’Well，no，’sheanswered，withasuddencarelessnessoftone。Itwasindispensablethatheshouldbeundeceived，andtobegintheprocessbytakinganaffectedlylightviewofhispersonalriskswasperhapsasgoodawaytodoitasany。Wherefriendlinesswasconstruedaslove，anassumedindifferencewasthenecessaryexpressionforfriendliness。
　　Soshelethimgo；and，biddinghimhastenbackassoonashecould，wentdownthehill，whileJohn’sfeetretracedtheupland。
　　Thetrumpet-majorspentthewholeafternoonandeveninginthatlonganddifficultsearchforFestusDerriman。CrossingthedownattheendofthesecondhourhemetMollyandMrs。Loveday。Thegighadbeenrepaired，theyhadlearntthegroundlessnessofthealarm，andtheywouldhavebeenproceedinghappilyenoughbutfortheiranxietyaboutAnne。Johntoldthemshortlythatshehadgotalifthome，andproceededonhisway。
　　Theworthyobjectofhissearchhadinthemeantimebeenploddinghomewardonfoot，sulkyatthelossofhischarger，encumberedwithhissword，belts，highboots，anduniform，andinhisowndiscomfiturecarelesswhetherAnneGarland’slifehadbeenendangeredornot。
　　AtlengthDerrimanreachedaplacewheretheroadranbetweenhighbanks，oneofwhichhemountedandpacedalongasachangefromthehardtrackway。Aheadofhimhesawanoldmansittingdown，witheyesfixedonthedustoftheroad，asifrestingandmeditatingatoneandthesametime。Beingprettysurethatherecognizedhisuncleinthatvenerablefigure，Festuscameforwardstealthily，tillhewasimmediatelyabovetheoldman’sback。Thelatterwasclothedinfadednankeenbreeches，speckledstockings，adrabhat，andacoatwhichhadoncebeenlightblue，butfromexposureasascarecrowhadassumedthecomplexionandfibreofadriedpudding-cloth。Thefarmerwas，infact，returningtothehall，whichhehadleftinthemorningsometimelaterthanhisnephew，toseekanasyluminahollowtreeabouttwomilesoff。Thetreewassosituatedastocommandaviewofthebuilding，andUncleBenjyhadmanagedtoclamberupinsidethisnaturalfortificationhighenoughtowatchhisresidencethroughaholeinthebark，till，gatheringfromthewordsofoccasionalpassers-bythatthealarmwasa（丁香书院小说）tleastpremature，hehadventuredintodaylightagain。
　　Hewasnowengagedinabstractedlytracingadiagraminthedustwithhiswalking-stick，andmutteredwordstohimselfaloud。
　　Presentlyhearoseandwentonhiswaywithoutturninground。
　　Festuswascuriousenoughtodescendandlookatthemarks。Theyrepresentedanoblong，withtwosemi-diagonals，andalittlesquareinthemiddle。Uponthediagonalswerethefigures20and17，andoneachsideoftheparallelogramstoodalettersignifyingthepointofthecompass。
　　’Whatcrazythingisrunninginhisheadnow？’saidFestustohimself，withsuperciliouspity，recollectingthatthefarmerhadbeensingingthoseverynumbersearlierinthemorning。Beingabletomakenothingofit，helengthenedhisstrides，andtreadingontiptoeovertookhisrelative，salutinghimbyscratchinghisbacklikeahen。Thestartledoldfarmerdancedroundlikeatop，andgasping，said，asheperceivedhisnephew，’What，Festy！notthrownfromyourhorseandkilled，then，afterall！’
　　’No，nunc。Whatmadeyethinkthat？’
　　’Championpassedmeaboutanhourago，whenIwasinhiding——poortimidsoulofme，forIhadnothingtolosebytheFrenchcoming——
　　andhelookedawfulwiththestirrupsdanglingandthesaddleempty。
　　’Tisagloomysight，Festy，toseeahorsecanteringwithoutarider，andIthoughtyouhadbeen——fearedyouhadbeenthrownoffandkilledasdeadasanit。’
　　’Blessyourdearoldheartforbeingsoanxious！Andwhatprettypicturewereyoudrawingjustnowwithyourwalking-stick！’
　　’O，that！ThatisonlyawayIhaveofamusingmyself。ItshowedhowtheFrenchmighthaveadvancedtotheattack，youknow。Suchtriflesfilltheheadofaweakoldmanlikeme。’
　　’Ortheplacewheresomethingishidaway——money，forinstance？’
　　’Festy，’saidthefarmerreproachfully，’youalwaysknowIusetheoldgloveinthebedroomcupboardforanyguineaortwoIpossess。’
　　’OfcourseIdo，’saidFestusironically。
　　Theyhadnowreachedalonelyinnaboutamileandahalffromthehall，and，thefarmernotrespondingtohisnephew’skindinvitationtocomeinandtreathim，Festusenteredalone。Hewasdusty，draggled，andweary，andheremainedatthetavernlong。Thetrumpet-major，inthemeantime，havingsearchedtheroadsinvain，heardinthecourseoftheeveningoftheyeoman’sarrivalatthisplace，andthathewouldprobablybefoundtherestill。Heaccordinglyapproachedthedoor，reachingitjustastheduskofeveningchangedtodarkness。
　　Therewasnolightinthepassage，butJohnpushedonathazard，inquiredforDerriman，andwastoldthathewouldbefoundinthebackparlouralone。WhenLovedayfirstenteredtheapartmenthewasunabletoseeanything，butfollowingtheguidanceofavigoroussnoring，hecametothesettle，uponwhichFestuslayasleep，hispositionbeingfaintlysignifiedbytheshineofhisbuttonsandotherpartsofhisuniform。Johnlaidhishandupontherecliningfigureandshookhim，andbydegreesDerrimanstoppedhissnoreandsatup。
　　’Whoareyou？’hesaid，intheaccentsofamanwhohasbeendrinkinghard。’Isityou，dearAnne？Letmekissyou；yes，I
　　will。’
　　’Shutyourmouth，youpitifulblockhead；I’llteachyougenteelermannersthantopersecuteayoungwomaninthatway！’andtakingFestusbytheear，hegaveitagoodpull。Festusbrokeoutwithanoath，andstruckavagueblowintheairwithhisfist；whereuponthetrumpet-majordealthimaboxontherightear，andasimilaroneonthelefttoartisticallybalancethefirst。Festusjumpedupandusedhisfistswildly，butwithoutanydefiniteresult。
　　’Wanttofight，doye，eh？’saidJohn。’Nonsense！youcan’tfight，yougreatbaby，andnevercould。Youareonlyfittobesmacked！’
　　andhedealtFestusaspecimenofthesameonthecheekwiththepalmofhishand。
　　’No，sir，no！O，youareLoveday，theyoungmanshe’sgoingtobemarriedto，Isuppose？Dashme，Ididn’twanttohurther，sir。’
　　’Yes，mynameisLoveday；andyou’llknowwheretofindme，sincewecan’tfinishthisto-night。Pistolsorswords，whicheveryoulike，myboy。Takethat，andthat，sothatyoumaynotforgettocalluponme！’andagainhesmackedtheyeoman’searsandcheeks。’Doyouknowwhatitisfor，eh？’
　　’No，Mr。Loveday，sir——yes，Imean，Ido。’
　　’Whatisitfor，then？Ishallkeepsmackinguntilyoutellme。
　　Gad！ifyouweren’tdrunk，I’dhalfkillyouhereto-night。’
　　’ItisbecauseIservedherbadly。DamnedifIcare！I’lldoitagain，andbehangedto’ee！Where’smyhorseChampion？Tellmethat，’andhehitatthetrumpet-major。
　　Johnparriedthisattack，andtakinghimfirmlybythecollar，pushedhimdownintotheseat，saying，’HereIhold’eetillyoubegpardonforyourdoingsto-day。Doyouwantanymoreofit，doyou？’
　　Andheshooktheyeomantoasortofjelly。
　　’Idobegpardon——no，Idon’t。Isaythis，thatyoushallnottakesuchlibertieswitholdSquireDerriman’snephew，youdirtymiller’sson，youflour-worm，yousmutinthecorn！I’llcallyououtto-morrowmorning，andhavemyrevenge。’
　　’Ofcourseyouwill；that’swhatIcamefor。’Andpushinghimbackintothecornerofthesettle，Lovedaywentoutofthehouse，feelingconsiderablesatisfactionathavinggothimselfintothebeginningofasniceaquarrelaboutAnneGarlandasthemostjealouslovercoulddesire。
　　Butofonefeatureinthiscuriousadventurehehadnottheleastnotion——thatFestusDerriman，misledbythedarkness，thefumesofhispotations，andtheconstantsightofAnneandBobtogether，neveroncesupposedhisassailanttobeanyothermanthanBob，believingthetrumpet-majormilesaway。
　　TherewasamoonduringtheearlypartofJohn’swalkhome，butwhenhehadarrivedwithinamileofOvercombetheskycloudedover，andrainsuddenlybegantofallwithsomeviolence。Nearhimwasawoodengranaryontallstonestaddles，andperceivingthattherainwasonlyathunderstormwhichwouldsoonpassaway，heascendedthestepsandenteredthedoorway，wherehestoodwatchingthehalf-obscuredmoonthroughthestreamingrain。Presently，tohissurprise，hebeheldafemalefigurerunningforwardwithgreatrapidity，nottowardsthegranaryforshelter，buttowardsopenground。Whatcouldsheberunningforinthatdirection？TheanswercameintheappearanceofhisbrotherBobfromthatquarter，seatedonthebackofhisfather’sheavyhorse。Assoonasthewomanmethim，Bobdismountedandcaughtherinhisarms。Theystoodlockedtogether，therainbeatingintotheirunconsciousforms，andthehorselookingon。
　　Thetrumpet-majorfellbackinsidethegranary，andthrewhimselfonaheapofemptysackswhichlayinthecorner:hehadrecognizedthewomantobeAnne。Herehereclinedinastuportillhewasarousedbythesoundofvoicesunderhim，thevoicesofAnneandhisbrother，who，havingatlastdiscoveredthattheyweregettingwet，hadtakenshelterunderthegranaryfloor。
　　’Ihavebeenhome，’saidshe。’MotherandMollyhavebothgotbacklongago。Wewereallanxiousaboutyou，andIcameouttolookforyou。O，Bob，Iamsogladtoseeyouagain！’
　　Johnmighthaveheardeverywordoftheconversation，whichwascontinuedinthesamestrainforalongtime；buthestoppedhisears，andwouldnot。Stilltheyremained，andstillwashedeterminedthattheyshouldnotseehim。Withtheconservedhopeofmorethanhalfayeardashedawayinamoment，hecouldyetfeelthatthecrueltyofaprotestwouldbeevengreaterthanitsinutility。Itwasabsolutelybyhisowncontrivancethatthesituationhadbeenshaped。Bob，lefttohimself，wouldlongerethishavebeenthehusbandofanotherwoman。
　　Theraindecreased，andtheloverswenton。Johnlookedafterthemastheystrolled，aqua-tintedbytheweakmoonandmist。Bobhadthrustoneofhisarmsthroughthereinofthehorse，andtheotherwasroundAnne’swaist。Whentheywerelostbehindthedeclivitythetrumpet-majorcameout，andwalkedhomewardevenmoreslowlythanthey。Ashewenton，hisfaceputoffitscomplexionofdespairforoneofsereneresolve。Forthefirsttimeinhisdealingswithfriendsheentereduponacourseofcounterfeiting，sethisfeaturestoconcealhisthought，andinstructedhistonguetodolikewise。Hethrewfictitiousnessintohisverygait，evennow，whentherewasnobodytoseehim，andstruckatstemsofwildparsleywithhisregimentalswitchashehadusedtodowhensoldieringwasnewtohim，andlifeingeneralacharmingexperience。
　　Thuscloakinghissicklythought，hedescendedtothemillastheothershaddonebeforehim，occasionallylookingdownuponthewetroadtonoticehowcloseAnne’slittletracksweretoBob’sallthewayalong，andhowpreciselyacurveinhiscoursewasfollowedbyacurveinhers。Butafterthisheerectedhisheadandwalkedsosmartlyuptothefrontdoorthathisspursrangthroughthecourt。
　　Theyhadallreachedhome，butbeforeanyofthemcouldspeakhecriedgaily，’Ah，Bob，Ihavebeenthinkingofyou！ByGod，howareyou，myboy？NoFrenchcut-throatsafterall，yousee。Hereweare，wellandhappytogetheragain。’
　　’AgoodProvidencehaswatchedoverus，’saidMrs。Lovedaycheerfully。’Yes，inalltimesandplacesweareinGod’shand。’
　　’Sowebe，sowebe！’saidthemiller，whostillshoneinallthefiercenessofuniform。’Well，nowwe’llha’eadropo’drink。’
　　’There’snone，’saidDavid，comingforwardwithadrawnface。
　　’What！’saidthemiller。
　　’AforeIwenttochurchforapiketodefendmynativecountryfromBoney，Ipulledoutthespigotsofallthebarrels，maister；for，thinksI——damnhim！——sincewecan’tdrinkitourselves，heshan’thaveit，nornoneofhismen。’
　　’Butyoushouldn’thavedoneittillyouwassurehe’dcome！’saidthemiller，aghast。