"
"Humph! I trow thou art a thief, and where is the thief that cannot lie
with a smooth face? Therefore hold him, comrades: a prisoner can draw
wine an if his hands be not bound."
The landlord offered no objection; but on the contrary said he would
with pleasure show them where his little stock of wine was, but hoped
they would pay for what they should drink, for his rent was due this two
months.
The archers smiled grimly at his simplicity, as they thought it; one of
them laid a hand quietly but firmly on his shoulder, the other led on
with the torch.
They had reached the threshold when Denys cried "Halt!"
"What is't?"
"Here be bottles in this corner; advance thy light."
The torch-bearer went towards him. He had just taken off his scabbard
and was probing the heap the landlord had just been crouched upon.
"Nay, nay," cried the landlord, "the wine is in the next cellar. There
is nothing there."
"Nothing is mighty hard, then," said Denys, and drew out something with
his hand from the heap.
It proved to be only a bone.
Denys threw it on the floor: it rattled.
"There is nought there but the bones of the house," said the landlord.
"Just now 'twas nothing. Now that we have found something 'tis nothing
but bones. Here's another. Humph? look at this one, comrade; and you
come too and look at it, and bring you smooth knave along.
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