The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy

One night, about a week later, two men were walking in the dark along the / turnpike road towards Overcombe, one of them with a bag in his hand.

'Now,' said the taller of the two, the squareness of whose shoulders / signified that he wore epaulettes, 'now you must do the best you can for / yourself, Bob. I have done all I can; but th'hast thy work cut out, I / can tell thee.'

'I wouldn't have run such a risk for the world,' said the other, in a / tone of ingenuous contrition. 'But thou'st see, Jack, I didn't think / there was any danger, knowing you was taking care of her, and keeping my / place warm for me. I didn't hurry myself, that's true; but, thinks I, if / I get this promotion I am promised I shall naturally have leave, and then / I'll go and see 'em all. Gad, I shouldn't have been here now but for / your letter!'

'You little think what risks you've run,' said his brother. 'However, / try to make up for lost time.'

'All right. And whatever you do, Jack, don't say a word about this other / girl. Hang the girl! -- I was a great fool, I know; still, it is over now, / and I am come to my senses. I suppose Anne never caught a capful of wind / from that quarter?'

'She knows all about it,' said John seriously.

'Knows? By George, then, I'm ruined! ' said Bob, standing stock-still in / the road as if he meant to remain there all night.

'That's what I meant by saying it would be a hard battle for 'ee,' / returned John, with the same quietness as before.

Bob sighed and moved on. 'I don't deserve that woman! ' he cried / passionately, thumping his three upper ribs with his fist.

'I've thought as much myself,' observed John, with a dryness which was / almost bitter. 'But it depends on how thou'st behave in future.'

'John,' said Bob, taking his brother's hand, 'I'll be a new man. I / solemnly swear by that eternal milestone staring at me there that I'll / never look at another woman with the thought of marrying her whilst that / darling is free -- no, not if she be a mermaiden of light! It's a lucky / thing that I'm slipped in on the quarterdeck! it may help me with / her -- hey?'

'It may with her mother; I don't think it will make much difference with / Anne. Still, it is a good thing; and I hope that some day you'll command / a big ship.'

Bob shook his head. 'Officers are scarce; but I'm afraid my luck won't / carry me so far as that.'

'Did she ever tell you that she mentioned your name to the King?'

The seaman stood still again. 'Never! ' he said. 'How did such a thing / as that happen, in Heaven's name?'

John described in detail, and they walked on, lost in conjecture.

As soon as they entered the house the returned officer of the navy was / welcomed with acclamation by his father and David, with mild approval by / Mrs. Loveday, and by Anne not at all -- that discreet maiden having / carefully retired to her own room some time earlier in the evening. Bob / did not dare to ask for her in any positive manner; he just inquired / about her health, and that was all.

'Why, what's the matter with thy face, my son? ' said the miller, staring. / 'David, show a light here. ' And a candle was thrust against Bob's cheek, / where there appeared a jagged streak like the geological remains of a / lobster.

'O -- that's where that rascally Frenchman's grenade busted and hit me from / the Redoubtable, you know, as I told 'ee in my letter.'

'Not a word!'