Us to the field againe,"--

sang them to himself, but not with the gay, bright spirit of the
morning. Then he seemed to see the cavaliers, brilliant and brave,
riding out to the encounter. Now, in the same dim and fanciful way, he
beheld them stretched, still and dead, upon the plain.




CHAPTER II

"_Thou--drugging pain by patience._"

Arnold


"Laces cleaned, and fluting and ruffling done here,"--that was what the
little sign swinging outside the little green door said. And, coming
under it into the cosey little rooms, you felt this was just the place
in which to leave things soiled and torn, and come back to find them, by
some mysterious process, immaculate and whole.

Two rooms, with folding-doors between, in which through the day stood a
counter, cut up on the one side into divers pigeon-holes rilled with
small boxes and bundles, carefully pinned and labelled,--owner's name,
time left, time to be called for, money due; neat and nice as a new pin,
as every one said who had any dealings there.

The counter was pushed back now, as always after seven o'clock, for the