Yet did this compound, gorgeous and irrational, represent power;absolute power: it came straight from a tournament at the Duke's court, which being on a progress, lay last night at a neighbouring town - to execute the behests of royalty.
"What ho!" cried the upper half, and on Eli emerging, with his wife behind him, saluted them."Peace be with you, good people.
Rejoice! I am come for your dwarf."
Eli looked amazed, and said nothing.But Catherine screamed over his shoulder, "You have mistook your road, good man; here abides no dwarf.""Nay, wife, he means our Giles, who is somewhat small of stature:
why gainsay what gainsayed may not be?"
"Ay!" cried the pageant, "that is he, and discourseth like the big taber.
"His breast is sound for that matter," said Catherine sharply.
"And prompt with his fists though at long odds.""Else how would the poor thing keep his head in such a world as this?""'Tis well said, dame.Art as ready with thy weapon as he; art his mother, likely.So bring him forth, and that presently.See, they lead a stunted mule for him.The Duke hath need of him, sore need;we are clean out o' dwarven, and tiger-cats, which may not be, whiles earth them yieldeth.Our last hop o' my thumb tumbled down the well t'other day.""And think you I'll let my darling go to such an ill-guided house as you, where the reckless trollops of servants close not the well mouth, but leave it open to trap innocents, like wolven?"The representative of autocracy lost patience at this unwonted opposition, and with stern look and voice bade her bethink her whether it was the better of the two; "to have your abortion at court fed like a bishop and put on like a prince, or to have all your heads stricken off and borne on poles, with the bellman crying, 'Behold the heads of hardy rebels, which having by good luck a misbegotten son, did traitorously grudge him to the Duke, who is the true father of all his folk, little or mickle?'
"Nay," said Eli sadly, "miscall us not.We be true folk, and neither rebels nor traitors.But 'tis sudden, and the poor lad is our true flesh and blood, and hath of late given proof of more sense than heretofore.""Avails not threatening our lives," whimpered Catherine; "we grudge him not to the Duke; but in sooth he cannot go; his linen is all in holes.So there is an end."But the male mind resisted this crusher.
"Think you the Duke will not find linen, and cloth of gold to boot? None so brave, none so affected, at court, as our monsters, big or wee."How long the dispute might have lasted, before the iron arguments of despotism achieved the inevitable victory, I know not; but it was cut short by a party whom neither disputant had deigned to consult.
The bone of contention walked out of the house, and sided with monarchy.
"If my folk are mad, I am not," he roared."I'll go with you and on the instant."At this Catherine set up a piteous cry.She saw another of her brood escaping from under her wing into some unknown element.
Giles was not quite insensible to her distress, so simple yet so eloquent.He said, "Nay, take not on, mother! Why, 'tis a godsend.
