Long Will Part 28

"M-methought 't was the charite of Chester Fair th-that all men might gather there whether outlaw or-or-or runaway villein, and no one should l-l-lay hands on them while the Fair endured," the peddler queried.

"Yea, 't is so," a.s.sented Symme. "But what boots it me that I may go within Chester wall, if I must go empty-handed? The Rows are lined with spies that hale a man to the court of pie powder if he but stroke with his finger the furred edge of a hood that 's to sell. 'T were against reason to think a man will keep his hands off in midst of plenty."

"B-but Haukyn 's a b-beggar only, he may ply his trade," said the peddler.

"Haukyn does not ply his trade in Chester," the beggar answered for himself. "If he cannot go in to buy like 's betters, he 's safest without."

"Twenty-seven pearls," mused Nicholas; and Symme and Haukyn sighed.

The peddler looked across the blaze of the fire to where Calote lay, a little way off at the foot of a tree, asleep. On the ground beside her was the bag with the horn in it, and the string went round her slim body.

After a bit the soldier snored; the beggar twitched awake and in a trice was off again, this time sound; the villein turned his back to the fire and drew up his legs, and presently the peddler heard him grinding his teeth, and knew that he too was asleep.

Throughout the next day the peddler was never far from Calote; thrice the villein had the horn out of her bag and fondled it, and the beggar came and looked over his shoulder. The soldier's wench hung the chain about her own neck one while, and saith she to her love:--

"Deck me in this wise!"

"By Our Lady o' Walsingham, that will I," he swore, "when Calote and us common folk have put down the n.o.blesse, and all men share alike."

Again that night those three talked of the Fair after others slept, and the peddler sat beside them listening. On a sudden Symme Tipuppe turned to him and said:--

"If the horn were to sell, what would it fetch?"

"A g-goodly sum," the peddler answered cautiously.

"Yea, but what 's that, a pound?"

"A pound, sayst thou?" the soldier scoffed. "If 't bring not five times a pound, rend out my guts."

"H-haply 't might," said the peddler.

"With the chain?" queried Haukyn.

"With the chain?" Symme echoed, his eyes on the peddler.

"N-nay, but alone."

"Twenty for the chain, eh, peddler?" said Nicholas.

"N-nearer ten."

Then there was a very long stillness, till at last Symme said:--

"Fifteen pound!"

"If the King loveth us," grumbled the beggar, "he 'll never grudge fifteen pound. Hath not the maid said the King 's our friend?"

"Ho, fellows! 'T is our horn as well as the King's," Nicholas bl.u.s.tered in a whisper. "Doth not the maid say we 'll share with him?"

"'T is the maid's," said Symme, glancing aside uneasily at the peddler. "The King gave it to the maid."

"Not so, 't is the King's!" persisted Nicholas. "'T is hers for a token only. Heh, peddler?"

"'T-'t is t-true, 't is the K-King's," the peddler agreed.

Symme sighed as he were freed of a burden; the beggar moved more close to the peddler; Nicholas shook the peddler by the hand,--"A sober, sensible fellow, thou," he said.

"The King would give her another token an she lost this one," the beggar whined in his peevish way. "And though he 's King, he 's Earl o' Chester likewise; he 'd be kind to his own men, if they sold the horn for hunger."

The soldier loosened his knife in his girdle with one hand, the other he laid on the peddler's shoulder.

"Wilt thou be one with us in this adventure, brother?" he asked.

Symme also drew his knife, and Haukyn laid his fingers up about the back of the peddler's throat.

"G-gladly, brothers," said the peddler.

"Fifteen pound!" murmured Symme. "Fifteen pound!"

Then the young murderer began to moan and cry in his sleep, and, for a little, all were astir to soothe him; but when the place was quiet Symme said:--

"Who 'll sell it? Haukyn can go to the Fair."

"'T is no safe token for a beggar to bear," quoth Haukyn; "hold me excused. Men know me in Chester."

"Peddler can go to the Fair," said Nicholas; "he 's no outlawed man."

"True!" agreed Symme. "And peddler knows to chaffer. Fifteen pound, peddler."

"Or more," said Haukyn.

"Who will take the horn from the maid?" asked Nicholas.

"I," Haukyn answered him. "I found an old cow's horn yester morn; methought 't might prove a treasure. I 'll slip out one and slip in t'

other."

They chuckled.

"When she knoweth her loss, what then?" asked Symme.

"I 'll woo her prettily," said Nicholas, "till she forget."

"We 'll all go to Fair with the peddler," Haukyn declared.

But now the peddler answered: "Nay, n-not so! If I go, I go alone.

W-were I seen in your c-company, I 'd never sell it. M-my tabard is whole, m-my hosen are clean, m-my pack beareth me witness I 'm a peddler. Ye are ragged. I-I 'll swear on the horn afore I go that I 'll bring b-back the gold."

So they gave consent unwillingly, and composed them to a nap.