Bythetimetheyreachedthepieritwassixo’clock；theroyalyachtwasreturning；afactannouncedbytheshipsintheharbourfiringasalute。TheKingcameashorewithhishatinhishand，andreturnedthesalutationsofthewell-dressedcrowdinhisoldindiscriminatefashion。WhilethischeeringandwavingofhandkerchiefswasgoingonAnnestoodbetweenthetwobrothers，whoprotectinglyjoinedtheirhandsbehindherback，asifshewereadelicatepieceofstatuarythatapushmightdamage。SoontheKinghadpassed，andreceivingthemilitarysalutesofthepiquet，joinedtheQueenandprincessesatGloucesterLodge，thehomelyhouseofredbrickinwhichheunostentatiouslyresided。
Astherewasyetsomelittletimebeforethetheatrewouldopen，theystrayeduponthevelvetsands，andlistenedtothesongsofthesailors，oneofwhomextemporizedfortheoccasion:——
’PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，theKingaboard！
PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，WeweighedandsailedfromPortlandRoad！’*
*VidePreface。
Whentheyhadlookedonawhileatthecombatsatsingle-stickwhichwereinprogresshardby，andseenthesumoffiveguineashandedovertothemodestgentlemanwhohadbrokenmostheads，theyreturnedtoGloucesterLodge，whencetheKingandothermembersofhisfamilynowreappeared，anddrove，ataslowtrot，roundtothetheatreincarriagesdrawnbytheHanoverianwhitehorsesthatweresowellknowninthetownatthisdate。
WhenAnneandBobenteredthetheatretheyfoundthatJohnhadtakenexcellentplaces，andconcludedthathehadgotthemfornothingthroughtheinfluenceoftheladyofhischoice。Asamatteroffacthehadpaidfullpricesforthosetwoseats，likeanyotheroutsider，andeventhenhadadifficultyingettingthem，itbeingaKing’snight。Whentheyweresettledhehimselfretiredtoanobscurepartofthepit，fromwhichthestagewasscarcelyvisible。
’Wecanseebeautifully，’saidBob，inanaristocraticvoice，ashetookadelicatepinchofsnuff，anddrewoutthemagnificentpocket-handkerchiefbroughthomefromtheEastforsuchoccasions。
’ButIamafraidpoorJohncan’tseeatall。’
’Butwecanseehim，’repliedAnne，’andnoticebyhisfacewhichofthemitisheissocharmedwith。Thelightofthatcornercandlefallsrightuponhischeek。’
BythistimetheKinghadappearedinhisplace，whichwasoverhungbyacanopyofcrimsonsatinfringedwithgold。Abouttwentyplaceswereoccupiedbytheroyalfamilyandsuite；andbeyondthemwasacrowdofpowderedandglitteringpersonagesoffashion，completelyfillingthecentreofthelittlebuilding；thoughtheKingsofrequentlypatronizedthelocalstageduringtheseyearsthatthecrushwasnotinconvenient。
Thecurtainroseandtheplaybegan。To-nightitwasoneofColman’s，whoatthistimeenjoyedgreatpopularity，andMr。
Bannistersupportedtheleadingcharacter。Anne，withherhandprivatelyclaspedinBob’s，andlookingasifshedidnotknowit，partlywatchedthepieceandpartlythefaceoftheimpressionableJohnwhohadsosoontransferredhisaffectionselsewhere。Shehadnotlongtowait。Whenacertainoneofthesubordinateladiesofthecomedyenteredonthestagethetrumpet-majorinhiscornernotonlylookedconscious，butstartedandgazedwithpartedlips。
’Thismustbetheone，’whisperedAnnequickly。’See，heisagitated！’
SheturnedtoBob，butatthesamemomenthishandconvulsivelycloseduponhersashe，too，strangelyfixedhiseyesuponthenewly-enteredlady。
’Whatisit？’
Annelookedfromonetotheotherwithoutregardingthestageatall。Heranswercameinthevoiceoftheactresswhonowspokeforthefirsttime。TheaccentswerethoseofMissMatildaJohnson。
Onethoughtrushedintoboththeirmindsontheinstant，andBobwasthefirsttoutterit。
’What——isshethewomanofhischoiceafterall？’
’Ifso，itisadreadfulthing！’murmuredAnne。
But，asmaybeimagined，theunfortunateJohnwasasmuchsurprisedbythisrencounterastheothertwo。Untilthismomenthehadbeeninutterignoranceofthetheatricalcompanyandallthatpertainedtoit。Moreover，muchasheknewofMissJohnson，hewasnotawarethatshehadeverbeentrainedinheryouthasanactress，andthatafterlapsingintostraitsanddifficultiesforacoupleofyearsshehadbeensofortunateastoagainprocureanengagementhere。
Thetrumpet-major，thoughnotprominentlyseated，hadbeenseenbyMatildaalready，whohadobservedstillmoreplainlyheroldbetrothedandAnneintheotherpartofthehouse。Johnwasnotconcernedonhisownaccountatbeingfacetofacewithher，butattheextraordinarysuspicionthatthisconjuncturemustreviveinthemindsofhisbestbelovedfriends。Aftersomemomentsofpainedreflectionhetappedhisknee。
’Gad，Iwon’texplain；itshallgoasitis！’hesaid。’Letthemthinkhermine。Betterthatthanthetruth，afterall。’
Hadpersonalprominenceinthescenebeenatthismomentproportionedtointentnessoffeeling，thewholeaudience，regalandotherwise，wouldhavefadedintoanindistinctmistofbackground，leavingasthesoleemergentandtellingfiguresBobandAnneatonepoint，thetrumpet-majoronthelefthand，andMatildaattheoppositecornerofthestage。Butfortunatelythedeadlockofawkwardsuspenseintowhichallfourhadfallenwasterminatedbyanaccident。AmessengerenteredtheKing’sboxwithdespatches。
Therewasaninstantpauseintheperformance。Thedespatch-boxbeingopenedtheKingreadforafewmomentswithgreatinterest，theeyesofthewholehouse，includingthoseofAnneGarland，beinganxiouslyfixeduponhisface；forterribleeventsfellasunexpectedlyasthunderboltsatthiscriticaltimeofourhistory。
TheKingatlengthbeckonedtoLord——，whowasimmediatelybehindhim，theplaywasagainstopped，andthecontentsofthedespatchwerepubliclycommunicatedtotheaudience。
SirRobertCalder，cruisingoffFinisterre，hadcomeinsightofVilleneuve，andmadethesignalforaction，which，thoughcheckedbytheweather，hadresultedinthecaptureoftwoSpanishline-of-battleships，andtheretreatofVilleneuveintoFerrol。
Thenewswasreceivedwithtrulynationalfeeling，ifnoisemightbetakenasanindexofpatriotism。’RuleBritannia’wascalledforandsungbythewholehouse。Buttheimportanceoftheeventwasfarfrombeingrecognizedatthistime；andBobLoveday，ashesatthereandheardit，hadverylittleconceptionhowitwouldbearuponhisdestiny。
ThisparentheticexcitementdivertedforafewminutestheeyesofBobandAnnefromthetrumpet-major；andwhentheplayproceeded，andtheylookedbacktohiscorner，hewasgone。
’He’sjustslippedroundtotalktoherbehindthescenes，’saidBobknowingly。’Shallwegotoo，andteasehimforaslydog？’
’No，Iwouldrathernot。’
’Shallwegohome，then？’
’Notunlessherpresenceistoomuchforyou？’
’O——notatall。We’llstayhere。Ah，theresheisagain。’
Theysaton，andlistenedtoMatilda’sspeecheswhichshedeliveredwithsuchdelightfulcoolnessthattheysoonbegantoconsiderablyinterestoneoftheparty。
’Well，whatanervetheyoungwomanhas！’hesaidatlastintonesofadmiration，andgazingatMissJohnsonwithallhismight。
’Afterall，Jack’stasteisnotsobad。She’sreallydeucedclever。’
’Bob，I’llgohomeifyouwishto，’saidAnnequickly。
’Ono——letusseehowshefleetsherselfoffthatbitofascrapeshe’splayingatnow。Well，whatahandsheisatit，tobesure！’
Annesaidnomore，butwaitedon，supremelyuncomfortable，andalmosttearful。Shebegantofeelthatshedidnotlikelifeparticularlywell；itwastoocomplicated:shesawnothingofthescene，andonlylongedtogetaway，andtogetBobawaywithher。
Atlastthecurtainfellonthefinalact，andthenbeganthefarceof’NoSongnoSupper。’Matildadidnotappearinthispiece，andAnneagaininquirediftheyshouldgohome。ThistimeBobagreed，andtakingherunderhiscarewithredoubledaffection，tomakeupforthespeciesofcomawhichhadseizeduponhisheartforatime，hequietlyaccompaniedheroutofthehouse。
Whentheyemergedupontheesplanade，theAugustmoonwasshiningacrosstheseafromthedirectionofSt。Aldhelm’sHead。Bobunconsciouslyloitered，andturnedtowardsthepier。Reachingtheendofthepromenadetheysurveyedthequiveringwatersinsilenceforsometime，untilalongdarklineshotfrombehindthepromontoryoftheNothe，andsweptforwardintotheharbour。
’Whatboatisthat？’saidAnne。
’ItseemstobesomefrigatelyingintheRoads，’saidBobcarelessly，ashebroughtAnneroundwithagentlepressureofhisarmandbenthisstepstowardsthehomewardendofthetown。
Meanwhile，MissJohnson，havingfinishedherdutiesforthatevening，rapidlychangedherdress，andwentoutlikewise。TheprominentpositionwhichAnneandCaptainBobhadoccupiedsidebysideinthetheatre，lefthernoalternativebuttosupposethatthesituationwasarrangedbyBobasaspeciesofdefiancetoherself；
andherheart，suchasitwas，becameproportionatelyembitteredagainsthim。Inspiteoftheriseinherfortunes，MissJohnsonstillremembered——andalwayswouldremember——herhumiliatingdeparturefromOvercombe；andithadbeentoherevenamoregrievousthingthatBobhadacquiescedinhisbrother’srulingthanthatJohnhaddeterminedit。AtthetimeofsettingoutshewassustainedbyafirmfaiththatBobwouldfollowher，andnullifyhisbrother’sscheme；butthoughshewaitedBobnevercame。
Shepassedalongbythehousesfacingthesea，andscannedtheshore，thefootway，andtheopenroadclosetoher，which，illuminatedbytheslantingmoontoagreatbrightness，sparkledwithminutefacetsofcrystallizedsaltsfromthewatersprinkledthereduringtheday。Thepromenadersatthefurtheredgeappearedindarkprofiles；andbeyondthemwasthegreysea，partedintotwomassesbythetaperingbraidofmoonlightacrossthewaves。
Twoformscrossedthislineatastartlingnearnesstoher；shemarkedthematonceasAnneandBobLoveday。Theywerewalkingslowly，andintheearnestnessoftheirdiscoursewereobliviousofthepresenceofanyhumanbeingssavethemselves。Matildastoodmotionlesstilltheyhadpassed。
’HowIlovethem！’shesaid，treadingtheinitialstepofherwalkonwardswithavehemencethatwalkingdidnotdemand。
’SodoI——especiallyone，’saidavoiceatherelbow；andamanwheeledroundher，andlookedinherface，whichhadbeenfullyexposedtothemoon。
’You——whoareyou？’sheasked。
’Don’tyouremember，ma’am？WewalkedsomewaytogethertowardsOvercombeearlierinthesummer。’Matildalookedmoreclosely，andperceivedthatthespeakerwasDerriman，inplainclothes。Hecontinued，’Youareoneoftheladiesofthetheatre，Iknow。MayI
askwhyyousaidinsuchaqueerwaythatyoulovedthatcouple？’
’Inaqueerway？’
’Well，asifyouhatedthem。’
’Idon’tmindyourknowingthatIhavegoodreasontohatethem。
Youdotoo，itseems？’
’Thatman，’saidFestussavagely，’cametomeonenightaboutthatverywoman；insultedmebeforeIcouldputmyselfonmyguard，andranawaybeforeIcouldcomeupwithhimandavengemyself。Thewomantricksmeateveryturn！Iwanttopart’em。’
’Thenwhydon’tyou？There’sasplendidopportunity。Doyouseethatsoldierwalkingalong？He’samarine；helooksintothegalleryofthetheatreeverynight:andhe’sinconnexionwiththepress-gangthatcameashorejustnowfromthefrigatelyinginPortlandRoads。Theyareoftenhereformen。’
’Yes。Ourboatmendread’em。’
’Well，wehaveonlytotellhimthatLovedayisaseamantobeclearofhimthisverynight。’
’Done！’saidFestus。’Takemyarmandcomethisway。’Theywalkedacrosstothefootway。’Finenight，sergeant。’
’Itis，sir。’
’Lookingforhands，Isuppose？’