But here his firmness again forsook him;he had stepped from his homefrom the quiet seclusion that was endeared to him by years of residence and holy recollections, into a strange world, to struggle and contendto sin, and be sinned against; and he leaned against the abbey wall with such a feeling of desolation as a child may be supposed to feel, as he bends over the grave of his last surviving parent. A few bitter drops of wounded pride, and deep regret, forced their way down his cheeks, and it was not until he became conscious that a group of persons of different ages and sexes were silently and sympathizingly gazing upon him, that it occurred to him he ought to remove to a less conspicuous situation.
"Oh, I'm a bit off colour to-night, but I can tell you I was a fine girl when I went away with Joeand all the time I lived with him, too, first at the Camber and then at New Romney; there was many as 'ud have been proud to git me from him. But I stuck to him faithful, I did, till one morning I woke up and found him gone, off on a voyage to Australiawonder if he met Roberthaving given me over to a pal of his for five pounds and a set of oilskins. Oh, I can tell you I took on something awfulI wasn't used to men in those days. But Joe's pal he was a decent chapthere was nothing the matter with him save that he wasn't Joe. He was unaccountable good to me, and I stayed with him three yearsand then I hooked it, scarcely knew why. I got a post as barmaid in Seaford, but the landlord took up with me and his missus chucked me out. And now I'm here."Sometimes she would be overwhelmed by self-pity, and would weep bitterly over whatever task she was doing at the time, so that her tears were quite a usual sauce to pies and puddings if only Reuben had known it.
ONE:"Your childish cowardice had like to have betrayed us. Byles, you have not dealt honestly by me in this affairbut you are not in a state to be spoken to now."
THREE:Holgrave arose, and though he trembled, excitement had lent him such strength, that he walked up to the baron without assistance. De Boteler then, taking Holgrave's right hand, pushed him, with a gentle violence, away, at the same instant repeating, in a loud voice, "Away! thou art free!" and then added, "Hear, all ye assembled, that I, Roland de Boteler, release Stephen Holgrave from his bondage, and that from henceforth he oweth me no allegiance, except what is due as a vassal in chivalry."
THREE:"And the strife will begin this night!" said Margaret, fearfully, as Holgrave, bending over the bed, where lay two sleeping children, glanced for an instant at a dark-haired boy of five or six, and then, taking a little rosy infant of about a twelve-month in his arms, kissed it, and gazed upon its face with all the delight of a father.
Calverley took the cup, and drinking it off with as much zest as if he had not already tasted wine that morning"Any news?" said he, "master Lukeany news?""I've only just come in, m?aster. Went r?ound to the London Trader after hearing the poll. By the way, I picked up a piece of news thurold Jury's darter wot used to be at Cheat Land has just died. Bob Hilder t?ald meseems as she lodges wud his sister.""And do they help you on the farm?""Oh," said the smith, again sinking upon the window frame; and then, as if perfectly comprehending what had been said, he added, as a bitter smile passed across his lips, "in prison did you say? What had he done that he should be caged? Refused to say where Stephen is hid?"Towards the end of June the sessions commenced at Gloucester, and Holgrave once more stood in the hall of justicenot as a looker on, but as an actor. Although, at the present period, the charge would have assumed a truly formidable shape, yet the deed was not then accounted even as maihemfor the simple reason, that the loss of an ear did not prevent a man from performing military duties.At this instant, an arrow whizzed past Holgrave, and struck fire from the opposite wall. The yeoman sprang upon his feet; another shaft was sped, but instead of the object for which it was intended, pierced the hat of the foreman.Reuben had learnt his first lesson from experience. Quietly but decidedly he altered his conduct. He no longer made the slightest appeal to his family's enterprise or ambition, he no longer interrupted his chidings with those pathetic calls to their enthusiasm which had mystified or irritated them in times past. On the other hand he was twice as hard, twice as fierce, twice as ruthless and masterful as he had ever been.
