Part 18 (1/2)
I man to let me have a cut or two at them They cursed me by bell, book, and candle--but not by name, thank the Lord: they didn't know that!”
”Why?” asked the little man
”Because I--andhouse out of the stone of the monasteries I'll have a cut at 'e to thy liking?” the sailor asked of his companion
”No,” was the sharp response
”Neither is it to h, mind you, I have seen these saood Protestants Paignton Rob, whom I seek, hath a head ill-balanced by the loss of an ear and its ear-ring, because the priests chose to set a enerous blood; we have seen the world, and found honest et to thine inn and drink a flagon of Gloster ale to all tolerant souls, whether they call the Pope 'Father' or 'Devil'”
The sallow-faced man made no answer, but pushed on beside his burly companion
Chapter XXV
BROTHER BASIL
Dan Pengelly, the sailor with the Cornish patronymic and Devonian birthplace, found an excellent boon companion in the little sallow-faced felloho had overtaken him a few miles south of Gloucester And he found the ”New Inn,” boastful of having given a night's lodging to the Queen and the Earl of Leicester, an expensive but cooodly, its position a sheltered one, its kitchens aed, and its October ale beyond reproach At first the little man in black doublet and hosen was inclined to be , apparently, had seared his kindly and humane temperament But jolly Dan poured oil--not to say ale--on the wounds and eased them As it was neither dinner-tih for both, and fell to his trencher with hearty good will His companion did his best to emulate hi
They spent aAs far as the sailor was concerned, when ale went in, ent out; he poured out confidences, and was artfully led into babbling secrets he had never intended to disclose To all appearances the little h about places in France, Holland, and Spain, and answered a score of eager questions about Antwerp, Amsterdaelly reeled off to hisdefinite about his coious or political opinions On the other hand, the sallow enerations back, at least; knew his hopes, fears, recent deeds--good and bad; could have told to a penny what ht Rob of Paignton, and a great deal of the latter worthy's past career
Perhaps most important of all, he knehere Dan had hidden certain Spanish papers in Plyuessed at the secret hidden in theood purpose, and he lay awake and quietly s after the bibulous Dan had started snoring like a drenched hog on the pallet beside him Before he closed his eyes and settled himself to sleep, he had resolved to be the sailor's coer
This e would be worth thethe two travellers were astir with the first robin, and over breakfast Dan learned that his coht to pay a visit to Westbury before he quitted the neighbourhood The Devonian knew nothing of Westbury, but was speedily infor his own route, and was, in fact, ale of the forest itself The sailor expressed his joy at this news in a practicalfor bed and breakfast The little h The generous Dan slapped hi to love him
”I did not like thee over well at first,” he said; ”there are none of the roses of innocence in thy face, thy jaws are too lean and hungry looking, and thine eyes have an odd sort of stare in them But 'handsome is that handsoht pretty fellow”
The ”pretty fellow” laughed good-hu coelly, and folk who did not understand thee ood fellowshi+p' betwixt us twain; so let us take to the road and hope for a pleasant journey”
The sun shone frostily but cheerily Down the Westgate Street and out at the West Gate that abutted on the turbid Severn went the two strangely assorted coether co the causeway that spanned the marshy isle of Olney and led to the western arhway ran--at a little distance froht away to the ha on to Newnham, where he was tooff across the fields on pretence of visiting a certain farh he anticipated a dangerous and exciting search through the dense, dark forest that rose on the swelling hills before hirizzled old fisher his boat as it bobbed up and down on the rushi+ng tide Dan gave hi, then halted for a few minutes' rest and conversation At first the traveller talked of ”tides” as though they were his chief interest in life The fisher that the tides of the Plym, Fal, and Dart were beyond computation better than those of the Severn; in fact, he was asked to believe that the last-naot flooded with brackish water twice a day The fisherman stoutly combated this slander, and a pretty quarrel seeent, and ”wondered” whether any one in Newnha at boat or stream at any time ”He's not a native of these parts,” added he, by way of rounding off his description
But the fishere of subject, and he took a minute or two for quiet meditation ere he volunteered the information that ”all Newnham” knew the person in question
”He was up to Captain Dawe's but yesterday,” he said
”Ought to be dwelling with a tall fellow naan of Blakeney,” replied the other ”Everybody knows Johnnie Morgan He's kissed the Queen's hand in her house in London, and 'tis whispered that her Majesty kissed him At any rate, Johnnie's sweetheart quarrelled with hiossips put it down to jealousy”
Dan expressed his sorrow, and pro ”The course of true love never did run smooth, ye know”
”Never!” assented the fishero through the forest?”