Doyouthinktheyreallycan？’
’Well，maister，IamafraidIdo，’saidthecheeringCripplestraw。
’AndIknowagreatwarriorlikeyouisonlytooglado’thechance。
’Twillbeagreatthingforye，deathandglory！Inshort，Ihopefrommyheartyouwillbe，andIsaysoveryoftentofolk——infact，Iprayatnightfor’t。’
’O！cussyou！youneedn’tprayaboutit。’
’No，MaisterDerriman，Iwon’t。’
’Ofcoursemyswordwilldoitsduty。That’senough。Andnowbeoffwithye。’
Festusgloomilyreturnedtohisuncle’sroomandfoundthatAnnewasjustleaving。Hewasinclinedtofollowheratonce，butasshegavehimnoopportunityfordoingthishewenttothewindow，andremainedtappinghisfingersagainsttheshutterwhileshecrossedtheyard。
’Well，nephy，youarenotgoneyet？’saidthefarmer，lookingdubiouslyatFestusfromunderoneeyelid。’YouseehowIam。Notbyanymeansbetter，yousee；soIcan’tentertain’eeaswellasI
would。’
’Youcan’t，nunc，youcan’t。Idon’tthinkyouareworse——ifIdo，dashmywig。Butyou’llhaveplentyofopportunitiestomakemewelcomewhenyouarebetter。Ifyouarenotsobriskinwardlyasyouwas，whynottrychangeofair？Thisisadull，damphole。’
’’Tis，Festus；andIamthinkingofmoving。’
’Ah，whereto？’saidFestus，withsurpriseandinterest。
’Upintothegarretinthenorthcorner。Thereisnofireplaceintheroom；butIshan’twantthat，poorsoulo’me。’
’’Tisnotmovingfar。’
’’Tisnot。ButIhavenotasoulbelongingtomewithintenmile；
andyouknowverywellthatIcouldn’taffordtogotolodgingsthatIhadtopayfor。’
’Iknowit——Iknowit，UncleBenjy！Well，don’tbedisturbed。I’llcomeandmanageforyouassoonaseverthisBoneyalarmisover；
butwhenaman’scountrycallshemustobey，ifheisaman。’
’Asplendidspirit！’saidUncleBenjy，withmuchadmirationonthesurfaceofhiscountenance。’Ineverhadit。Howcouldithavegotintotheboy？’
’Frommymother’sside，perhaps。’
’Perhapsso。Well，takecareofyourself，nephy，’saidthefarmer，wavinghishandimpressively。’Takecare！Inthesewarliketimesyourspiritmaycarryyeintothearmsoftheenemy；andyouarethelastofthefamily。Youshouldthinkofthis，andnotletyourbraverycarryyeaway。’
’Don’tbedisturbed，uncle；I’llcontrolmyself，’saidFestus，betrayedintoself-complacencyagainsthiswill。’AtleastI’lldowhatIcan，butnaturewilloutsometimes。Well，I’moff。’Hebeganhumming’BrightonCamp，’and，promisingtocomeagainsoon，retiredwithassurance，eachyardofhisretreataddingprivatejoyousnesstohisuncle’sform。
Whenthebulkyyoungmanhaddisappearedthroughtheporter’slodge，UncleBenjyshowedpreternaturalactivityforoneinhisinvalidstate，jumpingupquicklywithouthisstick，atthesametimeopeningandshuttinghismouthquitesilentlylikeathirstyfrog，whichwashiswayofexpressingmirth。Heranupstairsasquickasanoldsquirrel，andwenttoadormerwindowwhichcommandedaviewofthegroundsbeyondthegate，andthefootpaththatstretchedacrossthemtothevillage。
’Yes，yes！’hesaidinasuppressedscream，dancingupanddown，’he’safterher:she’vehiten！’ForthereappeareduponthepaththefigureofAnneGarland，and，hasteningonatsomelittledistancebehindher，theswaggeringshapeofFestus。Shebecameconsciousofhisapproach，andmovedmorequickly。Hemovedmorequicklystill，andovertookher。Sheturnedasifinanswertoacallfromhim，andhewalkedonbesideher，tilltheywereoutofsight。Theoldmanthenplayeduponanimaginaryfiddleforabouthalfaminute；and，suddenlydiscontinuingthesesignsofpleasure，wentdownstairsagain。
’Youoftencomethisway？’saidFestustoAnneratherbeforehehadovertakenher。
’Icomeforthenewspaperandotherthings，’shesaid，perplexedbyadoubtwhetherheweretherebyaccidentordesign。
Theymovedoninsilence，Festusbeatingthegrasswithhisswitchinamasterfulway。’Didyouspeak，Mis’essAnne？’heasked。
’No，’saidAnne。
’Tenthousandpardons。Ithoughtyoudid。Nowdon’tletmedriveyououtofthepath。Icanwalkamongthehighgrassandgiltycups——
theywillnotyellowmystockingsastheywillyours。Well，whatdoyouthinkofalotofsoldierscomingtotheneighbourhoodinthisway？’
’Ithinkitisverylively，andagreatchange，’shesaidwithdemureseriousness。
’Perhapsyoudon’tlikeuswarriorsasabody？’
Annesmiledwithoutreplying。
’Why，youarelaughing！’saidtheyeoman，lookingsearchinglyatherandblushinglikealittlefire。’Whatdoyouseetolaughat？’
’DidIlaugh？’saidAnne，alittlescaredathissuddenmortification。
’Why，yes；youknowyoudid，youyoungsneerer，’hesaidlikeacrossbaby。’Youarelaughingatme——that’swhoyouarelaughingat！IshouldliketoknowwhatyouwoulddowithoutsuchasmeiftheFrenchweretodropinuponyeanynight？’
’Wouldyouhelptobeatthemoff？’saidshe。
’Canyouasksuchaquestion？Whatarewefor？Butyoudon’tthinkanythingofsoldiers。’
Oyes，shelikedsoldiers，shesaid，especiallywhentheycamehomefromthewars，coveredwithglory；thoughwhenshethoughtwhatdoingshadwonthemthatgloryshedidnotlikethemquitesowell。
Thegallantandappeasedyeomansaidhesupposedhertomeanchoppingoffheads，blowingoutbrains，andthatkindofbusiness，andthoughtitquiterightthatatender-heartedthinglikehershouldfeelalittlehorrified。Butasforhim，heshouldnotmindsuchanotherBlenheimthissummerasthearmyhadfoughtahundredyearsago，orwheneveritwas——dashhiswigifheshouldminditatall。’Hullo！nowyouarelaughingagain；yes，Isawyou！’AndthecholericFestusturnedhisblueeyesandflushedfaceuponherasthoughhewouldreadherthrough。Annestrovevaliantlytolookcalmlyback；buthereyescouldnotfacehis，andtheyfell。’Youdidlaugh！’herepeated。
’Itwasonlyatinylittleone，’shemurmured。
’Ah——Iknewyoudid！’thunderedhe。’Nowwhatwasityoulaughedat？’
’Ionly——thoughtthatyouwere——merelyintheyeomanry，’shemurmuredslily。
’Andwhatofthat？’
’Andtheyeomanryonlyseemfarmersthathavelosttheirsenses。’
’Yes，yes！Iknewyoumeantsomejeeringo’thatsort，MistressAnne。ButIsuppose’tisthewayofwomen，andItakenonotice。
I’llconfessthatsomeofusarenogreatthings:butIknowhowtodrawasword，don’tI？——sayIdon’tjusttoprovokeme。’
’Iamsureyoudo，’saidAnnesweetly。’IfaFrenchmancameuptoyou，Mr。Derriman，wouldyoutakehimonthehip，oronthethigh？’
’Nowyouareflattering！’hesaid，hiswhiteteethuncoveringthemselvesinasmile。’Well，ofcourseIshoulddrawmysword——no，Imeanmyswordwouldbealreadydrawn；andIshouldputspurstomyhorse——charger，aswecallitinthearmy；andIshouldrideuptohimandsay——no，Ishouldn’tsayanything，ofcourse——menneverwastewordsinbattle；Ishouldtakehimwiththethirdguard，lowpoint，andthencomingbacktothesecondguard——’
’Butthatwouldbetakingcareofyourself——nothittingathim。’
’Howcanyousaythat！’hecried，thebeamsuponhisfaceturningtoaluridcloudinamoment。’Howcanyouunderstandmilitarytermswho’veneverhadaswordinyourlife？Ishouldn’ttakehimwiththeswordatall。’Hewentonwitheagersulkiness，’Ishouldtakehimwithmypistol。Ishouldpulloffmyrightglove，andthrowbackmygoat-skin；thenIshouldopenmypriming-pan，prime，andcastabout——no，Ishouldn’t，that’swrong；Ishoulddrawmyrightpistol，andassoonasloaded，seizetheweaponbythebutt；thenattheword“Cockyourpistol“Ishould——’
’Thenthereisplentyoftimetogivesuchwordsofcommandintheheatofbattle？’saidAnneinnocently。
’No！’saidtheyeoman，hisfaceagaininflames。’Why，ofcourseI
amonlytellingyouwhatWOULDbethewordofcommandIF——therenow！
youla——’
’Ididn’t；’ponmywordIdidn’t！’
’No，Idon’tthinkyoudid；itwasmymistake。Well，thenIcomesmartlytoPresent，lookingwellalongthebarrel——alongthebarrel——
andfire。OfcourseIknowwellenoughhowtoengagetheenemy！
ButIexpectmyoldunclehasbeensettingyouagainstme。’
’Hehasnotsaidaword，’repliedAnne；’thoughIhaveheardofyou，ofcourse。’
’Whathaveyouheard？Nothinggood，Idaresay。Itmakesmybloodboilwithinme！’
’O，nothingbad，’saidsheassuringly。’Justawordnowandthen。’
’Now，come，tellme，there’sadear。Idon’tliketobecrossed。
Itshallbeasacredsecretbetweenus。Come，now！’
Annewasembarrassed，andhersmilewasuncomfortable。’Ishallnottellyou，’shesaidatlast。
’Thereitisagain！’saidtheyeoman，throwinghimselfintoadespair。’Ishallsoonbegintobelievethatmynameisnotworthsixpenceabouthere！’
’Itellyou’twasnothingagainstyou，’repeatedAnne。
’Thatmeansitmighthavebeenforme，’saidFestus，inamollifiedtone。’Well，though，tospeakthetruth，Ihaveagoodmanyfaults，somepeoplewillpraiseme，Isuppose。’Twaspraise？’
’Itwas。’
’Well，Iamnotmuchatfarming，andIamnotmuchincompany，andI
amnotmuchatfigures，butperhapsImustown，sinceitisforceduponme，thatIcanshowasfineasoldier’sfigureontheEsplanadeasanymanofthecavalry。’
’Youcan，’saidAnne；forthoughherfleshcreptinmortalterrorofhisirascibility，shecouldnotresistthefearfulpleasureofleadinghimon。’Youlookverywell；andsomesay，youare——’
’What？Well，theysayIamgood-looking。Idon’tmakemyself，so’tisnopraise。Hullo！whatareyoulookingacrosstherefor？’
’OnlyatabirdthatIsawflyoutofthattree，’saidAnne。
’What？Onlyatabird，doyousay？’heheavedoutinavoiceofthunder。’Iseeyourshouldersa-shaking，youngmadam。Nowdon’tyouprovokemewiththatlaughing！ByGod，itwon’tdo！’
’Thengoaway！’saidAnne，changedfrommirthfulnesstoirritationbyhisroughmanner。’Idon’twantyourcompany，yougreatbraggingthing！Youaresotouchythere’snobearingwithyou。Goaway！’
’No，no，Anne；Iamwrongtospeaktoyouso。Igiveyoufreelibertytosaywhatyouwilltome。SayIamnotabitofasoldier，oranything！Abuseme——donow，there’sadear。I’mscum，I’mfroth，I’mdirtbeforethebesom——yes！’
’Ihavenothingtosay，sir。StaywhereyouaretillIamoutofthisfield。’
’Well，there’ssuchcommandinyourlooksthatIha’n’thearttogoagainstyou。Youwillcomethiswayto-morrowatthesametime？
Now，don’tbeuncivil。’
Shewastoogenerousnottoforgivehim，buttheshortlittlelipmurmuredthatshedidnotthinkitatalllikelysheshouldcomethatwayto-morrow。
’ThenSunday？’hesaid。
’NotSunday，’saidshe。
’ThenMonday——Tuesday——Wednesday，surely？’hewentonexperimentally。
Sheansweredthatsheshouldprobablynotseehimoneitherday，and，cuttingshorttheargument，wentthroughthewicketintotheotherfield。Festuspaused，lookingafterher；andwhenhecouldnolongerseeherslightfigurehesweptawayhisdeliberations，begansinging，andturnedoffintheotherdirection。
