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Updated: May 12, 2025
Nor can you be surprised if a dismissed verderer becomes a poacher." "Nor can you be surprised if a poacher is caught, that he incurs the penalty," replied the Roundhead. "So now there's an end of our argument. If you go into the kitchen, you will find wherewithal to refresh the outward man, and if you wish to remain till Oswald Partridge comes home, you are welcome."
Corbould was then taken to his cottage and put on the bed, and another verderer sent for a surgeon: those who had been with Oswald were glad to go to bed, for it had been a fatiguing day. Humphrey remained with Oswald for three hours, and then again returned with Billy, who, although he had crossed the forest three times in the twenty-four hours, appeared quite fresh and ready to go back again.
Men, horses, and dogs were coming across from Arlingham, as the verderers of the forest had a great hunt fixed for that very day. Windybank, as a verderer, should have remembered this, but weightier matters had driven it from his mind. There was plenty of bustle at the ferry; men were shouting, horses were neighing, and hounds were baying.
Edward then uncocked his gun, with his eyes fixed upon the man, and the verderer did the same: and then they walked side by side, Edward keeping at the distance of three yards from him, in case of treachery. After a few moments' silence, the verderer said, "You tell me you are going to the intendant's house; he is not at home." "But young Mistress Patience is, I presume," said Edward.
At this juncture the chief verderer, mounted on a powerful steed, and followed by two keepers, each holding a couple of stag-hounds in leash, rode up to the royal stand, and placing his horn to his lips, blew three long mootes from it. At the same moment part of the network of the haye was lifted up, and a roebuck set free.
"Aye, there be many alive to curse Black Roger living, and many dead to curse me when I'm dead; poor Roger's soul shall find small mercy hereafter, methinks ha, I never thought on this!" "Thou had'st a mother " "Aye, but they burned her for a witch when I was but a lad. As for me, 'tis true I've hanged men, yet I was my lord's chief verderer and did but as my lord commanded."
"Many thanks, Oswald; I must take my chance." Edward then told Oswald of their having taken the gipsy boy in the pit, at which he appeared much amused. "What is the name of the verderer whom I met in the forest?" inquired Edward. "James Corbould; he was discharged from the army," replied Oswald. "I do not like his appearance," said Edward.
At last he arrived close to the cleared spot by the pool. There was no stag there, but fast asleep upon the turf lay James Corbould, the sinister-looking verderer who had accosted him in the forest on the previous day.
He said, that in times like these he required young men like you about him; and that as you would not take the berth of verderer, he must find one better suited for you, for he said you were too good for such an office." "Many thanks to him for his good opinion," replied Edward; "but I do not think that he has any office in his gift which I can accept." "So I thought, but I said nothing.
He turned back, and Holdfast came running to him the fact was, that Holdfast had smelled some meat in the pocket of the verderer, and had been putting his nose in to ascertain what it was: in so doing, he had wakened up Corbould, who had saluted him with a heavy blow on the head: this occasioned the puppy to give the howl, and also occasioned Corbould to seize his gun, and follow stealthily in the track of the dog, which he well knew to be the one he had seen the day before with Edward.
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