Part 5 (1/2)
”Thou shameless puppy! A man murder'd!”
”Aye, nunky; and the worst is they say 'twas I that kill'd him.”
”He's mad. The boy's stark raving mad!” exclaim'd my kinsman. ”To come here in this trim!”
”Why, truly, nunky, thou art a strange one to talk of appearances.
Oh, dear!” and I burst into a wild fit of laughing, for the wine had warm'd me up to play the comedy out. ”To hear thee sing
”'With a fa--la--tweedle--tweedle!'
and--Oh, nunky, that medlar on thy face is so funny!”
”In Heaven's name, stop!” broke in the Prince Maurice. ”Am I mad, or only drunk? Rupert, if you love me, say I am no worse than drunk.”
”Lord knows,” answer'd his brother. ”I for one was never this way before.”
”Indeed, your Highnesses be only drunk,” said I, ”and able at that to sign the order that I shall ask you for.”
”An order!”
”To pa.s.s the city gates to-night.”
”Oh, stop him somebody,” groan'd Prince Rupert: ”my head is whirling.”
”With your leave,” I explain'd, pouring out another gla.s.sful: ”tis the simplest matter, and one that a child could understand. You see, this young man was kill'd, and they charg'd me with it; so away I ran, and the Watch after me; and therefore I wish to pa.s.s the city gates. And as I may have far to travel, and gave my last groat to a thief for hoisting me over Master Carter's wall--”
”A thief--my wall!” repeated Master Carter. ”Oh well is thy poor mother in her grave!”
”--Why, therefore I came for money,” I wound up, sipping the wine, and nodding to all present.
'Twas at this moment that, catching my eye, the Prince Maurice slapp'd his leg, and leaning back, broke into peal after peal of laughter. And in a moment his brother took the jest also; and there we three sat and shook, and roar'd unquenchably round Master Carter, who, staring blankly from one to another, sat gaping, as though the last alarm were sounding in his ears.
”Oh! oh! oh! Hit me on the back, Maurice!”
”Oh! oh! I cannot--'tis killing me--Master Carter, for pity's sake, look not so; but pay the lad his money.”
”Your Highness----”
”Pay it I say; pay it: 'tis fairly won.”
”Fifty pounds!”
”Every doit,” said I: ”I'm sick of schooling.”
”Be hang'd if I do!” snapp'd Master Carter.
”Then be hang'd, sir, but all the town shall hear to-morrow of the frog and the pool! No, sir: I am off to see the world----