FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  
short laugh. "And very surely if Sir Randolph be shot over yonder you will be shot down here." "That," said Evander, still smiling, "is why I say that I have come to stay at Harby." "You take your fate blithely," Halfman commented, scanning Evander with curiosity. He was familiar with the sight of men in peril of death; in most men he took courage for granted, but it was courage of a gaudier quality than the composure of the young Puritan, who had fenced with him and played bowls with him that very morning and talked so learnedly of roses with Luke, the gardener. Was there really something in the Puritan stuff that strengthened men's spirits? Evander answered his words and unconsciously his thoughts. "I should not have taken up arms if I held my life too precious. It will need three days to get the answer, the inevitable answer, and in the mean time the autumn air is kind and these gardens delightful." Halfman stared at him in an ecstasy of admiration, and then dealt him an applauding clap on the shoulder. "Come to the kitchen-garden, philosopher," he cried. "A fellow of your phlegm should find pleasure in the contemplation of cabbages." "It is a sage vegetable," Evander answered. "But I fear I tax your time. There must be much for you to do." "I have done much already," Halfman replied. "But, indeed, these be busy times." "Then," protested Evander, "when I have stared my fill at your meditative cabbage I shall entreat no more of your kindness but that you convoy me to the safe port of the library, where I shall be content enough." "As you please," Halfman responded. "I was never a bookish man; I care for no books but play-books and these I carry here," and he beat his brown forehead. "But you may nose out some theologies in odd corners, as a pig noses truffles." "I shall rout out something to fill my leisure I doubt not," Evander answered. "Then hey for the kitchen-garden," cried Halfman, taking Evander's arm, and the two men, passing through a yew arch opposite to that by which they had entered, left my lady's pleasaunce as solitary as they had found it. XVI A PURITAN APPRAISED It did not remain solitary long. Unawares, the steps of Halfman and Evander had been dogged ever since they crossed the moat and set out on their pilgrimage through the gardens. Crouching behind hedges, lingering in coppices, peeping through thickets, two persistent trackers had pursued the unconscio
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86  
87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Evander
 

Halfman

 

answered

 

solitary

 

stared

 
gardens
 
Puritan
 

courage

 
kitchen
 

garden


answer

 

responded

 
bookish
 

forehead

 
library
 

meditative

 
cabbage
 
entreat
 

protested

 

replied


kindness

 

content

 

convoy

 

passing

 

crossed

 

dogged

 

remain

 

Unawares

 

pilgrimage

 

persistent


thickets

 
trackers
 

pursued

 

unconscio

 

peeping

 
coppices
 

Crouching

 
hedges
 

lingering

 
APPRAISED

PURITAN
 

leisure

 
taking
 
truffles
 

theologies

 

corners

 
pleasaunce
 

entered

 
opposite
 

admiration