alone.

"Ah, but to-day I can talk with a free conscience," I replied. "I

am lightened of my pledge, and indeed (after what has come and gone

since morning) I would not have renewed it were it asked."

"Tell me," she said. "My cousin will not be so long."

So I told her the tale of the lieutenant from the first step to the

last of it, making it as mirthful as I could, and, indeed, there

was matter of mirth in that absurdity.

"And I think you will be as little fitted for the rudas men as for

the pretty ladies, after all!" says she, when I had done. "But

what was your father that he could not learn you to draw the sword!

It is most ungentle; I have not heard the match of that in anyone."

"It is most misconvenient at least," said I; "and I think my father

(honest man!) must have been wool-gathering to learn me Latin in

the place of it. But you see I do the best I can, and just stand

up like Lot's wife and let them hammer at me."

"Do you know what makes me smile?" said she. "Well, it is this. I

am made this way, that I should have been a man child. In my own

thoughts it is so I am always; and I go on telling myself about

this thing that is to befall and that. Then it comes to the place

of the fighting, and it comes over me that I am only a girl at all

events, and cannot hold a sword or give one good blow; and then I

have to twist my story round about, so that the fighting is to

stop, and yet me have the best of it, just like you and the

lieutenant; and I am the boy that makes the fine speeches all

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