Bade me uphold their lying speech that I had no need
of their services on pain of death, and so left me."
And now one of the men-at-arms spoke. "We be not knaves," he said. "We
had not thought to lead the youth to death, but to honorable captivity
for a brief while. Nor did we know the lad ye seek was son to De
Aldithely. Wherefore we also leave ye, and if ye say why, your lives
shall answer for it. We have no mind to be marks for the king's
vengeance. He that would crush the Archdeacon of Norwich with a cope of
lead will have no mercy on a man-at-arms that thwarted him. Wherefore,
say why we left ye, if ye think best." And, riding a little way off,
all three encamped by themselves for the night.
"It seemeth that the best way to earn hatred and contempt is to serve
this King John," remarked Richard Wood, thoughtfully.
"Ay, and the attention of hedgehogs also," returned Walter Skinner,
thickly. "And the loss of horse and food, and the loss of the quarry
also, if we strike not the trail again. And though we have not the
service of the men-at-arms, be sure we shall pay for it as if we had it
to their master.
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