第69章

It was given him.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.What follows? he would be pitiful, but is discouraged herefrom; pity gains him no pity, and doubles his peril: an he but cut a purse his life is forfeit; therefore cutteth he the throat to boot, to save his own neck: dead men tell no tales.Pray then for the poor soul who by bloody laws is driven to kill or else be slaughtered; were there less of this unreasonable gibbeting on the highroad, there should be less enforced cutting of throats in dark woods, my masters.""Fewer words had served," replied Gerard coldly."I asked a question, I am answered," and suddenly doffing his bonnet -"'Obsecro Deum omnipotentem, ut, qua cruce jam pendent isti quindecim latrones fures et homicidae, in ea homicida fur et latro tu pependeris quam citissime, pro publica salute, in honorem justi Dei cui sit gloria, in aeternum, Amen.'""And so good day."

The greedy outlaw was satisfied last."That is Latin," he muttered, "and more than I bargained for." So indeed it was.

And he returned to his business with a mind at ease.The friends pondered in silence the many events of the last few hours.

At last Gerard said thoughtfully, "That she-bear saved both our lives-by God's will.""Like enough," replied Denys; "and talking of that, it was lucky we did not dawdle over our supper.""What mean you?"

"I mean they are not all hanged; I saw a refuse of seven or eight as black as ink around our fire.""When? when?"

"Ere we had left it five minutes."

"Good heavens! and you said not a word."

"It would but have worried you, and had set our friend a looking back, and mayhap tempted him to get his skull split.All other danger was over; they could not see us, we were out of the moonshine, and indeed, just turning a corner.Ah! there is the sun; and here are the gates of Dusseldorf.Courage, l'ami, le diable est mort!""My head! my head!" was all poor Gerard could reply.

So many shocks, emotions, perils, horrors, added to the wound, his first, had tried his youthful body and sensitive nature too severely.

It was noon of the same day.

In a bedroom of "The Silver Lion" the rugged Denys sat anxious, watching his young friend.

And he lay raging with fever, delirious at intervals, and one word for ever on his lips.

"Margaret! - Margaret Margaret!"