’Youhavegotasilverplateletintoyerhead，haven’tye，corpel？’
　　saidAnthonyCripplestraw，whohaddrawnnear。’Ihaveheardthatthewaytheymorticedyerskullwasabeautifulpieceofworkmanship。Perhapstheyoungwomanwouldliketoseetheplace？
　　’Tisacurioussight，Mis’essAnne；youdon’tseesuchawowndeveryday。’
　　’No，thankyou，’saidAnnehurriedly，dreading，asdidalltheyoungpeopleofOvercombe，thespectacleofthecorporaluncovered。HehadneverbeenseeninpublicwithoutthehatandthehandkerchiefsincehisreturninNinety-four；andstrangestoriesweretoldoftheghastlinessofhisappearancebare-headed，alittleboywhohadaccidentallybeheldhimgoingtobedinthatstatehavingbeenfrightenedintofits。
　　’Well，iftheyoungwomandon’twanttoseeyerhead，maybeshe’dliketohearyerarm？’continuedCripplestraw，earnesttopleaseher。
　　’Hey？’saidthecorporal。
　　’Yourarmhurttoo？’criedAnne。
　　’Knockedtoapummyatthesametimeasmyhead，’saidTullidgedispassionately。
　　’Rattleyerarm，corpel，andshowher，’saidCripplestraw。
　　’Yes，sure，’saidthecorporal，raisingthelimbslowly，asifthegloryofexhibitionhadlostsomeofitsnovelty，thoughhewaswillingtooblige。Twistingitmercilesslyaboutwithhisrighthandheproducedacrunchingamongthebonesateverymotion，Cripplestrawseemingtoderivegreatsatisfactionfromtheghastlysound。
　　’Howveryshocking！’saidAnne，painfullyanxiousforhimtoleaveoff。
　　’O，itdon’thurthim，blessye。Doit，corpel？’saidCripplestraw。
　　’Notabit，’saidthecorporal，stillworkinghisarmwithgreatenergy。
　　’There’snolifeinthebonesatall。Nolifein’em，Itellher，corpel！’
　　’Noneatall。’
　　’Theybeaslooseasabagofninepins，’explainedCripplestrawincontinuation。’Youcanfeel’emquiteplain，Mis’essAnne。Ifyewouldliketo，he’llundohissleeveinaminutetooblegeye？’
　　’Ono，no，pleasenot！Iquiteunderstand，’saidtheyoungwoman。
　　’Doshewanttohearorseeanymore，ordon’tshe？’thecorporalinquired，withasensethathistimewasgettingwasted。
　　Anneexplainedthatshedidnotonanyaccount；andmanagedtoescapefromthecorner。
　　Thetrumpet-majornowcontrivedtoplacehimselfnearher，Anne’spresencehavingevidentlybeenagreatpleasuretohimsincethemomentofhisfirstseeingher。Shewasquiteathereasewithhim，andaskedhimifhethoughtthatBuonapartewouldreallycomeduringthesummer，andmanyotherquestionswhichthegallantdragooncouldnotanswer，butwhichheneverthelesslikedtobeasked。WilliamTremlett，whohadnotenjoyedasoundnight’srestsincetheFirstConsul’smenacehadbecomeknown，prickeduphisearsatsoundofthissubject，andinquiredifanybodyhadseentheterribleflat-bottomedboatsthattheenemyweretocrossin。
　　’MybrotherRobertsawseveralofthempaddlingabouttheshorethelasttimehepassedtheStraitsofDover，’saidthetrumpet-major；
　　andhefurtherstartledthecompanybyinformingthemthatthereweresupposedtobemorethanfifteenhundredoftheseboats，andthattheywouldcarryahundredmenapiece。SothatadescentofonehundredandfiftythousandmenmightbeexpectedanydayassoonasBoneyhadbroughthisplanstobear。
　　’Lordha’mercyuponus！’saidWilliamTremlett。
　　’Thenight-timeiswhentheywilltryit，iftheytryitatall，’
　　saidoldTullidge，inthetoneofonewhosewatchatthebeaconmust，inthenatureofthings，havegivenhimcomprehensiveviewsofthesituation。’Itismybeliefthatthepointtheywillchooseformakingtheshoreisjustoverthere，’andhenoddedwithindifferencetowardsasectionofthecoastatahideousnearnesstothehouseinwhichtheywereassembled，whereuponFencibleTremlett，andCripplestrawoftheLocals，triedtoshownosignsoftrepidation。
　　’Whend’yethink’twillbe？’saidVolunteerComfort，theblacksmith。
　　’Ican’tanswertoaday，’saidthecorporal，’butitwillcertainlybeinadown-channeltide；andinsteadofpullinghardagainstit，he’lllethisboatsdrift，andthatwillbring’emrightintoBudmouthBay。’Twillbeabeautifulstrokeofwar，ifsobe’tisquietlydone！’
　　’Beautiful，’saidCripplestraw，movinginsidehisclothes。’Buthowifweshouldbeallabed，corpel？Youcan’texpectamantobebraveinhisshirt，especiallyweLocals，thathaveonlygotsofarasshoulderfire-locks。’
　　’He’snotcomingthissummer。He’llnevercomeatall，’saidatallsergeant-majordecisively。
　　LovedaythesoldierwastoomuchengagedinattendinguponAnneandhermothertojoininthesesurmises，bestirringhimselftogettheladiessomeofthebestliquorthehouseafforded，whichhad，asamatteroffact，crossedtheChannelasprivatelyasBuonapartewishedhisarmytodo，andhadbeenlandedonadarknightoverthecliff。AfterthisheaskedAnnetosing，butthoughshehadaveryprettyvoiceinprivateperformancesofthatnature，shedeclinedtoobligehim；turningthesubjectbymakingahesitatinginquiryabouthisbrotherRobert，whomhehadmentionedjustbefore。
　　’Robertisaswellasever，thankyou，MissGarland，’hesaid。’HeisnowmateofthebrigPewit——ratheryoungforsuchacommand；buttheownerputsgreattrustinhim。’Thetrumpet-majoradded，deepeninghisthoughtstoaprofounderviewofthepersondiscussed，’Bobisinlove。’
　　Annelookedconscious，andlistenedattentively；butLovedaydidnotgoon。
　　’Much？’sheasked。
　　’Ican’texactlysay。Andthestrangepartofitisthathenevertellsuswhothewomanis。Nobodyknowsatall。’
　　’Hewilltell，ofcourse？’saidAnne，intheremotetoneofapersonwithwhosesexsuchmattershadnoconnexionwhatever。
　　Lovedayshookhishead，andthetete-a-tetewasputanendtobyaburstofsingingfromoneofthesergeants，whowasfollowedattheendofhissongbyothers，eachgivingadittyinhisturn；thesingerstandingupinfrontofthetable，stretchinghischinwellintotheair，asthoughtoabstracteverypossiblewrinklefromhisthroat，andthenplungingintothemelody。Whenthiswasoveroneoftheforeignhussars——thegenteelGermanofMillerLoveday’sdescription，whocalledhimselfaHungarian，andinrealitybelongedtonodefinitecountry——performedatTrumpet-majorLoveday’srequesttheseriesofwildmotionsthathedenominatedhisnationaldance，thatAnnemightseewhatitwaslike。MissGarlandwastheflowerofthewholecompany；thesoldiersoneandall，foreignandEnglish，seemedtobequitecharmedbyherpresence，asindeedtheywellmightbe，consideringhowseldomtheycameintothesocietyofsuchasshe。
　　AnneandhermotherwerejustthinkingofretiringtotheirowndwellingwhenSergeantStannerofthe——thFoot，whowasrecruitingatBudmouth，beganasatiricalsong:——
　　Whenlaw’-yersstrive’toheal’abreach’，Andpar-sonsprac’-tisewhat’theypreach’；
　　Thenlit’-tleBo-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！
　　Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。
　　Whenjus’-ti-ces’holde’qualscales’，Androgues’areon’-lyfound’injails’；
　　Thenlit’tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！
　　Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。
　　Whenrich’menfind’theirwealth’acurse’，Andfill’there-with’thepoor’man’spurse’；
　　Thenlit’-tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！
　　Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。
　　PoorStanner！Inspiteofhissatire，hefellatthebloodybattleofAlbueraafewyearsafterthispleasantlyspentsummerattheGeorgianwatering-place，beingmortallywoundedandtrampleddownbyaFrenchhussarwhenthebrigadewasdeployingintolineunderBeresford。
　　WhileMillerLovedaywassaying’Welldone，Mr。Stanner！’atthecloseofthethirteenthstanza，whichseemedtobethelast，andMr。
　　Stannerwasmodestlyexpressinghisregretthathecoulddonobetter，astentorianvoicewasheardoutsidethewindowshutterrepeating，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。
　　Thecompanywassilentinamomentatthisreinforcement，andonlythemilitarytriednottolooksurprised。Whileallwonderedwhothesingercouldbesomebodyenteredtheporch；thedooropened，andincameayoungman，aboutthesizeandweightoftheFarneseHercules，intheuniformoftheyeomanrycavalry。
　　’’TisyoungSquireDerriman，oldMr。Derriman’snephew，’murmuredvoicesinthebackground。
　　Withoutwaitingtoaddressanybody，orapparentlyseeingwhoweregatheredthere，thecolossalmanwavedhiscapabovehisheadandwentonintonesthatshookthewindow-panes:——
　　Whenhus’-bandswith’theirwives’agree’。
　　Andmaids’won’twed’frommod’-es-ty’，Thenlit’-tleBo’-neyhe’llpouncedown’，Andmarch’hismen’onLon’-dontown’！
　　Chorus——Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lo’-rum，Rol’-li-cumro’-rum，tol’-lol-lay。
　　ItwasaversewhichhadbeenomittedbythegallantStanner，outofrespecttotheladies。
　　Thenew-comerwasred-hairedandoffloridcomplexion，andseemedfullofaconvictionthathiswhimofenteringmustbetheirpleasure，whichforthemomentitwas。
　　’Noceremony，goodmenall，’hesaid；’Iwaspassingby，andmyearwascaughtbythesinging。Ilikesinging；’tiswarmingandcheering，andshallnotbeputdown。Ishouldliketohearanybodysayotherwise。’
　　’Welcome，MasterDerriman，’saidthemiller，fillingaglassandhandingittotheyeoman。’Comeallthewayfromquarters，then？I
　　hardlyknowedyeinyoursoldier’sclothes。You’dlookmorenaturalwithaspudinyourhand，sir。Ishouldn’tha’knownyeatallifI
　　hadn’theardthatyouwerecalledout。’
　　’Morenaturalwithaspud！——haveacare，miller，’saidtheyounggiant，thefireofhiscomplexionincreasingtoscarlet。’Idon’tmeananger，but——but——asoldier’shonour，youknow！’
　　Themilitaryinthebackgroundlaughedalittle，andtheyeomanthenforthefirsttimediscoveredthatthereweremoreregularspresentthanone。Helookedmomentarilydisconcerted，butexpandedagaintofullassurance。
　　’Right，right，MasterDerriman，nooffence——’twasonlymyjoke，’
　　saidthegenialmiller。’Everybody’sasoldiernowadays。Drinkadrapo’thiscordial，anddon’tmindwords。’
　　Theyoungmandrankwithouttheleastreluctance，andsaid，’Yes，miller，Iamcalledout。’Tisticklishtimesforussoldiersnow；
　　weholdourlivesinourhands——Whatarethosefellowsgrinningatbehindthetable？——Isay，wedo！’
　　’Stayingwithyouruncleatthefarmforadayortwo，Mr。
　　Derriman？’
　　’No，no；asItoldyou，sixmileoff。BilletedatCasterbridge。
　　ButIhavetocallandseetheold，old——’
　　’Gentleman？’
　　’Gentleman！——no，skinflint。Helivesuponthesweepingsofthebarton；ha，ha！’Andthespeaker’sregularwhiteteethshowedthemselveslikesnowinaDutchcabbage。’Well，well，theprofessionofarmsmakesamanproofagainstallthat。ItakethingsasIfind’em。’
　　’Quiteright，MasterDerriman。Anotherdrop？’
　　’No，no。I’lltakenomorethanisgoodforme——nomanshould；sodon’ttemptme。’
　　TheyeomanthensawAnne，andbyanunconsciousgravitationwenttowardsherandtheotherwomen，flingingaremarktoJohnLovedayinpassing。’Ah，Loveday！Iheardyouwerecome；inshort，Icomeo’purposetoseeyou。Gladtoseeyouenjoyingyourselfathomeagain。’
　　Thetrumpet-majorrepliedcivilly，thoughnotwithoutgrimness，forheseemedhardlytolikeDerriman’smotiontowardsAnne。
　　’WidowGarland’sdaughter！——yes，’tis！surely。Yourememberme？I
　　havebeenherebefore。FestusDerriman，YeomanryCavalry。’
　　Annegavealittlecurtsey。’IknowyournameisFestus——that’sall。’
　　’Yes，’tiswellknown——especiallylatterly。’Hedroppedhisvoicetoconfidencepitch。’Isupposeyourfriendsherearedisturbedbymycomingin，astheydon’tseemtotalkmuch？Idon’tmeantointerrupttheparty；butIoftenfindthatpeopleareputoutbymycomingamong’em，especiallywhenI’vegotmyregimentalson。’
　　’La！andarethey？’