e walked away I could
see that there was a tear in her eye.

On the last day feelings were carried to a pitch which was more
befitting the last battle of a great war,--some Waterloo of other
ages,--than the finishing of a prolonged game of cricket. Men looked,
and moved, and talked as though their all were at stake. I cannot
say that the Englishmen seemed to hate us, or we them; but that the
affair was too serious to admit of playful words between the parties.
And those unfortunates who had to stand up with Jack were so afraid
of themselves that they were like young country orators about to make
their first speeches. Jack was silent, determined, and yet inwardly
proud of himself, feeling that the whole future success of the
republic was on his shoulders. He ordered himself to be called at a
certain hour, and the assistants in our household listened to his
words as though feeling that everything depended on their obedience.
He would not go out on his bicycle, as fearing that some accident
might occur. "Although, ought I not to wish that I might be struck
dead?" he said; "as then all the world would know that though
beaten, it had been by the hand of God, and not by our default."
It astonished me to find that the boy was quite as eager about his
cricket as I was about my Fixed Period.

At eleven o'clock I was in my seat, and on looking round, I could
see that all the rank and fashion of Britannula were at the ground.
But all the rank and fashion were there for nothing, unless they had
come armed with glasses. The spaces required by the cricketers were
so enormous that otherwise they could not see anything of the play.
Under my canopy there was room for five, of which I was supposed
to be able to fill the middle thrones. On the two others sat those
who officially scored the game. One seat had been demanded for Mrs
Neverbend. "I will see his fate,--whether it be his glory or his
fall,"--said his mother, with true Roman feeling. For the other Eva
had asked, and of course it had been awarded to her. When the play
began, Sir Kennington was at the catapult and Jack at the opposite
wicket, and I could hardly say for which she felt the extreme
interest which she certainly did exhibit. I, as the day went on,
found myself worked up to such excitement that I could hardly keep my
hat on my head or behave myself with becoming presidential dignity.
At one period, as I shall have to tell, I altogether disgraced
myself.

There seeme