下载辰思小说免费APP
’Chok’itall，Iwassure！’saidDavid。’I’dsoonerseechurchesfallthangooddrinkwasted；buthowwasItoknowbetter？’
’Well，well；whatwithonethingandanotherthisdaywillcostmeaprettypenny！’saidLoveday，bustlingofftothecellar，whichhefoundtobeseveralinchesdeepinstagnantliquor。’John，howcanIwelcome’ee？’hecontinuedhopelessly，onhisreturntotheroom。
’Onlygoandseewhathe’sdone！’
’I’veladledupadrapwi’aspoon，trumpet-major，’saidDavid。
’’Tisn’tbaddrinking，thoughitdotastealittleofthefloor，that’strue。’
Johnsaidthathedidnotrequireanythingatall；andthentheyallsatdowntosupper，andwereverytemperatelygaywithadropofmildelder-winewhichMrs。Lovedayfoundinthebottomofajar。
Thetrumpet-major，adheringtotheparthemeanttoplay，gavehumorousaccountsofhisadventuressincehehadlastsatthere。Hetoldthemthattheseasonwastobeaverylivelyone——thattheroyalfamilywascoming，asusual，andmanyotherinterestingthings；sothatwhenheleftthemtoreturntobarracksfewwouldhavesupposedtheBritisharmytocontainalighter-heartedman。
Annewastheonlyonewhodoubtedtherealityofthisbehaviour。
Whenshehadgoneuptoherbedroomshestoodforsometimelookingatthewickofthecandleasifitwereapainfulobject，theexpressionofherfacebeingshapedbytheconvictionthatJohn’safternoonwordswhenhehelpedheroutofthewayofChampionwerenotinaccordancewithhiswordsto-night，andthatthedimly-realizedkissduringherfaintnesswasnoimaginaryone。ButintheblissfulcircumstancesofhavingBobathandagainshetookoptimistviews，andpersuadedherselfthatJohnwouldsoonbegintoseeherinthelightofasister。
Tocursoryview，JohnLovedayseemedtoaccomplishthiswithamazingease。WheneverhecamefrombarrackstoOvercombe，whichwasonceortwiceaweek，herelatednewsofallsortstoherandBobwithinfinitezest，andmadethetimeashappyaoneashadeverbeenknownatthemill，saveforhimselfalone。HesaidnothingofFestus，exceptsofarastoinformAnnethathehadexpectedtoseehimandbeendisappointed。OntheeveningaftertheKing’sarrivalathisseasideresidenceJohnappearedagain，stayingtosupperanddescribingtheroyalentry，themanytastefulilluminationsandtransparencieswhichhadbeenexhibited，thequantitiesoftallowcandlesburntforthatpurpose，andtheswarmsofaristocracywhohadfollowedtheKingthither。
WhensupperwasoverBobwentoutsidethehousetoshuttheshutters，whichhad，aswasoftenthecase，beenleftopensometimeafterlightswerekindledwithin。Johnstillsatatthetablewhenhisbrotherapproachedthewindow，thoughtheothershadrisenandretired。BobwasstruckbyseeingthroughthepanehowJohn’sfacehadchanged。Throughoutthesupper-timehehadbeentalkingtoAnneinthegaytonehabitualwithhimnow，whichgavegreaterstrangenesstothegloomofhispresentappearance。Heremainedinthoughtforamoment，tookaletterfromhisbreast-pocket，openedit，and，withatendersmileathisweakness，kissedthewritingbeforerestoringittoitsplace。TheletterwasonethatAnnehadwrittentohimatExonbury。
Bobstoodperplexed；andthenasuspicioncrossedhismindthatJohn，frombrotherlygoodness，mightbefeigningasatisfactionwithrecenteventswhichhedidnotfeel。Bobnowmadeanoisewiththeshutters，atwhichthetrumpet-majorroseandwentout，Bobatoncefollowinghim。
’Jack，’saidthesailoringenuously，’I’mterriblysorrythatI’vedonewrong。’
’How？’askedhisbrother。
’IncourtingourlittleAnne。Well，yousee，John，shewasinthesamehousewithme，andsomehoworotherImademyselfherbeau。
ButIhavebeenthinkingthatperhapsyouhadthefirstclaimonher，andifso，Jack，I’llmakewayfor’ee。I——Idon’tcareforhermuch，youknow——notsoverymuch，andcangiveherupverywell。
Itisnothingseriousbetweenusatall。Yes，John，youtrytogether；Icanlookelsewhere。’BobneverknewhowmuchhelovedAnnetillhefoundhimselfmakingthisspeechofrenunciation。
’OBob，youaremis
