第13章

’Heigh，boys!’criedGrandfatherBridgeman，’it’stimebeforedinnerto-day。’

Heliftedthecrumpledletter，andthumpedasurprising’Hurrah!’

Upjumpedalltheechoingyoungones，butJohn，withthestarchinhisthroat，Said，’Father，beforewemakenoises，let’sseethecontentsofthenote。’

Theoldmanglaredathimharshly，andtwinklingmadeanswer：’Toobad!

JohnBridgeman，I’malwaysthewhisky，andyouarethewater，mylad!’

Butsoonitwasknownthro’thehouse，andthehouseranoverforjoy，Thatnews，goodnews，greatmarvels，hadcomefromthesoldierboy；

YoungTom，thelucklessscapegrace，offshootofMethodistJohn；

Hisgrandfather’seveningtale，whomtheoldmanhailedashisson。

Andtheoldman’sshoutofpridewasashoutofhisctory，too；

Forhecalledhisaffectionamethod：theneighbours’opinionsheknew。

Meantime，fromthemorningtableremongthestoutbreakfastcheer，Thedrinkofthethreegenerations，themilk，thetea，andthebeer(AloneinitsgenerousreadingofpintsstoodtheGrandfather’sjug)，Thewomenforsightofthemissecamepressingtocoaxandtohug。

Hescatteredthemquick，withabussandasmack；thereuponhebeganDersionswithJohn’slittleSarah：onSunday，thenaughtyoldman!

Thenmessengersspedtothemaltster，theauctioneer，miller，andallThesevensonsofthefarmerwhohousedintherangeofhiscall。

Likewisethemarrieddaughters，threeplentifulladies，primecooks，Whobowedtohimwhiletheycondemned，inmeekhopetostandhighinhisbooks。

’John’swifeisafoolatapudding，’theysaid，andthelightcartsuphillWentmerrily，floutingtheSabbath：forpuddingswellmademendawill。

Thedaywasavan-birdofsummer：therobinstillpiped，buttheblue，Asawarmanddreamypalacewithvoicesoflarksringingthro’，Lookeddownasifwistfullyeyeingtheblossomsthatfellfromitslap：

Adaytosweetenthejuices：adaytoquickenthesap。

Allroundtheshadowyorchardslopedmeadowsingold，andthedearShyoletsbreathedtheirheartsout：themaidenbreathoftheyear!

Fulltimetherewasbeforedinnertobringfifteenofhisblood，Tositattheoldman’stable：theyfoundthatthedinnerwasgood。

Butwhowasshebythelilacsandpouringlaburnumsconcealed，WhenundertheblossomingapplethechairoftheGrandfatherwheeled？

Sheheardonelittlechildcrying，’DearbraveCousinTom!’asitleapt；

Thenmurmuredshe：’Letmesparethem!’andpassedroundthewalnuts，andwept。

YetnotfromsighthadsheslippederefeminineeyescoulddetectThefigureofMaryCharlworth。’It’sjustwhatweallmightexpect，’

Wasuttered：and：’Didn’tItellyou？’OfMarytherumourresounds，Thatsheisnowherownmistress，andmistressoffethousandpounds。

’Twasshe，theysay，whocruellysentyoungTomtothewar。

MissMary，wethankyounow!Ifyouknewwhatwe’rethankingyoufor!

But，’Haveherin：letherhearit，’calledGrandfatherBridgeman，elate，WhileMary’sblack-glovedfingershungtremblingwithflightonthegate。

Despitethewomen’sremonstrance，twolittleones，lighterthandeer，Wereloosed，andMary，imprisoned，herwholefacewhiteasatear，Cameforwardwithculpritfootsteps。Herpunishmentwastocommence：

Thepityinherpalesagetheyreadinadifferentsense。

’Youperhapsmayrememberafellow，MissCharlworth，asortofblacksheep，’

Theoldmanturnedhistonguetoironicalutterancedeep：

’HecameofaMethodistdad，soitwasn’thisfaultifhekicked。

Heearnedasadreputation，butMethodistsaremortalstrict。

HisnamewasTom，and，dashme!butBridgeman!Ithinkyoumightadd：

Whateverhewas，bearinmindthathecameofaMethodistdad。’

Thispreludedismallylengthened，tillMary，starting，exclaimed，’Aletter，Sir，fromyourgrandson？’’TomBridgemanthatrascalisnamed，’

Theoldmananswered，andfurther，thewordsthatsentTomtotheranksRepeatedaswordsofapersontowhomtheyallowedmightythanks。

ButMaryneverblushed：withhereyesontheletter，shesate，Andtwiceinterruptinghimfaltered，’Thedate，mayIask，Sir，thedate？’

’Why，that’swhatIneverlookatinaletter，’thefarmerreplied：

’Factsfirst!andnowI’llbeparson。’TheBridgemanwomendescriedAqueronMary’seyebrows。Oneturned，andwhileshiftinghercomb，Saidlowtoasister：’I’mcertainsheknowsmorethanweaboutTom。

Shewantshimnowhe’sahero!’Thesame，resumingherplace，BeggedMarytocheckthemthemomentshefounditatediouscase。

Thenasamastiffswallowsthesnarlingnoisesofcats，Thevoiceofthefarmeropened。’“Threecheers，andoffwithyourhats!“-

That’sTom。“We’vebeatenthem，Daddy，andtoughworkitwas，tobesure!

Aregularstand-upcombat：eighthourssmellingpowderandgore。

IentereditSerjeant-Major，“——andnowhecommandsasalute，AndcarriestheflagofoldEngland!Heigh!seehimliftfoesonhisfoot!

’——Anofficer!ay，MissCharlworth，heis，orheissotobe；

You’llownwarisn’tsuchhumbug：andGlorymeanssomething，yousee。

“Butdon’tsayaword，“hecontinues，“againstthebraveFrenchanymore。“-

Thatstoptme：we’llnowmarchtogether。Icouldn’treadfurtherbefore。

That“braveFrench“Icouldn’tstomach。Hecan’tseetheircunningtogetUsBritonstofighttheirbattles，whilebesthalfthewinningstheynet!’

Theoldmansneered，andreadforward。Itwasofthatdesperatefight；-

TheMuscotestolethro’themist-wreathsthatwrappedthechillInkermannheight，Wherestoodoursilentoutposts：oldEnglandwasinthemthatday!

Osharpworkedhisruddywrinkles，asiftothebreathofthefrayTheymoved!Hesatbareheaded：hislonghairoverhimslowSwungwhiteasthesilkybog-flowersinpurpleheath-hollowsthatgrow。

AndlouderatTom’sfirstperson：acuteandinthunderthe’I’

Invadedtheearwithawhinnyoftriumph，thatseem’dtodefyThehostsoftheworld。Allheated，whatwonderhelittlecouldbrookTocatchthesightofMary’sdemurepuritanicallook？

Andstillasheledtheonslaught，histreacherousside-shotshesentAtherwhowasfightingabattleasfierce，andwhosatthereunbent。

’“Westoodinline，andlikehedgehogstheRussiansrolledunderusthick。

Theyfrightenedmethere。“——He’snocoward；forwhen，Miss，theycameatthequick，Thesight，heswears，wasabreakfast——“Mystomachfelttight：inaglimpseIsawyousnoringathomewiththedearcuddled-uplittleimps。

Andthenlikethewinterbrickfieldsatmidnight，hotfirelengthenedout。

Ourfellowswerejustleashedbloodhounds：noheartofthelotfacedabout。

’“Andonlythatgrumbler，BobHarris，remarkedthatwestoodonetoten：

’Yefool，’saysMickGrady，’justtell’emtheyknowtocomplimentmen!’

AndIsangoutyouroldwords：’Iftheoppositesideisn’tGod’s，Heigh!afteryou’vecountedadozen，thepluckiestladshavetheodds。’

Ping-pingflewtheenemies’pepper：theColonelroared，Forward，andweWentatthem。’Twasfirstlikeablanket：andthenalongplungeinthesea。

’“Well，nowaboutmeandtheFrenchman：ithappenedIcan’ttellyouhow：

And，Grandfather，hear，ifyouloveme，andputasideprejudicenow“：

Heneversays“Grandfather“——Tomdon’t——saveit’saseriousthing。

“Well，thereweresomepitsfortherifles，justdugonourFrench-

leaningwing：

Andbackwards，andforwards，andbackwardswewent，andatlastI

wasvexed，AndsworeIwouldneversurrenderafootwhentheRussianschargednext。

’“Iknowthatlife’sworthkeeping。“——Ay，soitis，lad；soitis!-

“Butmylifebelongstoawoman。“——DoesthatmeanHerMajesty，Miss？-

“TheseRussianscamelumpingandgrinning：they’refierceatit，thoughtheyareblocks。

Ourfellowswereprettywellpumped，andlookedsharpforthelittleFrenchcocks。

Lord，didn’tweprayfortheircrowing!whenoverus，onthehill-

top，Beholdthefirstlineofthemskipping，likekangaroosseenonthehop。

’“Thatsentmeintoapassion，tothinkofthemspyingourflight!“

Heigh，Tom!you’veBridgemanblood，boy!And，“’Facethem!’I

shouted：’Allright；

Sure，Serjeant，we’lltaketheirshotdacent，likegentlemen，’Gradyreplied。

Aballinhismouth，andthenobleoldIrishmandroppedbymyside。

Thentherewasjustaninstanttosavemyself，whenashortwheezeOfbloodylungsunderthesmoke，andared-coatcrawleduponhisknees。

’“’TwasEnsignBaynesofourparish。“——Ah，ah，MissCharlworth，theoneOurTomfoughtforayounglady？Come，nowwe’vegotintothefun!-

“Ishoulderedhim：heprimedhispistol，andItrailedmymusket，prepared。“

Why，that’safinepick-a-backforye，tomaketwentyRussianslookscared!

“Theycame——nevermindhowmany：wecouldn’thaverunverywell，Wefoughtbacktoback：’facetoface，ourlasttime!’hesaid，smiling，andfell。

’“ThenIstrovewildforhisbody：thebeggarssawglitteringrings，WhichIvowedtosendtohismother。Igotsomehardknocksandsharpstings，Butfeltthemnomorethanangel，ordel，exceptinthewind。

IknowthatIsworeataRussianforshowinghisteeth，andhegrinnedTheharder：quick，asfromheaven，amanonahorserodebetween，Andfired，andswunghisbrightsabre：Ican’twriteyoumoreofthescene。

’“Buthalfinhisarms，andhalfathisstirrup，heboremerightforth，Andpitchedmeamongmyoldcomrades：beforeIcouldtellsouthfromnorth，Hecaughtmyhandup，andkissedit!Don’teverletanymanspeakAwordagainstFrenchmen，Inearhim!Ican’tfindhisname，tho’I

seek。

ButFrench，andaGeneral，surelyhewas，and，Godblesshim!thro’

himI’velearnttoloveawholenation。“’Theancientmanpaused，winkingdim。

Acuriouslook，halfwoeful，wasseenonhisfaceasheturnedHiseyesuponeachofhischildren，likeonewhobutfaintlydiscernedHisoldselfinanoldmirror。Thengatheringsenseinhisfist，Hesoundedithardonhisknee-cap。’Yourhand，Tom，theFrenchfellowkissed!

Hekissedmyboy’soldpounder!Isayhe’sagentleman!’StraightTheletterhetossedtoonedaughter；badehertheremainderrelate。

Tomproperlystatedhispraisesinfacts，buttheladypreferredTodeckthenarrationwithbrackets，anddropheradditionalword。

WhatnoblerChristiannaturesthesewomencouldboast，who，’twasknown，Oncespatatthenameoftheirnephew，andnowmadehispraisestheirown!

Theletteratlastwasfinished，thehearersbreathedfreely，andsignWasgen，’Tom’shealth!’——Quoththefarmer：’Eh，Miss？areyouweakinthespine？’

ForMaryhadsunk，andherbodywasshaking，asifinafit。

Tom’slettersheheld，andherthumb-nailthemonthwhentheletterwaswritFast-dinted，whileshehungsobbing：’O，see，Sir，theletterisold!

O，donotbetoohappy!’——’IfIunderstandyou，I’mbowled!’

SaidGrandfatherBridgeman，’anddowngomywickets!——nothappy!

whenhere，Here’sTomliketomarryhisGeneral’sdaughter——orwidow——I’llswear!

’Iwagerheknowshowtostrut，too!It’sallonthecardsthattheQueenWillaskhimtoBuckinghamPalace，tosaywhathe’sdoneandhe’sseen。

ctoria’sfondofhersoldiers：andshe’sgotanoseforafight。

IfTomtellsacleverishstory——thereissuchathingasaknight!

Anddon’thelookroguishandhandsome!——Toseeagirlsnellingthere-

ByGeorge，Miss，it’sclearthatyou’rejealous’——’Ilovehim!’sheansweredhisstare。

’Yes!now!’breathedthevoiceofawoman——’Ah!now!’quer’dlowthereply。

’And“now“’sjustabittoolate，soit’snouseyourpipingyoureye，’

Thefarmeraddedbluffly：’OldLawyerCharlworthwasrich；

YoufollowedhisinstructionsinkickingTomintotheditch。

Ifyou’resuchadutifuldaughter，thatdoesn’tproveTomisafool。

Forgeandforget’smymotto!andhere’smygroggrowingcool!’

’But，Sir，’Maryfaintlyrepeated：’forfourlongweeksIhavefailedTocomeandcastonyoumyburden；suchgriefforyoualwaysprevailed!

Myhearthassobledforyou!’Theoldmanburstonherspeech：

’You’vechosenalikelytime，Miss!aprettyoccasiontopreach!’

Andwasitnotoutrageous，thatnow，ofalltimes，oneshouldcomeWithincomprehensiblepity!FarbetterhadMarybeendumb。

Butwhenagainshestammeredinthisbewilderingway，Thefarmernolongercouldbearit，andbeggedhertogo，ortostay，Butnottobewhimperingnonsenseatsuchatime。Prickedbyagoad，’Twasyouwhosenthimtoglory：-you’vecomeheretoreapwhatyousowed。