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Young Irony
Christopher,orQueenVictoria?"
"I’mDonJuan!"Amoryshoutedonimpulse,raisinghisvoiceabovethenoiseoftherainandthewind.
Adelightedshriekcamefromthehaystack.
"Iknowwhoyouare—you’retheblondboythatlikes’Ulalume’—Irecognizeyourvoice."
"HowdoIgetup?"hecriedfromthefootofthehaystack,whitherhehadarrived,drippingwet.Aheadappearedovertheedge—itwassodarkthatAmorycouldjustmakeoutapatchofdamphairandtwoeyesthatgleamedlikeacat’s.
"Runback!"camethevoice,"andjumpandI’llcatchyourhand—no,notthere—ontheotherside."
Hefolloweddirectionsandashesprawleduptheside,knee-deepinhay,asmall,whitehandreachedout,grippedhis,andhelpedhimontothetop.
"Hereyouare,Juan,"criedsheofthedamphair."DoyoumindifIdroptheDon?"
"You’vegotathumblikemine!"heexclaimed.
"Andyou’reholdingmyhand,whichisdangerouswithoutseeingmyface."Hedroppeditquickly.
Asifinanswertohisprayerscameaflashoflightningandhelookedeagerlyatherwhostoodbesidehimonthesoggyhaystack,tenfeetabovetheground.Butshehadcoveredherfaceandhesawnothingbutaslenderfigure,dark,damp,bobbedhair,andthesmallwhitehandswiththethumbsthatbentbacklikehis.
"Sitdown,"shesuggestedpolitely,asthedarkclosedinonthem."Ifyou’llsitoppositemeinthishollowyoucanhavehalfoftheraincoat,whichIwasusingasawater-prooftentuntilyousorudelyinterruptedme."