"And don't try coming any o' your imperence wi' me, my lad--come, out
ye go!"
"Willingly!" said I disdainfully. "Permit me first to assure you that
if my sheltering in this barn has caused any damage to your property,
I will reimburse you to any reasonable--"
"Get out--ye damned young thieving gipsy!" he roared, and cut at me
fiercely with his whip; whereupon, forgetting dignity and all else in
the sharp, unaccustomed pain, I took to my heels nor did I stop until
I was safe beyond pursuit and out of sight of the scene of my
humiliation.
This incident (though I could have wept for very indignation) served
but to make me the more fixed in my resolution to follow the course I
had marked out for myself, come what might.
My present worldly possessions amounted to some fourteen pounds and a
valuable gold watch, thanks to the highwayman's gratitude; moreover I
remembered Anthony's promise to meet me at Tonbridge and this cheered
me greatly. To Tonbridge I would go and there await his coming.
Musing thus, I was aroused by the hoof strokes of a horse and,
glancing up, beheld a plump man on plump steed ambling towards me down
the lane. Waiting until he was sufficiently near, I stepped into the
road and saluted him.
"Good-day, sir!" said I. "Pray pardon my detaining you, but this
neighbourhood is strange to me. Will you therefore have the kindness
to direct me to Tonbridge?"
The plump man eyed me over, damned my impudence, and rode off with
never another word, leaving me to stare after him mute with
indignation and surprise; and so to plod on, racking my brain to
discover in what particular I could have offended.
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