"You understand your position the moment this becomes public?"
"You cannot make me an eta in the army. I am a soldier."
"You will ask for a furlough. Time indefinite upon recall. It will be granted," said Zanzi, coldly.
This was the color-bearer's dismissal from the regiment. For a moment he could not speak.
"You are too ill for service," continued the colonel, less coldly. "If, however, you should think it best to take my advice, let me know of your recovery."
"I thank you, sir," said Arisuga, chokingly, "it is impossible. The flag—my flag—?" he begged.
"Good morning," said the officer; "I will find some one for the flag."
But, after he was gone the colonel determined to see what manner of woman this was who could make Arisuga give up his flag. Orojii had said, in China, that she was pretty! He pictured her an Amazon, with tremendous force, and painted cheeks, who had enslaved the little color-bearer, and he meant to exhibit his authority against hers and save Arisuga from her.
"It is always so," he was thinking as he arrived at the little house, in some haste to be ahead of Arisuga, "a little fellow like Shijiro is sure to choose some woman twice his size for a wife, and to be under her thumb ever after."
You may fancy, therefore, his surprise, when a little flower of a maiden pushed aside the door for him, and, to his question, announced that she was Shijiro's wife. For a moment the colonel did not speak. Tremendous readjustment was necessary. In the meantime she had led him within.