下载辰思小说免费APP
’Itisnottobeknown，sir。Wedon’tbegintillhalfpastten。’
’Itisapityyoudon’tbeginnow。Icouldshow’eeexcellentgame。’
’What，thatlittlenestoffellowsatthe“OldRooms“inCoveRow？
Ihavejustheardof’em。’
’No——comehere。’Festus，withMissJohnsononhisarm，ledthesergeantquicklyalongtheparade，andbythetimetheyreachedtheNarrowsthelovers，whowalkedbutslowly，werevisibleinfrontofthem。’There’syourman，’hesaid。
’Thatbuckinpantaloonsandhalf-boots——alookinglikeasquire？’
’TwelvemonthsagohewasmateofthebrigPewit；buthisfatherhasmademoney，andkeepshimathome。’
’Faith，nowyoutellofit，there’sahintofsealegsabouthim。
What’stheyoungbeau’sname？’
’Don’ttell！’whisperedMatilda，impulsivelyclutchingFestus’sarm。
ButFestushadalreadysaid，’RobertLoveday，sonofthemilleratOvercombe。Youmayfindseverallikelyfellowsinthatneighbourhood。’
Themarinesaidthathewouldbearitinmind，andtheylefthim。
’Iwishyouhadnottold，’saidMatildatearfully。’She’stheworst！’
’Dashmyeyesnow；listentothat！Why，youchicken-heartedoldstager，youwasaswellagreedasI。Comenow；hasn’theusedyoubadly？’
Matilda’sacrimonyreturned。’Iwasdownonmyluck，orhewouldn’thavehadthechance！’shesaid。
’Well，then，letthingsbe。’
MissGarlandandLovedaywalkedleisurelytotheinnandcalledforhorse-and-gig。Whilethehostlerwasbringingitround，thelandlord，whoknewBobandhisfamilywell，spoketohimquietlyinthepassage。
’IsthisthenbecauseyouwanttothrowdustintheeyesoftheBlackDiamondchaps？’(withanadmiringglanceatBob’scostume)。
’TheBlackDiamond？’saidBob；andAnneturnedpale。
’Shehoveinsightjustafterdark，andatnineo’clockaboathavingmorethanadozenmarinesonboard，withcloakson，rowedintoharbour。’
Bobreflected。’Thenthere’llbeapressto-night；dependuponit，’
hesaid。
’Theywon’tknowyou，willthey，Bob？’saidAnneanxiously。
’Theycertainlywon’tknowhimforaseamannow，’remarkedthelandlord，laughing，andagainsurveyingBobupanddown。’ButifI
wasyoutwo，Ishoulddrivehome-alongstraightandquiet；andbeverybusyinthemillallto-morrow，Mr。Loveday。’
Theydroveaway；andwhentheyhadgotonwardoutofthetown，AnnestrainedhereyeswistfullytowardsPortland。Itsdarkcontour，lyinglikeawhaleonthesea，wasjustperceptibleinthegloomasthebackgroundtohalf-a-dozenships’lightsnearerathand。
’Theycan’tmakeyougo，nowyouareagentlemantradesman，canthey？’sheasked。
’Iftheywantmetheycanhaveme，dearest。IhaveoftensaidI
oughttovolunteer。’
’Andnotcareaboutmeatall？’
’Itisjustthatthatkeepsmeathome。Iwon’tleaveyouifIcanhelpit。’
’Itcannotmakesuchavastdifferencetothecountrywhetheronemangoesorstays！Butifyouwanttogoyouhadbetter，andnotmindusatall！’
Bobputaperiodtoherspeechbyamarkofaffectiontowhichhistoryaffordsmanyparallelsineveryage。ShesaidnomoreabouttheBlackDiamond；butwhenevertheyascendedahillsheturnedherheadtolookatthelightsinPortlandRoads，andthegreyexpanseofinterveningsea。
ThoughCaptainBobhadstatedthathedidnotwishtovolunteer，andwouldnotleaveherifhecouldhelpit，theremarkrequiredsomequalification。ThatAnnewascharmingandlovingenoughtochainhimanywherewastrue；buthehadbeguntofindthemill-workterriblyirksomeattimes。Oftenduringthelastmonth，whenstandingamongtherumblingcogsinhisnewmiller’ssuit，whichillbecamehim，hehadyawned，thoughtwistfullyoftheoldpea-jacket，andthewatersofthedeepbluesea。Hisdreadofdispleasinghisfatherbyshowinganythingofthischangeofsentimentwasgreat；
yethemighthavebraveditbutforknowingthathismarriagewithAnne，whichhehopedmighttakeplacethenextyear，wasdependententirelyuponhisadherencetothemillbusiness。Evenwerehisfatherindifferent，Mrs。Lovedaywouldneverintrustheronlydaughtertothehandsofahusbandwhowouldbea
