Part 9 (2/2)
But to return That day's events were not over yet For, when they went down into the house, the first person whom they met was the old steward, in search of his , Sir Richard, a masterless man, at the door; a very forward fellow, and must needs speak with you”
”A masterless man? He had better not to speak to allows”
”Well, your worshi+p,” said the steward, ”I expect that is what he does want, for he swears he will not leave the gate till he has seen you”
”Seen me? Halidame! he shall seehis, Sir Richard, we are half afeard With your good leave--”
”Hillo, Tony,” cried Aood leave?”
”What, has the fellow a tail or horns?”
”Massy no: but I be afeard of treason for your honor; for the fellow is pinked all over in heathen patterns, and as brown as a filbert; and a tall roog, a very strong roog, sir, and a foreigner too, and a hty staff with him I expect him to be a roos neither, or he had been under the pu up the hill swear that he had fire co out of his mouth”
”Fire out of his mouth?” said Sir Richard ”The men are drunk”
”Pinked all over? He must be a sailor,” said A forth--”
”Why, I dare say he is not so big but what he will go into thy pocket So go, lad, while I finish ”
A on his staff, stood a tall, raw-boned, ragged man, ”pinked all over,” as the steward had said
”Hillo, lad!” quoth Amyas ”Before we come to talk, thou wilt please to lay down that Plyel, which a West-country mariners usually bore that name
”I'll warrant,” said the old steward, ”that where he found his cloak he found purse not far off”
”But not hose or doublet; so the ical virtue of his staff has not helped him much But put down thy staff, man, and speak like a Christian, if thou be one”
”I aue, though a , and only ask to speak with Sir Richard, before I go onstately and yet humble about the man's tone and ently where he was going and whence he came
”From Padstow Port, sir, to Clovelly town, to see my old mother, if indeed she be yet alive, which God knoweth”
Clovally man! why didn't thee say thee was Clovally rooms at once, to whom a West-countryman was of course a brother The old steward asked-- ”What's thy mother's name, then?”
”Susan Yeo”
”What, that lived under the archway?” asked a groom
”Lived?” said the man
”Iss, sure; her died three days since, so we heard, poor soul”
The man stood quite silent and unmoved for a minute or two; and then said quietly to himself, in Spanish, ”That which is, is best”
”You speak Spanish?” asked Amyas,sir; I have been five years in the Spanish Main, and only set foot on shore two days ago; and if you will let me have speech of Sir Richard, I will tell him that at which both the ears of hio on to Mr Cary of Clovelly, if he be yet alive, and there disburden my soul; but I would sooner have spoken with one that is a mariner like to myself”
”And you shall,” said As, he is a man of wit” And he led him in
”I only hope he ben't one of those Popishat a safe distance from him as they entered the hall
”Popish, oldthat Look here!” And drawing back his rags, he showed a ghastly scar, which encircled his wrist and wound round and up his fore-arot that on the rack,” said he, quietly, ”in the Inquisition at Lima”
”O Father! Father! why didn't you tell us that you were a poor Christian?” asked the penitent steward
”Because I have had naught but my deserts; and but a taste of theoing to ar and a show on their account”
”By heaven, you are a brave fellow!” said Aht to Sir Richard's room”
So in they went, where Sir Richard sat in his library ah he was not yet, as in after tieneral, member of parliament, privy councillor, justice of the peace, and so forth, all at once, yet there were few great reat nizant
”Hillo, Aht hiiance?”
But before Amyas could answer, the man looked earnestly on him-- ”Ah is h by Bideford?”
”Why then? What do you know ofbrains and happy ones have shortones often! Do youreprobate he was, God forgive hiiven hiave you a horn, a toy with a chart on it?”
”Soul alive!” cried A him by the hand; ”and are you he? The horn? why, I have it still, and will keep it to ood fellohere is Mr Oxenha ”You are so your old acquaintance, Aive honest account of himself and of his captain For there is more than one way by which sailors may come home without their captains, as poor Mr Barker of Bristol found to his cost God grant that therehere”
”Sir Richard Grenville, if I had been a guilty man to my noble captain, as I have to God, I had not come here this day to you, from whom villainy has never found favor, nor ever will; for I know your conditions well, sir; and trust in the Lord, that if you will be pleased to hear me, you shall know mine”
”Thou art a well-spoken knave We shall see”
”My dear sir,” said Auiltless”
”I verily believe hiuess If he will be sworn--”
Whereon the h, said, that if it would please Sir Richard, he would rather not be sworn
”But it does not please me, rascal! Did I not warn thee, Amyas?”
”Sir,” said the ood as ainst my conscience to be sworn”