" But here I seized him by
the throat and, twisting him round, shook him to and fro till he choked:

"Rogue--damned rogue!" I cried 'twixt gnashing teeth. "Will ye mock me
then!"

"No--no!" he gasped.

"Then tell me ye lied--confess!"

"Aye, aye--I'll confess--anything--anything ye will, master!"

"Then Sir Richard lieth snug in his manor of Shene--doth he not? Aye or
no?"

"Aye--aye, at Shene--at Shene!" Hereupon I loosed him and, falling
back on the hay, found myself all breathless and shaking as with an
ague-fit. And these tremors were within me as without, since (by
reason of this fellow's lying words) I had, for one black moment,
doubting God's justice, seen (as it were) my countless anguished
supplications for vengeance on mine enemy so much vain breath, and this
my toilsome journey a labour to no purpose. But now, bowing my head, I
(who knew no forgiveness) humbly prayed forgiveness of God for my
doubting of God, and passionately besought Him that He would cherish
mine enemy and save him in health. And this to no other end but that I
myself might destroy him.

"His life, O God--give this man's life into mine hand!" So prayed I
(in my vain pride and selfish blindness) as I jogged along that sunny
midsummer morn; and thereafter, my trembling having passed from me, I
stretched myself out amid the hay and fell to blissful slumber.

Now to all such as reading this my narrative shall contemn and abhor me
for the purblind fool and poor, desperate wretch I was, and who, living
but for murder, could cry thus on God for the blood of his
fellow-man--to all such I would say that none can despise me more
utterly than I who write these words. For life since then hath learned
me many truths and in some few things I am, mayhap, a little wiser.

But, because I was proud and stubborn beyond belief, because hate
begetteth hate and evil--evil, so came I to consort and make fellowship
with pirates and the like rogues and to endure much of harms and
dangers as battle, shipwreck, prison and solitude; until God (of His
infinite mercy) brought me forth a better man therefor and, in some
sense, a more worthy. All of the which I have fully and faithfully
recorded for such as shall trouble to read this narrative to the end.

And so will I again to my story.

CHAPTER IV

TELLETH HOW I MET ONE ADAM PENFEATHER

I awoke to find the waggon at a standstill and Master Trueman watching
me with a scowl the while his plu