CHAPTER XX. THE SQUIRE'S HOUSE
"There," he said, not unkindly, "there's a nice little 'ome for
yer. Now you, tell me wot you were doing spying on me. First of
all, 'ave you any money?" He did not wait for me to answer, but
dug his hands into my pockets at once, taking every penny I had,
except a few shillings which were hidden in my belt. He did not
see my belt, as I had taken to wearing it next my skin, since I
began to follow the wars. I feared from the greed which showed in
all his movements that he vas going to strip me; but he did not
do so, thinking, no doubt, that none of my clothes would fit his
body.
"Well," he said, in his snarling beast voice, "wot's up 'ere,
with all these folk brought their beasts 'ere?"
I told him that the Duke had come co fight for the crown of
England, with the result, as I supposed, that the country people
dared not trust their live-stock at home, for fear of having them
pillaged. He seemed pleased at the news; but being an utter wild
beast, far less civilized than the lowest savage ever known to
me, he showed his pleasure by hoping that the rich (whom he
cursed fluently) might have their heads pulled off in the war,
while as for the poor (the farmers close by us) he hoped that
they might lose every beast they owned. "Do 'era good," he said.
"Now," he went on, "are you come spying 'ere along of the
farmers?"
"No," I said, "I am a servant of the Duke's, riding out to look
for the militia."
"Ah," he said.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233