Thiskindofperformancerepeateditselfduringseveraldays。Atlast，afterdoggingherhitherandthither，leaningwithawrinkledforeheadagainstdoorposts，takinganobliqueviewintotheroomwhereshehappenedtobe，pickingupworstedballsandgettingnothanks，placingasplinterfromtheVictory，severalbulletsfromtheRedoubtable，astripoftheflag，andotherinterestingrelics，carefullylabelled，uponhertable，andhearingnomoreaboutthemthaniftheyhadbeenpebblesfromthenearestbrook，hehituponanewplan。Toavoidhimshefrequentlysatupstairsinawindowoverlookingthegarden。LieutenantLovedaycarefullydressedhimselfinanewuniform，whichhehadcausedtobesentsomedaysbefore，todazzleadmiringfriends，butwhichhehadneverasyetputoninpublicormentionedtoasoul。Whenarrayedheenteredthesunnygarden，andtherewalkedslowlyupanddownashehadseenNelsonandCaptainHardydoonthequarter-deck；butkeepinghisrightshoulder，onwhichhisoneepaulettewasfixed，asmuchtowardsAnne’swindowaspossible。
Butshemadenosign，thoughtherewasnottheleastquestionthatshesawhim。Attheendofhalf-an-hourhewentin，tookoffhisclothes，andgavehimselfuptodoubtandthebesttobacco。
Herepeatedtheprogrammeonthenextafternoon，andonthenext，neversayingawordwithindoorsabouthisdoingsorhisnotice。
MeanwhiletheresultsinAnne’schamberwerenotuninteresting。Shehadbeenlookingoutonthefirstday，andwasdulyamazedtoseeanavalofficerinfulluniformpromenadinginthepath。FindingittobeBob，sheleftthewindowwithasensethatthescenewasnotforher；then，frommerecuriosity，peepedoutfrombehindthecurtain。Well，hewasaprettyspectacle，sheadmitted，relievedashisfigurewasbyadensemassofsunny，close-trimmedhedge，overwhichnasturtiumsclimbedinwildluxuriance；andifshecouldcareforhimonebit，whichshecouldn’t，hisformwouldhavebeenadelightfulstudy，surpassingininterestevenitssplendouronthememorabledayoftheirvisittothetowntheatre。Shecalledhermother；Mrs。Lovedaycamepromptly。
’O，itisnothing，’saidAnneindifferently；’onlythatBobhasgothisuniform。’
Mrs。Lovedaypeepedout，andraisedherhandswithdelight。’Andhehasnotsaidawordtousaboutit！Whatalovelyepaulette！I
mustcallhisfather。’
’No，indeed。AsItakenointerestinhimIshallnotletpeoplecomeintomyroomtoadmirehim。’
’Well，youcalledme，’saidhermother。
’ItwasbecauseIthoughtyoulikedfineclothes。ItiswhatI
don’tcarefor。’
NotwithstandingthisassertionsheagainlookedoutatBobthenextafternoonwhenhisfootstepsrustledonthegravel，andstudiedhisappearanceunderallthevaryinganglesofthesunlight，asiffineclothesanduniformswerenotaltogetheramatterofindifference。
Hecertainlywasasplendid，gentlemanly，andgallantsailorfromendtoendofhim；butthen，whatwereadashingpresentment，anavalrank，andtellingscars，ifamanwasfickle-hearted？
However，shepeepedontillthefourthday，andthenshedidnotpeep。Thewindowwasopen，shelookedrightout，andBobknewthathehadgotarisetohisbaitatlast。Hetouchedhishattoher，keepinghisrightshoulderforwards，andsaid，’Good-day，MissGarland，’withasmile。
Annereplied，’Good-day，’withfunerealseriousness；andtheacquaintancethusrevivedledtotheinterchangeofafewwordsatsupper-time，atwhichMrs。Lovedaynoddedwithsatisfaction。ButAnnetookespecialcarethatheshouldnevermeetheralone，andtoinsurethisheringenuitywasinconstantexercise。Thereweresomanynooksandwindingsonthemiller’sramblingpremisesthatshecouldneverbesurehewouldnotturnupwithinafootofher，particularlyashisthinshoeswerealmostnoiseless。
OnefineafternoonsheaccompaniedMollyinsearchofelderberriesformakingthefamilywinewhichwasdrunkbyMrs。Loveday，Anne，andanybodywhocouldnotstandtherougherandstrongerliquorsprovidedbythemiller。Afterwalkingratheralongdistanceoverthedowntheycametoagrassyhollow，whereelder-bushesinknotsoftwosandthreesrosefromanunevenbankandhungtheirheadstowardsthesouth，blackandheavywithbunchesoffruit。Thecharmoffruit-gatheringtogirlsisenhancedinthecaseofelderberriesbytheinoffensivesoftnessoftheleaves，boughs，andbark，whichmakesgettingintothebrancheseasyandpleasanttothemostindifferentclimbers。AnneandMollyhadsoongatheredabasketful，andsendingtheservanthomewithit，Anneremainedinthebushpickingandthrowingdownbunchbybunchuponthegrass。Shewassoabsorbedinheroccupationofpullingthetwigstowardsher，andtherustlingoftheirleavessofilledherears，thatitwasagreatsurprisewhen，onturningherhead，sheperceivedasimilarmovementtoherownamongtheboughsoftheadjoiningbush。
Atfirstshethoughttheyweredisturbedbybeingpartlyincontactwiththeboughsofherbush；butinamomentRobertLoveday’sfacepeeredfromthem，atadistanceofaboutayardfromherown。Anneutteredalittleindignant’Well！’recoveredherself，andwentonplucking。Bobthereuponwentonpluckinglikewise。
’Iampickingelderberriesforyourmother，’saidthelieutenantatlast，humbly。
’SoIsee。’
’AndIhappentohavecometothenextbushtoyours。’
’SoIsee；butnotthereasonwhy。’
Annewasnowinthewesternmostbranchesofthebush，andBobhadleantacrossintotheeasternbranchesofhis。Ingatheringheswayedtowardsher，backagain，forwardagain。
’Ibegpardon，’hesaid，whenafurtherswingthanusualhadtakenhimalmostincontactwithher。
’Thenwhydoyoudoit？’
’Thewindrocksthebough，andtheboughrocksme。’Sheexpressedbyalookheropinionofthisstatementinthefaceofthegentlestbreeze；andBobpursued:’Iamafraidtheberrieswillstainyourprettyhands。’
’Iweargloves。’
’Ah，that’saplanIshouldneverhavethoughtof。CanIhelpyou？’
’Notatall。’
’Youareoffended:that’swhatthatmeans。’
’No，’shesaid。
’Thenwillyoushakehands？’
Annehesitated；thenslowlystretchedoutherhand，whichhetookatonce。’Thatwilldo，’shesaid，findingthathedidnotrelinquishitimmediately。Butashestillheldit，shepulled，theeffectofwhichwastodrawBob’sswayingperson，boughandall，towardsher，andherselftowardshim。
’Iamafraidtoletgoyourhand，’saidthatofficer，’forifIdoyoursparwillflyback，andyouwillbethrownuponthedeckwithgreatviolence。’
’Iwishyoutoletmego！’
Heaccordinglydid，andsheflewback，butdidnotbyanymeansfall。
’ItremindsmeofthetimeswhenIusedtobealoftclingingtoayardnotmuchbiggerthanthistree-stem，inthemid-Atlantic，andthinkingaboutyou。IcouldseeyouinmyfancyasplainasIseeyounow。’
’Me，orsomeotherwoman！’retortedAnnehaughtily。
’No！’declaredBob，shakingthebushforemphasis，’I’llprotestthatIdidnotthinkofanybodybutyouallthetimeweweredroppingdownchannel，allthetimewewereoffCadiz，allthetimethroughbattlesandbombardments。Iseemedtoseeyouinthesmoke，and，thinksI，ifIgotoDavy’slocker，whatwillshedo？’
’Youdidn’tthinkthatwhenyoulandedafterTrafalgar。’
’Well，now，’saidthelieutenantinareasoningtone；’thatwasacuriousthing。You’llhardlybelieveit，maybe；butwhenamanisawayfromthewomanhelovesbestintheport——world，Imean——hecanhaveasortoftemporaryfeelingforanotherwithoutdisturbingtheoldone，whichflowsalongunderthesameasever。’
’Ican’tbelieveit，andwon’t，’saidAnnefirmly。
Mollynowappearedwiththeemptybasket，andwhenithadbeenfilledfromtheheaponthegrass，Annewenthomewithher，biddingLovedayafrigidadieu。
Thesameevening，whenBobwasabsent，themillerproposedthattheyshouldallthreegotoanupperwindowofthehouse，togetadistantviewofsomerocketsandilluminationswhichweretobeexhibitedinthetownandharbourinhonouroftheKing，whohadreturnedthisyearasusual。Theyaccordinglywentupstairstoanemptyattic，placedchairsagainstthewindow，andputoutthelight；Annesittinginthemiddle，hermothercloseby，andthemillerbehind，smoking。Nosignofanypyrotechnicdisplaywasvisibleovertheportasyet，andMrs。Lovedaypassedthetimebytalkingtothemiller，whorepliedinmonosyllables。WhilethiswasgoingonAnnefanciedthatsheheardsomeoneapproach，andpresentlyfeltsurethatBobwasdrawingnearherinthesurroundingdarkness；butastheothertwohadnoticednothingshesaidnotaword。
Allatoncetheswarthyexpanseofsouthwardskywasbrokenbytheblazeofseveralrocketssimultaneouslyascendingfromdifferentshipsintheroads。Attheverysamemomentawarmmysterioushandslippedroundherown，andgaveitagentlesqueeze。
’Odear！’saidAnne，withasuddenstartaway。
’Hownervousyouare，child，tobestartledbyfireworkssofaroff，’saidMrs。Loveday。
’Ineversawrocketsbefore，’murmuredAnne，recoveringfromhersurprise。
Mrs。Lovedaypresentlyspokeagain。’IwonderwhathasbecomeofBob？’
Annedidnotreply，beingmuchexercisedintryingtogetherhandawayfromtheonethatimprisonedit；andwhateverthemillerthoughthekepttohimself，becauseitdisturbedhissmokingtospeak。
Anotherbatchofrocketswentup。’OInever！’saidAnne，inahalf-suppressedtone，springinginherchair。Asecondhandhadwiththeriseoftherocketsleaptroundherwaist。
’Poorgirl，youcertainlymusthavechangeofsceneatthisrate，’
saidMrs。Loveday。
’IsupposeImust，’murmuredthedutifuldaughter。
ForsomeminutesnothingfurtheroccurredtodisturbAnne’sserenity。Thenaslow，quiet’a-hem’camefromtheobscurityoftheapartment。
’What，Bob？Howlonghaveyoubeenthere？’inquiredMrs。Loveday。
’Notlong，’saidthelieutenantcoolly。’Iheardyouwereallhere，andcreptupquietly，nottodisturbye。’
’Whydon’tyouwearheelstoyourshoeslikeChristianpeople，andnotcreepaboutsolikeacat？’
’Well，itkeepsyourfloorscleantogoslip-shod。’
’That’strue。’
MeanwhileAnnewasgentlybutfirmlytryingtopullBob’sarmfromherwaist，herdistressfuldifficultybeingthatinfreeingherwaistsheenslavedherhand，andingettingherhandfreesheenslavedherwaist。Findingthestruggleafutileone，owingtotheinvisibilityofherantagonist，andherwishtokeepitsnaturesecretfromtheothertwo，shearose，andsayingthatshedidnotcaretoseeanymore，feltherwaydownstairs。Bobfollowed，leavingLovedayandhiswifetothemselves。
’DearAnne，’hebegan，whenhehadgotdown，andsawherinthecandle-lightofthelargeroom。Butsheadroitlypassedoutattheotherdoor，atwhichhetookacandleandfollowedhertothesmallroom。’DearAnne，doletmespeak，’herepeated，assoonastheraysrevealedherfigure。Butshepassedintothebakehousebeforehecouldsaymore；whereuponheperseveringlydidthesame。Lookingroundforherhereheperceivedherattheendoftheroom，wheretherewerenomeansofexitwhatever。
’DearAnne，’hebeganagain，settingdownthecandle，’youmusttrytoforgiveme；reallyyoumust。Iloveyouthebestofanybodyinthewide，wideworld。Trytoforgiveme；come！’Andheimploringlytookherhand。
Anne’sbosombegantosurgeandfalllikeasmalltide，hereyesremainingfixeduponthefloor；till，whenLovedayventuredtodrawherslightlytowardshim，sheburstoutcrying。’Idon’tlikeyou，Bob；Idon’t！’shesuddenlyexclaimedbetweenhersobs。’Ididonce，butIdon’tnow——Ican’t，Ican’t；youhavebeenverycrueltome！’Sheviolentlyturnedaway，weeping。
’Ihave，Ihavebeenterriblybad，Iknow，’answeredBob，conscience-strickenbyhergrief。’But——ifyoucouldonlyforgiveme——IpromisethatI’llneverdoanythingtogrieve’eeagain。Doyouforgiveme，Anne？’
Anne’sonlyreplywascryingandshakingherhead。
’Let’smakeitup。Come，saywehavemadeitup，dear。’
Shewithdrewherhand，andstillkeepinghereyesburiedinherhandkerchief，said’No。’
