human
This comes of letting women share a fight. In the name of reason, why is Miss Bingham running up the hill again?
gpt
Parliament men, I am alone and friendless. Will you aid me?
human
There are plenty to aid such a comely lass as thee,
gpt
Then follow quickly.
human
A rare plucked one, she, he muttered,
gpt
Why do you laugh?
human
Because luck is as skew-tempered as the jackass braying yonder. Have the Metcalfs had such frolic out at Skipton, think ye? And I was keen to ride with them—Miss Bingham, I owe you reparation. When I saw you move up the hill yonder, I cursed you for a woman.
gpt
That was unwise, sir. As well curse Elizabeth because she is a donkey, and yearns for absent friends; or the jack-snipe, because his flight is slanting; or any of us who are made as we are made.
human
We thought you light of heart, child, in the old days at Knaresborough. Yet none of us could have planned a neater ambush.
gpt
It was my old pastime, after all. How often you’ve chided me for luring men into folly. Oh, what wise and solemn discourses you have given me, sir, on the unwisdom of it!
human
There was wisdom in it this time. But for the ambush, we could not have faced the odds.