"
"I cannot admit," said Fritz, "that any sensible man would allow
himself to be treated in the way you state."
"The wisest and bravest have often, for all that, been obliged to bend
their heads to such circumstances; in fact, those only escape whose
hearts have been steeled by time or adversity. Well, nothing would
please the lady in one of her caprices short of Sir Marmaduke's going
alone to the jungle and killing a tiger or two for her. This caused
him some little uneasiness."
"I should think so," remarked Jack, "unless he had been accustomed to
face the animals."
"However, the widow's hand was to be the reward of the achievement,
and the thing must consequently be done. Being, however, as I have
said, a bit of a philosopher, he considered with himself that if, by
chance, he should perish in the attempt he would lose the widow all
the same, and that he could not think of with any thing like
equanimity. To extricate himself from this dilemma he sent a despatch
to an enterprising friend of his, then stationed with his regiment at
Calcutta, requesting his advice."
"And this friend, no doubt, sent him a couple of tigers all ready
trussed?"
"No, better than that; he sent him a strong iron cage fifteen feet
square, very solid. This was shipped on board a cutter commanded by
Captain Littlestone, and I was entrusted with the task of erecting it
on shore, whilst an express was sent off to Sir Marmaduke.
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