"I?" said the officer.

"Yes, you. But the second is not yet complete. Sit down awhile, I beg--
there is a seat. You know it is a fatal omen if a visitor does not sit
down before he leaves.--That is well.--And now, may I ask you: do you
take off your helmet when you go into battle? No.--Then how could a
swordcut hurt your forehead?"

"In a hand to hand scuffle," said the young man, "everything gets out of
place. One man knocked my helmet off and another gave me this cut in my
face."

"Where did it happen?"

"On the Savus, where we defeated Maximus."

"And had you this same helmet on?"

"Certainly."

"Oh! pray let me look at it! I can still see the dent in the metal; how
heavy such a thing must be to wear!"

Constantine took off his helmet with resigned politeness and put it into
her hands. She weighed it, thought it fearfully heavy, and then lifted
it up to put it on her own fair curls; but this did not seem to please
her new acquaintance, and saying rather shortly: "Allow me--" he took it
from her, set it on his head and rose.

But Dada pointed eagerly to the seat.