"O, content thee!" spake another voice, sleepy and full-fed, "for, an these monies were the Duke's they were not thine, and if they were not thine thou wert not robbed, and, since thou wert not robbed, wherefore groan and glower ye on the moon? Moreover, thou hast yet certain monies thou didst--collect--from yon blind fellow, the which remindeth me I have not yet my share. So pray thee now disburse, good steward."
Hereupon, ere Beltane could stay him, Roger slipped, soft-treading, into the undergrowth; upon whose vanishing the air grew very suddenly full of shouts and cries, of scuffling sounds and woeful pleadings; and striding forward, Beltane beheld two men that crouched on bended knees, while Roger, fierce and threatening, stood betwixt, a hairy hand upon the throat of each. Now beholding Beltane, they (these gasping rogues) incontinent beset him with whimpering entreaties, beseeching of him their lives. Ragged knaves they seemed, and in woeful plight--the one a lank fellow and saturnine, with long, down-trending, hungry nose; the other a little man, plump and buxom, whose round eyes blinked woefully in his round and rosy face as he bent 'neath Roger's heavy hand. Yet spake he to Beltane in soft and soothing accents, on this wise: "Resplendent sir, behold this thy most officious wight who doth my tender throat with hurtful hand encompass--doubtless to some wise and gracious end an he doth squeeze me thus at thy command. Yet, noble sir, humbly would I woo of thee the mercy of a little more air, lest this right noble youth do choke me quite!"
But hereupon the lank fellow cried out, bold and querulous: "Take ye heed, for whoso dareth lay hand on me, toucheth the person of Duke Ivo's puissant self!"
"Ha--say ye so?" growled Roger, and forthwith squeezed him until he gasped again.
"Loose me, knave!" he panted, "Duke Ivo's Steward, I--Bailiff of the northern Marches with--towns and villages--adjacent thereunto--"
"Unhand them, Roger," said Beltane, "entreat them gently--in especial my lord Duke's Steward and Bailiff of the Marches, if so he be in very truth."
"Yea my lord, in very truth!" cried the Bailiff. "But two days since in ermined robe and chain of office, a notable man, I, courted by many, feared by more, right well be-seen by all, with goodly horse betwixt my knees and lusty men-at-arms at my beck and call. To-night, alas and woe! thou see'st me a ragged loon, a sorry wight the meanest rogue would scorn to bow to, and the very children jeer at--and all by reason of a lewd, black-avised clapper-claw that doth flourish him a mighty axe--O, a vile, seditious fellow ripe for the gallows."