’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？’