第22章

``Weshallseethatpresently，’’saidtherobber；

and，speakingtohiscompanions，headded，``bringalongtheknave。Iseehewouldhavehisheadbroken，aswellashispursecut，andsobeletbloodintwoveinsatonce。’’

Gurthwashurriedalongagreeablytothismandate，andhavingbeendraggedsomewhatroughlyoverthebank，ontheleft-handsideofthelane，foundhimselfinastragglingthicket，whichlaybetwixtitandtheopencommon。Hewascompelledtofollowhisroughconductorsintotheverydepthofthiscover，wheretheystoptunexpectedlyinanirregularopenspace，freeinagreatmeasurefromtrees，andonwhich，therefore，thebeamsofthemoonfellwithoutmuchinterruptionfromboughsandleaves。Herehiscaptorswerejoinedbytwootherpersons，apparentlybelongingtothegang。

Theyhadshortswordsbytheirsides，andquarter-stavesintheirhands，andGurthcouldnowobservethatallsixworevisors，whichrenderedtheiroccupationamatterofnoquestion，evenhadtheirformerproceedingsleftitindoubt。

``Whatmoneyhastthou，churl?’’saidoneofthethieves。

``Thirtyzecchinsofmyownproperty，’’answeredGurth，doggedly。

``Aforfeit——aforfeit，’’shoutedtherobbers；``aSaxonhaththirtyzecchins，andreturnssoberfromavillage！Anundeniableandunredeemableforfeitofallhehathabouthim。’’

``Ihoardedittopurchasemyfreedom，’’saidGurth。

``Thouartanass，’’repliedoneofthethieves``threequartsofdoublealehadrenderedtheeasfreeasthymaster，ay，andfreertoo，ifhebeaSaxonlikethyself。’’

``Asadtruth，’’repliedGurth；``butifthesesamethirtyzecchinswillbuymyfreedomfromyou，unloosemyhands，andIwillpaythemtoyou。’’

``Hold，’’saidonewhoseemedtoexercisesomeauthorityovertheothers；``thisbagwhichthoubearest，asIcanfeelthroughthycloak，containsmorecointhanthouhasttoldusof。’’

``Itisthegoodknightmymaster’s，’’answeredGurth，``ofwhich，assuredly，Iwouldnothavespokenaword，hadyoubeensatisfiedwithworkingyourwilluponmineownproperty。’’

``Thouartanhonestfellow，’’repliedtherobber，``Iwarrantthee；andweworshipnotStNicholassodevoutlybutwhatthythirtyzecchinsmayyetescape，ifthoudealuprightlywithus。Meantimerenderupthytrustforatime。’’Sosaying，hetookfromGurth’sbreastthelargeleathernpouch，inwhichthepursegivenhimbyRebeccawasenclosed，aswellastherestofthezecchins，andthencontinuedhisinterrogation——``Whoisthymaster?’’

``TheDisinheritedKnight，’’saidGurth。

``Whosegoodlance，’’repliedtherobber，``wontheprizeinto-day’stourney?Whatishisnameandlineage?’’

``Itishispleasure，’’answeredGu