Anne smiled without replying.

'Why, you are laughing!' said the yeoman, looking searchingly at her
and blushing like a little fire. 'What do you see to laugh at?'

'Did I laugh?' said Anne, a little scared at his sudden
mortification.

'Why, yes; you know you did, you young sneerer,' he said like a
cross baby. 'You are laughing at me--that's who you are laughing
at! I should like to know what you would do without such as me if
the French were to drop in upon ye any night?'

'Would you help to beat them off?' said she.

'Can you ask such a question? What are we for? But you don't think
anything of soldiers.'

O yes, she liked soldiers, she said, especially when they came home
from the wars, covered with glory; though when she thought what
doings had won them that glory she did not like them quite so well.
The gallant and appeased yeoman said he supposed her to mean
chopping off heads, blowing out brains, and that kind of business,
and thought it quite right that a tender-hearted thing like her
should feel a little horrified. But as for him, he should not mind
such another Blenheim this summer as the army had fought a hundred
years ago, or whenever it was--dash his wig if he should mind it at
all. 'Hullo! now you are laughing again; yes, I saw you!' And the
choleric Festus turned his blue eyes and flushed face upon her as