"I know the landlord this many
a year. He is a burgess, and looks to be bailiff. 'Tis here I was making
for yestreen. But we lost time, and night o'ertook us--and--
"And you saw a woman at the door, and would be wiser than a Jeanneton;
she told us they were nought."
"Why, what saved our lives if not a woman? Ay, and risked her own to do
it."
"That is true, Denys; and though women are nothing to me, I long to
thank this poor girl, and reward her, ay, though I share every doit in
my purse with her. Do not you?"
"Parbleu."
"Where shall we find her?"
"Mayhap the alderman will tell us. We must go to him first."
The alderman received them with a most singular and inexplicable
expression of countenance. However, after a moment's reflection, he wore
a grim smile, and finally proceeded to put interrogatories to Gerard,
and took down the answers. This done, he told them that they must
stay in the town till the thieves were tried, and be at hand to give
evidence, on peril of fine and imprisonment. They looked very blank at
this.
"However," said he, "'twill not be long, the culprits having been taken
red-handed." He added, "And you know, in any case you could not leave
the place this week."
Denys stared at this remark, and Gerard smiled at what he thought the
simplicity of the old gentleman in dreaming that a provincial town of
Burgundy had attraction to detain him from Rome and Margaret.
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