Annefaintlyreplied’Yes，’andallowedthemillertotakeherforwardonhisarmtothetrackway，soastobeclosetotheflankoftheapproachingcolumn。Itcameup，manypeopleoneachsidegraspingthehandsofthetroopersinbiddingthemfarewell；andassoonasJohnLovedaysawthemembersofhisfather’shousehold，hestretcheddownhishandacrosshisrightpistolforthesameperformance。Themillergavehis，thenMrs。Lovedaygavehers，andthenthehandofthetrumpet-majorwasextendedtowardsAnne。Butasthehorsedidnotabsolutelystop，itwasasomewhatawkwardperformanceforayoungwomantoundertake，and，moreonthataccountthanonanyother，Annedrewback，andthegallanttrooperpassedbywithoutreceivingheradieu。Anne’sheartreproachedherforamoment；andthenshethoughtthat，afterall，hewasnotgoingofftoimmediatebattle，andthatshewouldinallprobabilityseehimagainatnodistantdate，whenshehopedthatthemysteryofhisconductwouldbeexplained。Herthoughtswereinterruptedbyavoiceatherelbow:’Thankheaven，he’sgone！Nowthere’sachanceforme。’
　　Sheturned，andFestusDerrimanwasstandingbyher。
　　’There’snochanceforyou，’shesaidindignantly。
　　’Whynot？’
　　’Becausethere’sanotherleft！’
　　Thewordshadslippedoutquiteunintentionally，andsheblushedquickly。Shewouldhavegivenanythingtobeabletorecallthem；
　　buthehadheard，andsaid，’Who？’
　　Annewentforwardtothemillertoavoidreplying，andFestuscaughthernomore。
　　’HasanybodybeenhangingaboutOvercombeMillexceptLoveday’ssonthesoldier？’heaskedofacomrade。
　　’Hissonthesailor，’wasthereply。
　　’O——hissonthesailor，’saidFestusslowly。’Damnhissonthesailor！’
　　AtthisparticularmomenttheobjectofFestusDerriman’sfulminationwasassuredlynotdangerousasarival。Bob，afterabstractedlywatchingthesoldiersfromthefrontofthehousetilltheywereoutofsight，hadgonewithindoorsandseatedhimselfinthemill-parlour，wherehisfatherfoundhim，hiselbowsrestingonthetableandhisforeheadonhishands，hiseyesbeingfixeduponadocumentthatlayopenbeforehim。
　　’Whatartperusing，Bob，withsuchalongface？’
　　Bobsighed，andthenMrs。LovedayandAnneentered。’’Tisonlyastate-paperthatIfondlythoughtIshouldhaveausefor，’hesaidgloomily。And，lookingdownasbefore，heclearedhisvoice，asifmovedinwardlytogoon，andbegantoreadinfeelingtonesfromwhatprovedtobehisnullifiedmarriagelicence:——
　　’“TimothyTitusPhilemon，bypermissionBishopofBristol:Toourwell-belovedRobertLoveday，oftheparishofOvercombe，Bachelor；
　　andMatildaJohnson，ofthesameparish，Spinster。Greeting。“’
　　HereAnnesighed，butcontrivedtokeepdownhersightoamerenothing。
　　’Beautifullanguage，isn’tit！’saidBob。’Iwasnevergreetedlikethatafore！’
　　’Yes；Ihaveoftenthoughtitveryexcellentlanguagemyself，’saidMrs。Loveday。
　　’Cometothat，theoldgentlemanwillgreettheelikeitagainanydayforacoupleofguineas，’saidthemiller。
　　’That’snotthepoint，father！Younevercouldseetherealmeaningofthesethings……Well，thenhegoeson:“Whereasyeare，asitisalleged，determinedtoenterintotheholyestateofmatrimony——“ButwhyshouldIreadon？Itallmeansnothingnow——
　　nothing，andthesplendidwordsareallwasteduponair。ItseemsasifIhadbeenhailedbysomevenerablehoaryprophet，andhadturnedaway，putthehelmhardup，andwouldn’thear。’
　　Nobodyreplied，feelingprobablythatsympathycouldnotmeetthecase，andBobwentonreadingtherestofittohimself，occasionallyheavingabreathlikethewindinaship’sshrouds。
　　’Iwouldn’tsetmymindsomuchuponher，ifIwasthee，’saidhisfatheratlast。
　　’Whynot？’
　　’Well，folkmightcalltheeafool，andsaythybrainswereturningtowater。’
　　Bobwasapparentlymuchstruckbythisthought，and，insteadofcontinuingthediscoursefurther，hecarefullyfoldedupthelicence，wentout，andwalkedupanddownthegarden。Itwasstartlinglyaptwhathisfatherhadsaid；and，worsethanthat，whatpeoplewouldcallhimmightbetrue，andtheliquefactionofhisbrainsturnouttobenofable。Bydegreeshebecamemuchconcerned，andthemoreheexaminedhimselfbythisnewlightthemoreclearlydidheperceivethathewasinaverybadway。
　　OnreflectionherememberedthatsinceMissJohnson’sdeparturehisappetitehaddecreasedamazingly。Hehadeateninmeatnomorethanfourteenorfifteenouncesaday，butone-thirdofaquarternpuddingonanaverage，invegetablesonlyasmallheapofpotatoesandhalfaYorkcabbage，andnogravywhatever；which，consideringtheusualappetiteofaseamanforfreshfoodattheendofalongvoyage，wasnosmallindexofthedepressionofhismind。Thenhehadwakedonceeverynight，andononeoccasiontwice。Whiledressingeachmorningsincethegloomydayhehadnotwhistledmorethansevenbarsofahornpipewithoutstoppingandfallingintothoughtofamostpainfulkind；andhehadtoldnonebutabsolutelytruestoriesofforeignpartstotheneighbouringvillagerswhentheysalutedandclusteredabouthim，asusual，foranythinghechosetopourforth——exceptthatstoryofthewhalewhoseeyewasaboutaslargeastheroundpondinDerriman’sewe-lease——whichwasliketemptingfatetosetasealforeveruponhistongueasatraveller。Allthisenervation，mentalandphysical，hadbeenproducedbyMatilda’sdeparture。
　　Healsoconsideredwhathehadlostoftherationalamusementsofmanhoodduringtheseunfortunatedays。Hemighthavegonetotheneighbouringfashionableresorteveryafternoon，stoodbeforeGloucesterLodgetilltheKingandQueencameout，heldhishatinhishand，andenjoyedtheirMajesties’smilesathishomageallfornothing——watchedthepicket-mounting，heardthedifferentbandsstrikeup，observedthestaff；and，aboveall，haveseentheprettytowngirlsgotrip-trip-tripalongtheesplanade，deliberatelyfixingtheirinnocenteyesonthedistantsea，thegreycliffs，andthesky，andaccidentallyonthesoldiersandhimself。
　　’I’llrazeoutherimage，’hesaid。’Sheshallmakeafoolofmenomore。’Andhisresolveresultedinconductwhichhadelementsofrealgreatness。
　　Hewentbacktohisfather，whomhefoundinthemill-loft。’’Tistrue，father，whatyousay，’heobserved:’mybrainswillturntobilge-waterifIthinkofhermuchlonger。Bytheoathofa——
　　navigator，IwishIcouldsighlessandlaughmore！She’sgone——whycan’tIlethergo，andbehappy？Buthowbegin？’
　　’Takeitcareless，myson，’saidthemiller，’andlayyourselfouttoenjoysnacksandcordials。’
　　’Ah——that’sathought！’saidBob。
　　’Baccyisgoodfor’t。Soissperrits。ThoughIdon’tadvisetheetodrinkneat。’
　　’Baccy——I’dalmostforgotit！’saidCaptainLoveday。
　　Hewenttohisroom，hastilyuntiedthepackageoftobaccothathehadbroughthome，andbegantomakeuseofitinhisownway，callingtoDavidforabottleoftheoldhouseholdmeadthathadlaininthecellartheseelevenyears。Hewasdiscoveredbyhisfatherthree-quartersofanhourlaterasahalf-invisibleobjectbehindacloudofsmoke。
　　Themillerdrewabreathofrelief。’Why，Bob，’hesaid，’Ithoughtthehousewasa-fire！’
　　’I’msmokingratherfasttodrownmyreflections，father。’Tisnousetochaw。’
　　TotempthisattenuatedappetitetheunhappymatemadeDavidcookanomeletandbakeaseed-cake，thelattersorichlycompoundedthatitopenedtotheknifelikeafreckledbuttercup。Withthesameobjecthestucknight-linesintothebanksofthemill-pond，anddrewupnextmorningafamilyoffateels，someofwhichwereskinnedandpreparedforhisbreakfast。Theywerehisfavouritefish，butsuchhadbeenhisconditionthat，untilthemomentofmakingthiseffort，hehadquiteforgottentheirexistenceathisfather’sback-door。
　　InafewdaysBobLovedayhadconsiderablyimprovedintoneandvigour。OneotherobviousremedyforhisdejectionwastoindulgeinthesocietyofMissGarland，lovebeingsomuchmoreeffectuallygotridofbydisplacementthanbyattemptedannihilation。ButLoveday’sbeliefthathehadoffendedherbeyondforgiveness，andhisever-presentsenseofherasawomanwhobyeducationandantecedentswasfittedtoadornahigherspherethanhisown，effectuallykepthimfromgoingnearherforalongtime，notwithstandingthattheywereinmatesofonehouse。Thereservewas，however，insomedegreebrokenbytheappearanceonemorning，laterintheseason，ofthepointofasawthroughthepartitionwhichdividedAnne’sroomfromtheLovedayhalfofthehouse。
　　ThoughshedinedandsuppedwithhermotherandtheLovedayfamily，MissGarlandhadstillcontinuedtooccupyheroldapartments，becauseshefounditmoreconvenienttheretopursueherhobbiesofwool-workandofcopyingherfather’soldpictures。Thedivisionwallhadnotasyetbeenbrokendown。
　　AsthesawworkeditswaydownwardsunderherastonishedgazeAnnejumpedupfromherdrawing；andpresentlythetemporarycanvasingandpaperingwhichhadsealeduptheolddoorofcommunicationwascutcompletelythrough。Thedoorburstopen，andBobstoodrevealedontheotherside，withthesawinhishand。
　　’Ibegyourladyship’spardon，’hesaid，takingoffthehathehadbeenworkingin，ashishandsomefaceexpandedintoasmile。’I
　　didn’tknowthisdooropenedintoyourprivateroom。’
　　’Indeed，CaptainLoveday！’
　　’Iampullingdownthedivisiononprinciple，aswearenowonefamily。ButIreallythoughtthedooropenedintoyourpassage。’
　　’Itdon’tmatter；Icangetanotherroom。’
　　’Notatall。Fatherwouldn’tletmeturnyouout。I’llcloseitupagain。’
　　ButAnnewassointerestedinthenoveltyofanewdoorwaythatshewalkedthroughit，andfoundherselfinadarklowpassagewhichshehadneverseenbefore。
　　’Itleadstothemill，’saidBob。’Wouldyouliketogoinandseeitatwork？Butperhapsyouhavealready。’
　　’Onlyintothegroundfloor。’
　　’Comealloverit。Iampractisingasgrinder，youknow，tohelpmyfather。’
　　Shefollowedhimalongthedarkpassage，inthesideofwhichheopenedalittletrap，whenshesawagreatslimycavern，wherethelongarmsofthemill-wheelflungthemselvesslowlyanddistractedlyround，andsplashingwater-dropscaughtthelittlelightthatstrayedintothegloomyplace，turningitintostarsandflashes。A
　　coldmist-ladenpuffofaircameintotheirfaces，andtheroarfromwithinmadeitnecessaryforAnnetoshoutasshesaid，’Itisdismal！letusgoon。’
　　Bobshutthetrap，theroarceased，andtheywentontotheinnerpartofthemill，wheretheairwaswarmandnutty，andpervadedbyafogofflour。Thentheyascendedthestairs，andsawthestoneslumberingroundandround，andtheyellowcornrunningdownthroughthehopper。Theyclimbedyetfurthertothetopstage，wherethewheatlayinbins，andwherelongrayslikefeelersstretchedinfromthesunthroughthelittlewindow，gotnearlylostamongcobwebsandtimber，andcompletedtheircoursebymarkingtheoppositewallwithaglowingpatchofgold。
　　InhisearnestnessasanexhibitorBobopenedthebolter，whichwasspinningrapidlyround，theresultbeingthatadensecloudofflourrolledoutintheirfaces，remindingAnnethathercomplexionwasprobablymuchpalerbythistimethanwhenshehadenteredthemill。
　　Shethankedhercompanionforhistrouble，andsaidshewouldnowgodown。Hefollowedherwiththesamedeferenceashitherto，andwithasuddenandincreasingsensethatofallcuresforhisformerunhappypassionthiswouldhavebeenthenicest，theeasiest，andthemosteffectual，ifhehadonlybeenfortunateenoughtokeepheruponeasyterms。ButMissGarlandshowednodispositiontogofurtherthanaccepthisservicesasaguide；shedescendedtotheopenair，shooktheflourfromherlikeabird，andwentonintothegardenamidtheSeptembersunshine，whoserayslaylevelacrossthebluehazewhichtheearthgaveforth。Thegnatsweredancingupanddowninairycompanies，thenasturtiumflowersshoneoutingroupsfromthedarkhedgeoverwhichtheyclimbed，andthemellowsmellofthedeclineofsummerwasexhaledbyeverything。Bobfollowedherasfarasthegate，lookedafterher，thoughtofherasthesamegirlwhohadhalfencouragedhimyearsago，whensheseemedsosuperiortohim；thoughnowtheywerealmostequalsheapparentlythoughthimbeneathher。Itwaswithanewsenseofpleasurethathismindflewtothefactthatshewasnowaninmateofhisfather’shouse。
　　Hisobsequiousbearingwascontinuedduringthenextweek。Inthebusyhoursofthedaytheyseldommet，buttheyregularlyencounteredeachotheratmeals，andthesecheerfuloccasionsbegantohaveaninterestforhimquiteirrespectiveofdishesandcups。