“But thy arguments, dear sir, thy arguments,” said the tall man.
“Marry, here they are. As the law stands, ’tis the Commons that rule England; which is just law, for, as I say, away with Princes and Lords, and let the people have their rights. But if the Commons are to rule, it must be by a majority of the members. Yea, but what does Colonel Pride do but shut out all such as were unfriendly to the plans made by those in command of the army, so that the remaining members were as wax in the army’s hands.”
“And rightly,” said the tall man, “for the army hath saved England, and could not stand by to see the Commons peril the people’s salvation.”
“Ay, now, there I am with you,” said the little man. “Yea, I am for the army; but what I say is that, while the matter was right, it was, also, as a nice point of law, illegal.”
At this there was a shout of laughter, and the dark-faced man smiled in spite of his gravity.
“Ah, Master Truelove,” said he, “I see thou art naught but a stickler for fine points. Thou knowest well enow that we must look to greater issues at a time like this, and not stop hairsplitting until opportunities are lost.”
“That is right enough, neighbour,” said the little man, not to be beaten out of his argument; “but then, as I say, the matter is—Hallo, friend, thou seemest to be in some haste.”
It was I who interrupted him. I had suddenly leaped to my feet, and my hurried movement upset the tankard at his side. He looked at me with a half-angry, half-curious expression, but I had no time to explain matters to him, and with a hasty expression of regret I strode across the room and out at the door, where but a minute sooner I had seen the face of Dennis Watson.
That it was he I had no doubt. I was looking towards the door of the parlour, listening to the talk of the little stout man, when I saw Dennis’s head and shoulders appear round the doorpost. He looked cautiously into the room, as if in search of someone. His eyes travelled round the company until they met mine; then he gave me one swift glance and drew back his head and vanished.
I was out of the room and in the passage that led to it almost as soon as he disappeared. He was gone, but a serving-wench, bearing a trencher full of tankards, was coming from a room further away, and towards her I darted impetuously. She gave a little scream as she saw me advancing so hastily upon her.
“Nay,” said I, “there is naught to be frightened of. Hast seen a man leave this passage just now?”
“A tall young man, master, with black hair?”
“Yes, yes,” I cried. “Which way has he gone, girl? Tell me, quick!”
“He went through yon door,” she answered, pointing to a door at the end of the passage. “Follow the lane; it will take you to the river.”
I had opened the door before she finished speaking, and running into the night, found myself at the head of a long narrow lane, enclosed by houses on either side, the walls of which were so near together that I could have touched them easily by stretching out my arms. At the far end of this lane hung a lamp, the feeble rays of which shed but a small light on the stones beneath it. All the rest of the lane was dark, and I could see naught of my quarry, but I heard his feet running swiftly along the pavement, and immediately set off after him. Presently I saw him cross the narrow patch of light underneath the lamp, and I gave a shout and went forward at a greater speed. In another instant I, too, had reached the lamp. As I darted into the glare of it I heard the crack of a pistol, and felt a bullet whiz past my ear. I gave a fiercer shout at that, and redoubled my speed, and as I ran I heard my enemy’s feet sounding before me. The lane was very dark after that, but I ran on, and presently came out on a little wharf alongside the river. There was a lamp burning there, but I could see naught of Dennis, till a gentle splash of the water drew my attention to the river, and then I saw that he had leaped into a boat and was rowing away into the darkness.
Now, I could neither swim nor row, and had never been in a boat in my life, so that I stood on the edge of the water cursing my ill luck, while my enemy was rapidly disappearing. But as fortune would have it, there just then came along a stout fellow, who, catching sight of me, made up to my side and asked me if I wanted taking across to Southwark.
“Nay,” said I; “but do you see yonder boat—there, just getting out of sight? Follow that, and land me where the man who is in it lands, and I will pay you well.”
“Jump in here then, master,” said he. “There is no better boat than mine on Thames side, nor a stouter pair of arms. Do you keep t’other boat in sight, and I’ll engage to catch her up.”
So we shot out into the darkness, and I strained my eyes to keep sight of Dennis, urging my boatman to row hard, and promising him a liberal reward if he did not allow the other boat to get away from us. For my heart was all afire by that time, and I was resolved that my enemy should not escape me. He was armed and I was not, for I
