MeanwhileMillerLovedaywasexpectingthepairwithinterest；andaboutfiveo’clock，afterrepeatedoutlooks，hesawtwospecksthesizeofcarawayseedsonthefarlineofridgewherethesunlitwhiteoftheroadmettheblueofthesky。ThentheremainderpartsofBobandhisladybecamevisible，andthenthewholevehicle，endon，andheheardthedryrattleofthewheelsonthedustyroad。
　　MillerLoveday’splan，asfarashehadformedany，wasthatRobertandhiswifeshouldlivewithhiminthemillhouseuntilMrs。
　　Garlandmadeuphermindtojoinhimthere；inwhicheventherpresenthousewouldbemadeovertotheyoungcouple。Uponallgrounds，hewishedtowelcomebecominglythewomanofhisson’schoice，andcameforwardpromptlyastheydrewupatthedoor。
　　’Whatalovelyplaceyou’vegothere！’saidMissJohnson，whenthemillerhadreceivedherfromthecaptain。’Arealstreamofwater，arealmill-wheel，andrealfowls，andeverything！’
　　’Yes，’tisrealenough，’saidLoveday，lookingattheriverwithbalancedsentiments；’andsoyouwillsaywhenyou’velivedhereabitasmis’ess，andhadthetroubleofclaningthefurniture。’
　　AtthisMissJohnsonlookedmodest，andcontinuedtodosotillAnne，notknowingtheywerethere，cameroundthecornerofthehouse，withherprayer-bookinherhand，havingjustarrivedfromchurch。Bobturnedandsmiledtoher，atwhichMissJohnsonlookedglum。Howlongshewouldhaveremainedinthatphaseisunknown，forjustthenherearswereassailedbyaloudbassnotefromtheotherside，causinghertojumpround。
　　’Ola！whatdreadfulthingisit？’sheexclaimed，andbeheldacowofLoveday’s，ofthenameofCrumpler，standingclosetohershoulder。Itbeingaboutmilking-time，shehadcometolookupDavidandhastenontheoperation。
　　’O，whatahorridbull！——itdidfrightenmeso。IhopeIshan’tfaint，’saidMatilda。
　　ThemillerimmediatelyusedtheformulawhichhasbeenutteredbytheproprietorsoflivestockeversinceNoah’stime。’Shewon’thurtye。Hoosh，Crumpler！She’sastimidasamouse，ma’am。’
　　ButasCrumplerpersistedinmakinganotherterrificinquiryforDavid，Matildacouldnothelpclosinghereyesandsaying，’O，I
　　shallbegoredtodeath！’herheadfallingbackuponBob’sshoulder，which——seeingtheurgentcircumstances，andknowingherdelicatenature——hehadprovidentiallyplacedinapositiontocatchher。
　　AnneGarland，whohadbeenstandingatthecornerofthehouse，notknowingwhethertogobackorcomeon，atthisfeltherwomanlysympathiesaroused。Sherananddippedherhandkerchiefintothesplashingmill-tail，andwithitdampedMatilda’sface。Butashereyesstillremainedclosed，Bob，toincreasetheeffect，tookthehandkerchieffromAnneandwrungitoutonthebridgeofMatilda’snose，whenceitranovertherestofherfaceinastream。
　　’O，CaptainLoveday！’saidAnne，’thewaterisrunningoverhergreensilkhandkerchief，andintoherprettyreticule！’
　　’There——ifIdidn’tthinkso！’exclaimedMatilda，openinghereyes，startingup，andpromptlypullingoutherownhandkerchief，withwhichshewipedawaythedrops，andanunimportanttrifleofhercomplexion，assistedbyAnne，who，inspiteofherbackgroundofantagonisticemotions，couldnothelpbeinginterested。
　　’That’sright！’saidthemiller，hisspiritsrevivingwiththerevivalofMatilda。’Theladyisnotusedtocountrylife；areyou，ma’am？’
　　’Iamnot，’repliedthesufferer。’Allissostrangeabouthere！’
　　Suddenlytherespreadintothefirmament，fromthedirectionofthedown:——
　　’Ra，ta，ta！Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta！Ra，ta，ta！’
　　’Odear，dear！morehideouscountrysounds，Isuppose？’sheinquired，withanotherstart。
　　’Ono，’saidthemillercheerfully。’’TisonlymysonJohn’strumpeterchapsatthecampofdragoonsjustaboveus，a-blowingMess，orFeed，orPicket，orsomeotheroftheirvagaries。Johnwillbemuchpleasedtotellyouthemeaningon’twhenhecomesdown。He’strumpet-major，asyoumayknow，ma’am。’
　　’Oyes；youmeanCaptainLoveday’sbrother。DearBobhasmentionedhim。’
　　’IfyoucomeroundtoWidowGarland’ssideofthehouse，youcanseethecamp，’saidthemiller。
　　’Don’tforceher；she’stiredwithherlongjourney，’saidMrs。
　　Garlandhumanely，thewidowhavingcomeoutinthegeneralwishtoseeCaptainBob’schoice。Indeed，theyallbehavedtowardsherasifshewereatenderexotic，whichtheircrudecountrymannersmightseriouslyinjure。
　　Shewentintothehouse，accompaniedbyMrs。Garlandandherdaughter；thoughbeforeleavingBobshemanagedtowhisperinhisear，’Don’ttellthemIcamebywaggon，willyou，dear？’——arequestwhichwasquiteneedless，forBobhadlongagodeterminedtokeepthatadeadsecret；notbecauseitwasanuncommonmodeoftravel，butsimplythatitwashardlytheusualconveyanceforagorgeousladytoherbridal。
　　Asthemenhadafeelingthattheywouldbesuperfluousindoorsjustatpresent，themillerassistedDavidintakingthehorseroundtothestables，Bobfollowing，andleavingMatildatothewomen。
　　Indoors，MissJohnsonadmiredeverything:thenewparrotsandmarmosets，theblackbeamsoftheceiling，thedouble-cornercupboardwiththeglassdoors，throughwhichgleamedtheremaindersofsundrychinasetsacquiredbyBob’smotherinherhousekeeping——
　　two-handledsugar-basins，no-handledtea-cups，atea-potlikeapagoda，andacream-jugintheformofaspottedcow。ThissociabilityintheirvisitorwasreturnedbyMrs。GarlandandAnne；
　　andMissJohnson’spleasinghabitofpartlydyingwheneversheheardanyunusualbarkorbellowaddedtoherpiquancyintheireyes。Butconversation，assuch，wasnaturallyatfirstofanervous，tentativekind，inwhich，asintheworksofsomeminorpoets，thesensewasconsiderablyledbythesound。
　　’Yougetthesea-breezeshere，nodoubt？’
　　’Oyes，dear；whenthewindisthatway。’
　　’Doyoulikewindyweather？’
　　’Yes；thoughnotnow，foritblowsdowntheyoungapples。’
　　’Applesareplentiful，itseems。Youcountry-folkcallSt。
　　Swithin’stheirchristeningday，ifitrains？’
　　’Yes，dear。Ahme！Ihavenotbeentoachristeningforthesemanyyears；thebaby’snamewasGeorge，Iremember——aftertheKing。’
　　’IhearthatKingGeorgeisstillstayingatthetownhere。IHOPE
　　he’llstaytillIhaveseenhim！’
　　’He’llwaittillthecornturnsyellow；healwaysdoes。’
　　’HowVERYfashionableyellowisgettingforglovesjustnow！’
　　’Yes。Somepersonswearthemtotheelbow，Ihear。’
　　’Dothey？Iwasnotawareofthat。Istruckmyelbowlastweeksohardagainstthedoorofmyaunt’smansionthatIfeeltheachenow。’
　　Beforetheywerequiteoverwhelmedbytheinterestofthisdiscourse，themillerandBobcamein。Intruth，Mrs。Garlandfoundtheofficeinwhichhehadplacedher——thatofintroducingastrangewomantoahousewhichwasnotthewidow’sown——aratherawkwardone，andyetalmostanecessity。Therewasnowomanbelongingtothehouseexceptthatwondrouscompendiumofusefulness，theintermittentmaid-servant，whomLovedayhad，forappearances，borrowedfromMrs。Garland，andMrs。Garlandwasinthehabitofborrowingfromthegirl’smother。Andasforthedemi-womanDavid，hehadbeeninformedasperemptorilyasPharaoh’sbakerthattheofficeofhousemaidandbedmakerwastakenfromhim，andwouldbegiventothisgirltilltheweddingwasover，andBob’swifetookthemanagementintoherownhands。
　　Theyallsatdowntohightea，Anneandhermotherincluded，andthecaptainsittingnexttoMissJohnson。Annehadputabravefaceuponthematter——outwardly，atleast——andseemedinafairwayofsubduinganylingeringsentimentwhichBob’sreturnhadrevived。
　　Duringtheevening，andwhiletheystillsatoverthemeal，Johncamedownonahurriedvisit，ashehadpromised，ostensiblyonpurposetobeintroducedtohisintendedsister-in-law，butmuchmoretogetawordandasmilefromhisbelovedAnne。Beforetheysawhim，theyheardthetrumpet-major’ssmartstepcomingroundthecornerofthehouse，andinamomenthisformdarkenedthedoor。AsitwasSunday，heappearedinhisfull-dresslacedcoat，whitewaistcoatandbreeches，andtoweringplume，thelatterofwhichheinstantlylowered，asmuchfromnecessityasgoodmanners，thebeaminthemill-houseceilinghavingatendencytosmashandruinallsuchhead-gearwithoutwarning。
　　’John，we’vebeenhopingyouwouldcomedown，’saidthemiller，’andsowehavekeptthetayaboutonpurpose。Drawup，andspeaktoMrs。MatildaJohnson……Ma’am，thisisRobert’sbrother。’
　　’Yourhumbleservant，ma’am，’saidthetrumpet-majorgallantly。
　　Asitwasgettingduskinthelow，small-panedroom，heinstinctivelymovedtowardsMissJohnsonashespoke，whosatwithherbacktothewindow。Hehadnosoonernoticedherfeaturesthanhishelmetnearlyfellfromhishand；hisfacebecamesuddenlyfixed，andhisnaturalcomplexiontookitselfoff，leavingagreenishyellowinitsstead。Theyoungperson，onherpart，hadnosoonerlookedcloselyathimthanshesaidweakly，’Robert’sbrother！’andchangedcolouryetmorerapidlythanthesoldierhaddone。Thefaintness，previouslyhalfcounterfeit，seizedonhernowinrealearnest。
　　’Idon’tfeelwell，’shesaid，suddenlyrisingbyaneffort。’Thiswarmdayhasquiteupsetme！’
　　Therewasaregularcollapseofthetea-party，likethatoftheHamletplayscene。Bobseizedhissweetheartandcarriedherupstairs，themillerexclaiming，’Ah，she’sterriblywornbythejourney！IthoughtshewaswhenIsawhernearlygooffattheblareofthecow。Nowomanwouldhavebeenfrightenedatthatifshe’dbeenuptohernaturalstrength。’
　　’That，andbeingsoveryshyofmen，too，musthavemadeJohn’shandsomeregimentalsquiteoverpoweringtoher，poorthing，’addedMrs。Garland，followingthecatastrophicyoungladyupstairs，whoseindispositionwasthistimebeyondquestion。Andyet，bysomeperversityoftheheart，shewasaseagernowtomakelightofherfaintnessasshehadbeentomakemuchofittwoorthreehoursago。
　　ThemillerandJohnstoodlikestraightsticksintheroomtheothershadquitted，John’sfacebeinghastilyturnedtowardsacaricatureofBuonaparteonthewallthathehadnotseenmorethanahundredandfiftytimesbefore。
　　’Come，sitdownandhaveadishoftea，anyhow，’saidhisfatheratlast。’She’llsoonberightagain，nodoubt。’
　　’Thanks；Idon’twantanytea，’saidJohnquickly。And，indeed，hedidnot，forhewasinonegiganticachefromheadtofoot。
　　Thelighthadbeentoodimforanybodytonoticehisamazement；andnotknowingwheretoventit，thetrumpet-majorsaidhewasgoingoutforaminute。Hehastenedtothebakehouse；butDavidbeingthere，hewenttothepantry；butthemaidbeingthere，hewenttothecart-shed；butacoupleoftrampsbeingthere，hewentbehindarowofFrenchbeansinthegarden，whereheletoffanejaculationthemostpiousthathehadutteredthatSabbathday:’Heaven！
　　what’stobedone！’
　　Andthenhewalkedwildlyaboutthepathsoftheduskygarden，wherethetricklingofthebrooksseemedloudbycomparisonwiththestillnessaround；treadingrecklesslyonthecrackingsnailsthathadcomeforthtofeed，andentanglinghisspursinthelonggrasstilltherowelswerechokedwithitsblades。Presentlyheheardanotherpersonapproaching，andhisbrother’sshapeappearedbetweenthestubbardtreeandthehedge。
　　’O，isityou？’saidthemate。
　　’Yes。Iam——takingalittleair。’
　　’Sheisgettingroundnicelyagain；andasIamnotwantedindoorsjustnow，IamgoingintothevillagetocalluponafriendortwoI
　　havenotbeenabletospeaktoasyet。’
　　JohntookhisbrotherBob’shand。Bobratherwonderedwhy。
　　’Allright，oldboy，’hesaid。’Goingintothevillage？You’llbebackagain，Isuppose，beforeitgetsverylate？’
　　’Oyes，’saidCaptainBobcheerfully，andpassedoutofthegarden。
　　Johnallowedhiseyestofollowhisbrothertillhisshapecouldnotbeseen，andthenheturnedandagainwalkedupanddown。