第7章
’PleaseIhavecomeforthepaper，’saidAnne。
’O，isityou，dearAnne？’whinedtheinmate，openingthedooralittlefurther。’Icouldhardlygettothedoortoopenit，Iamsoweak。’
Thespeakerwasawizenedoldgentleman，inacoatthecolourofhisfarmyard，breechesofthesamehue，unbuttonedattheknees，revealingabitoflegabovehisstockingandadazzlinglywhiteshirt-frilltocompensateforthisuntidinessbelow。Theedgeofhisskullroundhiseye-socketswasvisiblethroughtheskin，andhehadamouthwhosecornersmadetowardsthebackofhisheadontheslightestprovocation。Hewalkedwithgreatapparentdifficultybackintotheroom，Annefollowinghim。
’Well，youcanhavethepaperifyouwantit；butyounevergivememuchtimetoseewhat’sinen！Here’sthepaper。’Hehelditout，butbeforeshecouldtakeithedrewitbackagain，saying，’Ihavenothadmyshareo’thepaperbyagooddeal，whatwithmyweaksight，andpeoplecomingsosoonforen。Iamapoorput-uponsoul；
butmy“DutyofMan“willbelefttomewhenthenewspaperisgone。’
Andhesankintohischairwithanairofexhaustion。
Annesaidthatshedidnotwishtotakethepaperifhehadnotdonewithit，andthatshewasreallylaterintheweekthanusual，owingtothesoldiers。
’Soldiers，yes——rotthesoldiers！Andnowhedgeswillbebroke，andhens’nestsrobbed，andsucking-pigsstole，andIdon’tknowwhatall。Who’stopayfor’t，sure？Ireckonthatbecausethesoldiersbecomeyoudon’tmeantobekindenoughtoreadtomewhatIhadn’ttimetoreadmyself。’
Shewouldreadifhewished，shesaid；shewasinnohurry。Andsittingherselfdownsheunfoldedthepaper。
’“DinneratCarltonHouse“？’
’No，faith。’TisnothingtoI。’
’“Defenceofthecountry“？’
’Yemayreadthatifyewill。Ihopetherewillbenobilletinginthisparish，oranywildworkofthatsort；forwhatwouldapooroldlamigerlikemyselfdowithsoldiersinhishouse，andnothingtofeed’emwith？’
Annebeganreading，andcontinuedathertasknearlytenminutes，whenshewasinterruptedbytheappearanceinthequadrangularsloughwithoutofalargefigureintheuniformoftheyeomanrycavalry。
’Whatdoyouseeoutthere？’saidthefarmerwithastart，asshepausedandslowlyblushed。
’Asoldier——oneoftheyeomanry，’saidAnne，notquiteatherease。
’Scrounchitall——’tismynephew！’exclaimedtheoldman，hisfaceturningtoaphosphoricpallor，andhisbodytwitchingwithinnumerablealarmsasheformeduponhisfaceagaspingsmileofjoy，withwhichtowelcomethenew-comingrelative。’Readon，prithee，MissGarland。’
Beforeshehadreadfarthevisitorstraddledoverthedoor-hurdleintothepassageandenteredtheroom。
’Well，nunc，howdoyoufeel？’saidthegiant，shakinghandswiththefarmerinthemannerofoneviolentlyringingahand-bell。
’Gladtoseeyou。’
’Badandweakish，Festus，’repliedtheother，hispersonrespondingpassivelytotherapidvibrationsimparted。’O，betender，please——
alittlesofter，there’sadearnephew！Myarmisnomorethanacobweb。’
’Ah，poorsoul！’
’Yes，Iamnotmuchmorethanaskeleton，andcan’tbearroughusage。’
’Sorrytohearthat；butI’llbearyourafflictioninmind。Why，youareallinatremble，UncleBenjy！’
’’TisbecauseIamsogratified，’saidtheoldman。’IalwaysgetallinatremblewhenIamtakenbysurprisebyabelovedrelation。’
’Ah，that’sit！’saidtheyeoman，bringinghishanddownonthebackofhisuncle’schairwithaloudsmack，atwhichUncleBenjynervouslysprangthreeinchesfromhisseatanddroppedintoitagain。’Askyourpardonforfrighteningye，uncle。’Tishowwedointhearmy，andIforgotyournerves。Youhavescarcelyexpectedtoseeme，Idaresay，buthereIam。’
’Iamgladtoseeye。Youarenotgoingtostaylong，perhaps？’
’Quitethecontrary。Iamgoingtostayeversolong！’
’OIsee！Iamsoglad，dearFestus。Eversolong，didyesay？’
’Yes，EVERsolong，’saidtheyounggentleman，sittingontheslopeofthebureauandstretchingouthislegsasprops。’IamgoingtomakethisquitemyownhomewheneverIamoffduty，aslongaswestayout。Andafterthat，whenthecampaignisoverintheautumn，Ishallcomehere，andlivewithyoulikeyourownson，andhelpmanageyourlandandyourfarm，youknow，andmakeyouacomfortableoldman。’
’Ah！Howyoudopleaseme！’saidthefarmer，withahorrifiedsmile，andgraspingthearmsofhischairtosustainhimself。
’Yes；Ihavebeenmeaningtocomealongtime，asIknewyou’dliketohaveme，UncleBenjy；and’tisn’tinmyhearttorefuseyou。’
’Youalwayswaskindthatway！’
’Yes；Ialwayswas。ButIoughttotellyouatonce，nottodisappointyou，thatIshan’tbeherealways——allday，thatis，becauseofmymilitarydutiesasacavalryman。’
’O，notalways？That’sapity！’exclaimedthefarmerwithacheerfuleye。
’Iknewyou’dsayso。AndIshan’tbeabletosleephereatnightsometimes，forthesamereason。’
’Notsleephereo’nights？’saidtheoldgentleman，stillmorerelieved。’Yououghttosleephere——youcertainlyought；inshort，youmust。Butyoucan’t！’
’Notwhilewearewiththecolours。Butdirectlythat’sover——theverynextday——I’llstayhereallday，andallnighttoo，toobligeyou，sinceyouaskmesoverykindly。’
’Th-thankye，thatwillbeverynice！’saidUncleBenjy。
’Yes，Iknew’twouldrelieveye。’Andhekindlystrokedhisuncle’shead，theoldmanexpressinghisenjoymentattheaffectionatetokenbyadeath’s-headgrimace。’IshouldhavecalledtoseeyoutheothernightwhenIpassedthroughhere，’Festuscontinued；’butitwassolatethatIcouldn’tcomesofaroutofmyway。Youwon’tthinkitunkind？’
’Notatall，ifyouCOULDN’T。InevershallthinkitunkindifyoureallyCAN’Tcome，youknow，Festy。’Therewasafewminutes’
pause，andasthenephewsaidnothingUncleBenjywenton:’IwishIhadalittlepresentforye。Butasill-luckwouldhaveitwehavelostadealofstockthisyear，andIhavehadtopayawaysomuch。’
’Pooroldman——Iknowyouhave。ShallIlendyouaseven-shillingpiece，UncleBenjy？’
’Ha，ha！——youmusthaveyourjoke；well，I’llthinko’that。AndsotheyexpectBuonapartytochoosethisverypartofthecoastforhislanding，hey？Andthattheyeomanrybetostandinfrontastheforlornhope？’
’Whosaysso？’askedthefloridsonofMars，losingalittleredness。
’Thenewspaper-man。’
’O，there’snothinginthat，’saidFestusbravely。’Thegover’mentthoughtitpossibleatonetime；buttheydon’tknow。’
Festusturnedhimselfashetalked，andnowsaidabruptly:’Ah，who’sthis？Why，’tisourlittleAnne！’Hehadnotnoticedhertillthismoment，theyoungwomanhavingathisentrykeptherfaceoverthenewspaper，andthengotawaytothebackpartoftheroom。
’Andareyouandyourmotheralwaysgoingtostaydownthereinthemill-housewatchingthelittlefishes，MissAnne？’
Shesaidthatitwasuncertain，inatoneoftruthfulprecisionwhichthequestionwashardlyworth，lookingforcedlyathimasshespoke。Butsheblushedfitfully，inherarmsandhandsasmuchasinherface。Notthatshewasoverpoweredbythegreatboots，formidablespurs，andotherfierceappliancesofhisperson，asheimagined；simplyshehadnotbeenpreparedtomeethimthere。
’Ihopeyouwill，Iamsure，formyowngood，’saidhe，lettinghiseyeslingerontheroundofhercheek。
Annebecamealittlemoredignified，andherlookshowedreserve。
Buttheyeomanonperceivingthiswentontalkingtoherinsocivilawaythatheirresistiblyamusedher，thoughshetriedtoconcealallfeeling。Atabrighterremarkofhisthanusualhermouthmoved，herupperlipplayinguncertainlyoverherwhiteteeth；itwouldstaystill——no，itwouldwithdrawalittlewayinasmile；
thenitwouldflutterdownagain；andsoitwaveredlikeabutterflyinatenderdesiretobepleasedandsmiling，andyettobealsosedateandcomposed；toshowhimthatshedidnotwantcompliments，andyetthatshewasnotsocoldastowishtorepressanygenuinefeelinghemightbeanxioustoutter。
’Shallyouwantanymorereading，Mr。Derriman？’saidshe，interruptingtheyoungermaninhisremarks。’Ifnot，I’llgohomeward。’
’Don’tletmehinderyoulonger，’saidFestus。’I’moffinaminuteortwo，whenyourmanhascleanedmyboots。’
’Yedon’thinderus，nephew。Shemusthavethepaper:’tisthedayforhertohave’n。Shemightreadalittlemore，asIhavehadsolittleprofitouto’enhitherto。Well，whydon’tyespeak？Willye，orwon’tye，mydear？’
’Nottotwo，’shesaid。
’Ho，ho！damnit，Imustgothen，Isuppose，’saidFestus，laughing；
andunabletogetafurtherglancefromherhelefttheroomandclankedintothebackyard，wherehesawaman；holdinguphishandhecried，’AnthonyCripplestraw！’
Cripplestrawcameupinatrot，movedalockofhishairandreplacedit，andsaid，’Yes，MaisterDerriman。’HewasoldMr。
Derriman’soddhandintheyardandgarden，andlikehisemployerhadnogreatpretensionstomanlybeauty，owingtoalimpnessofbackboneandspecialityofmouth，whichopenedononesideonly，givinghimatriangularsmile。
’Well，Cripplestraw，howisitto-day？’saidFestus，withsocially-superiorheartiness。
’Middlin’，considering，MaisterDerriman。Andhow’syerself？’
’Fairish。Well，now，seeandcleanthesemilitarybootsofmine。
I’llcockmyfootuponthisbench。Thispigstyofmyuncle’sisnotfitforasoldiertocomeinto。’
’Yes，MaisterDerriman，Iwill。No，’tisnotfit，MaisterDerriman。’
’Whatstockhasunclelostthisyear，Cripplestraw？’
’Well，let’ssee，sir。Icancalltomindthatwe’velostthreechickens，atom-pigeon，andaweaklysucking-pig，oneofafareoften。Ican’tthinkofnomore，MaisterDerriman。’
’H’m，notalargequantityofcattle。Theoldrascal！’
’No，’tisnotalargequantity。Oldwhatdidyousay，sir？’
’Onothing。He’swithinthere。’Festusflunghisforeheadinthedirectionofarightlinetowardstheinnerapartment。’He’saregularsnicheone。’
’Hee，hee；fie，fie，MasterDerriman！’saidCripplestraw，shakinghisheadindelightedcensure。’Gentlefolksshouldn’ttalkso。Andanofficer，Mr。Derriman！’Tisthedutyofallcavalrygentlementobearinmindthattheirbloodisaknowedthinginthecountry，andnottospeakillo’t。’
’He’sclose-fisted。’
’Well，maister，heis——Iownheisalittle。’Tisthenaterofsomeoldvenerablegentlementobeso。We’llhopehe’lltreatyewellinyerfortune，sir。’
’Hopehewill。Dopeopletalkaboutmehere，Cripplestraw？’askedtheyeoman，astheothercontinuedbusywithhisboots。
’Well，yes，sir；theydooffandon，youknow。Theysaysyoubeasfineapieceofcalveryfleshandbonesaswasevergrowedonfallow-ground；inshort，allownsthatyoubeafinefellow，sir。I
wishIwasn’tnomoreafraidoftheFrenchthanyoube；butbeingintheLocals，MaisterDerriman，IassureyeIdreamofhavingtodefendmycountryeverynight；andIdon’tlikethedreamatall。’
’Youshouldtakeitcareless，Cripplestraw，asIdo；and’twouldsooncomenaturaltoyounottominditatall。Well，afinefellowisnoteverything，youknow。Ono。There’sasgoodasIinthearmy，andevenbetter。’
’Andtheysaythatwhenyoufallthissummer，you’lldielikeaman。’
’WhenIfall？’
’Yes，sure，MaisterDerriman。Poorsoulo’thee！Ishan’tforget’eeasyouliemoulderinginyersoldier’sgrave。’
’Hey？’saidthewarrioruneasily。’Whatmakes’emthinkIamgoingtofall？’
’Well，sir，byallaccountstheyeomanrywillbeputinfront。’
’Front！That’swhatmyunclehasbeensaying。’
’Yes，andbyallaccounts’tistrue。Andnaterellythey’llbemoweddownlikegrass；andyouamong’em，pooryounggalliantofficer！’
’Lookhere，Cripplestraw。Thisisareg’larfoolishreport。Howcanyeomanrybeputinfront？Nobody’sputinfront。WeyeomanryhavenothingtodowithBuonaparte’slanding。Weshallbeawayinasafeplace，guardingthepossessionsandjewels。Now，canyousee，Cripplestraw，anywayatallthattheyeomanrycanbeputinfront？