It was not that they barred his way. Rather
they shrank from him; yet their eyes pulled and impeded him; it was by a
separate effort that he put each foot before the other. Behind he could
hear the long moan that she had given die into silence, and the
chattering whispers of her women who held her. He reassured himself
savagely; he would take care that no one was taken ... she would thank
him presently; he would but set guards at all the doors and make a
cursory search; he would break a panel or two; no more. And that would
save both his face and her own.... Yet he loathed even such work as
this....
He turned abruptly as he came into the buttery passage.
"All the women in the hall," he said sharply. "Jack, keep the door fast
till we are done."
V
He took particular pains to do as little damage as possible.
First he went through the out-houses, himself with a pike testing the
haystacks, where he was sure that no man could be hidden. The beasts
turned slow and ruminating eyes upon him as he went by their stalls.
As he passed, a little later, the inner door into the buttery passage,
he could hear the beating of hands on the hall-door. He went on quickly
to the kitchen, hating himself, yet determined to get all done quickly,
and drove the kitchen-maid, who was crouching by the unlighted fire, out
behind him, sending a man with her to bestow her in the hall. She wailed
as she went by him, but it was unintelligible, and he was in no mood for
listening.
Pages:
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456