第48章 Chapter 20(2)

I rather wished I had gone some other road.This was not the sort of experience for a statesman to encounter who was planning out a peaceful revolution in his mind.For it could not help bringing up the unget-aroundable fact that,all gentle cant and philosophizing to the contrary notwithstanding,no people in the world ever did achieve their freedom by goody-goody talk and moral suasion:it being immutable law that all revolutions that will succeed must BEGIN in blood,whatever may answer afterward.If history teaches anything,it teaches that.What this folk needed,then,was a Reign of Terror and a guillotine,and I was the wrong man for them.

Two days later,toward noon,Sandy began to show signs of excitement and feverish expectancy.She said we were approaching the ogre's castle.

I was surprised into an uncomfortable shock.The object of our quest had gradually dropped out of my mind;this sudden resurrection of it made it seem quite a real and startling thing for a moment,and roused up in me a smart interest.Sandy's excitement increased every moment;and so did mine,for that sort of thing is catching.My heart got to thumping.You can't reason with your heart;it has its own laws,and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.Presently,when Sandy slid from the horse,motioned me to stop,and went creeping stealthily,with her head bent nearly to her knees,toward a row of bushes that bordered a declivity,the thumpings grew stronger and quicker.And they kept it up while she was gaining her ambush and getting her glimpse over the declivity;and also while I was creeping to her side on my knees.Her eyes were burning now,as she pointed with her finger,and said in a panting whisper:

"The castle!The castle!Lo,where it looms!"What a welcome disappointment I experienced!I said:

"Castle?It is nothing but a pigsty;a pigsty with a wattled fence around it."She looked surprised and distressed.The animation faded out of her face;and during many moments she was lost in thought and silent.Then:

"It was not enchanted aforetime,"she said in a musing fashion,as if to herself."And how strange is this marvel,and how awful --that to the one perception it is enchanted and dight in a base and shameful aspect;yet to the perception of the other it is not enchanted,hath suffered no change,but stands firm and stately still,girt with its moat and waving its banners in the blue air from its towers.And God shield us,how it pricks the heart to see again these gracious captives,and the sorrow deepened in their sweet faces!We have tarried along,and are to blame."I saw my cue.The castle was enchanted to ME,not to her.It would be wasted time to try to argue her out of her delusion,it couldn't be done;I must just humor it.So I said: