第13章

Toexplainthemiller’ssuddenproposalitisonlynecessarytogobacktothatmomentwhenAnne，Festus，andMrs。Garlandweretalkingtogetheronthedown。JohnLovedayhadfallenbehindsoasnottointerferewithameetinginwhichhewasdecidedlysuperfluous；andhisfather，whoguessedthetrumpet-major’ssecret，watchedhisfaceashestood。John’sfacewassad，andhiseyesfollowedMrs。

Garland’sencouragingmannertoFestusinawaywhichplainlysaidthateverypartingofherlipswastribulationtohim。Themillerlovedhissonasmuchasanymillerorprivategentlemancoulddo，andhewaspainedtoseeJohn’sgloomatsuchatrivialcircumstance。SowhatdidheresolvebuttohelpJohnthereandthenbyprecipitatingamatterwhich，hadhehimselfbeentheonlypersonconcerned，hewouldhavedelayedforanothersixmonths。

Hehadlonglikedthesocietyofhisimpulsive，tractableneighbour，Mrs。Garland；hadmentallytakenherupandponderedherinconnexionwiththequestionwhetheritwouldnotbeforthehappinessofbothifsheweretosharehishome，eventhoughshewasalittlehissuperiorinantecedentsandknowledge。Infacthelovedher；nottragically，buttoaverycreditableextentforhisyears；thatis，nexttohissons，BobandJohn，thoughheknewverywellofthatploughed-groundappearancenearthecornersofheroncehandsomeeyes，andthatthelittledepressioninherrightcheekwasnotthelingeringdimpleitwaspoeticallyassumedtobe，butaresultoftheabstractionofsomeworn-outnethermillstoneswithinthecheekbyRootle，theBudmouthman，wholivedbysuchpracticesontheheadsoftheelderly。Butwhatofthat，whenhehadlosttwotoeachoneofhers，andexceededherinagebysomeeightyears！

TodoJohnaservice，then，hequickenedhisdesigns，andputthequestiontoherwhiletheywerestandingundertheeyesoftheyoungerpair。

Mrs。Garland，thoughshehadbeeninterestedinthemillerforalongtime，andhadforamomentnowandthenthoughtonthisquestionasfaras，’Supposeheshould，’Ifhewereto，’andsoon，hadneverthoughtmuchfurther；andshewasreallytakenbysurprisewhenthequestioncame。Sheansweredwithoutaffectationthatshewouldthinkovertheproposal；andthustheyparted。

Hermother’sinfirmityofpurposesetAnnethinking，andshewassuddenlyfilledwithaconvictionthatinsuchacasesheoughttohavesomepurposeherself。Mrs。Garland’scomplacencyatthemiller’sofferhad，intruth，amazedher。Whilehermotherhadheldupherhead，andrecommendedFestus，ithadseemedaveryprettythingtorebel；butthepressurebeingremovedanawfulsenseofherownresponsibilitytookpossessionofhermind。Astherewasnolongeranybodytobewiseorambitiousforher，surelysheshouldbewiseandambitiousforherself，discountenancehermother’sattachment，andencourageFestusinhisaddresses，forherownandhermother’sgood。TherehadbeenatimewhenaLovedaythrilledherownheart；butthatwaslongago，beforeshehadthoughtofpositionordifferences。Towakeintocolddaylightlikethis，whenandbecausehermotherhadgoneintothelandofromance，wasdreadfulandnewtoher，andlikeanincreaseofyearswithoutlivingthem。

Butitwaseasiertothinkthatsheoughttomarrytheyeomanthantotakestepsfordoingit；andshewentonlivingjustasbefore，onlywithalittlemorethoughtfulnessinhereyes。

Twodaysafterthevisittothecamp，whenshewasagaininthegarden，SoldierLovedaysaidtoher，atadistanceoffiverowsofbeansandaparsley-bed——

’Youhaveheardthenews，MissGarland？’

’No，’saidAnne，withoutlookingupfromabookshewasreading。

’TheKingiscomingto-morrow。’

’TheKing？’Shelookedupthen。

’Yes；toGloucesterLodge；andhewillpassthisway。Hecan’tarrivetilllongpastthemiddleofthenight，ifwhattheysayistrue，thatheistimedtochangehorsesatWoodyatesInn——betweenMidandSouthWessex——attwelveo’clock，’continuedLoveday，encouragedbyherinteresttocutofftheparsley-bedfromthedistancebetweenthem。

MillerLovedaycameroundthecornerofthehouse。

’HaveyeheardabouttheKingcoming，MissMaidyAnne？’hesaid。

Annesaidthatshehadjustheardofit；andthetrumpet-major，whohardlywelcomedhisfatheratsuchamoment，explainedwhatheknewofthematter。

’Andyouwillgowithyourregimenttomeet’en，Isuppose？’saidoldLoveday。

YoungLovedaysaidthatthemenoftheGermanLegionweretoperformthatduty。Andturninghalffromhisfather，andhalftowardsAnne，headded，inatentativetone，thathethoughthemightgetleaveforthenight，ifanybodywouldliketobetakentothetopoftheRidgewayoverwhichtheroyalpartymustpass。

Anne，knowingbythistimeofthebuddinghopeinthegallantdragoon’smind，andnotwishingtoencourageit，said，’Idon’twanttogo。’

ThemillerlookeddisappointedaswellasJohn。

’Yourmothermightliketo？’

’Yes，Iamgoingindoors，andI’llaskherifyouwishmeto，’saidshe。

Shewentindoorsandrathercoldlytoldhermotheroftheproposal。

Mrs。Garland，thoughshehaddeterminednottoanswerthemiller’squestiononmatrimonyjustyet，wasquitereadyforthisjaunt，andinspiteofAnneshesailedoffatoncetothegardentohearmoreaboutit。Whenshere-entered，shesaid——

’Anne，IhavenotseentheKingortheKing’shorsesforthesemanyyears；andIamgoing。’

’Ah，itiswelltobeyou，mother，’saidAnne，inanelderlytone。

’Thenyouwon’tcomewithus？’saidMrs。Garland，ratherrebuffed。

’Ihaveverydifferentthingstothinkof，’saidherdaughterwithvirtuousemphasis，’thangoingtoseesightsatthattimeofnight。’

Mrs。Garlandwassorry，butresolvedtoadheretothearrangement。

Thenightcameon；andithavinggoneabroadthattheKingwouldpassbytheroad，manyofthevillagerswentouttoseetheprocession。WhenthetwoLovedaysandMrs。Garlandweregone，Anneboltedthedoorforsecurity，andsatdowntothinkagainonhergraveresponsibilitiesinthechoiceofahusband，nowthathernaturalguardiancouldnolongerbetrusted。

Aknockcametothedoor。

Anne’sinstinctwasatoncetobesilent，thatthecomermightthinkthefamilyhadretired。

Theknockingperson，however，wasnottobeeasilypersuaded。Hehadinfactseenraysoflightoverthetopoftheshutter，and，unabletogetananswer，wentontothedoorofthemill，whichwasstillgoing，themillersometimesgrindingallnightwhenbusy。ThegrinderaccompaniedthestrangertoMrs。Garland’sdoor。

’Thedaughteriscertainlyathome，sir，’saidthegrinder。’I’llgoroundtot’otherside，andseeifshe’sthere，MasterDerriman。’

’IwanttotakeherouttoseetheKing，’saidFestus。

Annehadstartedatthesoundofthevoice。Noopportunitycouldhavebeenbetterforcarryingouthernewconvictionsonthedisposalofherhand。ButinhermortaldislikeofFestus，Anneforgotherprinciples，andherideaofkeepingherselfabovetheLovedays。Tossingonherhatandblowingoutthecandle，sheslippedoutatthebackdoor，andhastilyfollowedinthedirectionthathermotherandtheresthadtaken。Sheovertookthemastheywerebeginningtoclimbthehill。

’What！youhavealteredyourmindafterall？’saidthewidow。’Howcameyoutodothat，mydear？’

’IthoughtImightaswellcome，’saidAnne。

’Tobesureyoudid，’saidthemillerheartily。’Agooddealbetterthanbidingathomethere。’

Johnsaidnothing，thoughshecouldalmostseethroughthegloomhowgladhewasthatshehadalteredhermind。Whentheyreachedtheridgeoverwhichthehighwaystretchedtheyfoundmanyoftheirneighbourswhohadgottherebeforethemidlingonthegrassborderbetweentheroadwayandthehedge，enjoyingasortofmidnightpicnic，whichitwaseasytodo，theairbeingstillanddry。Somecarriageswerealsostandingnear，thoughmostpeopleofthedistrictwhopossessedfourwheels，oreventwo，haddrivenintothetowntoawaittheKingthere。Fromthisheightcouldbeseeninthedistancethepositionofthewatering-place，anadditionalnumberoflanterns，lamps，andcandleshavingbeenlightedto-nightbytheloyalburgherstogracetheroyalentry，ifitshouldoccurbeforedawn。

Mrs。GarlandtouchedAnne’selbowseveraltimesastheywalked，andtheyoungwomanatlastunderstoodthatthiswasmeantasahinttohertotakethetrumpet-major’sarm，whichitsownerwasrathersuggestingthanofferingtoher。Annewonderedwhatinfatuationwaspossessinghermother，declinedtotakethearm，andcontrivedtogetinfrontwiththemiller，whomostlykeptinthevantoguidetheothers’footsteps。Thetrumpet-majorwasleftwithMrs。

Garland，andAnne’sencouragingpursuitoftheminducedhimtosayafewwordstotheformer。

’Byyourleave，ma’am，I’llspeaktoyouonsomethingthatconcernsmymindverymuchindeed？’

’Certainly。’

’Itismywishtobeallowedtopaymyaddressestoyourdaughter。’

’Ithoughtyoumeantthat，’saidMrs。Garlandsimply。

’Andyou’llnotobject？’

’Ishallleaveittoher。Idon’tthinkshewillagree，evenifI

do。’

Thesoldiersighed，andseemedhelpless。’Well，Icanbutaskher，’

hesaid。

ThespotonwhichtheyhadfinallychosentowaitfortheKingwasbyafieldgate，whencethewhiteroadcouldbeseenforalongdistancenorthwardsbyday，andsomelittledistancenow。Theylingeredandlingered，butnoKingcametobreakthesilenceofthatbeautifulsummernight。Ashalf-hourafterhalf-hourglidedby，andnobodycame，Annebegantogetweary；sheknewwhyhermotherdidnotproposetogoback，andregrettedthereason。Shewouldhaveproposeditherself，butthatMrs。Garlandseemedsocheerful，andaswideawakeasatnoonday，sothatitwasalmostacrueltytodisturbher。

Thetrumpet-majoratlastmadeuphismind，andtriedtodrawAnneintoaprivateconversation。Thefeelingwhichaweekagohadbeenavagueandpiquantaspiration，wasto-dayaltogethertoolivelyforthereasoningofthiswarm-heartedsoldiertoregulate。Soheperseveredinhisintentiontocatchheralone，andatlast，inspiteofhermanoeuvrestothecontrary，hesucceeded。ThemillerandMrs。Garlandhadwalkedaboutfiftyyardsfurtheron，andAnneandhimselfwereleftstandingbythegate。

Butthegallantmusician’ssoulwassomuchdisturbedbytendervibrationsandbythesenseofhispresumptionthathecouldnotbegin；anditmaybequestionedifhewouldeverhavebroachedthesubjectatall，hadnotadistantchurchclockopportunelyassistedhimbystrikingthehourofthree。Thetrumpet-majorheavedabreathofrelief。

’ThatclockstrikesinGsharp，’hesaid。

’Indeed——Gsharp？’saidAnnecivilly。

’Yes。’Tisafine-tonedbell。IusedtonoticethatnotewhenI

wasaboy。’

’Didyou——theverysame？’

’Yes；andsincethenIhadawageraboutthatbellwiththebandmasteroftheNorthWessexMilitia。HesaidthenotewasG；I

saiditwasn’t。WhenwefounditGsharpwedidn’tknowhowtosettleit。’

’Itisnotadeepnoteforaclock。’

’Ono！ThefinesttenorbellabouthereisthebellofPeter’s，Casterbridge——inEflat。Tum-m-m-m——that’sthenote——tum-m-m-m。’

Thetrumpet-majorsoundedfromfardownhisthroatwhatheconsideredtobeEflat，withaparentheticsenseofluxuryunquenchableevenbyhispresentdistraction。

’Shallwegoontowheremymotheris？’saidAnne，lessimpressedbythebeautyofthenotethanthetrumpet-majorhimselfwas。

’Inoneminute，’hesaidtremulously。’Talkingofmusic——Ifearyoudon’tthinktherankofatrumpet-majormuchtocomparewithyourown？’

’Ido。Ithinkatrumpet-majoraveryrespectableman。’

’Iamgladtohearyousaythat。ItisgivenoutbytheKing’scommandthattrumpet-majorsaretobeconsideredrespectable。’

’Indeed！ThenIam，bychance，moreloyalthanIthoughtfor。’

’Igetagooddealayearextratothetrumpeters，becauseofmyposition。’

’That’sverynice。’

’AndIamnotsupposedevertodrinkwiththetrumpeterswhoservebeneathme。’

’Naturally。’