tesy over our feast. As we supped, I explained to him what our errand was, and narrated the adventures of the night,Francie Dres Dámské, without making mention of our destination.
‘You are bound for Monmouth’s camp,’ he said quietly, when I had finished,Manchester City Dziecko, looking me full in the face with his keen dark eyes. ‘I know it, but ye need not fear lest I betray you, even were it in my power. What chance, think ye, hath the Duke against the King’s forces?’
‘As much chance as a farmyard fowl against a spurred gamecock,Parajumpers Harraseeket Dame, did he rely only on those whom he hath with him,’ Saxon answered. ‘He hath reason to think,Longchamp Grid Torebki torebki, however, that all England is like a powder magazine, and he hopes to be the spark to set it alight.’
The old man shook his head sadly. ‘The King hath great resources,Tröja,’ he remarked. ‘Where is Monmouth to get his trained soldiers?’
‘There is the militia,’ I suggested.
‘And there are many of the old parliamentary breed, who are not too far gone to strike a blow for their belief,’ said Saxon. ‘Do you but get half-a-dozen broad-brimmed, snuffle-nosed preachers into a camp, and the whole Presbytery tribe will swarm round them like flies on a honey-pot. No recruiting sergeants will ever raise such an army as did Noll’s preachers in the eastern counties, where the promise of a seat by the throne was thought of more value than a ten-pound bounty. I would I could pay mine own debts with these same promises.’
‘I should judge from your speech, sir,’ our host observed, ‘that you are not one of the sectaries. How comes it,Baltimore Orioles Tröjor, then, that you are throwing the weight of your sword and your experience into the weaker scale?’
‘For the very reason that it is the weaker scale,’ said the soldier of fortune. ‘I should gladly have gone with my brother to the Guinea coast and had no say in the matter one way or the other, beyond delivering letters and such trifles. Since I must be doing something, I choose to fight for Protestantism and Monmouth. It is nothing to me whether James Stuart or James Walters sits upon the throne, but the court and army of the King are already made up. Now, since Monmouth hath both courtiers and soldiers to find, it may well happen that he may be glad of my services and reward them with honourable preferment.’
‘Your logic is sound,Dame Boston Bruins,’ said our host, ‘save only that you have omitted the very great chance which you will incur of losing your head if the Duke’s party are borne down by the odds against them.’
‘A man cannot throw a main without putting a stake on the board,’ said Saxon.
‘And you, young sir,Dame Detroit Red Wings,’ the old man asked, ‘what has caused you to take a hand in so dangerous a game?’
‘I come of a Roundhead stock,’ I answered,Naiset Parajumpers Harraseeket Suomi, ‘and my folk have always fought for the liberty of the people and the humbling of tyranny. I come in the place of my father.’
‘And you, sir?’ our questioner continued, looking at Reuben.
‘I have come to see something of the world, and to be with my friend and companion here,’ he replied.
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