshewereatenderexotic，whichtheircrudecountrymannersmightseriouslyinjure。

Shewentintothehouse，accompaniedbyMrs。Garlandandherdaughter；thoughbeforeleavingBobshemanagedtowhisperinhisear，’Don’ttellthemIcamebywaggon，willyou，dear？’——arequestwhichwasquiteneedless，forBobhadlongagodeterminedtokeepthatadeadsecret；notbecauseitwasanuncommonmodeoftravel，butsimplythatitwashardlytheusualconveyanceforagorgeousladytoherbridal。

Asthemenhadafeelingthattheywouldbesuperfluousindoorsjustatpresent，themillerassistedDavidintakingthehorseroundtothestables，Bobfollowing，andleavingMatildatothewomen。

Indoors，MissJohnsonadmiredeverything:thenewparrotsandmarmosets，theblackbeamsoftheceiling，thedouble-cornercupboardwiththeglassdoors，throughwhichgleamedtheremaindersofsundrychinasetsacquiredbyBob’smotherinherhousekeeping——

two-handledsugar-basins，no-handledtea-cups，atea-potlikeapagoda，andacream-jugintheformofaspottedcow。ThissociabilityintheirvisitorwasreturnedbyMrs。GarlandandAnne；

andMissJohnson’spleasinghabitofpartlydyingwheneversheheardanyunusualbarkorbellowaddedtoherpiquancyintheireyes。Butconversation，assuch，wasnaturallyatfirstofanervous，tentativekind，inwhich，asintheworksofsomeminorpoets，thesensewasconsiderablyledbythesound。

’Yougetthesea-breezeshere，nodoubt？’

’Oyes，dear；whenthewindisthatway。’

’Doyoulikewindyweather？’

’Yes；thoughnotnow，foritblowsdowntheyoungapples。’

’Applesareplentiful，itseems。Youcountry-folkcallSt。

Swithin’stheirchristeningday，ifitrains？’

’Yes，dear。Ahme！Ihavenotbeentoachristeningforthesemanyyears；thebaby’snamewasGeorge，Iremember——aftertheKing。’

’IhearthatKingGeorgeisstillstayingatthetownhere。IHOPE

he’llstaytillIhaveseenhim！’

’He’llwaittillthecornturnsyellow；healwaysdoes。’

’HowVERYfashionableyellowisgettingforglovesjustnow！’

’Yes。Somepersonswearthemtotheelbow，Ihear。’

’Dothey？Iwasnotawareofthat。Istruckmyelbowlastweeksohardagainstthedoorofmyaunt’smansionthatIfeeltheachenow。’

Beforetheywerequiteoverwhelmedbytheinterestofthisdiscourse，themillerandBobcamein。Intruth，Mrs。Garlandfoundtheofficeinwhichhehadplacedher——thatofintroducingastrangewomantoahousewhichwasnotthewidow’sown——aratherawkwardone，andyetalmostanecessity。Therewasnowomanbelongingtothehouseexceptthatwondrouscompendiumofusefulness，theintermittentmaid-servant，whomLovedayhad，forappearances，borrowedfromMrs。Garland，andMrs。Garlandwasinthehabitofborrowingfromthegirl’smother。Andasforthedemi-womanDavid，hehadbeeninformedasperemptorilyasPharaoh’sbakerthattheofficeofhousemaidandbedmakerwastakenfromhim，andwouldbegiventothisgirltilltheweddingwasover，andBob’swifetookthemanagementintoherownhands。

Theyallsatdowntohightea，Anneandhermotherincluded，andthecaptainsittingnexttoMissJohnson。Annehadputabravefaceuponthematter——outwardly，atleast——andseemedinafairwayofsubduinganylingeringsentimentwhichBob’sreturnhadrevived。

Duringtheevening，andwhiletheystillsatoverthemeal，Johncamedownonahurriedvisit，ashehadpromised，ostensiblyonpurposetobeintroducedtohisintendedsister-in-law，butmuchmoretogetawordandasmilefromhisbelovedAnne。Beforetheysawhim，theyheardthetrumpet-major’ssmartstepcomingroundthecornerofthehouse，andinamomenthisformdarkenedthedoor。AsitwasSunday，heappearedinhisfull-dresslacedcoat，whitewaistcoatandbreeches，andtoweringplume，thelatterofwhichheinstantlylowered，asmuchfromnecessityasgoodmanners，thebeaminthemill-houseceilinghavingatendencytosmashandruinallsuchhead-gearwithoutwarning。

’John，we’vebeenhopingyouwouldcomedown，’saidthemiller，’andsowehavekeptthetayaboutonpurpose。Drawup，andspeaktoMrs。MatildaJohnson……Ma’am，thisisRobert’sbrother。’

’Yourhumbleservant，ma’am，’saidthetrumpet-majorgallantly。

Asitwasgettingduskinthelow，small-panedroom，heinstinctivelymovedtowardsMissJohnsonashespoke，whosatwithherbacktothewindow。Hehadnosoonernoticedherfeaturesthanhishelmetnearlyfellfromhishand；hisfacebecamesuddenlyfixed，andhisnaturalcomplexiontookitselfoff，leavingagreenishyellowinitsstead。Theyoungperson，onherpart，hadnosoonerlookedcloselyathimthanshesaidweakly，’Robert’sbrother！’andchangedcolouryetmorerapidlythanthesoldierhaddone。Thefaintness，previouslyhalfcounterfeit，seizedonhernowinrealearnest。

’Idon’tfeelwell，’shesaid，suddenlyrisingbyaneffort。’Thiswarmdayhasquiteupsetme！’

Therewasaregularcollapseofthetea-party，likethatoftheHamletplayscene。Bobseizedhissweetheartandcarriedherupstairs，themillerexclaiming，’Ah，she’sterriblywornbythejourney！IthoughtshewaswhenIsawhernearlygooffattheblareofthecow。Nowomanwouldhavebeenfrightenedatthatifshe’dbeenuptohernaturalstrength。’

’That，andbeingsoveryshyofmen，too，musthavemadeJohn’shandsomeregimentalsquiteoverpoweringtoher，poorthing，’addedMrs。Garland，followingthecatastrophicyoungladyupstairs，whoseindispositionwasthistimebeyondquestion。Andyet，bysomeperversityoftheheart，shewasaseagernowtomakelightofherfaintnessasshehadbeentomakemuchofittwoorthreehoursago。

ThemillerandJohnstoodlikestraightsticksintheroomtheothershadquitted，John’sfacebeinghastilyturnedtowardsacaricatureofBuonaparteonthewallthathehadnotseenmorethanahundredandfiftytimesbefore。

’Come，sitdownandhaveadishoftea，anyhow，’saidhisfatheratlast。’She’llsoonberightagain，nodoubt。’

’Thanks；Idon’twantanytea，’saidJohnquickly。And，indeed，hedidnot，forhewasinonegiganticachefromheadtofoot。

Thelighthadbeentoodimforanybodytonoticehisamazement；andnotknowingwheretoventit，thetrumpet-majorsaidhewasgoingoutforaminute。Hehastenedtothebakehouse；butDavidbeingthere，hewenttothepantry；butthemaidbeingthere，hewenttothecart-shed；butacoupleoftrampsbeingthere，hewentbehindarowofFrenchbeansinthegarden，whereheletoffanejaculationthemostpiousthathehadutteredthatSabbathday:’Heaven！

what’stobedone！’

Andthenhewalkedwildlyaboutthepathsoftheduskygarden，wherethetricklingofthebrooksseemedloudbycomparisonwiththestillnessaround；treadingrecklesslyonthecrackingsnailsthathadcomeforthtofeed，andentanglinghisspursinthelonggrasstilltherowelswerechokedwithitsblades。Presentlyheheardanotherpersonapproaching，andhisbrother’sshapeappearedbetweenthestubbardtreeandthehedge。

’O，isityou？’saidthemate。

’Yes。Iam——takingalittleair。’

’Sheisgettingroundnicelyagain；andasIamnotwantedindoorsjustnow，IamgoingintothevillagetocalluponafriendortwoI

havenotbeenabletospeaktoasyet。’

JohntookhisbrotherBob’shand。Bobratherwonderedwhy。

’Allright，oldboy，’hesaid。’Goingintothevillage？You’llbebackagain，Isuppose，beforeitgetsverylate？’

’Oyes，’saidCaptainBobcheerfully，andpassedoutofthegarden。

Johnallowedhiseyestofollowhisbrothertillhisshapecouldnotbeseen，andthenheturnedandagainwalkedupanddown。