He told himself that he had already conquered. I
passed two of my Lord Avelards men five miles back,drunk as swine in a hedge
alehouse.
Four lusty rogues are sufficient to carry a feeble
man tojail. I like not the weather, said Peter, sniffing the air. Only a sonof
Buckingham can keep such a concourse to its purpose.
The other traveller, Simon Rede, for the most part
kept silence.
They are but instruments to win the world back
fromthe Church to Christ.
But he had not bargained for such a goddess. The
intruder made no questionof it, for he assumed that no question could be
asked.
The man looked scornfully at his
inquisitor.
You have wits in that popinjays head ofyours,
Gabriel.
You said, when you looked in my face that night,
that I was nochurls get.
Was he fighting only for the lust of the eyes and
the prideof life?
The other traveller, Simon Rede, for the most part
kept silence.
If so, his cause smacked somewhat of damnation.
TheBishops servants, ill-looking rogues all of them, sullenly obeyed. He stiffened
his back, and felt a suddenaccess of manhood. He never begot anything so sound of
flesh, the young man laughed.
Shire by shire, demesne bydemesne, he took Peter
through the details of the rising.
It was a rude thing of several verses, each ending
with the refrainabout the deer and the dale. You said, when you looked in my face
that night, that I was nochurls get. Were yourmothers virtue not notorious, you
might be reckoned his son.
Shire by shire, demesne bydemesne, he took Peter
through the details of the rising. She flushed rosily to the tips of herlittle
ears.
But Avelard is noplace for you at this
moment.
Had he but wealth behind him hewould assuredly call
the tune.