"Thou Mars incarnate!" he cried. "Thou first, last, and in the
meantime soldier! Why, what wilt thou do when thou gettest to
heaven? Make it too hot to hold thee? Or take out letters of marque
against the Enemy?"

"I am not there yet," I said dryly. "In the meantime I would like a
commission against - your relatives."

He laughed, then sighed, and, sinking his chin into his hand and
softly tapping his foot against the ground, fell into a reverie.

"I would your princess were alive," I said presently.

"So do I," he answered softly. "So do I." Locking his hands behind
his head, he raised his quiet face to the evening star. "Brave and
wise and gentle," he mused. "If I did not think to meet her again,
beyond that star, I could not smile and speak calmly, Ralph, as I do
now."

" 'T is a strange thing," I said, as I refilled my pipe. "Love for your
brother-in-arms, love for your commander if he be a commander
worth having, love for your horse and dog, I understand. But
wedded love! to tie a burden around one's neck because 't is pink
and white, or clear bronze, and shaped with elegance! Faugh!"

"Yet I came with half a mind to persuade thee to that very burden!"
he cried, with another laugh.

"Thanks for thy pains," I said, blowing blue rings into the air.