“No, I can relax in the saddle, I’m used to riding by now … Smahil, do you know where there’s a surgeon?”

“The army must have them. No, I don’t know where—I don’t need a surgeon—”

“The poison must be got out. It might—spread—” I said with difficulty.

“Then I’d be black all over!” He laughed at my look of scared revulsion. “Why, Cija, I’d be just like your friend the General then!”

“I can’t tend you all the time—I mean, I must get some sleep—can’t I get Ooldra to nurse you?”

“Ooldra? I don’t want poison in my food as well as in my chest.”

“You’ve got Ooldra all wrong,” I protested in distress. “She’s good, and kind, and gentle. She hates only the enemy, whom

she hates as all from my mother’s country should.”

“You haven’t asked how I am.”

“You’re as well as can be expected, I presume. You’re weak. How can you ride today? Would Ijleldla or Iren let you share a carriage?”

“I’d sooner not—their carriages are so sticky—even they are riding nowadays—”

“I’ll get some wagon-driver to take you and put an awning over you for shade. I’ll have to ride with you and see you get your food, and this water—”

He put his dry hand on mine as I rose.

“You’re a cheap little so-and-so, Cija,” he said, “but you’re nice to have around.”

“If I’d been your cheap little so-and-so,” I said, “you wouldn’t have been calling me priggish names.”

I went out, leaving him grinning feebly, to my surprise, for I was angry and expected him to be.

I went to the stuffy little sleeping-tent of the winegirls. But Narra was already outside and immediately we saw each other she pounced on me.

“Where have you been? You didn’t appear all night. I was worried about you.”

“I was with the lord Smahil—”

“Oh. ” She blushed and shut herself up.

“—He’s ill,” I said. I sank sitting on to the ground, and she put her arms round me when she saw how exhausted I was. “Narra, there’s some horrible poison in a bite he must have had—do you know where there’s a surgeon?”

“Yes, I’ll go and get him.” She ran off.

I went in, lay down among the other girls, and was soon as asleep as they were.

I was awakened by uncertain movement outside the tent. I stumbled up the flap at the same moment as Narra lifted it and peered in. “Oh, here you are,” she said. She caught my arm and guided me maternally to the hillock outside where a man in civilian clothes was sitting. He didn’t rise as I approached, which angered me. “Are you a doctor?” I said.

“I’m a surgeon.”