Here he stayed his drawing to glance at me askance, to sigh and shake his head. "You misjudge me," says he, "howbeit we"ll say cautious--a cautious man with an honest, kindly heart as yearns to fellowship."
"And with a pistol "neath each armpit!"
"True!" he nodded. "I might ha" shot ye a moment since and didn"t--which doth but prove my words, for I"m one as never harmed any man--without just cause--save once, and that--" here he sighed, "was years agone. And me a lonely man to this day. So "tis I seek a comrade--a right man, one at odds wi" fortune and the world and therefore apt to desperate ploys, one hath suffered and endured and therefore scornful of harms and dangers, one as knoweth the sea. Now let that man pledge me the blood-brotherhood, let him stand staunch and faithful blow fair, blow foul, and I"ll help him to a fortune greater than ever came out of Manoa, El Dorado, or the Indies. Come, what d"ye say, friend?"
"I say sheer off and leave me to my sleep lest I mischief you."
"Ha" ye no l.u.s.t for riches, then?"
"No more than I have to your company and I love that less and less."
""Tis pity!" says he, shaking his head. "Aye, "tis pity, for I do like you more and more, such a fine blood-and-beef, dare-and-be-d.a.m.ned, gibbet-like figure of a rogue, shipmate, as would grace a cross-roads better than most, which is one reason I was drawn to ye, d"ye see, I being a quiet soul--"
"And a pirate, like as not!"
"Easy, shipmate, easy. Pa.s.sion is an ill word to steer by. And I"m a lonely man as seeks a comrade--"
"And I"m a lonely man that loveth solitude, so e"en now will I go seek it!" and I rose.
"Stay a bit, shipmate, haul your wind and listen!" says he, laying hand on my arm. "Stand in wi" me, blow high, blow low, and I offer you--wealth untold--riches, fortune--"
"Tush!" says I, "empty things all." At this his hold tightened while his keen gaze held mine.
"More than this," says he slowly, "I offer you rank, honours, power and mayhap--love, shipmate."
"Enough!" quoth I. "You offer nought I desire."
"Why then," says he, "in the Fiend"s name what would ye have?"
"Vengeance!" I answered, and shaking off his grasp I turned and strode away along the dusty road.
CHAPTER V
HOW I CAME TO CONISBY SHENE
It being yet full early for my purpose I took to the woods, and presently chancing upon a little stream that bubbled pleasantly "mid shady willows, I sat myself down within this greeny bower and fell to watching the hurrying waters of this brook and hearkening to its drowsy murmur. And lying thus, with the good green world around me, the sunny air blithe with the mellow piping of birds and the soft wind rustling the leaves about me--what must I have in mind but bloodshed and the destruction of my enemy, insomuch that reaching a stone from the brook I drew the knife from my girdle and set about straightening the blade thereof.
I was thus employed when all at once the leaves on the opposite side of the brook were parted and a girl-child appeared. For a long moment we eyed each other across the brook, then all at once her pretty lips curved to a smile.
"Little maid," says I, furtively thrusting the knife into my belt, "art not afraid of me then?"
"Nay!" she answered, smiling yet and shaking her golden head.
"And why?"
"I do like your eyes, big man, kind eyes they be!"
"Are they?" says I, glancing from her smiling innocence into the brook.
"Aye, and your voice--I do like that too--"tis low and soft--like father"s."
"And who"s your father?"
"He be th" blacksmith."
"How old are you?"
"Seven, an" a big maid I be. Will "ee aid me "cross t"brook, now?"
So I lifted her over and there we sat, side by side, she laughing and talking and I hearkening to her childish prattle with marvellous great pleasure. Presently I ventured to touch her soft cheek, to stroke her curls, and finding she took this not amiss, summoned courage to stoop and kiss her.
How long we had sat thus I know not, when I was aroused by a shrill, harsh voice and turning, beheld a bony woman who peered at us through the leaves.
"Susan Ann!" she cried. "O you Susan, come away! Come quick or I"ll run for your mother."
"The child is safe enough!" says I, frowning, but clasping the small damsel closer within my arm.
"Safe?" cries the woman, turning on me in fury. "Safe--aye, for sooth, wi" a great, ill rogue the like o" you! Loose her--loose her or I"ll scream and rouse the village on ye for a wild gipsy wastrel that ye are!" And here the old harridan railed at me until the child whimpered for fear and even I blenched before the woman"s fierce aspect and shrewish tongue. Then, while she loaded me with abuse, a ceaseless torrent (and no lack of breath), I kissed the little maid"s tear-wetted cheek and, setting her back across the brook, stood to watch until the child and woman were lost to my sight. Then I sat down, scowling at the hurrying water, chin on fist, for my black humour, banished awhile by the child"s innocent faith in me, was returned and therewith an added bitterness. Scowling yet, I plucked forth my knife and seizing my staff, set to trim and shape it to a formidable weapon; and as I worked I cursed this woman deep and oft, yet (even so) knew she had the right on"t, for truly I was a rogue, an outcast of unlovely look and unlovely ways, a desperate fellow unfit for the company of decent folk, much less an innocent child; and yet, remembering those fearless child-eyes, the kiss of those pure child-lips I sighed amain betwixt my muttered cursings.
At last, having trimmed my bludgeon to a nicety, I laid it by, and sat brooding, the knife betwixt my knees; now a beam of sun falling athwart the leaves lit upon the broad blade of the knife and made of it a glory. And beholding this and the hand that grasped it, I took pleasure to heed how strong and sinewy were my fingers and how the muscles bulged beneath the brown skin of my forearm; and turning the glittering steel this way and that I fell to joyous thought of my enemy and of my vengeance, now so near.
"To-night!" says I to myself, "Death ever cometh with more terrors in the dark! To-night!" But now, little by little, my joy gave place to anger that the night must be so long a-coming; and, glancing up, I cursed the sun that it must needs shine and the gladsome day that it was not grim night. And presently to anger was added a growing fear lest mine enemy might (by some hap) elude me at the eleventh hour--might, even now, be slipping from my reach. Now at this a sweat brake out on me, and leaping to my feet I was minded to seek him out and end the matter there and then. "Why wait for to-night?" I asked myself. "Surely in the gladsome light of day Death findeth an added bitterness. Why wait for night, then?"
So I stood awhile debating within myself, then, catching up my knotted bludgeon, I set off along the stream incontinent, following a path I had trodden many a time when but a lad; a path that led on through mazy thickets, shady dells and green coppices dappled with sunlight and glad with the trilling melody of birds; but ever as I went, before my eyes was a man who twisted in my grasp and died, over and over again, and in my ears the sounds of his agony. And ever as I went trees reached out arms as if to stay me and bushes stretched forth little, th.o.r.n.y fingers that caught my garments as if to hinder me from my purpose. But I brushed them aside with my scarred arms or beat them down with my heavy staff, o"er-leaping hedge and ditch and fallen tree until I reached the highway, and even as I came there a distant clock chimed the hour of ten. I quickened my pace, twirling my staff as I went, so that the two or three wayfarers I chanced to meet drew from my neighbourhood and eyed me mightily askance. Having gone thus some mile or so, I came to a wall that bordered the road, a high and mossy wall, and following this, to a pair of gates set well back from the highway, with pillars of stone each surmounted by a couchant leopard carved in the stone.
Now these gates were of iron, very lofty and strong and fast shut, but besides these was a smaller gate or postern of wood hard by the gatehouse where stood a l.u.s.ty fellow in fair livery, picking his teeth with a straw and staring at the square toes of his shoes. Hearing me approach he glanced up and, frowning, shook his head and waved me away.
"Here"s no road for the likes o" you!" said he while I was yet at some distance. "Off wi" you!" Howbeit, seeing I still advanced he clapped to the gate, and letting fall the bar, cursed me roundly through the grille.
"I would see Sir Richard Brandon!" says I.
"Then ye can"t--nowise. So be off and be danged!"
"Open the gate!" says I.
"Be hanged for a murderous-looking rogue, a lousy thief, a wastrel and a hangdog knave!" says he all in a breath.
"All true enough!" says I. "And now, open the gate!"
"Be danged for a prigging gipsy--"A Gad! I"ll have ye clapped i" the pillory for a black-visaged clapper-claw!"
"Unbar!" says I, "Or it shall go plaguy ill wi" you when I come in."
At this he spat upon me through the grille and chuckled. Now, glancing about, I espied a stone hard by about the bigness of a man"s head and, laying by my staff, I wrenched the stone from where it lay and, raising it aloft, hove it with all my strength; whereon the gate crashed open so suddenly as to catch the fellow a buffet that laid him sprawling on his back, and as he strove to rise I pinned him down with my staff and kicked him heartily.
"And now," says I, "up with you and bring me to your master."