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Updated: June 21, 2025
"Surly brutes," muttered Hogvardt. "It is not the way to receive his lordship," agreed Watkins, more in sorrow than in anger. Watkins had very high ideas of the deference due to "his lordship." The fat innkeeper walked ahead. I quickened my pace and overtook him. "The people do not seem very pleased to see me," I remarked. He shook his head, but made no answer.
Hogvardt will have bought me a little yacht, and then good-by to all this!" And a great longing for solitude and a natural life came over me as I looked round on the gilded cornices, the gilded mirrors, the gilded flower-vases, and the highly gilded company of the Optimum. I was roused from my pleasant dream by a high, vivacious voice, which I knew very well.
"She proposes to marry Constantine," I answered, and added quickly to Hogvardt: "What's the game with those knives, Hog?" "Well, my lord," said Hogvardt, surveying his dozen murderous instruments, "I thought there was no harm in putting an edge on them, in case we should find a use for them;" and he fell to grinding one with great energy. "I say, Charlie, I wonder what this yarn's about?
"If we go this ruffian will escape. And if we don't go " "Why, we," Hogvardt ended for me, "may not escape." I saw that Hogvardt's sense of responsibility was heavy; he always regarded himself as the shepherd, his employers as the sheep. I believe this attitude of his confirmed my destiny, for I said, without hesitation: "Oh, we'll chance that.
Here, also, I saw the first of my new subjects, Hogvardt having engaged a couple of men who had come to him, saying they were from Neopalia and were anxious to work their passage back. I was delighted to have them, and fell at once to studying them with immense attention.
"And say I swore it, too!" cried Denny; and Hogvardt and Watkins, not making bold to speak, ranged up close to me; and I knew that they also meant what I meant. The old woman looked at me with searching eyes. "You are a bold man, my lord," said she. "I see nothing to be afraid of up to now," said I. "Such courage as is needed to tell a scoundrel what I think of him, I believe I can claim."
Watkins shuddered; Hogvardt looked rather uncomfortable; Denny and I listened eagerly. Again the groan came. I seized the lantern from Hogvardt's hand, and rushed in the direction of the sound. There, in the corner of the hall, on a couch, covered with a rug, lay an old man in an uneasy attitude, groaning now and then, and turning restlessly.
Apparently we were to crown our victory by the capture of a wounded enemy. An exclamation from Hogvardt told me that he, aided by the lantern, had come upon the quarry; but Hogvardt spoke in disgust rather than triumph. "Oh, it's only the little one!" said he. "What's wrong with him, I wonder." He stooped down, and examined the prostrate form. "By heaven, I believe he's not touched!
"Since I was so foolish as to waste my money on revolvers," said I, with an inquiring glance at Hogvardt. "The evening air will not hurt them," said he; and we each stowed a revolver in our pockets. We felt, I think, rather ashamed of our timidity, but the Neopalians certainly looked rough customers. Then I turned the handle of the door. The door did not open. I pulled hard at it.
Therefore I rose, and, leaving her without much ceremony, strolled into the kitchen. Here I found Watkins dressing the cow's head, Hogvardt surrounded by knives, and Denny lying on a rug on the floor with a small book, which he seemed to be reading. He looked up with a smile that he. considered knowing. "Well, what does the captive queen say?" he asked with levity.
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