QUOTE CHALLENGE #4 RESPONSE

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"`Tell not a madman he is mad, for `twill only make him madder'. That should be changed to `Tell not a madwoman she is mad, for `twill only make her madder'!" Dr. Helm thought, That woman gets on my nerves!

It was midnight, and he had just finished talking to the Queen of Swords, who seemed bent on waking him up at the most unwanted moment--such as in the midst of a lovely dream, which he could not get back to now! He looked back on what had happened, since he could not get back to his dream.

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"Dr. Helm. Dr. Helm!" The Queen of Swords sighed and took out her sword. She pressed it against Helm's neck. "Dr. Helm," she said firmly.

Dr. Helm's eyes flashed open and cried out, "I'm awake, I'm awake!" Then he noticed who was behind the sword point. "Oh, its just you." He sighed and turned back over.

"Oh, its just me," she mimicked, her voice rich with sarcasm. "And don't go back to sleep!" She prodded him with the sword. When he didn't respond, she pulled him up by the hairs on his head. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, I believe you." Dr. Helm muttered, but faced her. "Now, what would you like to talk about since you won't let me go back to sleep?" He yawned pointedly.

"I don't know, just thought that a good conversation would be a nice idea." The Queen of Swords shrugged, looking about his room.

He asked her, putting his arms behind his head, "In the middle of the night? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Not really. I really liked seeing your face when you saw the sword tip though, that was worth it!" She chuckled under her breath. She sat down on the bed, relaxed a bit, and then cocked her head to look at him. "What do you think of Montoya?"

"Probably about the same that you do," He replied thinking that the answer was obvious. He wondered why she was asking that.

"Well...he seems to have a changed a bit," she told him, looking away again.

"Are you telling me that you are starting to like Colonel Montoya, the snake, who you have been battling against and hate with all your heart?" He was puzzled. The Queen of Swords with Colonel Montoya? What had happened?

"Actually, yes." She told him in a rush, "He's starting to be nicer and kinder and gentler and, and, and..."

"You are beginning to like him." He spoke flatly, his voice emotionless while his mind raced. How could this have happened? Was she really here to tell him that she wouldn't be with him again?

"Not too much though. Can we change the subject, I'm not going to suddenly stop."

Glad to change the subject himself, Helm asked, "Whom are you going to rob next?" As soon as he said that, he knew he was in trouble. It was probably not the thing to ask.

"What did you say, doctor?" She suddenly turning to face him, her voice cold and her eyes flashing in fury. "I do not rob. I do not steal. I am an avenger, not a criminal!"

"I'm sorry, but you are actually stealing!" Dr. Helm replied, getting angry himself. "You are mad to do this! If you want vengeance, live, don't murder innocent people!"

"Do you think that is all I do? Kill?" The Queen of Swords questioned, her voice rising in volume and intensity. "I am helping these people!"

"By killing their soldiers, who are people of the pueblo, as well? They are family of the people you say your helping!"

She angrily responded, "So what should I do? Let them starve? Let them become poorer?"

"Because of Montoya!" He told her, getting it finally of his mind. "The one who you say you are beginning to like is the cause of this!"

The Queen of Swords rocked back as if he had slapped her. "You are right. I must have been hallucinating to think, and see, such things," she said finally in a low voice. "I should be thankful for you telling me this before I did something unforgivable.

"Glad you agree," he replied, sorry to see her so sad.

"He might change though. He might." She suddenly told him, making his sadness for her disappear in a flash, "Good night, Doctor. You've given me things to think about." With that she rose and climbed out the window, vanishing into the night.

~~~~~

Dr. Helm sighed as the meeting replayed in his mind. He turned over, slowly going to sleep, thinking, "Women are all mad."

THE END