" And, seating himself, the pompous little man began to
eat his dinner heartily. When he had finished, the first scullion came
alone to take away the dishes.
"Thou art a very big little fool," he said, with a compassionate
glance, "and so I bid thee prepare thyself for any fate. Thou must know
that what thou saidst to the king did anger him. Thou didst bring him
ill news, and the bearer of ill news he will punish."
Walter Skinner now showed some alarm; but he soon recovered himself.
"Why, how now, sirrah?" he said. "I did not bid the young lord
Josceline flee; but when he did flee I did give chase. And wherefore
should I be punished for that? Had I remained in the tree near the
castle, then indeed the king had had cause for anger."
The scullion still looked at him pityingly. "By thine own showing," he
said, "thou art but the king's spy, hired by Sir Thomas De Lany, no
doubt. Spies have not preferment when their task is done, because,
though the king doth take their work, he hateth them that perform it."
And now Walter Skinner stared in bewilderment. "Thou art but a
scullion," he said at last.
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