" Then turning to the
innkeeper he said: "I will enter thine inn, and do thou see that dinner
be promptly served. I will then procure a change of raiment. I will then
sleep over night. I will then breakfast. I will then take thy Black
Tom, which I did buy, and withhold him from me if thou darest. And I
will then set out after the young lord and the serving-man. I have now
given thee my confidence, which if thou betray thou shalt answer for
it. Why, they cannot escape me. Hath Richard Wood come up with them
three several times, as I now have? Nay. If he had he would have
captured them, which showeth that I be the abler man of the two; for,
while I have not captured them, he hath not even caught sight of them.
And now make haste with the dinner."
All this time the spy had kept his seat on the horse. He now came down,
and the innkeeper, without a word, led the way to a private room, while
the grooms exchanged glances. "Yon be a madman," said the first, whose
name was Elfric.
"Yea, or a drunken man, which is the same thing," responded the second.
"He will catch not the young lord," declared Elfric.
Pages:
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172