’Ono——Iamnotsurethatweought。Ididnotpromise，andtherewillbenotroubleinkeepingaway。’
Anneapparentlydidnotfeelcertainofherownopinion，and，insteadofsupportingorcontradicting，lookedthoughtfullydown，andabstractedlybroughtherhandstogetheronherbosom，tillherfingersmettiptotip。
Asthedayadvancedtheyoungwomanandhermotherbecameawarethatgreatpreparationswereinprogressinthemiller’swingofthehouse。ThepartitioningbetweentheLovedaysandtheGarlandswasnotverythorough，consistinginmanycasesofasimplescrewingupofthedoorsinthedividingwalls；andthuswhenthemillbegananynewperformancestheyproclaimedthemselvesatonceinthemoreprivatedwelling。ThesmellofMillerLoveday’spipecamedownMrs。
Garland’schimneyofaneveningwiththegreatestregularity。Everytimethathepokedhisfiretheyknewfromthevehemenceordeliberatenessoftheblowstheprecisestateofhismind；andwhenhewoundhisclockonSundaynightsthewhirrofthatmonitorremindedthewidowtowindhers。ThistransitofnoiseswasmostperfectwhereLoveday’slobbyadjoinedMrs。Garland’spantry；andAnne，whowasoccupiedforsometimeinthelatterapartment，enjoyedtheprivilegeofhearingthevisitorsarriveandofcatchingstraysoundsandwordswithouttheconnectingphrasesthatmadethementertaining，tojudgefromthelaughtertheyevoked。Thearrivalspassedthroughthehouseandwentintothegarden，wheretheyhadteainalargesummer-house，anoccasionalblinkofbrightcolour，throughthefoliage，beingallthatwasvisibleoftheassemblyfromMrs。Garland’swindows。Whenitgrewdusktheyallcouldbeheardcomingindoorstofinishtheeveningintheparlour。
Thentherewasanintensifiedcontinuationoftheabove-mentionedsignsofenjoyment，talkingsandhaw-haws，runningsupstairsandrunningsdown，aslammingofdoorsandaclinkingofcupsandglasses；tilltheproudestadjoiningtenantwithoutfriendsonhisownsideofthepartitionmighthavebeentemptedtowishforentrancetothatmerrydwelling，ifonlytoknowthecauseofthesefluctuationsofhilarity，andtoseeiftheguestswerereallysonumerous，andtheobservationssoveryamusingastheyseemed。
ThestagnationoflifeontheGarlandsideoftheparty-wallbegantohaveaverygloomyeffectbythecontrast。When，abouthalf-pastnineo’clock，oneofthesetantalizingburstsofgaietyhadresoundedforalongertimethanusual，Annesaid，’Ibelieve，mother，thatyouarewishingyouhadgone。’
’Iowntofeelingthatitwouldhavebeenverycheerfulifwehadjoinedin，’saidMrs。Garland，inahankeringtone。’Iwasrathertooniceinlisteningtoyouandnotgoing。Theparsonnevercallsuponusexceptinhisspiritualcapacity。OldDerrimanishardlygenteel；andthere’snobodylefttospeakto。Lonelypeoplemustacceptwhatcompanytheycanget。’
’Ordowithoutitaltogether。’
’That’snotnatural，Anne；andIamsurprisedtohearayoungwomanlikeyousaysuchathing。Naturewillnotbestifledinthatway……’Songandpowerfulchorusheardthroughpartition。’I
declaretheroomontheothersideofthewallseemsquiteaparadisecomparedwiththis。’
’Mother，youarequiteagirl，’saidAnneinslightlysuperioraccents。’Goinandjointhembyallmeans。’
’Ono——notnow，’saidhermother，resignedlyshakingherhead。’Itistoolatenow。Weoughttohavetakenadvantageoftheinvitation。Theywouldlookhardatmeasapoormortalwhohadnorealbusinessthere，andthemillerwouldsay，withhisbroadsmile，“Ah，youbeobligedtocomeround。“’
WhilethesociableandunaspiringMrs。Garlandcontinuedthustopasstheeveningintwoplaces，herbodyinherownhouseandhermindinthemiller’s，somebodyknockedatthedoor，anddirectlyaftertheelderLovedayhimselfwasadmittedtotheroom。Hewasdressedinasuitbetweengrandandgay，whichheusedforsuchoccasionsasthepresent，andhisbluecoat，yellowandredwaistcoatwiththethreelowerbuttonsunfastened，steel-buckledshoesandspeckledstockings，becamehimverywellinMrs。MarthaGarland’seyes。
’Yourservant，ma’am，’saidthemiller，adoptingasamatterofproprietytheraisedstandardofpolitenessrequiredbyhishighercostume。’Now，beggingyourpardon，Ican’thaethis。’Tisunnaturalthatyoutwoladiesshouldbebidinghereandweunderthesameroofmakingmerrywithoutye。Yourhusband，poorman——lovelypictersthata’wouldmaketobesure——wouldhavebeeninwithuslongagoifhehadbeeninyourplace。Icantakenonayfromye，uponmyhonour。YouandmaidyAnnemustcomein，ifitbeonlyforhalf-an-hour。Johnandhisfriendshavegotpassestilltwelveo’clockto-night，and，savingafewofourownvillagefolk，thelowestvisitorpresentisaverygenteelGermancorporal。Ifyoushouldhaeanymisgivingsonthescoreofrespectability，ma’am，we’llpackofftheunderbredonesintothebackkitchen。’
WidowGarlandandAnnelookedyesateachotherafterthisappeal。
’We’llfollowyouinafewminutes，’saidtheelder，smiling；andsherosewithAnnetogoupstairs。
’No，I’llwaitforye，’saidthemillerdoggedly；’orperhapsyou’llalteryourmindagain。’
Whilethemotheranddaughterwereupstairsdressing，andsayinglaughinglytoeachother，’Well，wemustgonow，’asiftheyhadn’twishedtogoalltheevening，otherstepswereheardinthepassage；
andthemillercriedfrombelow，’Yourpardon，Mrs。Garland；butmysonJohnhascometohelpfetchye。ShallIaskhimintillyebeready？’
’Certainly；Ishallbedowninaminute，’screamedAnne’smotherinaslantingvoicetowardsthestaircase。
Whenshedescended，theoutlineofthetrumpet-majorappearedhalf-waydownthepassage。’ThisisJohn，’saidthemillersimply。
’John，youcanmindMrs。MarthaGarlandverywell？’
’Verywell，indeed，’saidthedragoon，cominginalittlefurther。
’Ishouldhavecalledtoseeherlasttime，butIwasonlyhomeaweek。Howisyourlittlegirl，ma’am？’
Mrs。GarlandsaidAnnewasquitewell。’Sheisgrown-upnow。Shewillbedowninamoment。’
Therewasaslightnoiseofmilitaryheelswithoutthedoor，atwhichthetrumpet-majorwentandputhisheadoutside，andsaid，’Allright——cominginaminute，’whenvoicesinthedarknessreplied，’Nohurry。’
’Morefriends？’saidMrs。Garland。
’O，itisonlyBuckandJonescometofetchme，’saidthesoldier。
’ShallIask’eminaminute，MrsGarland，ma’am？’
’Oyes，’saidthelady；andthetwointerestingformsofTrumpeterBuckandSaddler-sergeantJonesthencameforwardinthemostfriendlymanner；whereuponotherstepswereheardwithout，anditwasdiscoveredthatSergeant-master-tailorBrettandFarrier-
extraordinaryJohnsonwereoutside，havingcometofetchMessrs。
BuckandJones，asBuckandJoneshadcometofetchthetrumpet-major。
AsthereseemedapossibilityofMrs。Garland’ssmallpassagebeingchokedupwithhumanfigurespersonallyunknowntoher，shewasrelievedtohearAnnecomingdownstairs。
’Here’smylittlegirl，’saidMrs。Garland，andthetrumpet-majorlookedwithasortofaweuponthemuslinapparitionwhocameforward，andstoodquitedumbbeforeher。Annerecognizedhimasthetroopershehadseenfromherwindow，andwelcomedhimkindly。
Therewassomethinginhishonestfacewhichmadeherfeelinstantlyathomewithhim。
AtthisfranknessofmannerLoveday——whowasnotaladies’man——
blushed，andmadesomealterationinhisbodilyposture，beganasentencewhichhadnoend，andshowedquiteaboy’sembarrassment。
Recoveringhimself，hepolitelyofferedhisarm，whichAnnetookwithaveryprettygrace。Heconductedherthroughhiscomrades，whogluedthemselvesperpendicularlytothewalltoletherpass，andthentheywentoutofthedoor，hermotherfollowingwiththemiller，andsupportedbythebodyoftroopers，thelatterwalkingwiththeusualcavalrygait，asiftheirthighswererathertoolongforthem。Thustheycrossedthethresholdofthemill-houseandupthepassage，thepavingofwhichwaswornintoagutterbytheebbandflowoffeetthathadbeengoingonthereeversinceTudortimes。
IV。WHOWEREPRESENTATTHEMILLER’SLITTLEENTERTAINMENT
Whenthegroupenteredthepresenceofthecompanyalullintheconversationwascausedbythesightofnewvisitors，andofcoursebythecharmofAnne’sappearance；untiltheoldmen，whohaddaughtersoftheirown，perceivingthatshewasonlyahalf-formedgirl，resumedtheirtalesandtoss-pottingwithunconcern。
MillerLovedayhadfraternizedwithhalfthesoldiersinthecampsincetheirarrival，andtheeffectofthisuponhispartywasstriking——bothchromaticallyandotherwise。Thoseamongtheguestswhofirstattractedtheeyewerethesergeantsandsergeant-majorsofLoveday’sregiment，fineheartymen，whosatfacingthecandles，entirelyresignedtophysicalcomfort。Thentherewereothernon-commissionedofficers，aGerman，twoHungarians，andaSwede，fromtheforeignhussars——youngmenwithalookofsadnessontheirfaces，asiftheydidnotmuchlikeservingsofarfromhome。AllofthemspokeEnglishfairlywell。OldagewasrepresentedbySimonBurdenthepensioner，andtheshadysideoffiftybyCorporalTullidge，hisfriendandneighbour，whowashardofhearing，andsatwithhishatonoveraredcottonhandkerchiefthatwaswoundseveraltimesroundhishead。Thesetwoveteranswereemployedaswatchersattheneighbouringbeacon，whichhadlatelybeenerectedbytheLord-Lieutenantforfiringwheneverthedescentonthecoastshouldbemade。Theylivedinalittlehutonthehill，closebytheheapoffaggots；butto-nighttheyhadfounddeputiestowatchintheirstead。
OnalowerplaneofexperienceandqualificationscameneighbourJamesComfort，oftheVolunteers，asoldierbycourtesy，butablacksmithbyrights；alsoWilliamTremlettandAnthonyCripplestraw，ofthelocalforces。Thetwolattermenofwarweredressedmerelyasvillagers，andlookedupontheregularsfromahumblepositioninthebackground。Theremainderofthepartywasmadeupofaneighbouringdairymanortwo，andtheirwives，invitedbythemiller，asAnnewasgladtosee，thatsheandhermothershouldnotbetheonlywomenthere。
TheelderLovedayapologizedinawhispertoMrs。Garlandforthepresenceoftheinferiorvillagers。’Butastheyarelearningtobebravedefendersoftheirhomeandcountry，ma’am，asfastastheycanmasterthedrill，andhaveworkedformeoffandonthesemanyyears，I’veasked’emin，andthoughtyou’dexcuseit。’
’Certainly，MillerLoveday，’saidthewidow。
’AndthesameofoldBurdenandTullidge。TheyhaveservedwellandlongintheFoot，andevennowhaveahardtimeofitupatthebeaconinwetweather。SoaftergivingthemamealinthekitchenI
justasked’emintohearthesinging。Theyfaithfullypromisethatassoonaseverthegunboatsappearinview，andtheyhavefiredthebeacon，torundownherefirst，incaseweshouldn’tseeit。’Tisworthwhiletobefriendlywith’em，yousee，thoughtheirtempersbequeer。’
’Quiteworthwhile，miller，’saidshe。
Annewasratherembarrassedbythepresenceoftheregularmilitaryinsuchforce，andatfirstconfinedherwordstothedairymen’swivesshewasacquaintedwith，andtothetwooldsoldiersoftheparish。
’Whydidn’tyespeaktomeafore，chiel？’saidoneofthese，CorporalTullidge，theelderlymanwiththehat，whileshewastalkingtooldSimonBurden。’Imetyeinthelaneyesterday，’headdedreproachfully，’butyedidn’tnoticemeatall。’
’Iamverysorryforit，’shesaid；but，beingafraidtoshoutinsuchacompany，theeffectofherremarkuponthecorporalwasasifshehadnotspokenatall。
’Youwascomingalongwithyerheadfullofsomehighnotionsorothernodoubt，’continuedtheuncompromisingcorporalinthesameloudvoice。’Ah，’tistheyoungbucksthatgetallthenoticenowadays，andoldfolksarequiteforgot！IcanmindwellenoughhowyoungBobLovedayusedtolieinwaitforye。’
Anneblusheddeeply，andstoppedhistooexcursivediscoursebyhastilysayingthatshealwaysrespectedoldfolkslikehim。Thecorporalthoughtsheinquiredwhyhealwayskepthishaton，andansweredthatitwasbecausehisheadwasinjuredatValenciennes，inJuly，Ninety-three。’Weweretryingtobombdownthetower，andapieceoftheshellstruckme。Iwasnomorenorlessthanadeadmanfortwodays。Ifithadn’tabeenforthatandmysmashedarmI
shouldhavecomehomenonetheworseformyfive-and-twentyyears’
service。’