Or I will write it."
He answered me, eagerly, that that was not necessary, and that
the King had desired merely a word from me; and with that and
many other expressions of regret, he went away and left me at
leisure to go to the riding-school, where at this time of the
year it was my wont to see the young men practise those manly
arts, which, so far as I can judge, are at a lower ebb in these
modern days of quips and quodlibets than in the stirring times of
my youth. Then, thank God, it was held more necessary for a page
to know his seven points of horsemanship than how to tie a
ribbon, or prank a gown, or read a primer.
But the first day of this year was destined to be a day of
vexation. I had scarcely entered the school, when M. de Varennes
was announced. Instead of going to meet him I bade them bring
him to me, and, on seeing him, bade him welcome to the sports.
"Though," I said, politely overlooking his past history and his
origin, "we did better in our times; yet the young fellows should
be encouraged.
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