〃I can guide thee no better than I have done。 Lay down the
silver token on the flat stonewhistle three timesthen come
sit down on the western side of the thicket of gorse。 I will sit
by you； and give you free leave to wring my head off； unless you
hear the smith at work within two minutes after we are seated。〃
〃I may be tempted to take thee at thy word；〃 said Tressilian； 〃if
you make me do aught half so ridiculous for your own mischievous
sport； however； I will prove your spell。 Here； then； I tie my
horse to this upright stone。 I must lay my silver groat here；
and whistle three times； sayest thou？〃
〃Ay； but thou must whistle louder than an unfledged ousel；〃 said
the boy； as Tressilian； having laid down his money； and half
ashamed of the folly he practised； made a careless whistle〃you
must whistle louder than that； for who knows where the smith is
that you call for？ He may be in the King of France's stables for
what I know。〃
〃Why； you said but now he was no devil；〃 replied Tressilian。
〃Man or devil；〃 said Dickie； 〃I see that I must summon him for
you；〃 and therewithal he whistled sharp and shrill； with an
acuteness of sound that almost thrilled through Tressilian's
brain。 〃That is what I call whistling；〃 said he； after he had
repeated the signal thrice； 〃and now to cover； to cover； or
Whitefoot will not be shod this day。〃
Tressilian； musing what the upshot of this mummery was to be； yet
satisfied there was to be some serious result； by the confidence
with which the boy had put himself in his power； suffered himself
to be conducted to that side of the little thicket of gorse and
brushwood which was farthest from the circle of stones； and there
sat down； and as it occurred to him that； after all； this might
be a trick for stealing his horse； he kept his hand on the boy's
collar； determined to make him hostage for its safety。
〃Now； hush and listen；〃 said Dickie； in a low whisper； 〃you will
soon hear the tack of a hammer that was never forged of earthly
iron； for the stone it was made of was shot from the moon。〃 And
in effect Tressilian did immediately hear the light stroke of a
hammer； as when a farrier is at work。 The singularity of such a
sound； in so very lonely a place； made him involuntarily start；
but looking at the boy； and discovering； by the arch malicious
expression of his countenance； that the urchin saw and enjoyed
his slight tremor； he became convinced that the whole was a
concerted stratagem； and determined to know by whom； or for what
purpose； the trick was played off。
Accordingly； he remained perfectly quiet all the time that the
hammer continued to sound； being about the space usually employed
in fixing a horse…shoe。 But the instant the sound ceased；
Tressilian； instead of interposing the space of time which his
guide had required； started up with his sword in his hand； ran
round the thicket； and confronted a man in a farrier's leathern
apron； but otherwise fantastically attired in a bear…skin dressed
with the fur on； and a cap of the same； which almost hid the
sooty and begrimed features of the wearer。 〃Come back； come
back！〃 cried the boy to Tressilian； 〃or you will be torn to
pieces； no man lives that looks on him。〃 In fact； the invisible
smith （now fully visible） heaved up his hammer； and showed
symptoms of doing battle。
But when the boy observed that neither his own entreaties nor the
menaces of the farrier appeared to change Tressilian's purpose；
but that； on the contrary； he confronted the hammer with his
drawn sword； he exclaimed to the smith in turn； 〃Wayland； touch
him not； or you will come by the worse！the gentleman is a true
gentleman； and a bold。〃
〃So thou hast betrayed me； Flibbertigibbet？〃 said the smith； 〃it
shall be the worse for thee！〃
〃Be who thou wilt；〃 said Tressilian； 〃thou art in no danger from
me； so thou tell me the meaning of this practice； and why thou
drivest thy trade in this mysterious fashion。〃
The smith； however； turning to Tressilian； exclaimed； in a
threatening tone； 〃Who questions the Keeper of the Crystal Castle
of Light； the Lord of the Green Lion； the Rider of the Red
Dragon？ Hence！avoid thee； ere I summon Talpack with his fiery
lance； to quell； crush； and consume！〃 These words he uttered
with violent gesticulation； mouthing； and flourishing his hammer。
〃Peace； thou vile cozener； with thy gipsy cant！〃 replied
Tressilian scornfully； 〃and follow me to the next magistrate； or
I will cut thee over the pate。〃
〃Peace； I pray thee； good Wayland！〃 said the boy。 〃Credit me；
the swaggering vein will not pass here； you must cut boon whids。〃
＇〃Give good words。〃SLANG DIALECT。＇
〃I think； worshipful sir；〃 said the smith； sinking his hammer；
and assuming a more gentle and submissive tone of voice； 〃that
when so poor a man does his day's job； he might be permitted to
work it out after his own fashion。 Your horse is shod； and your
farrier paidwhat need you cumber yourself further than to mount
and pursue your journey？〃
〃Nay； friend； you are mistaken；〃 replied Tressilian； 〃every man
has a right to take the mask from the face of a cheat and a
juggler； and your mode of living raises suspicion that you are
both。〃
〃If you are so determined； sir；〃 said the smith； 〃I cannot help
myself save by force； which I were unwilling to use towards you；
Master Tressilian； not that I fear your weapon； but because I
know you to be a worthy； kind； and well…accomplished gentleman；
who would rather help than harm a poor man that is in a strait。〃
〃Well said； Wayland；〃 said the boy； who had anxiously awaited the
issue of their conference。 〃But let us to thy den； man； for it
is ill for thy health to stand here talking in the open air。〃
〃Thou art right； Hobgoblin；〃 replied the smith； and going to the
little thicket of gorse on the side nearest to the circle； and
opposite to that at which his customer had so lately crouched； he
discovered a trap…door curiously covered with bushes； raised it；
and； descending into the earth； vanished from their eyes。
Notwithstanding Tressilian's curiosity； he had some hesitation at
following the fellow into what might be a den of robbers；
especially when he heard the smith's voice； issuing from the
bowels of the earth； call out； 〃Flibertigibbet； do you come last；
and be sure to fasten the trap！〃
〃Have you seen enough of Wayland Smith now？〃 whispered the
urchin to Tressilian； with an arch sneer； as if marking his
companion's uncertainty。
〃Not yet；〃 said Tressilian firmly； and shaking off his momentary
irresolution； he descended into the narrow staircase； to which
the entrance led； and was followed by Dickie Sludge； who made
fast the trap…door behind him； and thus excluded every glimmer of
daylight。 The descent； however； was only a few steps； and led to
a level passage of a few yards' length； at the end of which
appeared the reflection of a lurid and red light。 Arrived at
this point； with his drawn sword in his hand； Tressilian found
that a turn to the left admitted him and Hobgoblin； who followed
closely； into a small； square vault； containing a smith's forge；
glowing with charcoal； the vapour of which filled the apartment
with an oppressive smell； which would have been altogether
suffocating； but that by some concealed vent the smithy
communicated with the upper air。 The light afforded by the red
fuel； and by a lamp suspended in an iron chain； served to show
that； besides an anvil； bellows； tongs； hammers； a quantity of
ready…made horse…shoes； and other articles proper to the
profession of a farrier； there were also stoves； alembics；
crucibles； retorts； and other instruments of alchemy。 The
grotesque figure of the smith； and the ugly but whimsical
features of the boy； seen by the gloomy and imperfect light of
the charcoal fire and the dying lamp； accorded very well with all
this mystical apparatus； and in that age of superstition would
have made some impression on the courage of most men。
But nature had endowed Tressilian with firm nerves； and his
education； originally good； had been too sedulously improved by
subsequent study to give way to any imaginary terrors； and after
giving a glance around him； he again demanded of the artist who
he was； and by what accident he came to know and address him by
his name。
〃Your worship cannot but remember；〃 said the smith； 〃that about
three years since； upon Saint Lucy's Eve； there came a travelling
juggler to a certain hall in Devonshire； and exhibited his skill
before a worshipful knight and a fair company。I see from your
worship's countenance； dark as this place is； that my memory has
not done me wrong。〃
〃Thou hast said enough；〃 said Tressilian； turning away； as
wishing to hide from the speaker the painful train of
recollections which his discourse had unconsciously awakened。
〃The juggler；〃 said the smith； 〃played his part so bravely that
the clowns and clown…like squires in the company held his art to
be little less than magical； but there was one maiden of fifteen；
or thereby； with the fairest face I ever looked upon； whose rosy
cheek grew pale； and her bright eyes dim； at the sight of the
wonders exhibited。〃
〃Peace； I command thee； pe