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But instead of the answer which perhaps she expected, Joceline Joliffe cast a mournful glance towards the soldier in the oriel window, as if to make what he said fully intelligible, and replied with a dejected appearance and voice, "Alack, my pretty Phoebe, there come those here that have more right or might than any of us, and will use little ceremony in coming when they will, and staying while they please."
But my age is like a lusty winter, as old Will says, frosty but kindly; and what if, old as we are, we live to see better days yet! I promise thee, Joceline, I love this jarring betwixt the rogues of the board and the rogues of the sword. When thieves quarrel, true men have a chance of coming by their own."
The individual who had fallen under the power of Bevis was most impatient in his situation, and called with least precaution "Here, Lee, Forester take the dog off, else I must shoot him." "If thou dost," said Sir Henry, from the window, "I blow thy brains out on the spot. Thieves, Joceline, thieves! come up and secure this ruffian. Bevis, hold on!" "Back, Bevis; down, sir!" cried Joceline.
Here, help me to lay him in the earth; we will drag briers and thorns over the spot, when we have shovelled dust upon dust; and do thou think of this chance more manfully; and remember, thy secret is in thine own keeping." "I cannot answer for that," said Joceline.
Joceline," said Phoebe, "and if he abides here in this turn of times, I dare say the gentleman will be easily served." "Care not thou about that," said Joliffe; "but tell me softly and hastily, what is in the pantry?" "Small housekeeping enough," said Phoebe; "a cold capon and some comfits, and the great standing venison pasty, with plenty of spice a manchet or two besides, and that is all."
Rochecliffe, who saw no time was to be lost in appeasing the ranger's terrors, as his ministry was most needful in the present circumstances. "Get spade and mattock," he whispered to him, "and a dark lantern, and meet me in the Wilderness." Joceline left the room; and the Doctor, before following him, had a few words of explanation with Colonel Lee.
It occurred to Joceline, who was a very shrewd fellow, that once or twice, when by inevitable accident Tomkins had met Kerneguy, he seemed less interested in the circumstance than he would have expected from the man's disposition, which was naturally prying and inquisitive. "He asked no questions about the young stranger," said Joceline "God avert that he knows or suspects too much!"
He had a pickaxe and shovel, together with a deer's hide hanging over his shoulder. "What do you want with the hide, Joceline," said Dr. Rochecliffe, "that you lumber it about with you on such an errand?" "Why, look you, Doctor," he answered, "it is as well to tell you all about it. The man and I he there you know whom I mean had many years since a quarrel about this deer.
Scarcely hearing, and not at all understanding him, Joceline, who seemed his most frequent confidant on such occasions, generally led him back into some strain of rude mirth, or old recollection of follies before the Civil Wars, without caring about or endeavouring to analyze the opinion of this saint of an evil fashion, but fully sensible of the protection which his presence afforded at Woodstock, and confident in the honest meaning of so freespoken a fellow, to whom ale and brandy, when better liquor was not to be come by, seemed to be principal objects of life, and who drank a health to the King, or any one else, whenever required, provided the cup in which he was to perform the libation were but a brimmer.
Supper entered accordingly, borne in by Joceline and Phoebe, and after it, leaning on a huge knotty stick, and having his nose in the air like a questing hound for his attention was apparently more fixed on the good provisions that went before him, than any thing else came Master Kerneguy, and seated himself, without much ceremony, at the lower end of the table.
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