the one and of the other。
In the meanwhile； the old man； seeing his guide in this
uncontrollable humour； ceased to remonstrate with him； and
sitting down in the most obscure corner of the room； called for a
small measure of sack； over which he seemed； as it were； to
slumber； withdrawing himself as much as possible from general
observation； and doing nothing which could recall his existence
to the recollection of his fellow…traveller； who by this time had
got into close intimacy with his ancient comrade； Goldthred of
Abingdon。
〃Never believe me； bully Mike；〃 said the mercer； 〃if I am not as
glad to see thee as ever I was to see a customer's money！ Why；
thou canst give a friend a sly place at a mask or a revel now；
Mike； ay； or； I warrant thee； thou canst say in my lord's ear；
when my honourable lord is down in these parts； and wants a
Spanish ruff or the likethou canst say in his ear； There is
mine old friend； young Lawrence Goldthred of Abingdon； has as
good wares； lawn； tiffany； cambric； and so forthay； and is as
pretty a piece of man's flesh； too； as is in Berkshire； and will
ruffle it for your lordship with any man of his inches； and thou
mayest say〃
〃I can say a hundred dd lies besides； mercer；〃 answered
Lambourne； 〃what； one must not stand upon a good word for a
friend！〃
〃Here is to thee； Mike； with all my heart；〃 said the mercer； 〃and
thou canst tell one the reality of the new fashions too。 Here
was a rogue pedlar but now was crying up the old…fashioned
Spanish nether…stock over the Gascoigne hose； although thou seest
how well the French hose set off the leg and knee； being adorned
with parti…coloured garters and garniture in conformity。〃
〃Excellent； excellent；〃 replied Lambourne； 〃why； thy limber bit
of a thigh； thrust through that bunch of slashed buckram and
tiffany； shows like a housewife's distaff when the flax is half
spun off！〃
〃Said I not so？〃 said the mercer； whose shallow brain was now
overflowed in his turn； 〃where； then； where be this rascal
pedlar？there was a pedlar here but now； methinks。Mine host；
where the foul fiend is this pedlar？〃
〃Where wise men should be； Master Goldthred；〃 replied Giles
Gosling； 〃even shut up in his private chamber； telling over the
sales of to…day； and preparing for the custom of to…morrow。〃
〃Hang him； a mechanical chuff！〃 said the mercer； 〃but for shame；
it were a good deed to ease him of his waresa set of peddling
knaves； who stroll through the land； and hurt the established
trader。 There are good fellows in Berkshire yet； mine hostyour
pedlar may be met withal on Maiden Castle。〃
〃Ay；〃 replied mine host； laughing； 〃and he who meets him may meet
his matchthe pedlar is a tall man。〃
〃Is he？〃 said Goldthred。
〃Is he？〃 replied the host； 〃ay； by cock and pie is hethe very
pedlar he who raddled Robin Hood so tightly； as the song says；
'Now Robin Hood drew his sword so good；
The pedlar drew his brand；
And he hath raddled him； Robin Hood；
Till he neither could see nor stand。'〃
〃Hang him； foul scroyle； let him pass；〃 said the mercer； 〃if he
be such a one； there were small worship to be won upon him。And
now tell me； Mikemy honest Mike； how wears the Hollands you won
of me？〃
〃Why； well； as you may see； Master Goldthred；〃 answered Mike； 〃I
will bestow a pot on thee for the handsel。Fill the flagon；
Master Tapster。〃
〃Thou wilt win no more Hollands； think； on such wager； friend
Mike；〃 said the mercer； 〃for the sulky swain； Tony Foster； rails
at thee all to nought； and swears you shall ne'er darken his
doors again； for that your oaths are enough to blow the roof off
a Christian man's dwelling。〃
〃Doth he say so； the mincing； hypocritical miser？〃 vociferated
Lambourne。 〃Why； then； he shall come down and receive my
commands here； this blessed night； under my uncle's roof！ And I
will ring him such a black sanctus； that he shall think the devil
hath him by the skirts for a month to come； for barely hearing
me。〃
〃Nay； now the pottle…pot is uppermost； with a witness！〃 said the
mercer。 〃Tony Foster obey thy whistle！ Alas！ good Mike； go
sleepgo sleep。〃
〃I tell thee what； thou thin…faced gull；〃 said Michael Lambourne；
in high chafe； 〃I will wager thee fifty angels against the first
five shelves of thy shop； numbering upward from the false light；
with all that is on them； that I make Tony Foster come down to
this public…house before we have finished three rounds。〃
〃I will lay no bet to that amount；〃 said the mercer； something
sobered by an offer which intimated rather too private a
knowledge on Lambourne's part of the secret recesses of his shop。
〃I will lay no such wager；〃 he said； 〃but I will stake five
angels against thy five； if thou wilt； that Tony Foster will not
leave his own roof； or come to ale…house after prayer time； for
thee； or any man。〃
〃Content；〃 said Lambourne。〃Here； uncle； hold stakes； and let
one of your young bleed…barrels thereone of your infant
tapsterstrip presently up to The Place； and give this letter to
Master Foster； and say that I； his ingle； Michael Lambourne； pray
to speak with him at mine uncle's castle here； upon business of
grave import。Away with thee； child； for it is now sundown； and
the wretch goeth to bed with the birds to save mutton…suet
faugh！〃
Shortly after this messenger was dispatchedan interval which
was spent in drinking and buffooneryhe returned with the answer
that Master Foster was coming presently。
〃Won； won！〃 said Lambourne； darting on the stakes。
〃Not till he comes； if you please；〃 said the mercer； interfering。
〃Why； 'sblood； he is at the threshold；〃 replied Michael。〃What
said he； boy？〃
〃If it please your worship；〃 answered the messenger； 〃he looked
out of window； with a musquetoon in his hand； and when I
delivered your errand； which I did with fear and trembling； he
said； with a vinegar aspect； that your worship might be gone to
the infernal regions。〃
〃Or to hell； I suppose；〃 said Lambourne〃it is there he disposes
of all that are not of the congregation。〃
〃Even so；〃 said the boy； 〃I used the other phrase as being the
more poetical。〃
〃An ingenious youth；〃 said Michael； 〃shalt have a drop to whet
thy poetical whistle。 And what said Foster next？〃
〃He called me back；〃 answered the boy； 〃and bid me say you might
come to him if you had aught to say to him。〃
〃And what next？〃 said Lambourne。
〃He read the letter； and seemed in a fluster； and asked if your
worship was in drink； and I said you were speaking a little
Spanish； as one who had been in the Canaries。〃
〃Out； you diminutive pint…pot； whelped of an overgrown
reckoning！〃 replied Lambourne〃out！ But what said he then？〃
〃Why；〃 said the boy； 〃he muttered that if he came not your
worship would bolt out what were better kept in； and so he took
his old flat cap； and threadbare blue cloak； and； as I said
before； he will be here incontinent。〃
〃There is truth in what he said；〃 replied Lambourne； as if
speaking to himself〃my brain has played me its old dog's trick。
But corragiolet him approach！I have not rolled about in the
world for many a day to fear Tony Foster； be I drunk or sober。
Bring me a flagon of cold water to christen my sack withal。〃
While Lambourne； whom the approach of Foster seemed to have
recalled to a sense of his own condition； was busied in preparing
to receive him； Giles Gosling stole up to the apartment of the
pedlar； whom he found traversing the room in much agitation。
〃You withdrew yourself suddenly from the company；〃 said the
landlord to the guest。
〃It was time； when the devil became one among you；〃 replied the
pedlar。
〃It is not courteous in you to term my nephew by such a name；〃
said Gosling； 〃nor is it kindly in me to reply to it； and yet； in
some sort； Mike may be considered as a limb of Satan。〃
〃PoohI talk not of the swaggering ruffian；〃 replied the pedlar；
〃it is of the other； who； for aught I knowBut when go they？ or
wherefore come they？〃
〃Marry； these are questions I cannot answer；〃 replied the host。
〃But look you； sir； you have brought me a token from worthy
Master Tressiliana pretty stone it is。〃 He took out the ring；
and looked at it； adding； as he put it into his purse again； that
it was too rich a guerdon for anything he could do for the worthy
donor。 He was； he said； in the public line； and it ill became
him to be too inquisitive into other folk's concerns。 He had
already said that he could hear nothing but that the lady lived
still at Cumnor Place in the closest seclusion； and； to such as
by chance had a view of her； seemed pensive and discontented with
her solitude。 〃But here；〃 he said； 〃if you are desirous to
gratify your master； is the rarest chance that hath occurred for
this many a day。 Tony Foster is coming down hither； and it is
but letting Mike Lambourne smell another wine…flask； and the
Queen's command would not move him from the ale…bench。 So they
are fast for an hour or so。 Now； if you will don your pack；
which will be your best excuse； you may； perchance； win the ear
of the old servant； being assured of the master's absence； to let
you try to get some custom of the lady； and then you may learn
more of her condition t