United States or Afghanistan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Thoroughgood answered both in a breath. "Badly wounded. They bring him here." As he spoke, Garlinge and Clupp entered from the garden, bearing Halfman between them, wrapped in Evander's mantle. The man of gallant carriage, of swaggering alacrity, seemed to lie horribly limp in the men's arms.
But above all this, if Brilliana applauded the rebel's act, then the rebel's life was of some value, and until he received his lady's orders the rebel's life should be sacred to Halfman. So he struck up with his sword the pikes that Garlinge and Clupp levelled, clumsily enough, and were preparing to thrust at Evander over the interposing barrier.
Why, Gammer Satchell carries herself more soldierly." Timothy Garlinge grinned loutishly at this rebuke, but the fat dame whom Halfman's flourish indicated seemed to dilate with satisfaction. "It were shame," she chuckled, "if a handy lass could not better a lobbish lad." The impish lad grinned derision. "Ay," he commented; "but an old fool's best at her spits and griddles."
A letter to Garlinge Green had revealed the fact that Socknersh's late master had removed to a farm near Northampton; he still bred Spanish sheep, but the risk of Joanna's venture was increased by the high price she would have to pay for railway transport as well as in fees. However, once she had set her heart on anything, she would let nothing stand in her way.
While he tried to engage the blade of Halfman, a swinging blow from the pike of Garlinge knocked his weapon out of his hand, and in another moment he was gripped in the grasp of the two young country giants, while Thoroughgood covered him with his musketoon. "This is treachery," he gasped; but no one paid any attention to his protest.
Garlinge removed his massive hand from his prisoner's mouth, and Paul, after gaping like a fish for some seconds, gasped out, "Lady, you know well enough how you have befooled us." Brilliana stared upon him, bewitchingly unembarrassed by the charge. "Manners, master," cried Halfman, angrily, "or I'll manner you." Brilliana daintily deprecated his heat. "Wait, wait," she said.
Then they turned upon each other again. "You rogue," cried Master Paul. "You rascal," answered Master Peter. In a second they were again struggling to get at each other, and were, as before, imperturbably held asunder by Garlinge and Clupp. Again Sir Blaise protested. "Good friends, be calm, I entreat you."
Even Halfman found pleasure in the grotesque sham trial. Garlinge and Clupp brought their charges down to face the newly formed tribunal. Halfman spoke. "Here, my lady, we have two hobs who have come to loggerheads as to which is best disposed to the King. Garlinge, let Master Hungerford speak."
"I wur going to say, missus, as my mäaster up at Garlinge Green, whur I wur afore I took to the Marsh at Botolph's Bridge my mäaster, Mus' Pebsham, had a valiant set of Spanish ship, as big as liddle cattle; you shud ought to have seen them." "Did he do any crossing with 'em?" "No, missus leastways not whiles I wur up at the Green." Joanna stared through the thick red sunset to the horizon.
He gave a shrill cheer which was echoed loudly by men and boy, and so cheering they tramped out of the hall in the trail of Mother Satchell, Garlinge staggering under the load of pikes which the lad had officiously foisted on to his shoulder, Clupp laughing vacantly after his manner, and steadfast old Shard waving his red cap and chirping his shrill huzzas.
Word Of The Day