Part 10 (2/2)

Unfortunately the blow had not been a very severe one, for he was not long in coming to himself. There was some water in a little stagnant pool near at hand which Nicol dashed in his face, and in a little the man opened his eyes and looked up.

At the sight of us he started, and the events of the past half hour came back to his memory. Then a look of sullen, obstinate anger came into his face, and he lay still, waiting for events to take their course.

”Who are you?” I asked.

He made no answer.

I repeated the question several times, and still the man kept his silence.

”Ye donnert sc.o.o.ndrel,” cried Nicol, ”tell us whae ye are, or ye'll hang the morn on the gallows-hill at Leyden.”

Still the fellow would not speak.

”Let's tie him up,” said Nicol, ”and I'll ride wi' him on the horse afore me. He'll get justice when we win to the toun.”

But this was not my policy. I had other things to think of than bringing marauders to trial. A sudden thought struck me.

”I will try him another way,” said I to Nicol. ”Do you stand aside.”

The man lay on the ground where my servant's horse had thrown him, with a belt round his legs, and his arms knotted together. I went up to him, and stood over.

”Do you know who I am?” I asked sternly, in as tragic a voice as I could a.s.sume.

The man stared sulkily, but did not speak.

”You fool,” I cried, ”do you think that thus you will circ.u.mvent me?

Know that I am the great doctor, Joannes Burnetus of Lugdunum, skilled in all arts of earth and heaven, able to tell divinations and prophecies, learned in all magic and witchery. I know all that thou hast done since thy birth, and thy father and grandsire before thee, all the wickedness which shall ent.i.tle thee to eternal d.a.m.nation in that place which the Devil is even now preparing for thee. Yea, I can tell thee the very death which thou shalt die--”

”Stop, stop,” cried the fellow, ”O most learned sir, spare me. I know thou knowest all things. I confess my sins, and oh, I promise you I shall mend my ways. Stop, I pray.”

”There is still one ray of hope for thee,” said I, ”but I cannot give my word that thou shalt ever gain it, for thou hast advanced too far in sin already. But yet thou mayest escape, and there is but one way to set about it-namely, to tell me of all thy wickedness. I adjure thee, by the sacred sign _Tekel_, which the Chaldaeans used of old; by _Men_, which was the sign of the Egyptians; by the _Eikon_ of the Greeks; by the _Lar_ of the Romans. I summon thee by the holy names of G.o.d, _Tetragrammaton, Adonay, Algramay, Saday, Sabaoth, Planaboth, Pantbon, Craton, Neupmaton, Deus, h.o.m.o, Omnipotens_; by _Asmath_, the name of the Evil One, who is lord over thee and my slave-I summon thee to tell me all thy deeds.”

The man was frightened past all telling. He tried to crawl to my knees, and began a recital of all manner of crimes and peccadilloes, from his boyhood till the present hour. I listened without interest.

”Had any Scot a part with thee in this night's work?” I asked.

”No, there was none. There were but Bol and Delvaux beside myself, both Dutch born and bred.”

My mind was lightened. I never really believed my cousin to have had any part in such a matter, but I was glad to know it for truth.

”You may go now,” I said, ”go and repent, and may G.o.d blast thee with all his fire if thou turnest thy hand to evil again. By the bye, thy name? I must have it from thy own lips.”

”Jan Hamman, your lords.h.i.+p,” said he.

”Well, G.o.d pity thee, Jan Hamman, if ever I lay my hand on thee again.

Be off now.”

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