Johncontinuedhissadandheavypacetillwalkingseemedtoooldandworn-outawayofshowingsorrowsonew，andheleanthimselfagainsttheforkofanapple-treelikealog。Therethetrumpet-majorremainedforaconsiderabletime，hisfaceturnedtowardsthehouse，whoseancient，many-chimneyedoutlineroseagainstthedarkenedsky，andjustshutoutfromhisviewthecampabove。Butfaintnoisescomingthencefromhorsesrestlessatthepickets，andfromvisitorstakingtheirleave，recalleditsexistence，andremindedhimthat，inconsequenceofMatilda’sarrival，hehadobtainedleaveforthenight——afactwhich，owingtothestartlingemotionsthatfollowedhisentry，hehadnotyetmentionedtohisfriends。
Whileabstractedlyconsideringhowhecouldbestusethatprivilegeunderthenewcircumstanceswhichhadarisen，heheardFarmerDerrimandriveuptothefrontdoorandholdaconversationwithhisfather。TheoldmanhadatlastapparentlybroughtthetinboxofprivatepapersthathewishedthemillertotakechargeofduringDerriman’sabsence；anditbeingacalmnight，Johncouldhear，thoughhelittleheeded，UncleBenjy’sreiteratedsupplicationstoLovedaytokeepitsafefromfireandthieves。ThenUncleBenjyleft，andJohn’sfatherwentupstairstodeposittheboxinaplaceofsecurity，thewholeproceedingreachingJohn’spreoccupiedcomprehensionmerelyasvoicesduringsleep。
ThenextthingwastheappearanceofalightinthebedroomwhichhadbeenassignedtoMatildaJohnson。Thiseffectuallyarousedthetrumpet-major，andwithastealthinessunusualinhimhewentindoors。Nolightwasinthelowerrooms，hisfather，Mrs。Garland，andAnnehavinggoneoutonthebridgetolookatthenewmoon。
Johnwentupstairsontip-toe，andalongtheunevenpassagetillhecametoherdoor。Itwasstandingajar，abandofcandlelightshiningacrossthepassageanduptheoppositewall。Assoonasheenteredtheradiancehesawher。Shewasstandingbeforethelooking-glass，apparentlylostinthought，herfingersbeingclaspedbehindherheadinabstraction，andthelightfallingfulluponherface。
’Imustspeaktoyou，’saidthetrumpet-major。