Bythetimetheyreachedthepieritwassixo’clock；theroyalyachtwasreturning；afactannouncedbytheshipsintheharbourfiringasalute。TheKingcameashorewithhishatinhishand，andreturnedthesalutationsofthewell-dressedcrowdinhisoldindiscriminatefashion。WhilethischeeringandwavingofhandkerchiefswasgoingonAnnestoodbetweenthetwobrothers，whoprotectinglyjoinedtheirhandsbehindherback，asifshewereadelicatepieceofstatuarythatapushmightdamage。SoontheKinghadpassed，andreceivingthemilitarysalutesofthepiquet，joinedtheQueenandprincessesatGloucesterLodge，thehomelyhouseofredbrickinwhichheunostentatiouslyresided。
　　Astherewasyetsomelittletimebeforethetheatrewouldopen，theystrayeduponthevelvetsands，andlistenedtothesongsofthesailors，oneofwhomextemporizedfortheoccasion:——
　　’PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，theKingaboard！
　　PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，WeweighedandsailedfromPortlandRoad！’*
　　*VidePreface。
　　Whentheyhadlookedonawhileatthecombatsatsingle-stickwhichwereinprogresshardby，andseenthesumoffiveguineashandedovertothemodestgentlemanwhohadbrokenmostheads，theyreturnedtoGloucesterLodge，whencetheKingandothermembersofhisfamilynowreappeared，anddrove，ataslowtrot，roundtothetheatreincarriagesdrawnbytheHanoverianwhitehorsesthatweresowellknowninthetownatthisdate。
　　WhenAnneandBobenteredthetheatretheyfoundthatJohnhadtakenexcellentplaces，andconcludedthathehadgotthemfornothingthroughtheinfluenceoftheladyofhischoice。Asamatteroffacthehadpaidfullpricesforthosetwoseats，likeanyotheroutsider，andeventhenhadadifficultyingettingthem，itbeingaKing’snight。Whentheyweresettledhehimselfretiredtoanobscurepartofthepit，fromwhichthestagewasscarcelyvisible。
　　’Wecanseebeautifully，’saidBob，inanaristocraticvoice，ashetookadelicatepinchofsnuff，anddrewoutthemagnificentpocket-handkerchiefbroughthomefromtheEastforsuchoccasions。
　　’ButIamafraidpoorJohncan’tseeatall。’
　　’Butwecanseehim，’repliedAnne，’andnoticebyhisfacewhichofthemitisheissocharmedwith。Thelightofthatcornercandlefallsrightuponhischeek。’
　　BythistimetheKinghadappearedinhisplace，whichwasoverhungbyacanopyofcrimsonsatinfringedwithgold。Abouttwentyplaceswereoccupiedbytheroyalfamilyandsuite；andbeyondthemwasacrowdofpowderedandglitteringpersonagesoffashion，completelyfillingthecentreofthelittlebuilding；thoughtheKingsofrequentlypatronizedthelocalstageduringtheseyearsthatthecrushwasnotinconvenient。
　　Thecurtainroseandtheplaybegan。To-nightitwasoneofColman’s，whoatthistimeenjoyedgreatpopularity，andMr。
　　Bannistersupportedtheleadingcharacter。Anne，withherhandprivatelyclaspedinBob’s，andlookingasifshedidnotknowit，partlywatchedthepieceandpartlythefaceoftheimpressionableJohnwhohadsosoontransferredhisaffectionselsewhere。Shehadnotlongtowait。Whenacertainoneofthesubordinateladiesofthecomedyenteredonthestagethetrumpet-majorinhiscornernotonlylookedconscious，butstartedandgazedwithpartedlips。
　　’Thismustbetheone，’whisperedAnnequickly。’See，heisagitated！’
　　SheturnedtoBob，butatthesamemomenthishandconvulsivelycloseduponhersashe，too，strangelyfixedhiseyesuponthenewly-enteredlady。
　　’Whatisit？’
　　Annelookedfromonetotheotherwithoutregardingthestageatall。Heranswercameinthevoiceoftheactresswhonowspokeforthefirsttime。TheaccentswerethoseofMissMatildaJohnson。
　　Onethoughtrushedintoboththeirmindsontheinstant，andBobwasthefirsttoutterit。
　　’What——isshethewomanofhischoiceafterall？’
　　’Ifso，itisadreadfulthing！’murmuredAnne。
　　But，asmaybeimagined，theunfortunateJohnwasasmuchsurprisedbythisrencounterastheothertwo。Untilthismomenthehadbeeninutterignoranceofthetheatricalcompanyandallthatpertainedtoit。Moreover，muchasheknewofMissJohnson，hewasnotawarethatshehadeverbeentrainedinheryouthasanactress，andthatafterlapsingintostraitsanddifficultiesforacoupleofyearsshehadbeensofortunateastoagainprocureanengagementhere。
　　Thetrumpet-major，thoughnotprominentlyseated，hadbeenseenbyMatildaalready，whohadobservedstillmoreplainlyheroldbetrothedandAnneintheotherpartofthehouse。Johnwasnotconcernedonhisownaccountatbeingfacetofacewithher，butattheextraordinarysuspicionthatthisconjuncturemustreviveinthemindsofhisbestbelovedfriends。Aftersomemomentsofpainedreflectionhetappedhisknee。
　　’Gad，Iwon’texplain；itshallgoasitis！’hesaid。’Letthemthinkhermine。Betterthatthanthetruth，afterall。’
　　Hadpersonalprominenceinthescenebeenatthismomentproportionedtointentnessoffeeling，thewholeaudience，regalandotherwise，wouldhavefadedintoanindistinctmistofbackground，leavingasthesoleemergentandtellingfiguresBobandAnneatonepoint，thetrumpet-majoronthelefthand，andMatildaattheoppositecornerofthestage。Butfortunatelythedeadlockofawkwardsuspenseintowhichallfourhadfallenwasterminatedbyanaccident。AmessengerenteredtheKing’sboxwithdespatches。
　　Therewasaninstantpauseintheperformance。Thedespatch-boxbeingopenedtheKingreadforafewmomentswithgreatinterest，theeyesofthewholehouse，includingthoseofAnneGarland，beinganxiouslyfixeduponhisface；forterribleeventsfellasunexpectedlyasthunderboltsatthiscriticaltimeofourhistory。
　　TheKingatlengthbeckonedtoLord——，whowasimmediatelybehindhim，theplaywasagainstopped，andthecontentsofthedespatchwerepubliclycommunicatedtotheaudience。
　　SirRobertCalder，cruisingoffFinisterre，hadcomeinsightofVilleneuve，andmadethesignalforaction，which，thoughcheckedbytheweather，hadresultedinthecaptureoftwoSpanishline-of-battleships，andtheretreatofVilleneuveintoFerrol。
　　Thenewswasreceivedwithtrulynationalfeeling，ifnoisemightbetakenasanindexofpatriotism。’RuleBritannia’wascalledforandsungbythewholehouse。Buttheimportanceoftheeventwasfarfrombeingrecognizedatthistime；andBobLoveday，ashesatthereandheardit，hadverylittleconceptionhowitwouldbearuponhisdestiny。
　　ThisparentheticexcitementdivertedforafewminutestheeyesofBobandAnnefromthetrumpet-major；andwhentheplayproceeded，andtheylookedbacktohiscorner，hewasgone。
　　’He’sjustslippedroundtotalktoherbehindthescenes，’saidBobknowingly。’Shallwegotoo，andteasehimforaslydog？’
　　’No，Iwouldrathernot。’
　　’Shallwegohome，then？’
　　’Notunlessherpresenceistoomuchforyou？’
　　’O——notatall。We’llstayhere。Ah，theresheisagain。’
　　Theysaton，andlistenedtoMatilda’sspeecheswhichshedeliveredwithsuchdelightfulcoolnessthattheysoonbegantoconsiderablyinterestoneoftheparty。
　　’Well，whatanervetheyoungwomanhas！’hesaidatlastintonesofadmiration，andgazingatMissJohnsonwithallhismight。
　　’Afterall，Jack’stasteisnotsobad。She’sreallydeucedclever。’
　　’Bob，I’llgohomeifyouwishto，’saidAnnequickly。
　　’Ono——letusseehowshefleetsherselfoffthatbitofascrapeshe’splayingatnow。Well，whatahandsheisatit，tobesure！’
　　Annesaidnomore，butwaitedon，supremelyuncomfortable，andalmosttearful。Shebegantofeelthatshedidnotlikelifeparticularlywell；itwastoocomplicated:shesawnothingofthescene，andonlylongedtogetaway，andtogetBobawaywithher。
　　Atlastthecurtainfellonthefinalact，andthenbeganthefarceof’NoSongnoSupper。’Matildadidnotappearinthispiece，andAnneagaininquirediftheyshouldgohome。ThistimeBobagreed，andtakingherunderhiscarewithredoubledaffection，tomakeupforthespeciesofcomawhichhadseizeduponhisheartforatime，hequietlyaccompaniedheroutofthehouse。
　　Whentheyemergedupontheesplanade，theAugustmoonwasshiningacrosstheseafromthedirectionofSt。Aldhelm’sHead。Bobunconsciouslyloitered，andturnedtowardsthepier。Reachingtheendofthepromenadetheysurveyedthequiveringwatersinsilenceforsometime，untilalongdarklineshotfrombehindthepromontoryoftheNothe，andsweptforwardintotheharbour。
　　’Whatboatisthat？’saidAnne。
　　’ItseemstobesomefrigatelyingintheRoads，’saidBobcarelessly，ashebroughtAnneroundwithagentlepressureofhisarmandbenthisstepstowardsthehomewardendofthetown。
　　Meanwhile，MissJohnson，havingfinishedherdutiesforthatevening，rapidlychangedherdress，andwentoutlikewise。TheprominentpositionwhichAnneandCaptainBobhadoccupiedsidebysideinthetheatre，lefthernoalternativebuttosupposethatthesituationwasarrangedbyBobasaspeciesofdefiancetoherself；
　　andherheart，suchasitwas，becameproportionatelyembitteredagainsthim。Inspiteoftheriseinherfortunes，MissJohnsonstillremembered——andalwayswouldremember——herhumiliatingdeparturefromOvercombe；andithadbeentoherevenamoregrievousthingthatBobhadacquiescedinhisbrother’srulingthanthatJohnhaddeterminedit。AtthetimeofsettingoutshewassustainedbyafirmfaiththatBobwouldfollowher，andnullifyhisbrother’sscheme；butthoughshewaitedBobnevercame。
　　Shepassedalongbythehousesfacingthesea，andscannedtheshore，thefootway，andtheopenroadclosetoher，which，illuminatedbytheslantingmoontoagreatbrightness，sparkledwithminutefacetsofcrystallizedsaltsfromthewatersprinkledthereduringtheday。Thepromenadersatthefurtheredgeappearedindarkprofiles；andbeyondthemwasthegreysea，partedintotwomassesbythetaperingbraidofmoonlightacrossthewaves。
　　Twoformscrossedthislineatastartlingnearnesstoher；shemarkedthematonceasAnneandBobLoveday。Theywerewalkingslowly，andintheearnestnessoftheirdiscoursewereobliviousofthepresenceofanyhumanbeingssavethemselves。Matildastoodmotionlesstilltheyhadpassed。
　　’HowIlovethem！’shesaid，treadingtheinitialstepofherwalkonwardswithavehemencethatwalkingdidnotdemand。
　　’SodoI——especiallyone，’saidavoiceatherelbow；andamanwheeledroundher，andlookedinherface，whichhadbeenfullyexposedtothemoon。
　　’You——whoareyou？’sheasked。
　　’Don’tyouremember，ma’am？WewalkedsomewaytogethertowardsOvercombeearlierinthesummer。’Matildalookedmoreclosely，andperceivedthatthespeakerwasDerriman，inplainclothes。Hecontinued，’Youareoneoftheladiesofthetheatre，Iknow。MayI
　　askwhyyousaidinsuchaqueerwaythatyoulovedthatcouple？’
　　’Inaqueerway？’
　　’Well，asifyouhatedthem。’
　　’Idon’tmindyourknowingthatIhavegoodreasontohatethem。
　　Youdotoo，itseems？’
　　’Thatman，’saidFestussavagely，’cametomeonenightaboutthatverywoman；insultedmebeforeIcouldputmyselfonmyguard，andranawaybeforeIcouldcomeupwithhimandavengemyself。Thewomantricksmeateveryturn！Iwanttopart’em。’
　　’Thenwhydon’tyou？There’sasplendidopportunity。Doyouseethatsoldierwalkingalong？He’samarine；helooksintothegalleryofthetheatreeverynight:andhe’sinconnexionwiththepress-gangthatcameashorejustnowfromthefrigatelyinginPortlandRoads。Theyareoftenhereformen。’
　　’Yes。Ourboatmendread’em。’
　　’Well，wehaveonlytotellhimthatLovedayisaseamantobeclearofhimthisverynight。’
　　’Done！’saidFestus。’Takemyarmandcomethisway。’Theywalkedacrosstothefootway。’Finenight，sergeant。’
　　’Itis，sir。’
　　’Lookingforhands，Isuppose？’