“It‘s a bit rough luck on them， isn’t it？” said Scrubb.
“Thou art a lad of a wondrous， quick.working wit！” exclaimed the Knight. “For， on my honour， I had never thought of it so before. I see your meaning.”
He looked slightly， very slightly troubled for a momentor two； but his face soon cleared and he broke out， with another of his loud laughs， “But fie on gravity！ Is it not the most comical and ridiculous thing in the world to think of them all going about their business and never dreaming that under their peaceful fields and floors， only a fathom down， there is a great army ready to break out upon them like a fountain！ And they never to have suspected！ Why， they themselves， when once the first smart of their defeat is over， can hardly choose but laugh at the thought！”
“I don‘t think it’s funny at all，” said Jill. “I think you‘ll be a wicked tyrant.”
“What？” said the Knight， still laughing and patting her head in a quite infuriating fashion. “Is our little maid a deep politician？ But never fear， sweetheart. In ruling that land， I shall do all by the counsel of my Lady， who will then be my Queen too. Her word shall be my law， even as my word will be law to the people we have conquered.”
