He said, "What?" which was a natural remark; not rude, as it is with
children.
Alice said:
"We want to give the soldiers a keepsake. I will write to ask my father.
He is very well off just now. Look here--if we're not on the wall when
you come by, don't stop; but if we are, _please_, PLEASE do!"
The officer pulled his mustache and looked as if he did not quite know;
but at last he said "Yes," and we were very glad, though but Alice and
Oswald knew the dark but pleasant scheme at present fermenting in their
youthful nuts.
The captain talked a lot to us. At last Noel said:
"I think you are like Diarmid of the Golden Collar. But I should like to
see your sword out, and shining in the sun like burnished silver."
The captain laughed and grasped the hilt of his good blade. But Oswald
said, hurriedly:
"Don't. Not yet. We sha'n't ever have a chance like this. If you'd only
show us the pursuing practice! Albert's uncle knows it; but he only does
it on an arm-chair, because he hasn't a horse."
And that brave and swagger captain did really do it. He rode his horse
right into our gate when we opened it, and showed us all the cuts,
thrusts, and guards. There are four of each kind. It was splendid. The
morning sun shone on his flashing blade, and his good steed stood with
all its legs far apart and stiff on the lawn. Then we opened the paddock
gate and he did it again, while the horse galloped as if upon the bloody
battle-field among the fierce foes of his native land, and this was far
more ripping still.
Then we thanked him very much, and he went away, taking his men with
him. And the guns, of course.
Then we wrote to my father, and he said "Yes," as we knew he would, and
next time the soldiers came by--but they had no guns this time, only the
captive Arabs of the desert--we had the keepsakes ready in a
wheelbarrow, and we were on the church-yard wall.
And the bold captain called an immediate halt.
Then the girls had the splendid honor and pleasure of giving a pipe and
four whole ounces of tobacco to each soldier.
Then we shook hands with the captain and the sergeant and the corporals,
and the girls kissed the captain--I can't think why girls will kiss
everybody--and we all cheered for the Queen.
It was grand. And I wish my father had been there to see how much you
can do with L12 if you order the things from the Stores.
We have never seen those brave soldiers again.
I have told you all this to show you how we got so keen about soldiers,
and why we sought to aid and abet the poor widow at the white cottage in
her desolate and oppressedness.
Her name was Simpkins, and her cottage was just beyond the church-yard,
on the other side from our house. On the different military occasions
which I have remarked upon this widow woman stood at her garden gate and
looked on. And after the cheering she rubbed her eyes with her apron.
Alice noticed this slight but signifying action.
We feel quite sure Mrs. Simpkins liked soldiers, and so we felt friendly
to her. But when we tried to talk to her she would not. She told us to
go along with us, do, and not bother her. And Oswald, with his usual
delicacy and good breeding, made the others do as she said.
But we were not to be thus repulsed with impunity. We made complete but
cautious inquiries, and found out that the reason she cried when she saw
soldiers was that she had only one son, a boy. He was twenty-two, and he
had gone to the war last April. So that she thought of him when she saw
the soldiers, and that was why she cried. Because when your son is at
the wars you always think he is being killed. I don't know why. A great
many of them are not. If I had a son at the wars I should never think he
was dead till I heard he was, and perhaps not then, considering
everything.
After we had found this out we held a council.