"
Lucy screamed aloud; Eleanor ran to her mother, and hid her face in
her lap; Charles sat staring, with great round frightened eyes. Very
distressing it was to be obliged to leave the poor children in such
grief and alarm, when it was plain all the time that Diggory was an
arrant coward, who had fancied more deaths and dangers than were
real, and was describing more than he had even thought he beheld, in
order to make himself into a hero instead of a runaway. Moreover,
Lady Woodley and Rose had to put on a show of grief, lest they should
betray that they were better informed; and they were in agonies lest
Walter's fury at the falsehoods should be as apparent to their guests
as it was to themselves.
"Are you sure of what you say, Diggory?" said Lady Woodley.
"Sure as that I stand here, my lady. There was sword and shot and
smoke all round. I stood it all till Farmer Ewins was cut down a-
one-side of me, ma'am, and Master Edmund, more's the pity, with his
brains scattered here and there on the banks of the river."
There was another cry among the children, and Walter made such a
violent gesture, that Rose, covering her face with her handkerchief,
whispered to him, "Walter dear, take care." Walter relieved his mind
by returning, "Oh that I could cudgel the rogue soundly!"
At the same time Colonel Enderby turned to their mother, saying,
"Take comfort, madam, this fellow's tale carries discredit on the
face of it.
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