"One other kind gentleman, a pedlar-man, a simple body, who lies above;

he's weary travelling, and sleeps soundly."

The stranger took off his hat; and as he shook his head, throwing

completely back the hair that had in some degree overshadowed his face,

the old woman started, and an undefined expression of astonishment and

doubt burst from her lips. The gentleman either did not, or appeared not

to notice the effect he produced; but carefully drew from his bosom a

small book or tablet, and read in it for some minutes with much

attention, turning over and over the one or two leaves upon which his

eyes were fixed.

"And are you sure, good woman, that no other persons are in your house

save this same pedlar?" he inquired, now fixing his gaze steadily on the

withered countenance of Mother Hays.

"Alack! yes, sir, few travellers come to the lone widow's door, and it's

an out o' the way place: wouldn't your honour like some supper, or a

stoop of wine, or, mayhap, a glass of brandy?--it is useful these raw

nights; or a rasher and eggs?"

"Are you quite certain there is no other in the house, and that your son

is really not returned?" he again inquired, heedless of her invitation.

"Why should I deceive your honour?--am I not old, and would you that I

should so sin against the Lord?"

"You were not always thus piously given," replied the youth, smiling.

"Know you aught of this token?" and he united his hands after a

particular fashion: "heard you never the words----" and he whispered a

short sentence into her ear: upon which she dropped a reverential

courtesy, and, without reply, ascended, as quickly as her age and

infirmities permitted, the ladder that led to Roupall's place of

retreat. Ere she returned, however, accompanied by the trooper, another

person had entered the dwelling. It was no other than her son Robin, for

whom the gentleman had first inquired, and they were both engaged in

such deep and earnest conversation, that neither noticed the addition to

the party, until the old woman had thrown her arms around her son's

neck, so as almost to stifle him with her caresses, seeming to lose all

sense of the stranger's presence in the fulness of joy at the youth's

return.

"There, mother, that will do; why, you forget I have been in London

lately, and 'tis not the court fashion to rejoice and be glad. Besides,

I have seen his Highness, and his Highness's daughters, and his

Highness's sons, and drank, in moderation, with his Highness's servants:

so, stand off, good mother, stand off!----'honour to whom honour.'" And

Robin laid his finger on his nose, while a remarkable expression of

cunning and shrewdness passed along his sharp and peculiar features.




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