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I have not danced for a score of years; and I will not dance now, while the mistress and the owner of the harvest sits aside neglected." "Nay, Master Huckaback," cried Sally Snowe, with a saucy toss of her hair; "Mistress Ridd is too kind a great deal, in handing you over to me. You take her; and I will fetch Annie to be my partner this evening.
Huckaback liked to see fine young maidens, and partly because none but Nicholas Snowe could smoke a pipe now all around our parts, except of the very high people, whom we durst never invite.
Master Huckaback showed no especial signs of joy at my return; but received me with a little grunt, which appeared to me to mean, 'Ah, I thought he would hardly be fool enough to go. I told him how sorry I was for having in some way offended him; and he answered that I did well to grieve for one at least of my offences.
Here the renegade appeared to be much affected; he covered his face with the wide sleeve of his under garment, and was silent. "By God and his prophet, these Franks are great fools about women," observed the pacha to Mustapha. "I must own, though, that I like this princess better than Cerise, and I am very sorry that she is dead. Come, Huckaback, go on. Where did you throw yourself?"
'Ruth Huckaback is a worthy maid, I answered with some dignity; 'and she alone of all our world, except indeed poor Annie, has kept her confidence in you, and told me not to dread your rank, but trust your heart, Lady Lorna. 'Then Ruth is my best friend, she answered, 'and is worthy of you, dear John.
'Tush, great fool! cried Master Huckaback; 'the only witch or wizard here is the one that bewitcheth all men. Now fasten up my horse, John Ridd, and not too near the slough, lad. Ah, we have chosen our entrance wisely. With these words, Uncle Reuben clutched the mane of his horse and came down, as a man does when his legs are old; and as I myself begin to do, at this time of writing.
"I care not for my goods, woman," Master Huckaback answered grandly; "although they were of large value, about them I say nothing. But what I demand is this, the punishment of those scoundrels." "Zober, man, zober!" cried Farmer Nicholas; "we be too naigh Badgery 'ood, to spake like that of they Dooneses."
Murakhas, you are dismissed." "May your sublime shadow never be less," replied Huckaback, as he salaamed out of the pacha's presence.
To give him due leisure for this, I asked the youth to shew me a room in which I might perform the usual ablutions previous to dinner, and followed him upstairs to a comfortless sort of dressing-room, without a fire-place, where I found a yellow were jug and basin, and a towel, of so coarse a huckaback, that I did not dare adventure its rough texture next my complexion my skin is not made for such rude fellowship.
When I came to the foot of this ravine, and over against the great black slough, there was no sign of Master Huckaback, nor of any other living man, except myself, in the silence. Therefore, I sat in a niche of rock, gazing at the slough, and pondering the old tradition about it. They say that, in the ancient times, a mighty necromancer lived in the wilderness of Exmoor.
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