The
customary charge is half a dollar a man per day and his food. I
charge double.
SIR HOWARD. I suppose you answer for your men being sturdy
fellows, who will stand to their guns if necessary.
BRASSBOUND. I can answer for their being more afraid of me than
of the Moors.
LADY CICELY. That doesn't matter in the least, Howard. The
important thing, Captain Brassbound, is: first, that we should
have as few men as possible, because men give such a lot of
trouble travelling. And then, they must have good lungs and not
be always catching cold. Above all, their clothes must be of good
wearing material. Otherwise I shall be nursing and stitching and
mending all the way; and it will be trouble enough, I assure you,
to keep them washed and fed without that.
BRASSBOUND (haughtily). My men, madam, are not children in the
nursery.
LADY CICELY (with unanswerable conviction). Captain Brassbound:
all men are children in the nursery. I see that you don't notice
things. That poor Italian had only one proper bootlace: the other
was a bit of string. And I am sure from Mr. Drinkwater's
complexion that he ought to have some medicine.
BRASSBOUND (outwardly determined not to be trifled with: inwardly
puzzled and rather daunted). Madam: if you want an escort, I can
provide you with an escort. If you want a Sunday School treat, I
can NOT provide it.
LADY CICELY (with sweet melancholy). Ah, don't you wish you
could, Captain? Oh, if I could only show you my children from
Waynflete Sunday School! The darlings would love this place, with
all the camels and black men.
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