That made me comfortable, and when Miss Catherine
said, “It’s what I think, too,”
I was grateful to myself for getting into that scrape.
Sir Jean de Metz said:
“We were all in a body together when the donkey
brayed, and it was dismally still at the time.
I don’t see how any young campaigner could escape
some little touch of that emotion.”
He looked about him with a pleasant expression of
inquiry on his good face, and as each pair of eyes
in turn met his head they were in nodded a confession.
Even the Paladin delivered his nod. That surprised
everybody, and saved the Standard-Bearer’s credit.
It was clever of him; nobody believed he could tell
the truth that way without practice, or would tell
that particular sort of a truth either with or without
practice. I suppose he judged it would favorably
impress the family. Then the old treasurer said:
“Passing the forts in that trying way required
the same sort of nerve that a person must have when
ghosts are about him in the dark, I should think.
What does the Standard-Bearer think?”
“Well, I don’t quite know about that,
sir. I’ve often thought I would like to
see a ghost if I—”
“Would you?” exclaimed the young lady.
“We’ve got one! Would you try that
one? Will you?”
She was so eager and pretty that the Paladin said
straight out that he would; and then as none of the
rest had bravery enough to expose the fear that was
in him, one volunteered after the other with a prompt
mouth and a sick heart till all were shipped for the
voyage; then the girl clapped her hands in glee, and
the parents were gratified, too, saying that the ghosts
of their house had been a dread and a misery to them
and their forebears for generations, and nobody had
ever been found yet who was willing to confront them
and find out what their trouble was, so that the family
could heal it and content the poor specters and beguile
them to tranquillity and peace.
About noon I was chatting with Madame Boucher;
nothing was going on, all was quiet, when Catherine
Boucher suddenly entered in great excitement, and
said:
“Fly, sir, fly! The Maid was doing in her
chair in my room, when she sprang up and cried out,
’French blood is flowing!—my arms,
give me my arms!’ Her giant was on guard at
the door, and he brought D’Aulon, who began
to arm her, and I and the giant have been warning the
staff. Fly!—and stay by her; and if
there really is a battle, keep her out of it—don’t
let her risk herself—there is no need—if
the men know she is near and looking on, it is all
that is necessary. Keep her out of the fight—don’t
fail of this!”
I started on a run, saying, sarcastically—for
I was always fond of sarcasm, and it was said that
I had a most neat gift that way:
“Oh, yes, nothing easier than that—I’ll
attend to it!”
