The Lady of Shalott

'Of course,' I began, 'if you prefer-' ¡¡¡¡'But what shall I be doing?' she interrupted, with that softness I knew full well to be insistence. ¡¡¡¡'Gathering firewood and cooking dinner,' I answered lightly. ¡¡¡¡She shook her head. 'It is too dangerous for you to attempt alone.' ¡¡¡¡'I know, I know,' she waived my protest. 'I am only a weak woman, but just my small assistance may enable you to escape disaster.' ¡¡¡¡'But the clubbing?' I suggested. ¡¡¡¡'Of course you will do that. I shall probably scream. I'll look away when-' ¡¡¡¡'The danger is most serious,'
I laughed. ¡¡¡¡'I shall use my judgment when to look and when not to look,' she replied, with a grand air. ¡¡¡¡The upshot of the affair was that she accompanied me next morning. I rowed into the adjoining cove and up to the edge of the beach. There were seals all about us in the water, and the bellowing thousands on the beach compelled us to shout at each other to make ourselves heard.