Whentheyreachedthebottomofthestepshestruckalightfromatinder-box，andunlockedthemiddleoneofthreedoorswhichappearedinthewhitewashedwallopposite。Theraysofthecandlefelluponthevaultandsidesofalonglowcellar，litteredwithdecayedwoodworkfromotherpartsofthehall，amongthereststair-
　　balusters，carvedfinials，tracerypanels，andwainscoting。Butwhatmostattractedhereyewasasmallflagstoneturnedupinthemiddleofthefloor，aheapofearthbesideit，andameasuring-tape。Derrimanwenttothecornerofthecellar，andpulledoutaclampedboxfromunderthestraw。’Youberatherheavy，mydear，eh？’hesaid，affectionatelyaddressingtheboxasheliftedit。’Butyouaregoingtobeputinasafeplace，youknow，orthatrascalwillgetholdofye，andcarryyeoffandruinme。’Hethenwithsomedifficultyloweredtheboxintothehole，rakedintheearthuponit，andloweredtheflagstone，whichhewasalongtimeinfixingtohissatisfaction。MissGarland，whowasromanticallyinterested，helpedhimtobrushawaythefragmentsoflooseearth；andwhenhehadscatteredovertheflooralittleofthestrawthatlayabout，theyagainascendedtoupperair。
　　’Isthisall，sir？’saidAnne。
　　’Justamomentlonger，honey。Willyoucomeintothegreatparlour？’
　　Shefollowedhimthither。
　　’Ifanythinghappenstomewhilethefightingisgoingon——itmaybeontheseveryfields——youwillknowwhattodo，’heresumed。’Butfirstpleasesitdownagain，there’sadear，whilstIwritewhat’sinmyhead。See，there’sthebestpaper，andanewquillthatI’veaffordedmyselffor’t。’
　　’Whatastrangebusiness！Idon’tthinkImuchlikeit，Mr。
　　Derriman，’shesaid，seatingherself。
　　Hehadbythistimebeguntowrite，andmurmuredashewrote——
　　’“Twenty-threeandahalffromN。W。Sixteenandthree-quartersfromN。E。“——There，that’sall。NowIsealitupandgiveittoyoutokeepsafetillIaskyeforit，oryouhearofmybeingtrampleddownbytheenemy。’
　　’Whatdoesitmean？’sheasked，asshereceivedthepaper。
　　’Clk！Ha！ha！Why，that’sthedistanceoftheboxfromthetwocornersofthecellar。Imeasureditbeforeyoucame。And，myhoney，tomakeallsure，iftheFrenchsoldieryareafterye，tellyourmotherthemeaningon’t，oranyotherfriend，incasetheyshouldputyetodeath，andthesecretbelost。ButthatIamsureIhopetheywon’tdo，thoughyourprettyfacewillbeasadbaittothesoldiers。Ioftenhavewishedyouwasmydaughter，honey；andyetinthesetimesthelesscaresamanhasthebetter，soIamgladyoubain’t。Shallmymandriveyouhome？’
　　’No，no，’shesaid，muchdepressedbythewordshehaduttered。’I
　　canfindmyway。Youneednottroubletocomedown。’
　　’Thentakecareofthepaper。Andifyououtliveme，you’llfindI
　　havenotforgotyou。’
　　FestusDerrimanhadremainedintheRoyalwatering-placeallthatday，hishorsebeingsickatstables；but，wishingtocoaxorbullyfromhisunclearemountforthecomingsummer，hesetoffonfootforOxwellearlyintheevening。Whenhedrewneartothevillage，orrathertothehall，whichwasamilefromthevillage，heovertookaslim，quick-eyedwoman，saunteringalongataleisurelypace。Shewasfashionablydressedinagreenspencer，with’Mameluke’sleeves，andworeavelvetSpanishhatandfeather。
　　’Goodafternoont’ye，ma’am，’saidFestus，throwingasword-and-pistolairintohisgreeting。’Youareoutforawalk？’
　　’IAMoutforawalk，captain，’saidthelady，whohadcriticizedhimfromthecreviceofhereye，withoutseemingtodomuchmorethancontinueherdemurelookforward，andgavethetitleasasoptohisapparentcharacter。
　　’Fromthetown？——I’dswearit，ma’am；’ponmyhonourIwould！’
　　’Yes，Iamfromthetown，sir，’saidshe。
　　’Ah，youareavisitor！Iknoweveryoneoftheregularinhabitants；wesoldiersareinandouttherecontinually。FestusDerriman，YeomanryCavalry，youknow。Thefactis，thewatering-placeisunderourcharge；thefolkswillbequitedependentuponusfortheirdeliveranceinthecomingstruggle。Weholdourlivesinourhands，andtheirs，Imaysay，inourpockets。
　　Whatmadeyoucomehere，ma’am，atsuchacriticaltime？’
　　’Idon’tseethatitissuchacriticaltime？’
　　’Butitis，though；andsoyou’dsayifyouwasasmuchmixedupwiththemilitaryaffairsofthenationassomeofus。’
　　Theladysmiled。’TheKingiscomingthisyear，anyhow，’saidshe。
　　’Never！’saidFestusfirmly。’Ah，youareoneoftheattendantsatcourtperhaps，comeonaheadtogettheKing’schambersready，incaseBoneyshouldnotland？’
　　’No，’shesaid；’Iamconnectedwiththetheatre，thoughnotjustatthepresentmoment。Ihavebeenoutofluckforthelastyearortwo；butIhavefetchedupagain。Ijointhecompanywhentheyarrivefortheseason。’
　　Festussurveyedherwithinterest。’Faith！andisitso？Well，ma’am，whatpartdoyouplay？’
　　’Iammostlytheleadinglady——theheroine，’shesaid，drawingherselfupwithdignity。
　　’I’llcomeandhavealookatyeifall’swell，andthelandingisputoff——hangmeifIdon’t！——Hullo，hullo，whatdoIsee？’
　　Hiseyeswerestretchedtowardsadistantfield，whichAnneGarlandwasatthatmomenthastilycrossing，onherwayfromthehalltoOvercombe。
　　’Imustbeoff。Good-daytoye，dearcreature！’heexclaimed，hurryingforward。
　　Theladysaid，’O，youdrollmonster！’asshesmiledandwatchedhimstrideahead。
　　Festusboundedonoverthehedge，acrosstheinterveningpatchofgreen，andintothefieldwhichAnnewasstillcrossing。Inamomentortwoshelookedback，andseeingthewell-knownHerculeanfigureoftheyeomanbehindherfeltratheralarmed，thoughshedeterminedtoshownodifferenceinheroutwardcarriage。Buttomaintainhernaturalgaitwasbeyondherpowers。Shespasmodicallyquickenedherpace；fruitlessly，however，forhegaineduponher，andwhenwithinafewstridesofherexclaimed，’Well，mydarling！’
　　Annestartedoffatarun。
　　Festuswasalreadyoutofbreath，andsoonfoundthathewasnotlikelytoovertakeher。Onshewent，withoutturningherhead，tillanunusualnoisebehindcompelledhertolookround。Hisfacewasintheactoffallingback；heswervedononeside，anddroppedlikealoguponaconvenienthedgerow-bankwhichborderedthepath。
　　Therehelayquitestill。
　　Annewassomewhatalarmed；andafterstandingatgazefortwoorthreeminutes，drewnearertohim，astepandahalfatatime，wonderinganddoubting，asameekewedrawsneartosomestrollingvagabondwhoflingshimselfonthegrassneartheflock。
　　’Heisinaswoon！’shemurmured。
　　Herheartbeatquickly，andshelookedaround。Nobodywasinsight；
　　sheadvancedastepnearerstillandobservedhimagain。Apparentlyhisfacewasturningtoalividhue，andhisbreathinghadbecomeobstructed。
　　’’Tisnotaswoon；’tisapoplexy！’shesaid，indeepdistress。’I
　　oughttountiehisneck。’Butshewasafraidtodothis，andonlydrewalittlecloserstill。
　　MissGarlandwasnowwithinthreefeetofhim，whereuponthesenselessman，whocouldholdhisbreathnolonger，sprangtohisfeetanddartedather，saying，’Ha！ha！aschemeforakiss！’
　　Shefelthisarmslippingroundherneck；but，twirlingaboutwithamazingdexterity，shewriggledfromhisembraceandranawayalongthefield。TheforcewithwhichshehadextricatedherselfwassufficienttothrowFestusuponthegrass，andbythetimethathegotuponhislegsagainshewasmanyyardsoff。Utteringawordwhichwasnotexactlyablessing，heimmediatelygavechase；andthustheyrantillAnneenteredameadowdivideddownthemiddlebyabrookaboutsixfeetwide。Anarrowplankwasthrownlooselyacrossatthepointwherethepathtraversedthisstream，andwhenAnnereacheditsheatoncescamperedover。Attheothersidesheturnedherheadtogathertheprobabilitiesofthesituation，whichwerethatFestusDerrimanwouldovertakeherevennow。Byasuddenforethoughtshestooped，seizedtheendoftheplank，andendeavouredtodragitawayfromtheoppositebank。Buttheweightwastoogreatforhertodomorethanslightlymoveit，andwithadesperatesighsheranonagain，havinglostmanyvaluableseconds。
　　Butherattempt，thoughineffectualindraggingitdown，hadbeenenoughtounsettlethelittlebridge；andwhenDerrimanreachedthemiddle，whichhedidhalfaminutelater，theplankturnedoveronitsedge，tiltinghimbodilyintotheriver。Thewaterwasnotremarkablydeep，butastheyeomanfellflatonhisstomachhewascompletelyimmersed；anditwassometimebeforehecoulddraghimselfout。Whenhearose，drippingonthebank，andlookedaround，Annehadvanishedfromthemead。ThenFestus’seyesglowedlikecarbuncles，andhegavevoicetofearfulimprecations，shakinghisfistinthesoftsummerairtowardsAnne，inawaythatwasterribleforanymaidentobehold。Wadingbackthroughthestream，hewalkedalongitsbankwithaheavytread，thewaterrunningfromhiscoat-tails，wrists，andthetipsofhisears，insilverydribbles，thatsparkledpleasantlyinthesun。Thushehastenedaway，andwentroundbyaby-pathtothehall。
　　Meanwhiletheauthorofhistroubleswasrapidlydrawingnearertothemill，andsoon，toherinexpressibledelight，shesawBobcomingtomeether。Shehadheardtheflounce，and，feelingmoresecurefromherpursuer，haddroppedherpacetoaquickwalk。NosoonerdidshereachBobthan，overcomebytheexcitementofthemoment，sheflungherselfintohisarms。Bobinstantlyenclosedherinanembracesoverythoroughthattherewasnopossibledangerofherfalling，whateverdegreeofexhaustionmighthavegivenrisetohersomewhatunexpectedaction；andinthisattitudetheysilentlyremained，tillitwasborneinuponAnnethatthepresentwasthefirsttimeinherlifethatshehadeverbeeninsuchaposition。
　　Herfacethenburntlikeasunset，andshedidnotknowhowtolookupathim。Feelingatlengthquitesafe，shesuddenlyresolvednottogivewaytoherfirstimpulsetotellhimthewholeofwhathadhappened，lestthereshouldbeadreadfulquarrelandfightbetweenBobandtheyeoman，andgreatdifficultiescausedintheLovedayfamilyonheraccount，themillerhavingimportantwheattransactionswiththeDerrimans。
　　’Youseemfrightened，dearestAnne，’saidBobtenderly。
　　’Yes，’shereplied。’IsawamanIdidnotlikethelookof，andhewasinclinedtofollowme。But，worsethanthat，IamtroubledabouttheFrench。OBob！Iamafraidyouwillbekilled，andmymother，andJohn，andyourfather，andallofushunteddown！’
　　’NowIhavetoldyou，dearlittleheart，thatitcannotbe。Weshalldrive’emintotheseaafterabattleortwo，eveniftheyland，whichIdon’tbelievetheywill。We’vegotninetysailoftheline，andthoughitisratherunfortunatethatweshouldhavedeclaredwaragainstSpainatthisticklishtime，there’senoughforall。’AndBobwentintoelaboratestatisticsofthenavy，army，militia，andvolunteers，toprolongthetimeofholdingher。Whenhehaddonespeakinghedrewratheraheavysigh。
　　’What’sthematter，Bob？’
　　’Ihaven’tbeenyettooffermyselfasasea-fencible，andIoughttohavedoneitlongago。’
　　’Youareonlyone。Surelytheycandowithoutyou？’
　　Bobshookhishead。Shearosefromherrestfulposition，hereyecatchinghiswithashamefacedexpressionofhavinggivenwayatlast。Lovedaydrewfromhispocketapaper，andsaid，astheyslowlywalkedon，’Here’ssomethingtomakeusbraveandpatriotic。
　　IboughtitinBudmouth。Isn’titastirringpicture？’
　　ItwasahieroglyphicprofileofNapoleon。ThehatrepresentedamaimedFrencheagle；thefacewasingeniouslymadeupofhumancarcases，knottedandwrithingtogetherinsuchdirectionsastoformaphysiognomy；aband，orstock，shapedtoresembletheEnglishChannel，encircledhisthroat，andseemedtochokehim；hisepaulettewasahandtearingacobwebthatrepresentedthetreatyofpeacewithEngland；andhisearwasawomancrouchingoveradyingchild。*
　　*VidePreface。