"Me!--her!" exclaimed Robin, closing his teeth, and glaring on Jack
Roupall with fiendish fierceness.
"Keep off!" ejaculated Roupall, securing the ear-rings, and placing
himself in a posture of defence--"Keep off! I know ye of old, Robin
Hays, with your griping fingers and strong palms! Never quarrel with a
man because he doesn't understand ye'r delicacies, which are things each
makes in his own mind, so that no one else can taste 'em. I meant no
harm; only, mark ye, ye sha'n't throttle me for nothing the next go; so
keep off; and I'm off, for sides o' flesh and sides o' iron are astir up
there; so this is no place for me. I shall be off, and join King
Charlie: he's much in want of strong hands, I hear, and who knows but
the time is coming when 'the king shall enjoy his own again?'"
"Do but bury that!" said Robin: "I would stay and do it, but that I
must to the Nest at once."
"No, no," replied Roupall, striding away in an opposite direction; "let
it stay where it is, to poison ravens and the carrion-birds. It is
fitting food for them. They had nobler banquets at Naseby and at
Marston."