Part 15 (1/2)
”And ye think I would be guardian to the man's son that I had murdered?”
he asked
”Nay,” said dick, ”pardon ht well a wardshi+p is most profitable All these years have ye not enjoyed e? I wot not what it ain; but if ye were base enough to slay a h to move you to the lesser baseness”
”When I was lad of your years,” returned Sir Daniel, sternly, ”my mind had not so turned upon suspicions And Sir Oliver here,” he added, ”why should he, a priest, be guilty of this act?”
”Nay, Sir Daniel,” said dick, ”but where the o It is well known this priest is but your instrument I speak very freely; the time is not for courtesies Even as I speak, so would I be answered And answer get I none! Ye but put more questions
I rede ye be ware, Sir Daniel; for in this way ye will but nourish and not satisfy my doubts”
”I will answer you fairly, Master Richard,” said the knight ”Were I to pretend ye have not stirred er Corown and couardian, and so helpless to resent them Come to me then, and I will answer you as ye merit, with a buffet in the mouth Till then ye have two courses: either s ht in the ht for your infancy; or else--the door standeth open, the woods are full of o”
The spirit hich these words were uttered, the looks hich they were accoered dick; and yet he could not but observe that he had got no answer
”I desire nothing more earnestly, Sir Daniel, than to believe you,” he replied ”assure me ye are free from this”
”Will ye take ht
”That would I,” answered the lad
”I give it you,” returned Sir Daniel ”Upon my word of honour, upon the eternal welfare of my spirit, and as I shall answer for my deeds hereafter, I had no hand nor portion in your father's death”
He extended his hand, and dick took it eagerly Neither of them observed the priest, who, at the pronunciation of that soleony of horror and rereat-heartedness to pardon me! I was a churl, indeed, to doubt of you But ye have my hand upon it; I will doubt no iven Ye know not the world and its calumnious nature”
”I was the ues pointed, not directly at yourself, but at Sir Oliver”
As he spoke, he turned towards the priest, and paused in the h-stepping one, his limbs were relaxed, his lips stammered prayers; and nohen dick's eyes were fixed upon him suddenly, he cried out aloud, like some wild animal, and buried his face in his hands
Sir Daniel was by him in two strides, and shook him fiercely by the shoulder At the same moment dick's suspicions reawakened
”Nay,” he said, ”Sir Oliver may swear also 'Twas hiht
Sir Oliver speechlessly waved his arms
”Ay, by the mass! but ye shall swear,” cried Sir Daniel, beside himself with fury ”Here, upon this book, ye shall swear,” he continued, picking up the breviary, which had fallen to the ground ”What! Ye make me doubt you! Swear, I say; swear!”
But the priest was still incapable of speech His terror of Sir Daniel, his terror of perjury, risen to about an equal height, strangled hilassof the hall, a black arrow crashed, and struck, and stuck quivering, in thetable
Sir Oliver, with a loud screaht, followed by dick, dashed into the court and up the nearest corkscrew stair to the battlements The sentries were all on the alert