"Very well, very well, if you like my company so much. It's a strange
thing that they should put wine and women into the same song."
"Strange, you fool! Strong enough and beautiful enough, are they not
both intoxicating?"
"I know not," Martin answered. "I have no experience of strong women."
"Strong wine and beautiful women," I said.
"Did you. I am rather dull of hearing."
"You're a dull-witted fellow altogether to my thinking."
"It is most true, sir. I am so dull that I cannot see the wit in your
conversation."
"I can cuff almost as vigorously as Sayers," said the man a little
angrily, when his companion on the other side of Martin laughed.
"I will believe it without demonstration," said Martin, cringing in his
saddle. "You frighten me, and now I have lost my stirrups. I am no rider
to get on without them. I shall fall. Of your kindness, gentlemen, find
me my stirrups."
"Plague on you for a fool," said one.
"A blessing on you if you get my feet into the stirrups."
"Stop, then, a moment."
Martin pulled up, and the cavalcade went on. The two men, one on either
side, brought their horses close to Martin's, and bent down to find the
stirrups.
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