WhenAnnewascrossingthelastfield，shesawapproachingheranoldwomanwithwrinkledcheeks，whosurveyedtheearthanditsinhabitantsthroughthemediumofbrass-rimmedspectacles。ShakingherheadatAnnetilltheglassesshoneliketwomoons，shesaid，’Ah，ah；Izeedye！IfIhadonlykeptonmyshortonesthatIuseforreadingtheCollectandGospelIshouldn’thavezeedye；butthinksI，Ibegoingouto’doors，andI’llputonmylongones，littlethinkingwhatthey’dshowme。Ay，Icantellfolkatanydistancewiththese——’tisabeautifulpairforouto’doors；thoughmyshortonesbebestforclosework，suchasdarning，andcatchingfleas，that’strue。’
’Whathaveyouseen，GrannySeamore？’saidAnne。
’Fie，fie，MissNancy！youknow，’saidGrannySeamore，shakingherheadstill。’Buthe’safineyoungfeller，andwillhaveallhisuncle’smoneywhen’a’sgone。’Annesaidnothingtothis，andlookingaheadwithasmilepassedGrannySeamoreby。
Festus，thesubjectoftheremark，wasatthistimeaboutthree-and-twenty，afinefellowastofeetandinches，andofaremarkablywarmtoneinskinandhair。Symptomsofbeardandwhiskershadappeareduponhimataveryearlyage，owingtohispersistentuseoftherazorbeforetherewasanynecessityforitsoperation。Thebraveboyhadscrapedunseenintheout-house，inthecellar，inthewood-shed，inthestable，intheunusedparlour，inthecow-stalls，inthebarn，andwhereverhecouldsetuphistriangularbitoflooking-glasswithoutobservation，orextemporizeamirrorbystickinguphishatontheoutsideofawindow-pane。
Theresultnowwasthat，didheneglecttousetheinstrumentheoncehadtrifledwith，afinerustbrokeoutuponhiscountenanceonthefirstday，agoldenlichenonthesecond，andafierystubbleonthethirdtoadegreewhichadmittedofnofurtherpostponement。
Hisdispositiondividednaturallyintotwo，theboastfulandthecantankerous。WhenFestusputonthebigpot，asitisclassicallycalled，hewasquiteblindedipsofactotothedivertingeffectofthatmoodandmanneruponothers；butwhendisposedtobeenviousorquarrelsomehewasrathershrewdthanotherwise，andcoulddosomeprettystrokesofsatire。Hewasbothlikedandabusedbythegirlswhoknewhim，andthoughtheywerepleasedbyhisattentions，theyneverfailedtoridiculehimbehindhisback。Inhiscupsheknewthosevessels，thoughonlytwenty-threehefirstbecamenoisy，thenexcessivelyfriendly，andtheninvariablynagging。Duringchildhoodhehadmadehimselfrenownedforhispleasanthabitofpouncingdownuponboyssmallerandpoorerthanhimself，andknockingtheirbirds’
nestsoutoftheirhands，oroverturningtheirlittlecartsofapples，orpouringwaterdowntheirbacks；buthisconductbecamesingularlythereverseofaggressivethemomentthelittleboys’
mothersranouttohim，brandishingbrooms，frying-pans，skimmers，andwhateverelsetheycouldlayhandsonbywayofweapons。Hethenfledandhidbehindbushes，underfaggots，orinpitstilltheyhadgoneaway；andononesuchoccasionwasknowntocreepintoabadger’sholequiteoutofsight，maintainingthatpostwithgreatfirmnessandresolutionfortwoorthreehours。Hehadbroughtmorevulgarexclamationsuponthetonguesofrespectableparentsinhisnativeparishthananyotherboyofhistime。Whenotheryoungsterssnowballedhimheranintoaplaceofshelter，wherehekneadedsnowballsofhisown，withastoneinside，andusedtheseformidablemissilesinreturningtheirpleasantry。Sometimeshegotfearfullybeatenbyboyshisownage，whenhewouldroarmostlustily，butfightoninthemidstofhistears，blood，andcries。
Hewasearlyinlove，andhadatthetimeofthestorysufferedfromtheravagesofthatpassionthirteendistincttimes。Hecouldnotlovelightlyandgaily；hislovewasearnest，cross-tempered，andevensavage。Itwasapositiveagonytohimtoberidiculedbytheobjectofhisaffections，andsuchconductdrovehimintoafrenzyifpersistedin。Hewasatormenttothosewhobehavedhumblytowardshim，cynicalwiththosewhodeniedhissuperiority，andaverynicefellowtowardsthosewhohadthecouragetoill-usehim。
ThisstalwartgentlemanandAnneGarlanddidnotcrosseachother’spathsagainforaweek。Thenhermotherbeganasbeforeaboutthenewspaper，and，thoughAnnedidnotmuchliketheerrand，sheagreedtogoforitonMrs。Garlandpressingherwithunusualanxiety。Whyhermotherwassopersistentonsosmallamatterquitepuzzledthegirl；butsheputonherhatandstarted。
Asshehadexpected，Festusappearedatastileoverwhichshesometimeswentforshortness’sake，andshowedbyhismannerthatheawaitedher。Whenshesawthisshekeptstraighton，asifshewouldnotentertheparkatall。
’Surelythisisyourway？’saidFestus。
’Iwasthinkingofgoingroundbytheroad，’shesaid。
’Whyisthat？’
Shepaused，asifshewerenotinclinedtosay。’Igothatwaywhenthegrassiswet，’shereturnedatlast。
’Itisnotwetnow，’hepersisted；’thesunhasbeenshiningonittheseninehours。’Thefactwasthatthewaybythepathwaslessopenthanbytheroad，andFestuswishedtowalkwithheruninterrupted。’But，ofcourse，itisnothingtomewhatyoudo。’
Heflunghimselffromthestileandwalkedawaytowardsthehouse。
Anne，supposinghimreallyindifferent，tookthesameway，uponwhichheturnedhisheadandwaitedforherwithaproudsmile。
’Icannotgowithyou，’shesaiddecisively。
’Nonsense，youfoolishgirl！Imustwalkalongwithyoudowntothecorner。’
’No，please，Mr。Derriman；wemightbeseen。’
’Now，now——that’sshyness！’hesaidjocosely。
’No；youknowIcannotletyou。’
’ButImust。’
’ButIdonotallowit。’
’Allowitornot，Iwill。’
’Thenyouareunkind，andImustsubmit，’shesaid，hereyesbrimmingwithtears。
’Ho，ho；whatashameofme！Mywig，Iwon’tdoanysuchthingfortheworld，’saidtherepentantyeoman。’Haw，haw；why，Ithoughtyour“goaway“meant“comeon，“asitdoeswithsomanyofthewomenImeet，especiallyintheseclothes。Whowastoknowyouweresoconfoundedlyserious？’
AshedidnotgoAnnestoodstillandsaidnothing。
’Iseeyouhaveadealmorecautionandadeallessgood-naturethanIeverthoughtyouhad，’hecontinuedemphatically。
’No，sir；itisnotanyplannedmannerofmineatall，’shesaidearnestly。’Butyouwillsee，Iamsure，thatIcouldnotgodowntothehallwithyouwithoutputtingmyselfinawronglight。’
’Yes；that’sit，that’sit。Iamonlyafellowintheyeomanrycavalry——aplainsoldier，Imaysay；andweknowwhatwomenthinkofsuch:thattheyareabadlot——menyoumustn’tspeaktoforfearoflosingyourcharacter——chapsyouavoidintheroads——chapsthatcomeintoahouselikeoxen，daubthestairswi’theirboots，stainthefurniturewi’theirdrink，talkrubbishtotheservants，abuseallthat’sholyandrighteous，andareonlysavedfrombeingcarriedoffbyOldNickbecausetheyarewantedforBoney。’
’Indeed，Ididn’tknowyouwerethoughtsobadofasthat，’saidshesimply。
’What！don’tmyunclecomplaintoyouofme？Youareafavouriteofthathandsome，niceoldgaffer’s，Iknow。’
’Never。’
’Well，whatdowethinkofournicetrumpet-major，hey？’
Anneclosedhermouthuptight，builtitup，infact，toshowthatnoanswerwascomingtothatquestion。
’Onow，come，seriously，Lovedayisagoodfellow，andsoishisfather。’
’Idon’tknow。’
’Whatacloselittlerogueyouare！Thereisnogettinganythingoutofyou。Ibelieveyouwouldsay“Idon’tknow，“toeverymortalquestion，soverydiscreetasyouare。Uponmyheart，therearesomewomenwhowouldsay“Idon’tknow，“to“Willyemarryme？“’
ThebrightnessuponAnne’scheekandinhereyesduringthisremarkshowedthattherewasafairquantityoflifeandwarmthbeneaththediscretionhecomplainedof。Havingspokenthus，hedrewasidethatshemightpass，andbowedverylow。Anneformallyinclinedherselfandwenton。
Shehadbeenatvexationpointallthetimethathewaspresent，fromahauntingsensethathewouldnothavespokentohersofreelyhadshebeenayoungwomanwiththrivingmalerelativestokeepforwardadmirersincheck。Butshehadbeenstruck，nowasattheirpreviousmeeting，withthepowershepossessedofworkinghimupeithertoirritationortocomplacencyatwill；andthisconsciousnessofbeingabletoplayuponhimasuponaninstrumentdisposedhertoahumorousconsiderateness，andmadehertolerateevenwhilesherebuffedhim。
WhenAnnegottothehallthefarmer，asusual，insisteduponherreadingwhathehadbeenunabletogetthrough，andheldthepapertightlyinhisskinnyhandtillshehadagreed。Hesenthertoahardchairthatshecouldnotpossiblyinjuretotheextentofapennyworthbysittinginitatwelvemonth，andwatchedherfromtheouterangleofhisneareyewhileshebentoverthepaper。Hislookmighthavebeensuggestedbythesightthathehadwitnessedfromhiswindowonthelastoccasionofhervisit，foritpartookofthenatureofconcern。Theoldmanwasafraidofhisnephew，physicallyandmorally，andhebegantoregardAnneasafellow-suffererunderthesamedespot。Afterthisslyandcuriousgazeatherhewithdrewhiseyeagain，sothatwhenshecasuallyliftedherowntherewasnothingvisiblebuthiskeenbluishprofileasbefore。
Whenthereadingwasabouthalf-waythrough，thedoorbehindthemopened，andfootstepscrossedthethreshold。Thefarmerdiminishedperceptiblyinhischair，andlookedfearful，butpretendedtobeabsorbedinthereading，andquiteunconsciousofanintruder。AnnefeltthepresenceoftheswashingFestus，andstoppedherreading。
’Pleasegoon，MissAnne，’hesaid，’Iamnotgoingtospeakaword。’Hewithdrewtothemantelpieceandleanedagainstitathisease。
’Goon，doye，maidyAnne，’saidUncleBenjy，keepingdownhistremblingsbyagreatefforttohalftheirnaturalextent。
Anne’svoicebecamemuchlowernowthatthereweretwolisteners，andhermodestyshranksomewhatfromexposingtoFestustheappreciativemodulationswhichanintelligentinterestinthesubjectdrewfromherwhenunembarrassed。Butshestillwentonthathemightnotsupposehertobedisconcerted，thoughtheensuingtenminuteswasoneofdisquietude。Sheknewthatthebotheringyeoman’seyesweretravellingoverherfromhispositionbehind，creepingoverhershoulders，uptoherhead，andacrossherarmsandhands。OldBenjyonhispartknewthesamething，andaftersundryendeavourstopeepathisnephewfromthecornerofhiseye，hecouldbearthesituationnolonger。
’Doyewanttosayanythingtome，nephew？’hequaked。
’No，uncle，thankye，’saidFestusheartily。’Iliketostayhere，thinkingofyouandlookingatyourbackhair。’
Thenervousoldmanwrithedunderthisvivisection，andAnnereadon；till，tothereliefofboth，thegallantfellowgrewtiredofhisamusementandwentoutoftheroom。Annesoonfinishedherparagraphandrosetogo，determinednevertocomeagainaslongasFestushauntedtheprecincts。Herfacegrewwarmerasshethoughtthathewouldbesuretowaylayheronherjourneyhometo-day。
Onthisaccount，whensheleftthehouse，insteadofgoinginthecustomarydirection，sheboltedroundtothefurtherside，throughthebushes，alongunderthekitchen-gardenwall，andthroughadoorleadingintoaruttedcart-track，whichhadbeenapleasantgravelleddrivewhenthefineoldhallwasinitsprosperity。Onceoutofsightofthewindowssheranwithallhermighttillshehadquittedtheparkbyaroutedirectlyoppositetothattowardsherhome。Whyshewassoseriouslybentupondoingthisshecouldhardlytellbuttheinstincttorunwasirresistible。
Itwasnecessarynowtoclamberoverthedowntotheleftofthecamp，andmakeacompletecircuitroundthelatter——infantry，cavalry，sutlers，andall——descendingtoherhouseontheotherside。Thistremendouswalksheperformedatarapidrate，neveronceturningherhead，andavoidingeverybeatentracktokeepclearoftheknotsofsoldierstakingawalk。Whensheatlastgotdowntothelevelsagainshepausedtofetchbreath，andmurmured，’WhydidItakesomuchtrouble？Hewouldnot，afterall，havehurtme。’
Asshenearedthemillanerectfigurewithabluebodyandwhitethighsdescendedbeforeherfromthedowntowardsthevillage，andwentpastthemilltoastilebeyond，overwhichsheusuallyreturnedtoherhouse。Herehelingered。OncomingnearerAnnediscoveredthispersontobeTrumpet-majorLoveday；andnotwishingtomeetanybodyjustnowAnnepassedquicklyon，andenteredthehousebythegardendoor。
’MydearAnne，whatatimeyouhavebeengone！’saidhermother。
’Yes，Ihavebeenroundbyanotherroad。’
’Whydidyoudothat？’