'I can lie here to-night, I suppose?' I said, dropping the reins
on the sorrel's neck. The horse hung its head.
'I don't know,' he answered stupidly.
I pointed to the green bough which topped a post that stood
opposite the door.
'This is an inn, is it not?' I said.
'Yes,' he answered slowly. 'It is an inn. But--'
'But you are full, or you are out of food, or your wife is ill,
or something else is amiss,' I answered peevishly. 'All the
same, I am going to lie here. So you must make the best of it,
and your wife too--if you have one.'
He scratched his head, looking at me with an ugly glitter in his
eyes. But he said nothing, and I dismounted.
'Where can I stable my horse?' I asked.
'I'll put it up,' he answered sullenly, stepping forward and
taking the reins in his hand.
'Very well,' I said. 'But I go with you. A merciful man is
merciful to his beast, and wherever I go I see my horse fed.'
'It will be fed,' he said shortly. And then he waited for me to
go into the house. 'The wife is in there,' he continued, looking
at me stubbornly.
'IMPRIMIS--if you understand Latin, my friend,' I answered.
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