The hangman has a rope
for such as you.'
'Then you must drag me thither,' he groaned, and shut his eyes as though
with faintness, and doubtless he was somewhat faint.
Now as I pondered on what should be done with the villain, it chanced
that I looked up through a gap in the fence, and there, among the
Grubswell Oaks three hundred yards or more away, I caught sight of the
flutter of a white robe that I knew well, and it seemed to me that the
wearer of that robe was moving towards the bridge of the 'watering' as
though she were weary of waiting for one who did not come.
Then I thought to myself that if I stayed to drag this man to the
village stocks or some other safe place, there would be an end of
meeting with my love that day, and I did not know when I might find
another chance. Now I would not have missed that hour's talk with Lily
to bring a score of murderous-minded foreigners to their deserts, and,
moreover, this one had earned good payment for his behaviour. Surely
thought I, he might wait a while till I had done my love-making, and
if he would not wait I could find a means to make him do so. Not twenty
paces from us the horse stood cropping the grass. I went to him and
undid his bridle rein, and with it fastened the Spaniard to a small
wayside tree as best I was able.
'Now, here you stay,' I said, 'till I am ready to fetch you;' and I
turned to go.
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