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to heaven！〃 But the repentant Selina bewailed herself with tears and sobs；
refusing to be comforted； for that in her haste she had called this white…
souled relative a beast。
〃I'll tell you what we'll do；〃 said Edward； the master…mind； risingas
he always didto the situation： 〃We'll christen the piebald pig after him…
…the one that hasn't got a name yet。 And that'll show we're sorry for our
mistake！〃
〃II christened that pig this morning；〃 Harold guiltily confessed； 〃I
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christened it after the curate。 I'm very sorry but he came and bow'ed to
me last night； after you others had all been sent to bed earlyand
somehow I felt I HAD to do it！〃
〃Oh； but that doesn't count；〃 said Edward hastily； 〃because we weren't
all there。 We'll take that christening off； and call it Uncle William。 And
you can save up the curate for the next litter！〃
And the motion being agreed to without a division； the House went
into Committee of Supply。
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ALARUMS AND EXCURSIONS
〃Let's pretend；〃 suggested Harold； 〃that we're Cavaliers and
Roundheads； and YOU be a Roundhead！〃
〃O bother；〃 I replied drowsily； 〃we pretended that yesterday； and it's
not my turn to be a Roundhead； anyhow。〃 The fact is； I was lazy； and the
call to arms fell on indifferent ears。 We three younger ones were
stretched at length in the orchard。 The sun was hot； the season merry
June； and never （I thought） had there been such wealth and riot of
buttercups throughout the lush grass。 Green…and…gold was the dominant
key that day。 Instead of active 〃pretence〃 with its shouts and perspiration；
how much betterI heldto lie at ease and pretend to one's self； in green
and golden fancies； slipping the husk and passing； a careless lounger；
through a sleepy imaginary world all gold and green！ But the persistent
Harold was not to be fobbed of。
〃Well； then；〃 he began afresh； 〃let's pretend we're Knights of the
Round Table； and （with a rush） _I'll_ be Lancelot！〃
〃I won't play unless I'm Lancelot；〃 I said。 I didn't mean it really； but
the game of Knights always began with this particular contest。
〃O PLEASE；〃 implored Harold。 〃You know when Edward's here I
never get a chance of being Lancelot。 I haven't been Lancelot for
weeks！〃
Then I yielded gracefully。 〃All right；〃 I said。 〃I'll be Tristram。〃
〃O； but you can't；〃 cried Harold again。
〃Charlotte has always been Tristram。 She won't play unless she's
allowed to be Tristram！ Be somebody else this time。〃
Charlotte said nothing； but breathed hard； looking straight before her。
The peerless hunter and harper was her special hero of romance； and
rather than see the part in less appreciative hands； she would even have
returned sadly to the stuffy schoolroom。
〃I don't care；〃 I said： 〃I'll be anything。 I'll be Sir Kay。 Come on！〃
Then once more in this country's story the mail…clad knights paced
through the greenwood shaw； questing adventure； redressing wrong； and
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The Golden Age
bandits； five to one； broke and fled discomfited to their caves。 Once
again were damsels rescued； dragons disembowelled； and giants； in every
corner of the orchard； deprived of their already superfluous number of
heads； while Palamides the Saracen waited for us by the well； and Sir
Breuse Saunce Pite vanished in craven flight before the skilled spear that
was his terror and his bane。 Once more the lists were dight in Camelot；
and all was gay with shimmer of silk and gold； the earth shook with
thunder of horses； ash…staves flew in splinters； and the firmament rang to
the clash of sword on helm。 The varying fortune of the day swung
doubtfulnow on this side； now on that； till at last Lancelot； grim and
great； thrusting through the press； unhorsed Sir Tristram （an easy task）；
and bestrode her； threatening doom； while the Cornish knight； forgetting
hard… won fame of old； cried piteously； 〃You're hurting me； I tell you！ and
you're tearing my frock！〃 Then it happed that Sir Kay； hurtling to the
rescue； stopped short in his stride； catching sight suddenly； through apple…
boughs； of a gleam of scarlet afar off； while the confused tramp of many
horses； mingled with talk and laughter； was borne to our ears。
〃What is it？〃 inquired Tristram； sitting up and shaking out her curls；
while Lancelot forsook the clanging lists and trotted nimbly to the hedge。
I stood spell…bound for a moment longer； and then； with a cry of
〃Soldiers！〃 I was off to the hedge； Charlotte picking herself up and
scurrying after。
Down the road they came； two and two； at an easy walk； scarlet
flamed in the eye； bits jingled and saddles squeaked delightfully； while the
men； in a halo of dust； smoked their short clays like the heroes they were。
In a swirl of intoxicating glory the troop clinked and clattered by； while we
shouted and waved； jumping up and down； and the big jolly horsemen
acknowledged the salute with easy condescension。 The moment they
were past we were through the hedge and after them。 Soldiers were not
the common stuff of everyday life。 There had been nothing like this
since the winter before last； when on a certain afternoonbare of leaf and
monochrome in its hue of sodden fallow and frost…nipt copsesuddenly
the hounds had burst through the fence with their mellow cry； and all the
paddock was for the minute reverberant of thudding hoof and dotted with
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glancing red。 But this was better； since it could only mean that blows
and bloodshed were in the air。
〃Is there going to be a batt