Beyond the man, his bowl, and his books, Prosper could see little else
in the room. There was, it is true, a shelf full of bottles, and
another full of images; but that was all.
Prosper stepped lightly into the room and laid a hand upon the
reader's shoulder. The young man did not start; he carefully recorded
his place before he lifted a thin face from his work to his visitor.
You were conscious of an extravagantly peaked nose, like the beak of
some water-fowl, of the wandering glance of two pale eyes, and of
little else except a mild annoyance.
"What is your pleasure, fair sir?" asked the young man.
"Sir," began Prosper, "I fear I have intruded upon your labours."
"You have," said the young man.
It was an uncompromising beginning. The young man beamed upon him,
waiting.
"Nevertheless, sir," Prosper went on, "I am driven to force myself
upon your hospitality for the night. Your house is large and
apparently roomy. It is dark and wild weather, with a prospect of
tempest. I must sleep here or on the moors."
"Sir," said the other, "you shall be welcome to my poor house, and
that notwithstanding the last guests I harboured murdered everybody in
it but myself. If it had not been for the intercession of a very
charming lady, who has but now left me, I had been dead ere this and
unable to play the host either to her or you. This I say not as
casting any imputation upon you, of whom I am willing to believe as
much as, nay, more than, our limited acquaintance may warrant. Regard
it rather as my excuse for affording you little more than a roof."
"By my faith," said Prosper, "I had believed the castle to be deserted
or sacked. But I am sorry enough to hear that my foreboding was so
near the truth."
"It was a certain lord calling himself Galors de Born, he and his
company, who did these harms upon my house," the young man explained.
"Me too he will assuredly murder before many days. Unless indeed the
lady of whom I spoke just now should return."
"I think I may say that she will not return, and that it will be
better for you if she do not. Galors, too, has other fish to fry. But
if he should happen to come, I pray God that I may be by with a
company to fight at your back." So Prosper.
"If God hear your prayer, which I should have thought more than
dubious," returned his host, "I only hope He may see fit to help you
to a company as well, for I have none. And as to fighting at my back,
I promise you I am a most indifferent leader, being, as you see,
somewhat immersed in other affairs."