"In short, she made a lot of little amiable and pleasant remarks; then,
when she saw me well settled, she said:

"'Tell me how you came to fall, and then I will tell you how I happened
to come to your aid. It seems to me this horse story must be queer.'

"I began my tale; but as soon as I spoke of Brutus's efforts to unhorse
me, and the two reports of the gun, she exclaimed:

"'I understand, I understand. You have bought a circus charger.'

"'A circus charger!'

"'Why, yes; that's it, and that explains everything. You have seen
twenty times at the Circus of the Empress the performance of the circus
charger--the light-cavalryman who enters the arena on a gray horse, then
the Arabs come and shoot at the cavalryman, who is wounded and falls;
and as you didn't fall, the horse, indignant and not understanding how
you could so far forget your part, threw you on the ground. And when
you were on the ground, what did the horse do?'

"I related Brutus's little work in burying me suitably.

"'The circus charger,' she continued; 'still the circus charger. He sees
his master wounded, the Arabs could come back and finish him, and so
what does the horse do? He buries the cavalryman. Then goes off
galloping, didn't he?'

"'Yes, on a hard gallop,'