“I thank thee, good Master Gray,” he said. “’Tis what I looked for at thy hands; for a certain friend of mine, one Master Pry, hath commended thee to me in this wise very oft. Truly, I have repented me of the evil, and will sin no more. I see thou doubtest me! But”----
“Peace! peace!” cried Bernard. “I sought thee on another matter, concerning the affairs of thy sometime partner.”
“Anon; we will discourse of them anon,” replied Craftall. “Now, to give thee assurance of my amendment, let me tell thee where, to my knowledge, a seminary-priest is in hiding.”
“Let him be!” returned Bernard. “He hath a licence, no doubt; and even if he have not, ’twould be a hard matter, I dare affirm, to seize him in the discharge of his functions.”
“I tell thee, he hath no licence,” said Craftall, impatiently--for he expected to be visited by the sailors every moment. “Moreover, an’ thou wilt be guided by me, thou shalt seize him in the exercise of his office. To-morrow morning, he marries a cavalier of Spain, one Felix di Corva, to Mistress Evaline de Neville.”
“An’ it be not true, denounce me!” exclaimed Craftall, solemnly.
“I must to horse straight, then!” said Bernard. “Here is some devilry at work!”
He turned away with these words, and, without further speech, made for the door, and darted into the street.
“Ha! ha!” cried Craftall. “’Tis a good deed! ’Tis well done!”
It was the eighth hour of the morning before Bernard arrived at Lantwell. Though his horse was jaded, he did not draw up before his own house, but proceeded, at a pretty brisk canter, to the upper end of the village. There, a short distance from the church, he came to a small cottage, similar to his own, before which he reined up, and alighted.
“So ho, there!” he cried, knocking at the door. “Gaffer Peters! So ho!”
Several minutes intervened, however, before the door was opened. A short, stout man, about the middle age, then made his appearance, and, discerning Bernard, hastily stepped out to the road.
“Give thee good morrow, fair master!” he cried. “What hath gone wrong?”
“Never thou heed what, Master Headborough!” replied Bernard; “but don thy cap, and mount thee up behind me.”
“But the law, Master Gray--the law of the matter?” inquired the constable. “Look you, an’ it be a simple matter of robbery, thou must needs have a warrant, as I take it, ere thou mayst take the thief.”