第5章

’Youhavegotasilverplateletintoyerhead，haven’tye，corpel？’

saidAnthonyCripplestraw，whohaddrawnnear。’Ihaveheardthatthewaytheymorticedyerskullwasabeautifulpieceofworkmanship。Perhapstheyoungwomanwouldliketoseetheplace？

’Tisacurioussight，Mis’essAnne；youdon’tseesuchawowndeveryday。’

’No，thankyou，’saidAnnehurriedly，dreading，asdidalltheyoungpeopleofOvercombe，thespectacleofthecorporaluncovered。HehadneverbeenseeninpublicwithoutthehatandthehandkerchiefsincehisreturninNinety-four；andstrangestoriesweretoldoftheghastlinessofhisappearancebare-headed，alittleboywhohadaccidentallybeheldhimgoingtobedinthatstatehavingbeenfrightenedintofits。

’Well，iftheyoungwomandon’twanttoseeyerhead，maybeshe’dliketohearyerarm？’continuedCripplestraw，earnesttopleaseher。

’Hey？’saidthecorporal。

’Yourarmhurttoo？’criedAnne。

’Knockedtoapummyatthesametimeasmyhead，’saidTullidgedispassionately。

’Rattleyerarm，corpel，andshowher，’saidCripplestraw。

’Yes，sure，’saidthecorporal，raisingthelimbslowly，asifthegloryofexhibitionhadlostsomeofitsnovelty，thoughhewaswillingtooblige。Twistingitmercilesslyaboutwithhisrighthandheproducedacrunchingamongthebonesateverymotion，Cripplestrawseemingtoderivegreatsatisfactionfromtheghastlysound。

’Howveryshocking！’saidAnne，painfullyanxiousforhimtoleaveoff。

’O，itdon’thurthim，blessye。Doit，corpel？’saidCripplestraw。

’Notabit，’saidthecorporal，stillworkinghisarmwithgreatenergy。

’There’snolifeinthebonesatall。Nolifein’em，Itellher，corpel！’

’Noneatall。’

’Theybeaslooseasabagofninepins，’explainedCripplestrawincontinuation。’Youcanfeel’emquiteplain，Mis’essAnne。Ifyewouldliketo，he’llundohissleeveinaminutetooblegeye？’

’Ono，no，pleasenot！Iquiteunderstand，’saidtheyoungwoman。

’Doshewanttohearorseeanymore，ordon’tshe？’thecorporalinquired，withasensethathistimewasgettingwasted。

Anneexplainedthatshedidnotonanyaccount；andmanagedtoescapefromthecorner。

Thetrumpet-majornowcontrivedtoplacehimselfnearher，Anne’spresencehavingevidentlybeenagreatpleasuretohimsincethemomentofhisfirstseeingher。Shewasquiteathereasewithhim，andaskedhimifhethoughtthatBuonapartewouldreallycomeduringthesummer，andmanyotherquestionswhichthegallantdragooncouldnotanswer，butwhichheneverthelesslikedtobeasked。WilliamTremlett，whohadnotenjoyedasoundnight’srestsincetheFirstConsul’smenacehadbecomeknown，prickeduphisearsatsoundofthissubject，andinquiredifanybodyhadseentheterribleflat-bottomedboatsthattheenemyweretocrossin。

’MybrotherRobertsawseveralofthempaddlingabouttheshorethelasttimehepassedtheStraitsofDover，’saidthetrumpet-major；

andhefurtherstartledthecompanybyinformingthemthatthereweresupposedtobemorethanfifteenhundredoftheseboats，andthattheywouldcarryahundredmenapiece。SothatadescentofonehundredandfiftythousandmenmightbeexpectedanydayassoonasBoneyhadbroughthisplanstobear。

’Lordha’mercyuponus！’saidWilliamTremlett。

’Thenight-timeiswhentheywilltryit，iftheytryitatall，’

saidoldTullidge，inthetoneofonewhosewatchatthebeaconmust，inthenatureofthings，havegivenhimcomprehensiveviewsofthesituation。’Itismybeliefthatthepointtheywillchooseformakingtheshoreisjustoverthere，’andhenoddedwithindifferencetowardsasectionofthecoastatahideousnearnesstothehouseinwhichtheywereassembled，whereuponFencibleTremlett，andCripplestrawoftheLocals，triedtoshownosignsoftrepidation。

’Whend’yethink’twillbe？’saidVolunteerComfort，theblacksmith。

’Ican’tanswertoaday，’saidthecorporal，’butitwillcertainlybeinadown-channeltide；andinsteadofpullinghardagainstit，he’lllethisboatsdrift，andthatwillbring’emrightintoBudmouthBay。’Twillbeabeautifulstrokeofwar，ifsobe’tisquietlydone！’

’Beautiful，’saidCripplestraw，movinginsidehisclothes。’Buthowifweshouldbeallabed，corpel？Youcan’texpectamantobebraveinhisshirt，especiallyweLocals，thathaveonlygotsofarasshoulderfire-locks。’

’He’snotcomingthissummer。He’llnevercomeatall，’saidatallsergeant-majordecisively。

LovedaythesoldierwastoomuchengagedinattendinguponAnneandhermothertojoininthesesurmises，bestirringhimselftogettheladiessomeofthebestliquorthehouseafforded，whichhad，asamatteroffact，crossedtheChannelasprivatelyasBuonapartewishedhisarmytodo，andhadbeenlandedonadarknightoverthecliff。AfterthisheaskedAnnetosing，butthoughshehadaveryprettyvoiceinprivateperformancesofthatnature，shedeclinedtoobligehim；turningthesubjectbymakingahesitatinginquiryabouthisbrotherRobert，whomhehadmentionedjustbefore。

’Robertisaswellasever，thankyou，MissGarland，’hesaid。’HeisnowmateofthebrigPewit——ratheryoungforsuchacommand；buttheownerputsgreattrustinhim。’Thetrumpet-majoradded，deepeninghisthoughtstoaprofounderviewofthepersondiscussed，’Bobisinlove。’

Annelookedconscious，andlistenedattentively；butLovedaydidnotgoon。

’Much？’sheasked。

’Ican’texactlysay。Andthestrangepartofitisthathenevertellsuswhothewomanis。Nobodyknowsatall。’

’Hewilltell，ofcourse？’saidAnne，intheremotetoneofapersonwithwhosesexsuchmattershadnoconnexionwhatever。

Lovedayshookhishead，andthetete-a-tetewasputanendtobyaburstofsingingfromoneofthesergeants，whowasfollowedattheendofhissongbyothers，eachgivingadittyinhisturn；thesingerstandingupinfrontofthetable，stretchinghischinwellintotheair，asthoughtoabstracteverypossiblewrinklefromhisthroat，andthenplungingintothemelody。Whenthiswasoveroneoftheforeignhussars——thegenteelGermanofMillerLoveday’sdescription，whocalledhimselfaHungarian，andinrealitybelongedtonodefinitecountry——performedatTrumpet-majorLoveday’srequesttheseriesofwildmotionsthathedenominatedhisnationaldance，thatAnnemightseewhatitwaslike。MissGarlandwastheflowerofthewholecompany；thesoldiersoneandall，foreignandEnglish，seemedtobequitecharmedbyherpresence，asindeedtheywellmightbe，consideringhowseldomtheycameintothesocietyofsuchasshe。

AnneandhermotherwerejustthinkingofretiringtotheirowndwellingwhenSergeantStannerofthe——thFoot，whowasrecruitingatBudmouth，beganasatiricalsong:——

Whenlaw’-yersstrive’toheal’abreach’，Andpar-sonsprac’-tisewhat’theypreach’；

Thenlit’-tleBo-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！

Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。

Whenjus’-ti-ces’holde’qualscales’，Androgues’areon’-lyfound’injails’；

Thenlit’tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！

Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。

Whenrich’menfind’theirwealth’acurse’，Andfill’there-with’thepoor’man’spurse’；

Thenlit’-tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！

Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。

PoorStanner！Inspiteofhissatire，hefellatthebloodybattleofAlbueraafewyearsafterthispleasantlyspentsummerattheGeorgianwatering-place，beingmortallywoundedandtrampleddownbyaFrenchhussarwhenthebrigadewasdeployingintolineunderBeresford。

WhileMillerLovedaywassaying’Welldone，Mr。Stanner！’atthecloseofthethirteenthstanza，whichseemedtobethelast，andMr。

Stannerwasmodestlyexpressinghisregretthathecoulddonobetter，astentorianvoicewasheardoutsidethewindowshutterrepeating，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。

Thecompanywassilentinamomentatthisreinforcement，andonlythemilitarytriednottolooksurprised。Whileallwonderedwhothesingercouldbesomebodyenteredtheporch；thedooropened，andincameayoungman，aboutthesizeandweightoftheFarneseHercules，intheuniformoftheyeomanrycavalry。

’’TisyoungSquireDerriman，oldMr。Derriman’snephew，’murmuredvoicesinthebackground。

Withoutwaitingtoaddressanybody，orapparentlyseeingwhoweregatheredthere，thecolossalmanwavedhiscapabovehisheadandwentonintonesthatshookthewindow-panes:——

Whenhus’-bandswith’theirwives’agree’。

Andmaids’won’twed’frommod’-es-ty’，Thenlit’-tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！

Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。

ItwasaversewhichhadbeenomittedbythegallantStanner，outofrespecttotheladies。

Thenew-comerwasred-hairedandoffloridcomplexion，andseemedfullofaconvictionthathiswhimofenteringmustbetheirpleasure，whichforthemomentitwas。

’Noceremony，goodmenall，’hesaid；’Iwaspassingby，andmyearwascaughtbythesinging。Ilikesinging；’tiswarmingandcheering，andshallnotbeputdown。Ishouldliketohearanybodysayotherwise。’

’Welcome，MasterDerriman，’saidthemiller，fillingaglassandhandingittotheyeoman。’Comeallthewayfromquarters，then？I

hardlyknowedyeinyoursoldier’sclothes。You’dlookmorenaturalwithaspudinyourhand，sir。Ishouldn’tha’knownyeatallifI

hadn’theardthatyouwerecalledout。’

’Morenaturalwithaspud！——haveacare，miller，’saidtheyounggiant，thefireofhiscomplexionincreasingtoscarlet。’Idon’tmeananger，but——but——asoldier’shonour，youknow！’

Themilitaryinthebackgroundlaughedalittle，andtheyeomanthenforthefirsttimediscoveredthatthereweremoreregularspresentthanone。Helookedmomentarilydisconcerted，butexpandedagaintofullassurance。

’Right，right，MasterDerriman，nooffence——’twasonlymyjoke，’

saidthegenialmiller。’Everybody’sasoldiernowadays。Drinkadrapo’thiscordial，anddon’tmindwords。’

Theyoungmandrankwithouttheleastreluctance，andsaid，’Yes，miller，Iamcalledout。’Tisticklishtimesforussoldiersnow；

weholdourlivesinourhands——Whatarethosefellowsgrinningatbehindthetable？——Isay，wedo！’

’Stayingwithyouruncleatthefarmforadayortwo，Mr。

Derriman？’

’No，no；asItoldyou，sixmileoff。BilletedatCasterbridge。

ButIhavetocallandseetheold，old——’

’Gentleman？’

’Gentleman！——no，skinflint。Helivesuponthesweepingsofthebarton；ha，ha！’Andthespeaker’sregularwhiteteethshowedthemselveslikesnowinaDutchcabbage。’Well，well，theprofessionofarmsmakesamanproofagainstallthat。ItakethingsasIfind’em。’

’Quiteright，MasterDerriman。Anotherdrop？’

’No，no。I’lltakenomorethanisgoodforme——nomanshould；sodon’ttemptme。’

TheyeomanthensawAnne，andbyanunconsciousgravitationwenttowardsherandtheotherwomen，flingingaremarktoJohnLovedayinpassing。’Ah，Loveday！Iheardyouwerecome；inshort，Icomeo’purposetoseeyou。Gladtoseeyouenjoyingyourselfathomeagain。’

Thetrumpet-majorrepliedcivilly，thoughnotwithoutgrimness，forheseemedhardlytolikeDerriman’smotiontowardsAnne。

’WidowGarland’sdaughter！——yes，’tis！surely。Yourememberme？I

havebeenherebefore。FestusDerriman，YeomanryCavalry。’

Annegavealittlecurtsey。’IknowyournameisFestus——that’sall。’

’Yes，’tiswellknown——especiallylatterly。’Hedroppedhisvoicetoconfidencepitch。’Isupposeyourfriendsherearedisturbedbymycomingin，astheydon’tseemtotalkmuch？Idon’tmeantointerrupttheparty；butIoftenfindthatpeopleareputoutbymycomingamong’em，especiallywhenI’vegotmyregimentalson。’

’La！andarethey？’