Annefaintlyreplied’Yes，’andallowedthemillertotakeherforwardonhisarmtothetrackway，soastobeclosetotheflankoftheapproachingcolumn。Itcameup，manypeopleoneachsidegraspingthehandsofthetroopersinbiddingthemfarewell；andassoonasJohnLovedaysawthemembersofhisfather’shousehold，hestretcheddownhishandacrosshisrightpistolforthesameperformance。Themillergavehis，thenMrs。Lovedaygavehers，andthenthehandofthetrumpet-majorwasextendedtowardsAnne。Butasthehorsedidnotabsolutelystop，itwasasomewhatawkwardperformanceforayoungwomantoundertake，and，moreonthataccountthanonanyother，Annedrewback，andthegallanttrooperpassedbywithoutreceivingheradieu。Anne’sheartreproachedherforamoment；andthenshethoughtthat，afterall，hewasnotgoingofftoimmediatebattle，andthatshewouldinallprobabilityseehimagainatnodistantdate，whenshehopedthatthemysteryofhisconductwouldbeexplained。Herthoughtswereinterruptedbyavoiceatherelbow:’Thankheaven，he’sgone！Nowthere’sachanceforme。’
Sheturned，andFestusDerrimanwasstandingbyher。
’There’snochanceforyou，’shesaidindignantly。
’Whynot？’
’Becausethere’sanotherleft！’
Thewordshadslippedoutquiteunintentionally，andsheblushedquickly。Shewouldhavegivenanythingtobeabletorecallthem；
buthehadheard，andsaid，’Who？’
Annewentforwardtothemillertoavoidreplying，andFestuscaughthernomore。
’HasanybodybeenhangingaboutOvercombeMillexceptLoveday’ssonthesoldier？’heaskedofacomrade。
’Hissonthesailor，’wasthereply。
’O——hissonthesailor，’saidFestusslowly。’Damnhissonthesailor！’
AtthisparticularmomenttheobjectofFestusDerriman’sfulminationwasassuredlynotdangerousasarival。Bob，afterabstractedlywatchingthesoldiersfromthefrontofthehousetilltheywereoutofsight，hadgonewithindoorsandseatedhimselfinthemill-parlour，wherehisfatherfoundhim，hiselbowsrestingonthetableandhisforeheadonhishands，hiseyesbeingfixeduponadocumentthatlayopenbeforehim。
’Whatartperusing，Bob，withsuchalongface？’
Bobsighed，andthenMrs。LovedayandAnneentered。’’Tisonlyastate-paperthatIfondlythoughtIshouldhaveausefor，’hesaidgloomily。And，lookingdownasbefore，heclearedhisvoice，asifmovedinwardlytogoon，andbegantoreadinfeelingtonesfromwhatprovedtobehisnullifiedmarriagelicence:——
’“TimothyTitusPhilemon，bypermissionBishopofBristol:Toourwell-belovedRobertLoveday，oftheparishofOvercombe，Bachelor；
andMatildaJohnson，ofthesameparish，Spinster。Greeting。“’
HereAnnesighed，butcontrivedtokeepdownhersightoamerenothing。
’Beautifullanguage，isn’tit！’saidBob。’Iwasnevergreetedlikethatafore！’
’Yes；Ihaveoftenthoughtitveryexcellentlanguagemyself，’saidMrs。Loveday。
’Cometothat，theoldgentlemanwillgreettheelikeitagainanydayforacoupleofguineas，’saidthemiller。
’That’snotthepoint，father！Younevercouldseetherealmeaningofthesethings……Well，thenhegoeson:“Whereasyeare，asitisalleged，determinedtoenterintotheholyestateofmatrimony——“ButwhyshouldIreadon？Itallmeansnothingnow——
nothing，andthesplendidwordsareallwasteduponair。ItseemsasifIhadbeenhailedbysomevenerablehoaryprophet，andhadturnedaway，putthehelmhardup，andwouldn’thear。’
Nobodyreplied，feelingprobablythatsympathycouldnotmeetthecase，andBobwentonreadingtherestofittohimself，occasionallyheavingabreathlikethewindinaship’sshrouds。
’Iwouldn’tsetmymindsomuchuponher，ifIwasthee，’saidhisfatheratlast。
’Whynot？’
’Well，folkmightcalltheeafool，andsaythybrainswereturningtowater。’
Bobwasapparentlymuchstruckbythisthought，and，insteadofcontinuingthediscoursefurther，hecarefullyfoldedupthelicence，wentout，andwalkedupanddownthegarden。Itwasstartlinglyaptwhathisfatherhadsaid；and，worsethanthat，whatpeoplewouldcallhimmightbetrue，andtheliquefactionofhisbrainsturnouttobenofable。Bydegreeshebecamemuchconcerned，andthemoreheexaminedhimselfbythisnewlightthemoreclearlydidheperceivethathewasinaverybadway。
OnreflectionherememberedthatsinceMissJohnson’sdeparturehisappetitehaddecreasedamazingly。Hehadeateninmeatnomorethanfourteenorfifteenouncesaday，butone-thirdofaquarternpuddingonanaverage，invegetablesonlyasmallheapofpotatoesandhalfaYorkcabbage，andnogravywhatever；which，consideringtheusualappetiteofaseamanforfreshfoodattheendofalongvoyage，wasnosmallindexofthedepressionofhismind。Thenhehadwakedonceeverynight，andononeoccasiontwice。Whiledressingeachmorningsincethegloomydayhehadnotwhistledmorethansevenbarsofahornpipewithoutstoppingandfallingintothoughtofamostpainfulkind；andhehadtoldnonebutabsolutelytruestoriesofforeignpartstotheneighbouringvillagerswhentheysalutedandclusteredabouthim，asusual，foranythinghechosetopourforth——exceptthatstoryofthewhalewhoseeyewasaboutaslargeastheroundpondinDerriman’sewe-lease——whichwasliketemptingfatetosetasealforeveruponhistongueasatraveller。Allthisenervation，mentalandphysical，hadbeenproducedbyMatilda’sdeparture。
Healsoconsideredwhathehadlostoftherationalamusementsofmanhoodduringtheseunfortunatedays。Hemighthavegonetotheneighbouringfashionableresorteveryafternoon，stoodbeforeGloucesterLodgetilltheKingandQueencameout，heldhishatinhishand，andenjoyedtheirMajesties’smilesathishomageallfornothing——watchedthepicket-mounting，heardthedifferentbandsstrikeup，observedthestaff；and，aboveall，haveseentheprettytowngirlsgotrip-trip-tripalongtheesplanade，deliberatelyfixingtheirinnocenteyesonthedistantsea，thegreycliffs，andthesky，andaccidentallyonthesoldiersandhimself。
’I’llrazeoutherimage，’hesaid。’Sheshallmakeafoolofmenomore。’Andhisresolveresultedinconductwhichhadelementsofrealgreatness。
Hewentbacktohisfather，whomhefoundinthemill-loft。’’Tistrue，father，whatyousay，’heobserved:’mybrainswillturntobilge-waterifIthinkofhermuchlonger。Bytheoathofa——
navigator，IwishIcouldsighlessandlaughmore！She’sgone——whycan’tIlethergo，andbehappy？Buthowbegin？’
’Takeitcareless，myson，’saidthemiller，’andlayyourselfouttoenjoysnacksandcordials。’
’Ah——that’sathought！’saidBob。
’Baccyisgoodfor’t。Soissperrits。ThoughIdon’tadvisetheetodrinkneat。’
’Baccy——I’dalmostforgotit！’saidCaptainLoveday。
Hewenttohisroom，hastilyuntiedthepackageoftobaccothathehadbroughthome，andbegantomakeuseofitinhisownway，callingtoDavidforabottleoftheoldhouseholdmeadthathadlaininthecellartheseelevenyears。Hewasdiscoveredbyhisfatherthree-quartersofanhourlaterasahalf-invisibleobjectbehindacloudofsmoke。
Themillerdrewabreathofrelief。’Why，Bob，’hesaid，’Ithoughtthehousewasa-fire！’
’I’msmokingratherfasttodrownmyreflections，father。’Tisnousetochaw。’
TotempthisattenuatedappetitetheunhappymatemadeDavidcookanomeletandbakeaseed-cake，thelattersorichlycompoundedthatitopenedtotheknifelikeafreckledbuttercup。Withthesameobjecthestucknight-linesintothebanksofthemill-pond，anddrewupnextmorningafamilyoffateels，someofwhichwereskinnedandpreparedforhisbreakfast。Theywerehisfavouritefish，butsuchhadbeenhisconditionthat，untilthemomentofmakingthiseffort，hehadquiteforgottentheirexistenceathisfather’sback-door。
InafewdaysBobLovedayhadconsiderablyimprovedintoneandvigour。OneotherobviousremedyforhisdejectionwastoindulgeinthesocietyofMissGarland，lovebeingsomuchmoreeffectuallygotridofbydisplacementthanbyattemptedannihilation。ButLoveday’sbeliefthathehadoffendedherbeyondforgiveness，andhisever-presentsenseofherasawomanwhobyeducationandantecedentswasfittedtoadornahigherspherethanhisown，effectuallykepthimfromgoingnearherforalongtime，notwithstandingthattheywereinmatesofonehouse。Thereservewas，however，insomedegreebrokenbytheappearanceonemorning，laterintheseason，ofthepointofasawthroughthepartitionwhichdividedAnne’sroomfromtheLovedayhalfofthehouse。
ThoughshedinedandsuppedwithhermotherandtheLovedayfamily，MissGarlandhadstillcontinuedtooccupyheroldapartments，becauseshefounditmoreconvenienttheretopursueherhobbiesofwool-workandofcopyingherfather’soldpictures。Thedivisionwallhadnotasyetbeenbrokendown。
AsthesawworkeditswaydownwardsunderherastonishedgazeAnnejumpedupfromherdrawing；andpresentlythetemporarycanvasingandpaperingwhichhadsealeduptheolddoorofcommunicationwascutcompletelythrough。Thedoorburstopen，andBobstoodrevealedontheotherside，withthesawinhishand。
’Ibegyourladyship’spardon，’hesaid，takingoffthehathehadbeenworkingin，ashishandsomefaceexpandedintoasmile。’I
didn’tknowthisdooropenedintoyourprivateroom。’
’Indeed，CaptainLoveday！’
’Iampullingdownthedivisiononprinciple，aswearenowonefamily。ButIreallythoughtthedooropenedintoyourpassage。’
’Itdon’tmatter；Icangetanotherroom。’
’Notatall。Fatherwouldn’tletmeturnyouout。I’llcloseitupagain。’
ButAnnewassointerestedinthenoveltyofanewdoorwaythatshewalkedthroughit，andfoundherselfinadarklowpassagewhichshehadneverseenbefore。
’Itleadstothemill，’saidBob。’Wouldyouliketogoinandseeitatwork？Butperhapsyouhavealready。’
’Onlyintothegroundfloor。’
’Comealloverit。Iampractisingasgrinder，youknow，tohelpmyfather。’
Shefollowedhimalongthedarkpassage，inthesideofwhichheopenedalittletrap，whenshesawagreatslimycavern，wherethelongarmsofthemill-wheelflungthemselvesslowlyanddistractedlyround，andsplashingwater-dropscaughtthelittlelightthatstrayedintothegloomyplace，turningitintostarsandflashes。A
coldmist-ladenpuffofaircameintotheirfaces，andtheroarfromwithinmadeitnecessaryforAnnetoshoutasshesaid，’Itisdismal！letusgoon。’
Bobshutthetrap，theroarceased，andtheywentontotheinnerpartofthemill，wheretheairwaswarmandnutty，andpervadedbyafogofflour。Thentheyascendedthestairs，andsawthestoneslumberingroundandround，andtheyellowcornrunningdownthroughthehopper。Theyclimbedyetfurthertothetopstage，wherethewheatlayinbins，andwherelongrayslikefeelersstretchedinfromthesunthroughthelittlewindow，gotnearlylostamongcobwebsandtimber，andcompletedtheircoursebymarkingtheoppositewallwithaglowingpatchofgold。
InhisearnestnessasanexhibitorBobopenedthebolter，whichwasspinningrapidlyround，theresultbeingthatadensecloudofflourrolledoutintheirfaces，remindingAnnethathercomplexionwasprobablymuchpalerbythistimethanwhenshehadenteredthemill。
Shethankedhercompanionforhistrouble，andsaidshewouldnowgodown。Hefollowedherwiththesamedeferenceashitherto，andwithasuddenandincreasingsensethatofallcuresforhisformerunhappypassionthiswouldhavebeenthenicest，theeasiest，andthemosteffectual，ifhehadonlybeenfortunateenoughtokeepheruponeasyterms。ButMissGarlandshowednodispositiontogofurtherthanaccepthisservicesasaguide；shedescendedtotheopenair，shooktheflourfromherlikeabird，andwentonintothegardenamidtheSeptembersunshine，whoserayslaylevelacrossthebluehazewhichtheearthgaveforth。Thegnatsweredancingupanddowninairycompanies，thenasturtiumflowersshoneoutingroupsfromthedarkhedgeoverwhichtheyclimbed，andthemellowsmellofthedeclineofsummerwasexhaledbyeverything。Bobfollowedherasfarasthegate，lookedafterher，thoughtofherasthesamegirlwhohadhalfencouragedhimyearsago，whensheseemedsosuperiortohim；thoughnowtheywerealmostequalsheapparentlythoughthimbeneathher。Itwaswithanewsenseofpleasurethathismindflewtothefactthatshewasnowaninmateofhisfather’shouse。
Hisobsequiousbearingwascontinuedduringthenextweek。Inthebusyhoursofthedaytheyseldommet，buttheyregularlyencounteredeachotheratmeals，andthesecheerfuloccasionsbegantohaveaninterestforhimquiteirrespectiveofdishesandcups。
