To the friends' surprise he still lingered. Was he to have
nothing for coming so far out of his way with them?
"Here are two batzen, friend.
"Add the wine, the good Rhenish?"
"Did you give aught for it?"
"Ay! the peril of my life."
"Hum! what say you, Denys?"
"I say it was worth its weight in gold. Here, lad, here be silver
groshen, one for every acorn on that gallows tree; and here is one more
for thee, who wilt doubtless be there in due season."
The man took the coins, but still lingered.
"Well! what now?" cried Gerard, who thought him shamefully overpaid
already. "Dost seek the hide off our bones?"
"Nay, good sirs, but you have seen to-night how parlous a life is mine.
Ye be true men, and your prayers avail; give me then a small trifle of a
prayer, an't please you; for I know not one."
Gerard's choler began to rise at the egotistical rogue; moreover, ever
since his wound he had felt gusts of irritability. However, he bit his
lip and said, "There go two words to that bargain; tell me first, is it
true what men say of you Rhenish thieves, that ye do murder innocent and
unresisting travellers as well as rob them?"
The other answered sulkily, "They you call thieves are not to blame for
that; the fault lies with the law."
"Gramercy! so 'tis the law's fault that ill men break it?"
"I mean not so; but the law in this land slays an honest man an if he
do but steal.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243