"Come hither," he said
to Humphrey. "It were not well to cut off what one may need before it
grow again. Seest thou how only the outside of the tail is cut so as to
bush out over what is braided fine in many strands and caught up
cunningly beneath? And come hither. Seest thou how the mane is
cunningly looped and gummed, so that it seemeth to be short, when a dip
in the stream will make it long again? And this brown is but a stain,
and the white patches a bleach that will last but till the horse sheds
again."
"This is the work of thy friend?" inquired Humphrey, gravely.
"Yea," answered old Bartlemy, jubilantly.
"And he is an honest man?"
Old Bartlemy frowned. "He is my friend. And he hath served thee well,
if he hath kept thee and the lad from the hands of the king. Ask no
more. He had not done so much, but that I did tell him it was to make
my fortune. And now mount, my esquire! mount, my gentle lady! and I,
thy nurse, will mount. And we will all away to London town."
"By which road?" asked Humphrey, reining in his stained and bleached
horse.
"By the Watling Street," was the confident answer.
Pages:
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282