Sir Gervas remarked, ‘it would not hold you excused for that recklessness of human life which your trade begets.’
‘Nay! it is but hunting, save that your quarry may at any time turn round upon you, and become in turn the hunter. It is, as you say, a dangerous game, but two can play Men Military Jackets at it, and each has an equal chance. There is no loading of the dice, or throwing of Dame fulhams. Now it was but a few days back that, riding down the high-road, I perceived three jolly farmers at full gallop across the fields with a leash of dogs yelping in front of them, and all in pursuit of one little harmless bunny. It was a bare and unpeopled countryside on the border of Exmoor, so I bethought me that I could not employ my leisure better than by chasing the chasers. Odd’s wouns! it was a proper hunt. Away went my gentlemen, whooping like madmen, with their Women Phone coat skirts flapping in the Męskie Vans Rata Vulc breeze, chivying on the dogs, and having a rare morning’s sport. They never marked the quiet horseman who rode behind them, and who without a “yoick!” or “hark-a-way!” was relishing his chase with the loudest of them. It needed but a posse of peace officers at my heels to make up a brave string of us, catch-who-catch-can, like the game the lads play on the village green.’
‘And what came of it?’ I asked, for our new acquaintance was laughing silently to himself.
‘Well, my three friends ran down their hare, and pulled out their flasks, as men who had done a good stroke of work. They were still hobnobbing and laughing over the slaughtered bunny, and one had dismounted to cut off its ears as the prize of their chase, when I came up at a hand-gallop. “Good-morrow, gentlemen,” said I, “we have had rare sport.” They looked at me blankly enough, I promise you, and one of them Barn asked me what the devil I did there, and how I dared to join in a private sport. “Nay, I was not chasing your hare, gentlemen,” Women Shirts said I. “What then, Męskie Vans LXVI Variable fellow?” asked one of them. “Why, marry, I was Men Parka & Duffle Coats chasing you,” Vans Casual Shoes Men I answered, “and a better run Vans Plimsolls Shoes I have not had for years.” With that I lugged out my persuaders, and made the thing clear in a few words, and I’ll warrant you would have laughed could you have Męskie Vans Canvas Chukka Boot seen their faces as Converse High Tops they slowly dragged the fat leather purses from their fobs. Seventy-one pounds was my prize that morning, which was better worth riding for than a hare’s ears.’
‘Did they not raise the country on your track?’ I asked.
‘Nay! When Brown Alice is given her head she flies faster than the news. Rumour spreads quick, but the good mare’s stride is quicker still.’
‘And here we are within our own outposts,’ quoth Sir Gervas. ‘Now, mine honest friend — for honest you have been to us, whatever others may say of you — will you not come with us, and strike in for a good cause? Zounds, man! you have many an ill deed to atone for, I’ll warrant. Why not add one good one to your account, by risking your life for the reformed faith?’
‘Not I,’ the highwayman answered, reining up his horse. ‘My owlinks:
http://www13.plala.or.jp/white_roots/gwbbs/gwbbs.cgi
http://www.ilcavalieredellavallesolitaria.com/tiki-view_blog_post.php?find=&blogId=8&offset=60&sort_mode=created_desc&postId=1442&show_comments=1/
http://www13.plala.or.jp/white_roots/gwbbs/gwbbs.cgi |