He
was prepared to believe any villainy of such a man, and there were many,
little better than Kirke, free to work their will in the West Country
to-day. He was conscious of the ribbon about his neck, he remembered
that handclasp in the hidden chamber below Aylingford Abbey, and thanked
Heaven that the fair woman who had done so much to help him was in
London.
"Such thoughts make me sick, Golding," he said after a long pause. "I
feel that I must rush into the midst of such villains and strike, strike
until I am cut down. Sometimes there comes the belief that if a man had
the courage to charge boldly into such iniquity, God Himself would fight
beside him and give him victory."
"There peeps out the Puritan faith of your fathers, Master Gilbert. It's
a good faith, but over confident of miracles. You'd be foolish throwing
your life away trying the impossible when there is so much you are able
to do well."
"I argued like that only a few hours since," said Crosby. "But, for all
that, there's a taste of cowardice left behind in the mouth. I should
have been back early this afternoon but for the fact that this troop I
spoke of was still hanging about the highway yonder.
Pages:
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294