‘You oughtn’t to have said that about my swimming, because I can’t a bit, you know.’
‘I was justified,’ I answered gloomily. ‘I have borne too much to-day, and if she had come with us and had fallen overboard, I might have been tempted to hold her down with the oar.’
Whereupon Miss Schuyler gave way to [p76] such whole-hearted mirth that she nearly upset the boat. I almost wish she had! I want to swim, sink, die, or do any other mortal thing for her.
We had a heavenly hour. It was only an hour, but it was the first time I have had any real chance to direct hot shot at the walls of the maiden castle. I regret to state that they stood remarkably firm. Of course, I don’t wish to batter them down; I want them to melt under the warmth of my attack.
She
York, July 5.
We had a lovely sail on the river Ouse this afternoon. Mrs. Benedict was timid about boating, and did not come with us. As a usual thing, I hate a cowardly woman, but her lack of courage is the nicest trait in her whole character; I might almost say the only nice trait.
[p77]
Mr. Copley tried in every way, short of asking me a direct question, to find out whether I had received the marked copy of ‘Persuasion’ in Bath, but I evaded the point.
Just as we were at the door of my lodging, and he was saying good-bye, I couldn’t resist the temptation of asking:
‘Why, before you knew us at all, did you put “Miss Van Tyck: Reserved,” on the window of the railway carriage at Bath?’