Sitting thus, I heard her
descend the ladder, felt her hand upon my bowed shoulder and glancing
up, saw her eyes big and soft and tender.
"Come, Peregrine," said she in her gentle voice, "let us go, and while
we walk you shall give me my first lesson how to talk--and behave, if
you will."
"No," said I, rising, "first you shall teach me how to be a little
less of a fool. Pray--how many beans do make five?"
"Why, four an' a little one, o' course," she answered, with a
tremulous laugh.
"Diana," said I, clasping her hands in mine, "you were exactly right;
considering all my advantages, I am indeed a poor, helpless sort of
thing! You shall teach me how to become a little wiser, if possible.
So let us try to help each other like friends, Diana, like true
friends."
"Yes," said she, "like true friends, Peregrine."
Then, having hidden the ladder among the hay, we went forth from the
barn into the sunshine together.
CHAPTER XVIII
CONCERNING THE GRAMMAR OF A GODDESS
A broad, white road led between grassy banks topped by hedgerows and
trees whose wide-flung, rusting leafage cast a pleasant shade, while
high in the sunny air a lark carolled faint and sweet against the
blue. From the distant woods stole a wind languorous and fragrant of
dewy earth, of herb and flower, a wind soft as a caress yet vital and
full of promise (as it were) so that as I breathed of it, hope and
strength were renewed in me with an assurance of future achievement.
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