’Indeedtheycouldnot，’saidMrs。Garlandagain，inatoneofpleasantagreementwithanyoneinGreatBritainorIreland。
　　Itwassaidthatthelinethatdaywasthreemileslong，reachingfromthehighgroundontherightofwherethepeoplestoodtotheturnpikeroadontheleft。Afterthereviewcameashamfight，duringwhichactionthecrowddispersedmorewidelyoverthedowns，enablingWidowGarlandtogetstillclearerglimpsesoftheKing，andhishandsomecharger，andtheheadoftheQueen，andtheelbowsandshouldersoftheprincessesinthecarriages，andfractionalpartsofGeneralGarthandtheDukeofCumberland；whichsightsgavehergreatgratification。Shetuggedatherdaughterateveryopportunity，exclaiming，’Nowyoucanseehisfeather！’’There’sherhat！’’There’sherMajesty’sIndiamuslinshawl！’inaminorformofecstasy，thatmadethemillerthinkhermoregirlishandanimatedthanherdaughterAnne。
　　Inthosemilitarymanoeuvresthemillerfollowedthefortunesofoneman；AnneGarlandoftwo。Thespectators，who，unlikeourparty，hadnopersonalinterestinthesoldiery，sawonlytroopsandbattalionsintheconcrete，straightlinesofred，straightlinesofblue，whitelinesformedofinnumerableknee-breeches，blacklinesformedofmanygaiters，comingandgoinginkaleidoscopicchange。
　　Whothoughtofeverypointinthelineasanisolatedman，eachdwellingalltohimselfinthehermitageofhisownmind？Onepersondid，ayoungmanfarremovedfromthebarrowwheretheGarlandsandMillerLovedaystood。Thenaturalexpressionofhisfacewassomewhatobscuredbythebronzingeffectsofroughweather，butthelinesofhismouthshowedthataffectionateimpulseswerestrongwithinhim——perhapsstrongerthanjudgmentwellcouldregulate。Heworeabluejacketwithlittlebrassbuttons，andwasplainlyaseafaringman。
　　Meanwhile，inthepartoftheplainwhererosethetumulusonwhichthemillerhadestablishedhimself，abroad-brimmedtradesmanwaselbowinghiswayalong。HesawMr。Lovedayfromthebaseofthebarrow，andbeckonedtoattracthisattention。Lovedaywenthalfwaydown，andtheothercameupasnearashecould。
　　’Miller，’saidtheman，’aletterhasbeenlyingatthepost-officeforyouforthelastthreedays。IfIhadknownthatIshouldseeyehereI’dhavebroughtitalongwithme。’
　　Themillerthankedhimforthenews，andtheyparted，Lovedayreturningtothesummit。’Whataverystrangething！’hesaidtoMrs。Garland，whohadlookedinquiringlyathisface，nowverygrave。’ThatwasBudmouthpostmaster，andhesaysthere’saletterforme。Ah，InowcalltomindthatthereWASaletterinthecandlethreedaysagothisverynight——alargeredone；butfoolish-likeIthoughtnothingo’t。WhoCANthatletterbefrom？’
　　Aletteratthistimewassuchaneventforhamleteers，evenofthemiller’srespectablestanding，thatLovedaythenceforwardwasthrownintoafitofabstractionwhichpreventedhisseeinganymoreoftheshamfight，orthepeople，ortheKing。Mrs。Garlandimbibedsomeofhisconcern，andsuggestedthatthelettermightcomefromhissonRobert。
　　’Ishouldnaturallyhavethoughtthat，’saidMillerLoveday；’buthewrotetomeonlytwomonthsago，andhisbrotherJohnheardfromhimwithinthelastfourweeks，whenhewasjustaboutstartingonanothervoyage。Ifyou’llpardonme，Mrs。Garland，ma’am，I’llseeifthere’sanyOvercombemanherewhoisgoingtoBudmouthto-day，sothatImaygettheletterbynight-time。Icannotpossiblygomyself。’
　　SoMr。Lovedayleftthemforawhile；andastheyweresonearhomeMrs。Garlanddidnotwaitonthebarrowforhimtocomeback，butwalkedaboutwithAnnealittletime，untiltheyshouldbedisposedtotrotdowntheslopetotheirowndoor。TheylistenedtoamanwhowasofferingoneguineatoreceivetenincaseBuonaparteshouldbekilledinthreemonths，andtootherentertainmentsofthatnature，whichatthistimewerenotrare。Onceduringtheirperegrinationtheeyesofthesailorbefore-mentionedfelluponAnne；butheglancedoverherandpassedherunheedinglyby。
　　Lovedaytheelderwasatthistimeontheothersideoftheline，lookingforamessengertothetown。Attwelveo’clockthereviewwasover，andtheKingandhisfamilyleftthehill。Thetroopsthenclearedoffthefield，thespectatorsfollowed，andbyoneo’clockthedownswereagainbare。
　　Theystillspreadtheirgrassysurfacetothesunasonthatbeautifulmorningnot，historicallyspeaking，soverylongago；buttheKingandhisfifteenthousandarmedmen，thehorses，thebandsofmusic，theprincesses，thecream-colouredteams——thegorgeouscentre-piece，inshort，towhichthedownswerebutthemeremountormargin——howentirelyhavetheyallpassedandgone！——lyingscatteredabouttheworldasmilitaryandotherdust，someatTalavera，Albuera，Salamanca，Vittoria，Toulouse，andWaterloo；someinhomechurchyards；andafewsmallhandfulsinroyalvaults。
　　IntheafternoonJohnLoveday，lightenedofhistrumpetandtrappings，appearedattheoldmill-housedoor，andbeheldAnnestandingathers。
　　’Isawyou，MissGarland，’saidthesoldiergaily。
　　’WherewasI？’saidshe，smiling。
　　’Onthetopofthebigmound——totherightoftheKing。’
　　’AndIsawyou；lotsoftimes，’sherejoined。
　　Lovedayseemedpleased。’Didyoureallytakethetroubletofindme？Thatwasverygoodofyou。’
　　’Hereyesfollowedyoueverywhere，’saidMrs。Garlandfromanupperwindow。
　　’OfcourseIlookedatthedragoonsmost，’saidAnne，disconcerted。
　　’AndwhenIlookedatthemmyeyesnaturallyfelluponthetrumpets。
　　Ilookedatthedragoonsgenerally，nomore。’
　　Shedidnotmeantoshowanyvexationtothetrumpet-major，buthefanciedotherwise，andstoodrepressed。Thesituationwasrelievedbythearrivalofthemiller，stilllookingserious。
　　’Iamverymuchconcerned，John；Ididnotgotothereviewfornothing。There’salettera-waitingformeatBudmouth，andImustgetitbeforebedtime，orIshan’tsleepawink。’
　　’I’llgo，ofcourse，’saidJohn；’andperhapsMissGarlandwouldliketoseewhat’sdoingthereto-day？Everybodyisgoneorgoing；
　　theroadislikeafair。’
　　Hespokepleadingly，butAnnewasnotwontoassent。
　　’Youcandriveinthegig；’twilldoBlossomgood，’saidthemiller。
　　’LetDaviddriveMissGarland，’saidthetrumpet-major，notwishingtocoerceher；’Iwouldjustassoonwalk。’
　　Annejoyfullywelcomedthisarrangement，andatimewasfixedforthestart。
　　Intheafternoontheydroveoff，JohnLovedaybeingnowherevisible。
　　Allalongtheroadtheypassedandwereovertakenbyvehiclesofalldescriptionsgoinginthesamedirection；amongthemtheextraordinarymachineswhichhadbeeninventedfortheconveyanceoftroopstoanypointofthecoastonwhichtheenemyshouldland；
　　theyconsistedoffourboardsplacedacrossasortoftrolly，thirtymenofthevolunteercompaniesridingoneach。
　　ThepopularGeorgianwatering-placewasinaparoxysmofgaiety。
　　Thetownwasquiteoverpoweredbythecountryround，muchtothetown’sdelightandprofit。Thefearofinvasionwassuchthatsixfrigateslayintheroadstoensurethesafetyoftheroyalfamily，andfromtheregimentsofhorseandfootquarteredatthebarracks，orencampedonthehillsroundabout，apicketofathousandmenmountedguardeverydayinfrontofGloucesterLodge，wheretheKingresided。WhenAnneandherattendantreachedthispoint，whichtheydidonfoot，stablingthehorseontheoutskirtsofthetown，itwasaboutsixo’clock。TheKingwasontheEsplanade，andthesoldierswerejustmarchingpasttomountguard。ThebandformedinfrontoftheKing，andalltheofficerssalutedastheywentby。
　　Annenowfeltherselfclosetoandlookingintothestreamofrecordedhistory，withinwhosebanksthelittlestthingsaregreat，andoutsidewhichsheandthegeneralbulkofthehumanracewerecontenttoliveonasanunreckoned，unheededsuperfluity。
　　Whensheturnedfromherinterestedgazeatthisscene，therestoodJohnLoveday。Shehadhadapresentimentthathewouldturnupinthismysteriousway。Itwasmarvellousthathecouldhavegottheresoquickly；buttherehewas——notlookingattheKing，oratthecrowd，butwaitingfortheturnofherhead。
　　’Trumpet-major，Ididn’tseeyou，’saidAnnedemurely。’Howisitthatyourregimentisnotmarchingpast？’
　　’Wetakeitbyturns，anditisnotourturn，’saidLoveday。
　　ShewantedtoknowtheniftheywereafraidthattheKingwouldbecarriedoffbytheFirstConsul。Yes，Lovedaytoldher；andhisMajestywasratherventuresome。Adayortwobeforehehadgonesofartoseathathewasnearlycaughtbysomeoftheenemy’scruisers。’HeisanxioustofightBoneysingle-handed，’hesaid。
　　’Whatagood，braveKing！’saidAnne。
　　Lovedayseemedanxioustocometomorepersonalmatters。’Willyouletmetakeyouroundtotheotherside，whereyoucanseebetter？’
　　heasked。’TheQueenandtheprincessesareatthewindow。’
　　Annepassivelyassented。’David，waithereforme，’shesaid；’I
　　shallbebackagaininafewminutes。’
　　Thetrumpet-majorthenledherofftriumphantly，andtheyskirtedthecrowdandcameroundonthesidetowardsthesands。Hetoldhereverythinghecouldthinkof，militaryandcivil，towhichAnnereturnedprettysyllablesandparentheticwordsaboutthecolouroftheseaandthecurlofthefoam——awayofspeakingthatmovedthesoldier’sheartevenmorethanlonganddirectspeecheswouldhavedone。
　　’AndthatotherthingIaskedyou？’heventuredtosayatlast。
　　’Wewon’tspeakofit。’
　　’Youdon’tdislikeme？’
　　’Ono！’shesaid，gazingatthebathing-machines，diggingchildren，andothercommonobjectsoftheseashore，asifherinterestlaythereratherthanwithhim。
　　’ButIamnotworthyofthedaughterofagenteelprofessionalman——
　　that’swhatyoumean？’
　　’There’ssomethingmorethanworthinessrequiredinsuchcases，youknow，’shesaid，stillwithoutcallinghermindawayfromsurroundingscenes。’Ah，therearetheQueenandprincessesatthewindow！’
　　’Somethingmore？’
　　’Well，sinceyouwillmakemespeak，Imeanthewomanoughttolovetheman。’
　　Thetrumpet-majorseemedtobelessconcernedaboutthisthanabouthersupposedsuperiority。’Ifitwereallrightonthatpoint，wouldyoumindtheother？’heasked，likeamanwhoknowsheistoopersistent，yetwhocannotbestill。
　　’HowcanIsay，whenIdon’tknow？Whataprettychiphattheelderprincesswears？’
　　Hercompanion’sgeneraldisappointmentextendedoverhimalmosttohislaceandhisplume。’Yourmothersaid，youknow，MissAnne——’
　　’Yes，that’stheworstofit，’shesaid。’LetusgobacktoDavid；
　　IhaveseenallIwanttosee，Mr。Loveday。’
　　ThemassofthepeoplehadbythistimenoticedtheQueenandprincessesatthewindow，andraisedacheer，towhichtheladieswavedtheirembroideredhandkerchiefs。Annewentbacktowardsthepavementwithhertrumpet-major，whomallthegirlsenviedher，sofine-lookingasoldierwashe；andnotonlyforthat，butbecauseitwaswellknownthathewasnotasoldierfromnecessity，butfrompatriotism，hisfatherhavingrepeatedlyofferedtosethimupinbusiness:hisartistictasteinpreferringahorseanduniformtoadirty，rumblingflour-millwasadmiredbyall。She，too，hadaveryniceappearanceinherbestclothesasshewalkedalong——thesarcenethat，muslinshawl，andtight-sleevedgownbeingofthenewestOvercombefashion，thatwasonlyaboutayearoldintheadjoiningtown，andinLondonthreeorfour。ShecouldnotbeharshtoLovedayanddismisshimcurtly，forhismusicalpursuitshadrefinedhim，educatedhim，andmadehimquitepoetical。To-dayhehadbeenparticularlywell-manneredandtender；so，insteadofanswering，’Neverspeaktomelikethisagain，’shemerelyputhimoffwitha’LetusgobacktoDavid。’
　　WhentheyreachedtheplacewheretheyhadlefthimDavidwasgone。
　　Annewasnowpositivelyvexed。’WhatSHALLIdo？’shesaid。
　　’He’sonlygonetodrinktheKing’shealth，’saidLoveday，whohadprivatelygivenDavidthemoneyforperformingthatoperation。
　　’Dependuponit，he’llbebacksoon。’
　　’Willyougoandfindhim？’saidshe，withintenseproprietyinherlooksandtone。