Part 4 (1/2)

”Ay, Hodge,” cried Nick; ”and that's about all thou canst do. Dost think that a man's greatness hangs on so little a thing as his sleight of hand at cutting his name on a tree?”

”Wull, maybe; maybe not; but if a be a great man, Nick Attwood, a might do a little thing pa.s.sing well--so there, now!”

Nick pondered for a moment. ”I do na know,” said he, slowly; ”heaps of men can do the little things, but parlous few the big. So some one must be bigging it, or folks would all sing very small. And he doeth the big most beautiful, they say. They call him the Swan of Avon.”

”Avon swans be mostly geese,” said Hodge, vacantly.

”Now, look 'e here, Hodge Dawson, don't thou be calling Master Will Shakspere goose. He married my own mother's cousin, and I will na have it.”

”La, now,” drawled Hodge, staring, ”'tis nowt to me. Thy Muster Wully Shaxper may be all the long-necked fowls in Warricks.h.i.+re for all I care.

And, anyway, I'd like to know, Nick Attwood, since when hath a been '_Muster_ Shaxper'--that ne'er-do-well, play-actoring fellow?”

”Ne'er-do-well? It is na so. When he was here last summer he was bravely dressed, and had a heap of good gold n.o.bles in his purse. And he gave Rick Hawkins, that's blind of an eye, a s.h.i.+lling for only holding his horse.”

”Oh, ay,” drawled Hodge; ”a fool and a's money be soon parted.”

”Will Shakspere is no fool,” declared Nick, hotly. ”He's made a peck o'

money there in London town, and 's going to buy the Great House in Chapel lane, and come back here to live.”

”Then a 's a witless azzy!” blurted Hodge. ”If a 's so great a man amongst the lords and earlses, a 'd na come back to Stratford. An' I say a 's a witless loon--so there!”

Nick whirled around in the road. ”And I say, Hodge Dawson,” he exclaimed with flas.h.i.+ng eyes, ”that 'tis a shame for a lout like thee to so miscall thy thousand-time betters. And what's more, thou shalt unsay that, or I will make thee swallow thy words right here and now!”

”I'd loike to see thee try,” Hodge began; but the words were scarcely out of his mouth when he found himself stretched on the gra.s.s, Nick Attwood bending over him.

”There! thou hast seen it tried. Now come, take that back, or I will surely box thine ears for thee.”

Hodge blinked and gaped, collecting his wits, which had scattered to the four winds. ”Whoy,” said he, vaguely, ”if 'tis all o' that to thee, I take it back.”

Nick rose, and Hodge scrambled clumsily to his feet. ”I'll na go wi'

thee,” said he, sulkily; ”I will na go whur I be whupped.”

Nick turned on his heel without a word, and started on.

”An' what's more,” bawled Hodge after him, ”thy Muster Wully Shaxper be-eth an old gray goose, an' boo to he, says I!”

As he spoke he turned, dived through the thin hedge, and galloped across the field as if an army were at his heels.

Nick started back, but quickly paused. ”Thou needst na run,” he called; ”I've not the time to catch thee now. But mind ye this, Hodge Dawson: when I do come back, I'll teach thee who thy betters be--Will Shakspere first of all!”

”Well crowed, well crowed, my jolly c.o.c.kerel!” on a sudden called a keen, high voice beyond the hedge behind him.

Nick, startled, whirled about just in time to see a stranger leap the hedge and come striding up the road.

CHAPTER VI

THE MASTER-PLAYER

He had trim, straight legs, this stranger, and a slender, lithe body in a tawny silken jerkin. Square-shouldered, too, was he, and over one shoulder hung a plum-colored cloak bordered with gold braid. His long hose were the color of his cloak, and his shoes were russet leather, with rosettes of plum, and such high heels as Nick had never seen before. His bonnet was of tawny velvet, with a chain twisted round it, fastened by a jeweled brooch through which was thrust a curly c.o.c.k-feather. A fine white Holland-linen s.h.i.+rt peeped through his jerkin at the throat, with a broad lace collar; and his short hair curled crisply all over his head. He had a little pointed beard, and the ends of his mustache were twisted so that they stood up fiercely on either side of his sharp nose. At his side was a long Italian poniard in a sheath of russet leather and silver filigree, and he had a reckless, high and mighty fling about his stride that strangely took the eye.