And the Maid to have likewise perceived the thought, almost at that
moment; but I to have been the first this time, and so to tease her; for
truly, we had grown that we did nigh alway to discover all things in the
same instant, as you mayhap to have seen. But I did surely be first this
time, and must kiss her, as we do kiss little ones, that they be eased
in their dismays and disappointments; and she to see how I did mock her,
and she to pretend to weep; and surely how could she even to pretend,
when that she did not be able to keep her pretty mouth from searching
with laughter unto mine; but must be kissed full and plenty in our
constant joyfulness. And we cut then a good arm-load of the grasses, using the knife, and had
those to our camp; for we did be homely now unto that place, as you
shall think. And the Maid then to show me plaiting, and how that we
could work in the grass piece by piece, so that we should plait unto any
length that we to need. And all that day we workt, and did be very happy together; but when that
we came to the time of our slumber, the Maid had done twice and thrice
so much as I; and surely she came over to me, and kist me very grave,
that I should be not to fret, even as I did kiss her with gentle mocking
concerning the thought about the grass; and so did she make level with
me, by this impudence and quaint sweetness. And on the next day, which did be the twelfth, I took the Diskos, and on
that day I cut down six of the trees; and alway the Maid did bring her
plaiting, that she be near me; and when I had cut the six trees, she had
me to cease, lest that I risk to open any wound. And truly they to have
healed very wonderful. And afterward, we to plait all that day, and did also finish the armour;
and did be content and utter happy. And on the thirteenth day, I counted the tablets, and found that we yet
to have sufficient, if that we came unto the Mighty Pyramid within any
reasonable time. But I insist that I should eat no more now than did be
my usual way; and though Mine Own did beg and to coax me, and even to
try whether that a naughty and loving anger should do aught to shift me,
I not to alter from my deciding, which was based upon my reason and upon
my intention that Mine Own should never to go in hunger-danger, whilst
that there did be life in my body. And when that the Maid did show this
dear and pretty anger, I to take her into mine arms, and to tell her how
I did reverence and love her, and that she did be all beauty unto me,
and I but to love her the more, because that I did know the reason for
her dear shaping of anger unto me. And she then to kiss me, and yet to beg again that she have her way in
this thing; but presently I did show her that my reasoning was sound in
this matter; though I said not that my strongest thought did be unto her
own needs. And she to have to agree with me in her brain, even whilst
that her heart did ache to feed me. And truly, I to love her but the
more, as you shall think. And this way shall you ever to manage a dear and sensible woman that
doth both love you and hath reason in her; for the wise man and he that
hath an heart unto bigness, doth be never hasty to command. But, indeed,
I speak not now of the way that you shall go with a woman that hath the
love-foolishness upon her; for this to be a different matter, as you do
know; and a woman then to require a double wit and tenderness in the
governing; but also to need to be commanded, mayhap with sternness; yet
with the more love. Now, when that we wakened on our fourteenth day upon the Island, we gat
to work, so soon as we had washt and eat and drunk, and Mine Own to see
how my scars did go. And I cut seven more trees that day, which made thirteen in all; and
afterward I trimmed the trees very nice. And when this was done, I cut
twelve good sapling-trees, and two more very thin, that I did mean to be
for paddling the raft upon the water. And Mine Own Maid did sit near me
alway, and never to be ceased from her plaiting. And whilst that the Maid did plait, and make gentle and happy talk with
me, I presently to sit beside her, and had her belt-knife to my need;
and therewith, when I had cut bark from a tree, I made a foot-long
cross-piece of wood which I did fasten with pegs and some lashing unto
the end of one of the paddle-shafts. And I took then a piece of the bark, so big, mayhap, as would cover my
thigh, and shaped broad one end and thence to a point; and when I had
made holes in the piece of bark, I lasht the broad end to the
crosspiece, and the end that did be narrowed, I lasht secure to the
shaft, and likewise made holes down the length of the bark, and lasht it
also thereby to the shaft, and thiswise I had a pretty good paddle,
that did be about ten feet long in the clear shaft, and the head to be
somewise two feet more, mayhap. And when this was done, I shaped the handle so small as might come into
the grasp of the Maid, and did jest her very loving and gentle that she
give me so great a work, because that she have her hands so little. And
truly, she presently to stop me of my mocking; for she put her pretty
hands upon my mouth, and I then to have to mumble and to laugh, and so
she to go forward again with the plaiting. And when I had made the one paddle, I made also the other; but something
more rough and heavy, and suited unto my strength; and so did be very
well pleased; for they did be made more of my Reason than of memory; yet
had I used somewhat of the kind upon the quiet lakes which did be in the
Country of Silence. And we then to join in the plaiting, and thus with happy talk and our
times of eating, until that we did be come again to our slumber. And on the fifteenth day, when that we had gotten up and washt and eat
and drank, the Maid did look unto my bandages; and did consider that I
be healed very good, if but that I not to overstrain my body. And we
then to dance, half in play and half in victory, but gentle; and
afterward she to come with me that she give me aid that we get the trees
unto the water. And in six hours, we rolled the trees down to the shore, and did begin
then that I lash the saplings across the trees, and thiswise to hold
them secure into a raft. And the midmost tree I put something more
forward than the next; and so, until that which did be the front was
shaped somewise like to the bow of a ship. And the saplings to hold the
trees thiswise, when that I had set the lashings about every sapling and
every tree, where the saplings did go across. And all that day I worked pretty constant and steady, until that Mine
Own had me to cease awhile, lest that I bend overmuch, and so to put
strain upon my scars. And I to be reasonable; but yet to go forward
again with the work; only that I did rest now, this time and that; and
so did all to prosper.