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Updated: September 28, 2025
The trumpet-major drew Bob's discourse off the subject as soon as he could, and Bob, after some unconsidered replies and remarks, seemed willing to avoid it for the present. He did not ask John to accompany him home, as he had intended; and on leaving the barracks turned southward and entered the town to wander about till he could decide what to do.
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.
But the gallant musician's soul was so much disturbed by tender vibrations and by the sense of his presumption that he could not begin; and it may be questioned if he would ever have broached the subject at all, had not a distant church clock opportunely assisted him by striking the hour of three. The trumpet-major heaved a breath of relief. 'That clock strikes in G sharp, he said.
'But my mother is so entirely ignorant of a soldier's life, and the life of a soldier's wife she is so simple in all such matters, that I cannot listen to you any more readily for what she may say. 'Then it is all over for me, said the poor trumpet-major, wiping his face and putting away his handkerchief with an air of finality. Anne was silent.
John met the lovers at the inn outside the town, and after stabling the horse they entered the town together, the trumpet-major informing them that the watering-place had never been so full before, that the Court, the Prince of Wales, and everybody of consequence was there, and that an attic could scarcely be got for money.
Festus broke out with an oath, and struck a vague blow in the air with his fist; whereupon the trumpet-major dealt him a box on the right ear, and a similar one on the left to artistically balance the first. Festus jumped up and used his fists wildly, but without any definite result. 'Want to fight, do ye, eh? said John. 'Nonsense! you can't fight, you great baby, and never could.
They weathered the storm without a man touched. Not a point had the Boers gained. And then came twelve o'clock, and, if the Boers had fixed the date of the 9th of November, so had we. We had it in mind whose birthday it was. A trumpet-major went forth, and presently, golden-tongued, rang out, "God bless the Prince of Wales." The general up at Cove Redoubt led the cheers.
The trumpet-major, his lips tightly closed, lifted her in his arms, and laid her upon the bed; after which he went back to the door to give room to her mother, who was bending over the girl with some hartshorn. Presently Mrs. Loveday looked up and said to him, 'She is only in a faint, John, and her colour is coming back.
If he passes him put him up for the night, and bring him here to-morrow at twelve o'clock to be sworn in." "Rather a tough case that," he said to himself as the trumpet-major left with the young recruit. "There is not a doubt the boy is lying, and yet I could have declared he was speaking the truth.
There was a slight noise of military heels without the door, at which the trumpet-major went and put his head outside, and said, 'All right coming in a minute, when voices in the darkness replied, 'No hurry. 'More friends? said Mrs. Garland. 'O, it is only Buck and Jones come to fetch me, said the soldier. 'Shall I ask 'em in a minute, Mrs Garland, ma'am?
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