Aburstofsobsinquicksuccessioninterruptedhiswords；theycamefromAnne，whotillthatmomenthadbeensittingasbeforewithherhandinthatofBob，andapparentlyquitecalm。Mrs。Lovedayjumpedup，butbeforeshecouldsayanythingtosoothetheagitatedgirlshehadcalmedherselfwiththesamesingularsuddennessthathadmarkedhergivingway。’Idon’tmindBob’sgoing，’shesaid。’I
thinkheoughttogo。Don’tsuppose，Bob，thatIwantyoutostay！’
Afterthisshelefttheapartment，andwentintothelittlesideroomwheresheandhermotherusuallyworked。InafewmomentsBobfollowedher。Whenhecamebackhewasinaverysadandemotionalmood。Anybodycouldseethattherehadbeenapartingofprofoundanguishtoboth。
’Sheisnotcomingbackto-night，’hesaid。
’Youwillseeherto-morrowbeforeyougo？’saidhermother。
’ImayorImaynot，’hereplied。’FatherandMrs。Loveday，doyougotobednow。Ihavegottolookovermythingsandgetready；anditwilltakemesomelittletime。Ifyoushouldhearnoisesyouwillknowitisonlymyselfmovingabout。’
WhenBobwasleftalonehesuddenlybecamebrisk，andsethimselftooverhaulhisclothesandotherpossessionsinabusiness-likemanner。Bythetimethathischestwaspacked，suchthingsashemeanttoleaveathomefoldedintocupboards，andwhatwasuselessdestroyed，itwaspasttwoo’clock。Thenhewenttobed，sosoftlythatonlythecreakofoneweakstairrevealedhispassageupward。
AtthemomentthathepassedAnne’schamber-doorhermotherwasbendingoverherasshelayinbed，andsayingtoher，’Won’tyouseehiminthemorning？’
’No，no，’saidAnne。’Iwouldrathernotseehim！IhavesaidthatImay。ButIshallnot。Icannotseehimagain！’
WhenthefamilygotupnextdayBobhadvanished。Itwashiswaytodisappearlikethis，toavoidaffectingscenesatparting。Bythetimethattheyhadsatdowntoagloomybreakfast，BobwasintheboatofaBudmouthwaterman，whopulledhimalongsidetheguardshipintheroads，wherehelaidholdoftheman-rope，mounted，anddisappearedfromexternalview。Inthecourseofthedaytheshipmovedoff，setherroyals，andmadesailforPortsmouth，withfivehundrednewhandsfortheserviceonboard，consistingpartlyofpressedmenandpartlyofvolunteers，amongthelatterbeingRobertLoveday。
XXXIV。ASPECKONTHESEA
InpartingfromJohn，whoaccompaniedhimtothequay，Bobhadsaid:
’Now，Jack，thesebemylastwordstoyou:Igiveherup。Igoawayonpurpose，andIshallbeawayalongtime。Ifinthattimesheshouldlistovertowardsyeeversolittle，mindyoutakeher。
YouhavemorerighttoherthanI。Youchoseherwhenmymindwaselsewhere，andyoubestdeserveher；forIhaveneverknownyouforgetonewoman，whileI’veforgotadozen。Takeherthen，ifshewillcome，andGodblessbothofye。’
AnotherpersonbesidesJohnsawBobgo。ThatwasDerriman，whowasstandingbyabollardalittlefurtherupthequay。Hedidnotrepresshissatisfactionatthesight。Johnlookedtowardshimwithanopengazeofcontempt；forthecuffsadministeredtotheyeomanattheinnhadnot，sofarasthetrumpet-majorwasaware，producedanydesiretoavengethatinsult，Johnbeing，ofcourse，quiteignorantthatFestushaderroneouslyretaliateduponBob，inhispeculiarthoughscarcelysoldierlyway。Findingthathedidnotevennowapproachhim，Johnwentonhisway，andthoughtoverhisintentionofpreservingintactthelovebetweenAnneandhisbrother。
Hewassurprisedwhenhenextwenttothemilltofindhowgladtheyallweretoseehim。FromthemomentofBob’sreturntothebosomofthedeepAnnehadhadnoexistenceonland；peoplemighthavelookedatherhumanbodyandsaidshehadflittedthence。Theseaandallthatbelongedtotheseawasherdailythoughtandhernightlydream。Shehadthewholetwo-and-thirtywindsunderhereye，eachpassinggalethatusheredinreturningautumnbeingmentallyregistered；andsheacquiredapreciseknowledgeofthedirectioninwhichPortsmouth，Brest，Ferrol，Cadiz，andothersuchlikelyplaceslay。Insteadofsayingherownfamiliarprayersatnightshesubstituted，withsomeconfusionofthought，theFormsofPrayertobeusedatsea。Johnatoncenoticedherlorn，abstractedlooks，pitiedher，——howmuchhepitiedher！——andaskedwhentheywerealoneiftherewasanythinghecoulddo。
’Therearetwothings，’shesaid，withalmostchildisheagernessinhertiredeyes。
’Theyshallbedone。’
’ThefirstistofindoutifCaptainHardyhasgonebacktohisship；andtheotheris——Oifyouwilldoit，John！——togetmenewspaperswheneverpossible。’
AfterthisduologueJohnwasabsentforaspaceofthreehours，andtheythoughthehadgonebacktobarracks。Heentered，however，attheendofthattime，tookoffhisforage-cap，andwipedhisforehead。
’Youlooktired，John，’saidhisfather。
’Ono。’HewentthroughthehousetillhehadfoundAnneGarland。
’Ihaveonlydoneoneofthosethings，’hesaidtoher。
’What，already！Ididn’thopeforormeanto-day。’
’CaptainHardyisgonefromPos’ham。Heleftsomedaysago。Weshallsoonhearthatthefleethassailed。’
’YouhavebeenallthewaytoPos’hamonpurpose？Howgoodofyou！’
’Well，IwasanxioustoknowmyselfwhenBobislikelytoleave。I
expectnowthatweshallsoonhearfromhim。’
Twodayslaterhecameagain。Hebroughtanewspaper，andwhatwasbetter，aletterforAnne，frankedbythefirstlieutenantoftheVictory。
’Thenhe’saboardher，’saidAnne，assheeagerlytooktheletter。
Itwasshort，butasmuchasshecouldexpectinthecircumstances，andinformedthemthatthecaptainhadbeenasgoodashisword，andhadgratifiedBob’searnestwishtoserveunderhim。Theship，withAdmiralLordNelsononboard，andaccompaniedbythefrigateEuryalus，wastosailintwodaysforPlymouth，wheretheywouldbejoinedbyothers，andthenceproceedtothecoastofSpain。
AnnelayawakethatnightthinkingoftheVictory，andofthosewhofloatedinher。TothebestofAnne’scalculationthatshipofwarwould，duringthenexttwenty-fourhours，passwithinafewmilesofwheresheherselfthenlay。NexttoseeingBob，thethingthatwouldgivehermorepleasurethananyotherintheworldwastoseethevesselthatcontainedhim——hisfloatingcity，hissoledependenceinbattleandstorm——uponwhosesafetyfromwindsandenemieshungallherhope。
Themorrowwasmarket-dayattheseaport，andinthisshesawheropportunity。AcarrierwentfromOvercombeatsixo’clockthither，andhavingtodoalittleshoppingforherselfshegaveitasareasonforherintendedday’sabsence，andtookaplaceinthevan。
Whenshereachedthetownitwasstillearlymorning，buttheboroughwasalreadyinthezenithofitsdailybustleandshow。TheKingwasalwaysout-of-doorsbysixo’clock，andsuchcock-crowhoursatGloucesterLodgeproducedanequallyforwardstiramongthepopulation。Shealighted，andpasseddowntheesplanade，asfullythrongedbypersonsoffashionatthistimeofmistandlevelsunlightasawatering-placeinthepresentdayisatfourintheafternoon。Dashingbucksandbeauxincockedhats，blackfeathers，ruffles，andfrills，staredatherasshehurriedalong；thebeachwasswarmingwithbathingwomen，wearingwaistbandsthatborethenationalrefrain，’GodsavetheKing，’ingiltletters；theshopswereallopen，andSergeantStanner，withhissword-stuckbank-notesandheroicgaze，wasbeatingupattwoguineasandacrown，thecrowntodrinkhisMajesty’shealth。
Shesoonfinishedhershopping，andthen，crossingoverintotheoldtown，pursuedherwayalongthecoast-roadtoPortland。AttheendofanhourshehadbeenrowedacrosstheFleet(whichthenlackedtheconvenienceofabridge)，andreachedthebaseofPortlandHill。
Thesteepinclinebeforeherwasdottedwithhouses，showingthepleasantpeculiarityofoneman’sdoorstepbeingbehindhisneighbour’schimney，andslabsofstoneasthecommonmaterialforwalls，roof，floor，pig-sty，stable-manger，door-scraper，andgarden-stile。Annegainedthesummit，andfollowedalongthecentraltrackoverthehugelumpoffreestonewhichformsthepeninsula，thewideseaprospectextendingasshewenton。Wearywithherjourney，sheapproachedtheextremesoutherlypeakofrock，andgazedfromthecliffatPortlandBill，orBeal，asitwasinthosedaysmorecorrectlycalled。
Thewild，herbless，weather-wornpromontorywasquiteasolitude，and，savingtheoneoldlighthouseaboutfiftyyardsuptheslope，scarceamarkwasvisibletoshowthathumanityhadeverbeennearthespot。Annefoundherselfaseatonastone，andsweptwithhereyesthetremulousexpanseofwateraroundherthatseemedtoutteraceaselessunintelligibleincantation。Outofthethreehundredandsixtydegreesofhercompletehorizontwohundredandfiftywerecoveredbywaves，thecoupd’oeilincludingtheareaoftroubledwatersknownastheRace，wheretwoseasmettoeffectthedestructionofsuchvesselsascouldnotbemasteredbyone。Shecountedthecraftwithinherview:therewerefive；no，therewereonlyfour；no，therewereseven，someofthespeckshavingresolvedthemselvesintotwo。Theywereallsmallcoasters，andkeptwellwithinsightofland。
Annesankintoareverie。Thensheheardaslightnoiseonherlefthand，andturningbeheldanoldsailor，whohadapproachedwithaglass。Hewaslevellingitovertheseainadirectiontothesouth-east，andsomewhatremovedfromthatinwhichherowneyeshadbeenwandering。Annemovedafewstepsthitherward，soastounclosetoherviewadeepersweeponthatside，andbythisdiscoveredashipoffarlargersizethananywhichhadyetdottedthemainbeforeher。Itssailswereforthemostpartnewandclean，andincomparisonwithitsrapidprogressbeforethewindthesmallbrigsandketchesseemedstandingstill。Uponthisstrikingobjecttheoldman’sglasswasbent。
’Whatdoyousee，sailor？’sheasked。
’Almostnothing，’heanswered。’Mysightissogoneofflatelythatthings，oneandall，bebutaNovembermisttome。AndyetIfainwouldseeto-day。IamlookingfortheVictory。’
’Why，’shesaidquickly。
’Ihaveasonaboardher。He’soneofthreefromtheseparts。
There’sthecaptain，there’smysonNed，andthere’syoungLovedayofOvercombe——hethatlatelyjoined。’
’ShallIlookforyou？’saidAnne，afterapause。
’Certainly，mis’ess，ifsobeyouplease。’
Annetooktheglass，andhesupporteditbyhisarm。’Itisalargeship，’shesaid，’withthreemasts，threerowsofgunsalongtheside，andallhersailsset。’
’Iguessedasmuch。’
’Thereisalittleflaginfront——overherbowsprit。’
’Thejack。’
’Andthere’salargeoneflyingatherstern。’
’Theensign。’
’Andawhiteoneonherfore-topmast。’
’That’stheadmiral’sflag，theflagofmyLordNelson。Whatisherfigure-head，mydear？’
’Acoat-of-arms，supportedonthissidebyasailor。’
Hercompanionnoddedwithsatisfaction。’Ontheothersideofthatfigure-headisamarine。’
’Sheistwistingroundinacuriousway，andhersailssinkinlikeoldcheeks，andsheshiverslikealeafuponatree。’
’Sheisinstays，forthelarboardtack。Icanseewhatshe’sbeendoing。She’sbeenre’chingcloseintoavoidthefloodtide，asthewindistothesou’-west，andshe’sbounddown；butassoonastheebbmade，d’yesee，theymadesailtothewest’ard。CaptainHardymaybedependeduponforthat；heknowseverycurrentabouthere，beinganative。’
’AndnowIcanseetheotherside；itisasoldierwhereasailorwasbefore。YouareSUREitistheVictory？’
’Iamsure。’
