MeanwhileMillerLovedaywasexpectingthepairwithinterest；andaboutfiveo’clock，afterrepeatedoutlooks，hesawtwospecksthesizeofcarawayseedsonthefarlineofridgewherethesunlitwhiteoftheroadmettheblueofthesky。ThentheremainderpartsofBobandhisladybecamevisible，andthenthewholevehicle，endon，andheheardthedryrattleofthewheelsonthedustyroad。
MillerLoveday’splan，asfarashehadformedany，wasthatRobertandhiswifeshouldlivewithhiminthemillhouseuntilMrs。
Garlandmadeuphermindtojoinhimthere；inwhicheventherpresenthousewouldbemadeovertotheyoungcouple。Uponallgrounds，hewishedtowelcomebecominglythewomanofhisson’schoice，andcameforwardpromptlyastheydrewupatthedoor。
’Whatalovelyplaceyou’vegothere！’saidMissJohnson，whenthemillerhadreceivedherfromthecaptain。’Arealstreamofwater，arealmill-wheel，andrealfowls，andeverything！’
’Yes，’tisrealenough，’saidLoveday，lookingattheriverwithbalancedsentiments；’andsoyouwillsaywhenyou’velivedhereabitasmis’ess，andhadthetroubleofclaningthefurniture。’
AtthisMissJohnsonlookedmodest，andcontinuedtodosotillAnne，notknowingtheywerethere，cameroundthecornerofthehouse，withherprayer-bookinherhand，havingjustarrivedfromchurch。Bobturnedandsmiledtoher，atwhichMissJohnsonlookedglum。Howlongshewouldhaveremainedinthatphaseisunknown，forjustthenherearswereassailedbyaloudbassnotefromtheotherside，causinghertojumpround。
’Ola！whatdreadfulthingisit？’sheexclaimed，andbeheldacowofLoveday’s，ofthenameofCrumpler，standingclosetohershoulder。Itbeingaboutmilking-time，shehadcometolookupDavidandhastenontheoperation。
’O，whatahorridbull！——itdidfrightenmeso。IhopeIshan’tfaint，’saidMatilda。
ThemillerimmediatelyusedtheformulawhichhasbeenutteredbytheproprietorsoflivestockeversinceNoah’stime。’Shewon’thurtye。Hoosh，Crumpler！She’sastimidasamouse，ma’am。’
ButasCrumplerpersistedinmakinganotherterrificinquiryforDavid，Matildacouldnothelpclosinghereyesandsaying，’O，I
shallbegoredtodeath！’herheadfallingbackuponBob’sshoulder，which——seeingtheurgentcircumstances，andknowingherdelicatenature——hehadprovidentiallyplacedinapositiontocatchher。
AnneGarland，whohadbeenstandingatthecornerofthehouse，notknowingwhethertogobackorcomeon，atthisfeltherwomanlysympathiesaroused。Sherananddippedherhandkerchiefintothesplashingmill-tail，andwithitdampedMatilda’sface。Butashereyesstillremainedclosed，Bob，toincreasetheeffect，tookthehandkerchieffromAnneandwrungitoutonthebridgeofMatilda’snose，whenceitranovertherestofherfaceinastream。
’O，CaptainLoveday！’saidAnne，’thewaterisrunningoverhergreensilkhandkerchief，andintoherprettyreticule！’
’There——ifIdidn’tthinkso！’exclaimedMatilda，openinghereyes，startingup，andpromptlypullingoutherownhandkerchief，withwhichshewipedawaythedrops，andanunimportanttrifleofhercomplexion，assistedbyAnne，who，inspiteofherbackgroundofantagonisticemotions，couldnothelpbeinginterested。
’That’sright！’saidthemiller，hisspiritsrevivingwiththerevivalofMatilda。’Theladyisnotusedtocountrylife；areyou，ma’am？’
’Iamnot，’repliedthesufferer。’Allissostrangeabouthere！’
Suddenlytherespreadintothefirmament，fromthedirectionofthedown:——
’Ra，ta，ta！Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta！Ra，ta，ta！’
’Odear，dear！morehideouscountrysounds，Isuppose？’sheinquired，withanotherstart。
’Ono，’saidthemillercheerfully。’’TisonlymysonJohn’strumpeterchapsatthecampofdragoonsjustaboveus，a-blowingMess，orFeed，orPicket，orsomeotheroftheirvagaries。Johnwillbemuchpleasedtotellyouthemeaningon’twhenhecomesdown。He’strumpet-major，asyoumayknow，ma’am。’
’Oyes；youmeanCaptainLoveday’sbrother。DearBobhasmentionedhim。’
’IfyoucomeroundtoWidowGarland’ssideofthehouse，youcanseethecamp，’saidthemiller。
’Don’tforceher；she’stiredwithherlongjourney，’saidMrs。
Garlandhumanely，thewidowhavingcomeoutinthegeneralwishtoseeCaptainBob’schoice。Indeed，theyallbehavedtowardsherasifshewereatenderexotic，whichtheircrudecountrymannersmightseriouslyinjure。
Shewentintothehouse，accompaniedbyMrs。Garlandandherdaughter；thoughbeforeleavingBobshemanagedtowhisperinhisear，’Don’ttellthemIcamebywaggon，willyou，dear？’——arequestwhichwasquiteneedless，forBobhadlongagodeterminedtokeepthatadeadsecret；notbecauseitwasanuncommonmodeoftravel，butsimplythatitwashardlytheusualconveyanceforagorgeousladytoherbridal。
Asthemenhadafeelingthattheywouldbesuperfluousindoorsjustatpresent，themillerassistedDavidintakingthehorseroundtothestables，Bobfollowing，andleavingMatildatothewomen。
Indoors，MissJohnsonadmiredeverything:thenewparrotsandmarmosets，theblackbeamsoftheceiling，thedouble-cornercupboardwiththeglassdoors，throughwhichgleamedtheremaindersofsundrychinasetsacquiredbyBob’smotherinherhousekeeping——
two-handledsugar-basins，no-handledtea-cups，atea-potlikeapagoda，andacream-jugintheformofaspottedcow。ThissociabilityintheirvisitorwasreturnedbyMrs。GarlandandAnne；
andMissJohnson’spleasinghabitofpartlydyingwheneversheheardanyunusualbarkorbellowaddedtoherpiquancyintheireyes。Butconversation，assuch，wasnaturallyatfirstofanervous，tentativekind，inwhich，asintheworksofsomeminorpoets，thesensewasconsiderablyledbythesound。
’Yougetthesea-breezeshere，nodoubt？’
’Oyes，dear；whenthewindisthatway。’
’Doyoulikewindyweather？’
’Yes；thoughnotnow，foritblowsdowntheyoungapples。’
’Applesareplentiful，itseems。Youcountry-folkcallSt。
Swithin’stheirchristeningday，ifitrains？’
’Yes，dear。Ahme！Ihavenotbeentoachristeningforthesemanyyears；thebaby’snamewasGeorge，Iremember——aftertheKing。’
’IhearthatKingGeorgeisstillstayingatthetownhere。IHOPE
he’llstaytillIhaveseenhim！’
’He’llwaittillthecornturnsyellow；healwaysdoes。’
’HowVERYfashionableyellowisgettingforglovesjustnow！’
’Yes。Somepersonswearthemtotheelbow，Ihear。’
’Dothey？Iwasnotawareofthat。Istruckmyelbowlastweeksohardagainstthedoorofmyaunt’smansionthatIfeeltheachenow。’
Beforetheywerequiteoverwhelmedbytheinterestofthisdiscourse，themillerandBobcamein。Intruth，Mrs。Garlandfoundtheofficeinwhichhehadplacedher——thatofintroducingastrangewomantoahousewhichwasnotthewidow’sown——aratherawkwardone，andyetalmostanecessity。Therewasnowomanbelongingtothehouseexceptthatwondrouscompendiumofusefulness，theintermittentmaid-servant，whomLovedayhad，forappearances，borrowedfromMrs。Garland，andMrs。Garlandwasinthehabitofborrowingfromthegirl’smother。Andasforthedemi-womanDavid，hehadbeeninformedasperemptorilyasPharaoh’sbakerthattheofficeofhousemaidandbedmakerwastakenfromhim，andwouldbegiventothisgirltilltheweddingwasover，andBob’swifetookthemanagementintoherownhands。
Theyallsatdowntohightea，Anneandhermotherincluded，andthecaptainsittingnexttoMissJohnson。Annehadputabravefaceuponthematter——outwardly，atleast——andseemedinafairwayofsubduinganylingeringsentimentwhichBob’sreturnhadrevived。
Duringtheevening，andwhiletheystillsatoverthemeal，Johncamedownonahurriedvisit，ashehadpromised，ostensiblyonpurposetobeintroducedtohisintendedsister-in-law，butmuchmoretogetawordandasmilefromhisbelovedAnne。Beforetheysawhim，theyheardthetrumpet-major’ssmartstepcomingroundthecornerofthehouse，andinamomenthisformdarkenedthedoor。AsitwasSunday，heappearedinhisfull-dresslacedcoat，whitewaistcoatandbreeches，andtoweringplume，thelatterofwhichheinstantlylowered，asmuchfromnecessityasgoodmanners，thebeaminthemill-houseceilinghavingatendencytosmashandruinallsuchhead-gearwithoutwarning。
’John，we’vebeenhopingyouwouldcomedown，’saidthemiller，’andsowehavekeptthetayaboutonpurpose。Drawup，andspeaktoMrs。MatildaJohnson……Ma’am，thisisRobert’sbrother。’
’Yourhumbleservant，ma’am，’saidthetrumpet-majorgallantly。
Asitwasgettingduskinthelow，small-panedroom，heinstinctivelymovedtowardsMissJohnsonashespoke，whosatwithherbacktothewindow。Hehadnosoonernoticedherfeaturesthanhishelmetnearlyfellfromhishand；hisfacebecamesuddenlyfixed，andhisnaturalcomplexiontookitselfoff，leavingagreenishyellowinitsstead。Theyoungperson，onherpart，hadnosoonerlookedcloselyathimthanshesaidweakly，’Robert’sbrother！’andchangedcolouryetmorerapidlythanthesoldierhaddone。Thefaintness，previouslyhalfcounterfeit，seizedonhernowinrealearnest。
’Idon’tfeelwell，’shesaid，suddenlyrisingbyaneffort。’Thiswarmdayhasquiteupsetme！’
Therewasaregularcollapseofthetea-party，likethatoftheHamletplayscene。Bobseizedhissweetheartandcarriedherupstairs，themillerexclaiming，’Ah，she’sterriblywornbythejourney！IthoughtshewaswhenIsawhernearlygooffattheblareofthecow。Nowomanwouldhavebeenfrightenedatthatifshe’dbeenuptohernaturalstrength。’
’That，andbeingsoveryshyofmen，too，musthavemadeJohn’shandsomeregimentalsquiteoverpoweringtoher，poorthing，’addedMrs。Garland，followingthecatastrophicyoungladyupstairs，whoseindispositionwasthistimebeyondquestion。Andyet，bysomeperversityoftheheart，shewasaseagernowtomakelightofherfaintnessasshehadbeentomakemuchofittwoorthreehoursago。
ThemillerandJohnstoodlikestraightsticksintheroomtheothershadquitted，John’sfacebeinghastilyturnedtowardsacaricatureofBuonaparteonthewallthathehadnotseenmorethanahundredandfiftytimesbefore。
’Come，sitdownandhaveadishoftea，anyhow，’saidhisfatheratlast。’She’llsoonberightagain，nodoubt。’
’Thanks；Idon’twantanytea，’saidJohnquickly。And，indeed，hedidnot，forhewasinonegiganticachefromheadtofoot。
Thelighthadbeentoodimforanybodytonoticehisamazement；andnotknowingwheretoventit，thetrumpet-majorsaidhewasgoingoutforaminute。Hehastenedtothebakehouse；butDavidbeingthere，hewenttothepantry；butthemaidbeingthere，hewenttothecart-shed；butacoupleoftrampsbeingthere，hewentbehindarowofFrenchbeansinthegarden，whereheletoffanejaculationthemostpiousthathehadutteredthatSabbathday:’Heaven！
what’stobedone！’
Andthenhewalkedwildlyaboutthepathsoftheduskygarden，wherethetricklingofthebrooksseemedloudbycomparisonwiththestillnessaround；treadingrecklesslyonthecrackingsnailsthathadcomeforthtofeed，andentanglinghisspursinthelonggrasstilltherowelswerechokedwithitsblades。Presentlyheheardanotherpersonapproaching，andhisbrother’sshapeappearedbetweenthestubbardtreeandthehedge。
’O，isityou？’saidthemate。
’Yes。Iam——takingalittleair。’
’Sheisgettingroundnicelyagain；andasIamnotwantedindoorsjustnow，IamgoingintothevillagetocalluponafriendortwoI
havenotbeenabletospeaktoasyet。’
JohntookhisbrotherBob’shand。Bobratherwonderedwhy。
’Allright，oldboy，’hesaid。’Goingintothevillage？You’llbebackagain，Isuppose，beforeitgetsverylate？’
’Oyes，’saidCaptainBobcheerfully，andpassedoutofthegarden。
Johnallowedhiseyestofollowhisbrothertillhisshapecouldnotbeseen，andthenheturnedandagainwalkedupanddown。