"Or be stole, sir!" added the Sergeant.
"Exactly, Zeb, precisely,--if such a contingency should arise you will--er----"
"Challenge three times, sir and then--"
"Er--no, Sergeant, no! I think, under the circ.u.mstances, Zeb, we"ll just--er--let "em--ah--vanish, d"ye see!"
Then the Major limped slowly and serenely into the house and left the Sergeant staring at the hammer in his hand with eyes very wide and round.
"_Ventre bleu! Sacre bleu!_ Zookers!" said he.
CHAPTER III
WHICH TELLS HOW THE MAJOR CLIMBED A WALL
A wonderfully pleasant place was the Major"s orchard, very retired and secluded by reason of its high old walls flushing rosily through green leaves; an orchard, this, full of ancient trees gnarled and crooked whose writhen boughs sprawled and twisted; an orchard carpeted with velvety turf whereon plump thrushes and blackbirds hopped and waddled, or, perched aloft, filled the sunny air with rich, throaty warblings and fluty trills and flourishes. Here Sergeant Tring, ever a man of his hands, had contrived and built a rustic arbour (its architecture faintly suggestive of a rabbit-hutch and a sentry-box) of which he was justly proud.
Now Major d"Arcy despite his many battles had an inborn love of peace and quietness, of the soft rustle of wind in leaves, of sunshine and the mellow pipe of thrush and blackbird, hence it was not at all surprising that he should develop a sudden fancy for strolling, to and fro in his orchard of a sunny afternoon, book in hand, or, sitting in the Sergeant"s hutch-like sentry-box, puff dreamily at pipe of clay, or again, tucking up his ruffles and squaring his elbows, fall to work on his History of Fortification; and if his glance happened to rove from printed page or busy quill in a certain direction, what of it? Though it was to be remarked that his full-flowing peruke was seldom askew and the lace of his cravat and the ruffles below the huge cuffs of his Ramillie coat were of the finest point.
It was a hot afternoon, very slumberous and still; flowers drooped languid heads, birds twittered sleepily, b.u.t.terflies wheeled and hovered, and the Major, sitting in the shady arbour, stared at a certain part of the old wall, sighed, and taking up his pipe began to fill it absently, his gaze yet fixed. All at once he sprang up, radiant-eyed, and strode across the smooth gra.s.s.
The faded sun-bonnet was not; her black hair was coiled high, while at white brow and glowing cheek silken curls wantoned in an artful disorder, moreover her simple russet gown had given place to a rich, flowered satin. All this he noticed at a glance though his gaze never wandered from the witching eyes of her. Were they blue or black or dark brown?
"Sir," said she, acknowledging his deep reverence with a stately inclination of her shapely head, "I would curtsey if I might, but to curtsey on a ladder were dangerous and not to be lightly undertaken."
Quoth the Major:
"It has been a long time--a very long time since you--since I--er--that is--
"Exactly five days, sir!"
"Why--ah--to be sure these summer days do grow uncommon long, mam--
"Which means, sir, that you"ve wanted me?"
The Major started:
"Why er---I--indeed I--I hardly know!" he stammered.
"Which proves it beyond all doubt!" she nodded serenely.
The Major was silent.
"Then, sir," she continued gravely, "since "tis beyond all doubt you wanted me and hither came daily to look for me, as methinks you did---?"
Here she paused expectant, whereupon the Major stooped to survey his neat shoe-buckle.
"Well, sir, did you not come patiently a-seeking me here?"
"Why, mam," he answered, rubbing his chin with his pipe-stem, ""tis true I came hither--having a fancy for----"
"Then, sir, since being hither come you found me not, why, having legs, didn"t you climb over the wall and seek me where you might have found me?"
The Major caught his breath and nearly dropped his pipe.
"Indeed it never occurred to me!"
"To be sure the climbing of walls is an infinite trying and arduous task for--ancient limbs," she sighed, shaking her head, "yet--even you, might have achieved it--with care."
The Major laughed:
""Tis possible, mam," said he.
"And it never occurred to you?"
"No indeed, mam, and never would!"
"Then you lack imagination and a man without imagination is akin to the brutes and--" but here she broke off to utter a small scream and glancing up in alarm he saw her eyes were closed and that she shuddered violently.
"Madam!" he cried, "mam! My lady--good heaven are you sick--faint?"
Regardless of the cherry-tree he reached up long arms and swinging himself up astride the wall, had an arm about her shivering form all in a moment; thus as she leaned against him he caught the perfume of all her warm, soft daintiness, then she drew away.
"What was it?" he questioned anxiously as she opened her eyes, "were you faint, mam? Was it a fit? Good lack, mam, I----"
"Do--not--call me--that!" she cried, eyes flashing and--yes, they were blue--very darkly blue--"Never dare to call me--so--again!"
"Call you what, mam?"
"Mam!" she cried, gnashing her white teeth--""tis a hateful word!"
"Indeed I--I had not thought it so," stammered the Major. "It is, I believe, a word in common use and----"
"Aye, "tis common! "Tis odious! "Tis vulgar!"
"I crave your ladyship"s pardon!" And he bowed as well as his position would allow, though a little stiffly.
"You are marvellous nimble, sir!"
"Your ladyship is gracious!"
"Considering your age, sir!"
"And you, madam, I lament that at yours you should be subject to fits."