The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy

To cursory view, John Loveday seemed to accomplish this with amazing / ease. Whenever he came from barracks to Overcombe, which was once or / twice a week, he related news of all sorts to her and Bob with infinite / zest, and made the time as happy a one as had ever been known at the / mill, save for himself alone. He said nothing of Festus, except so far / as to inform Anne that he had expected to see him and been disappointed. / On the evening after the King's arrival at his seaside residence John / appeared again, staying to supper and describing the royal entry, the / many tasteful illuminations and transparencies which had been exhibited, / the quantities of tallow candles burnt for that purpose, and the swarms / of aristocracy who had followed the King thither.

When supper was over Bob went outside the house to shut the shutters, / which had, as was often the case, been left open some time after lights / were kindled within. John still sat at the table when his brother / approached the window, though the others had risen and retired. Bob was / struck by seeing through the pane how John's face had changed. Throughout / the supper-time he had been talking to Anne in the gay tone habitual with / him now, which gave greater strangeness to the gloom of his present / appearance. He remained in thought for a moment, took a letter from his / breast-pocket, opened it, and, with a tender smile at his weakness, / kissed the writing before restoring it to its place. The letter was one / that Anne had written to him at Exonbury.

Bob stood perplexed; and then a suspicion crossed his mind that John, / from brotherly goodness, might be feigning a satisfaction with recent / events which he did not feel. Bob now made a noise with the shutters, at / which the trumpet-major rose and went out, Bob at once following him.

'Jack,' said the sailor ingenuously, 'I'm terribly sorry that I've done / wrong.'

'How? ' asked his brother.

'In courting our little Anne. Well, you see, John, she was in the same / house with me, and somehow or other I made myself her beau. But I have / been thinking that perhaps you had the first claim on her, and if so, / Jack, I'll make way for 'ee. I -- I don't care for her much, you know -- not / so very much, and can give her up very well. It is nothing serious / between us at all. Yes, John, you try to get her; I can look elsewhere. ' / Bob never knew how much he loved Anne till he found himself making this / speech of renunciation.

'O Bob, you are mistaken! ' said the trumpet-major, who was not deceived. / 'When I first saw her I admired her, and I admire her now, and like her. / I like her so well that I shall be glad to see you marry her.'

'But,' replied Bob, with hesitation, 'I thought I saw you looking very / sad, as if you were in love; I saw you take out a letter, in short. / That's what it was disturbed me and made me come to you.'

'O, I see your mistake! ' said John, laughing forcedly.

At this minute Mrs. Loveday and the miller, who were taking a twilight / walk in the garden, strolled round near to where the brothers stood. She / talked volubly on events in Budmouth, as most people did at this time. / 'And they tell me that the theatre has been painted up afresh,' she was / saying, 'and that the actors have come for the season, with the most / lovely actresses that ever were seen.'

When they had passed by John continued, 'I _am_ in love, Bob; but -- not / with Anne.'

'Ah! who is it then? ' said the mate hopefully.

'One of the actresses at the theatre,' John replied, with a concoctive / look at the vanishing forms of Mr. and Mrs. Loveday. 'She is a very / lovely woman, you know. But we won't say anything more about it -- it / dashes a man so.'

'O, one of the actresses! ' said Bob, with open mouth.

'But don't you say anything about it! ' continued the trumpet-major / heartily. 'I don't want it known.'

'No, no -- I won't, of course. May I not know her name?'

'No, not now, Bob. I cannot tell 'ee,' John answered, and with truth, / for Loveday did not know the name of any actress in the world.

When his brother had gone, Captain Bob hastened off in a state of great / animation to Anne, whom he found on the top of a neighbouring hillock / which the daylight had scarcely as yet deserted.

'You have been a long time coming, sir,' said she, in sprightly tones of / reproach.

'Yes, dearest; and you'll be glad to hear why. I've found out the whole / mystery -- yes -- why he's queer, and everything.'