human
What a burden to carry on a donkey's back! I laughed.
gpt
You are a regular Beau Brummel.
human
Why not? pleaded the boy.
gpt
I like pretty things, and this is very convenient. It is no trouble for Souris. When the bag is in the _rücksack_, no one would suspect that it is valuable. I have carried all this luggage so, ever since Lucerne, and never had any bother before.
human
What, you too started from Lucerne?
gpt
Yes. I had Innocentina and the donkeys come up from the Riviera, to meet me there. We have been a long time on the way--weeks: for we have stopped wherever we liked, and as long as we liked. Until to-day we haven't had a single real adventure. I was wishing for one, but now--well, I suppose most adventures are disagreeable when they are happening, and only turn nice afterwards, in memory.
human
Like caterpillars when they become butterflies. But look here, my young friend David, lest you meet another Goliath, I really think you'd better put up with the proximity (I don't say society) of that hateful animal, Man, as far as Aosta. Joseph and I will either keep a few yards in advance, or a few yards in the rear, not to annoy you with our detestable company, but----
gpt
Please don't be revengeful, entreated the ex-Brat.
human
You have been so good to us, don't be un-good now. I suppose one may hate men, yet be grateful to one man--anyhow, till one finds him out? I can't very well find you out between here and Aosta, can I?--so we may be friends, if you'll walk beside me, neither behind nor in front. I am excited, and feel as if I _must_ have someone to talk to, but I am a little tired of conversation with Innocentina. I know all she has ever thought about since she was born.
gpt
It's a bargain then, said I.
human
We're friends and comrades--until Aosta. After that----
gpt
Each goes his own way, he finished my broken sentence;
human
Do you know, said I, as we walked on together, the muleteer and the donkey girl behind us, with the animals,
gpt
Yes, said he, twinkling,
human
and he smiled a charming smile, of which I could not resist the curious fascination.
gpt
Did you never meet any American boys, till you met me?
human
I can't remember having any real conversation with one, except once. His mother had asked me in his presence (it was in New York) how I liked America, and I had answered that it dazzled me; that the only yearning I felt was for something dark and quiet, and small and uncomfortable. She was rather pleased, but the boy put a string across the drawing-room door when I went out, and tripped me up. Then we had a little conversation--quite a short one--but full of repartee. That's my solitary experience.
gpt
I should have wanted to trip you up for that speech, too; so you see the likeness is proved. It is a funny thing, I know very few Englishmen. I've met several, but, as you say, I never had any real conversation with them.
human
Maybe, if you had, you wouldn't be so down on your sex when it has reached adolescence.
gpt
I'm afraid there isn't much difference in men, whatever their country. But it's--their attitude towards women which I hate.
human
What do you know about that?
gpt
I have a sister, said he, after a minute's pause. And he did not laugh.
human
She and I have been--tremendous chums all our lives. There isn't a thing she has done, or a thought she has had, that I don't know, and the other way round, of course.
gpt
Twins?
human
She is twenty-one.
gpt
Oh, four or five years older than you.
human
She is unfortunately an heiress, he said.
gpt
Money has brought misery upon her, and through her, on me; for if she suffers, I suffer too. She used to believe in everybody. She thought men were even more sincere and upright than women, because their outlook on life was larger, and so it was easy for her to be deceived. When she came out she wasn't quite eighteen (you see we have no father or mother, only a lazy old guardian-uncle), and she thought everyone was wonderfully kind to her, so she was very happy. I suppose there never was a happier girl--for a while. But by-and-bye she began to find out things. She discovered that the men who seemed the nicest only cared for her money, not for her at all.
human
How could she be sure of that?
gpt
It was proved, over and over again, in lots of ways.
human
But if she is a pretty and charming girl----
gpt
I think she is only odd--like me. People don't understand her, especially men. They find her strange, and men don't like girls to be strange.
human
Don't they? I thought they did.
gpt
Think for yourself. Have you ever been at all in love? And if you have, wasn't the girl quite, quite conventional; just a nice sweet girl, who was pretty, and who flirted, and who was too properly brought up ever to do or to say anything to surprise you?
human
Well, I admitted, my mind reviewing this portrait of Helen, which was really a well-sketched likeness,
gpt
No, you wouldn't; men don't. My sister soon learned that she wasn't really the sort of girl to be popular, though she had dozens of proposals, heaps of flowers every day, had to split up each dance several times at a ball, and all that kind of thing. It was a shock to find out _why_. To her face, they called her 'Princess,' and she was pleased with the nickname at first, poor thing. She took it for a compliment to herself. But she came to know that behind her back it was different; she was the 'Manitou Princess.' You see, the money, or most of it, came because father owned the biggest silver mines in Colorado, and he named the principal one 'Manitou,' after the Indian spirit. I shan't forget the day when a man she'd just refused, told her the vulgar nickname--and a few other things that hurt. But I don't know why I'm talking to you like this. I wanted to get away from you yesterday, because I--don't care to meet people. Everything seems different though, now. I suppose it's because you saved our lives. I feel as if you weren't exactly a new person, but as if--I'd known you a long time.
human
I have the same sort of feeling about you, for some queer reason, said I.
gpt
Are we also to know each other's names?
human
No, he answered quickly.
gpt
That would spoil the charm: for there is a charm, isn't there? But we won't call each other Brat and Brute any more. That's ancient history. I'll be for you--just Boy. I think I will call you Man.
human
But you hate Man.
gpt
I don't hate you. If I were a girl I might, but as it is, I don't. I like you--Man.
human
And I like you, Boy. We are pals now. Shall we shake hands?
gpt
Fanny-anny,