"Cannot?" she uttered. "Cannot do right? Be truthful and just—true to yourself. Harry, you cannot mean you are afraid to do this?"
She thought she knew what was passing in his mind. He had been away from home for several weeks, in London and in the North, and she thought he longed to serve his King by taking up arms and joining actively in the fray. Her spirit stirred and swelled within her, as she almost wished that she, too, was a man, that she might follow him to the field and fight by his side.
"Harry, you will do it," she said; "you will be brave and true, and tell your father all that is passing in your mind."
Harry looked at her astonished, almost bewildered. "By my troth, Maud, this is more wonderful than anything else," he said.
"Marry, that _I+ should tell you to be true to yourself and your own conscience," said Maud, in a deeply injured tone.
"Nay, but I did not mean to grieve you, dearest Maud," said Harry; "but I did not think—I dared not hope—you would see matters as I do."
"But I do see, that, whatever the cost may be——"
"Maud, the cost will not be half so great as I thought it half an hour since. I have your sympathy," interrupted Harry.
"But is your father _sure+ to oppose your wishes in this?" said Maud.
Harry looked at her in some perplexity. "Can you ask it?" he said, "when he——"