Sir Quixote of the Moors

at light in the further window lit up the ground for some yards. I knocked loudly with my sword-hilt. Stillness seemed to reign within, save that from

a foot on the stone floor of a passage, a bustling as of many folk running hither and thither, and a great barking of a sheep-d

wind. I judged him fifty, but he may have been younger by ten years, for in that desert men age the speedier. His dress was dirty and

ly in the face, and I felt his thin, cold glance piercing to the roots of my thoughts. I liked the man ill, for, what with his lean figure and s

as wandered for hours in bog-holes, he will be in no mind to stand cha

d," said he, "but such as I ha'e ye're welcome to. Bide a

round by the back end, and thither poor Saladin and his master stumbled over a most villainous rough ground. The place, when found, was no great thing to boast of-a cold shed, damp with rain, with blaffs of wind wheezing through it; and I

lodging I had chanced on. Mine host stirred the blaze and bade me strip off my wet garments. He fetched me an armful of rough homespuns, but I cared little to put them on, so I e'en sat in my shirt and waited on the drying of my coat. My mother's portrait, the one by Grizot, which I have had set in gold and wear always near my heart, dangled to my lap, a

is harsh voice. "Ye're gey-like splashed wi' di

all it! for a more blackguardly place I have n

an holy man of God, one Ebenezer Clavershaws, preached to a goodly gathering on the shining ladder seen by the patr

een giving my account ere this to my Maker. But a truce to this talk. 'Twas not to listen to such that I came here; let

iches of God's grace. Oh, be warned while yet there is time. You know not the delights of gladsome communion wi' Him, which makes the moss-hags and heather

rd of the wild deeds of those in our own land who call themselves Huguenots, and I was no

you who come and prate before your guests, instead of fetching the

and my bearing must have had some effect upo

, a bottle of French claret of excellent quality. 'Twas so much in excess of my expectation, that I straightway fell into a good humor, and the black cloud of dismay lifted in some degree from my wits. I fill

I read madness, greed, and hatred. I feared his look, and was glad to see him leave, for he made me feel angry and

ime, when I first came to Scotland, and my hopes were still unbroken. After all this I began to mind me of the pleasant days in France; for, though I had often fared ill enough there, all was forgotten but the good fortune; and I had soon built out of my brain a France which was liker Paradise than anywhere o

ere I could surely meet a French skipper who would take me over, money or no. You will ask, whoever may chance to read this narrative, why, in Heaven's name, I did not turn and go back to Ayr, the port from which I had come? The reason is not far to seek. The whole land behind me stank in my nostrils, for there dwelt Quentin Kennedy,

r there came a gleam of pale moonlight. I sprang up in haste and called for a servant to show me to my sleeping room, but the next second I could have wished the w

, for though I knew not the hour of the night, I judged from the state of the fire that it must have been far

ssage to a chamber which, from the turnings of the house, I guessed to be facing the east. 'Twas a comfortless place, and ere I could add

the worst entertainment I ever had, and I have made trial of many. Yet I need not complain, for I have had a good fire and a royal supper, and my present dis-comfort is due in great part to

here was a great muttering in the air of swollen water, for the rain had ceased, and the red waves were left to roll down the channel to the lowlands and make havoc of meado

intently. A thud of horses' hoofs on the wet ground came to my ear. A second, and it was plainer, the noise of some half-

hich forbade slumber, a vague uneasiness as of some ill approaching, which it behooved me to combat. Again and again I tried to drive it fro

oldierly honor to slip from my room and gather what was the purport of their talk. At such a time, and in such a place, it boded no good for me, and the evil face of the landlord was ever i

ark wi' him, think ye?

t land, and a' folk ken they're little use. Forbye, I had stock o' him mysel', and I th

nd at the swird? There's no y

n get him intil a corner, where h

first set his teeth. I loosened my sword in its scabbard; and now I come to think of it,'twas a great wonder that it had not been taken away from me while I slept. I could only guess that the man had been afraid to approach me before the arrival of his confederates. I gripped my sword-hilt; ah, how often had I felt its touch under kindlier circum

ing hard that I should perish in this wise? I looked every way for a means of escape. There was but one-the little window which looked upon the ground east of the inn. 'Twas just conceivable that a man might leap it and make his way to t

he next moment the noise had stopped, and 'twas evident that the conclave was not yet closed. 'Tis a strange thing, the mind of man, for I, who had looked

my hands, swung my legs into the air, and dropped. I lighted on a tussock of grass and rolled over on my side, only t

ver moved or spake, but only stared fixedly at me. Yet there

mount and meet me in combat. Your spawn will not be out for a little time, and the night is

he presently spoke, and asked me my name and errand in the countryside.

d would fling it to the winds at a word. 'Tis well enough for the others, who are mongrel b

of musing, tugging at his beard like a ma

thered by the roadside; "lead him to the place I speak of, and trust to God for the rest. I will raise a scare that you're off the other airt, and, mind, that whenever you see the tails o'

you on earth I will repay you for your mercy. But a word

k o' the Hirsel. There's mony a man would face the devil wi' a regiment o' dragoons at his back, that

ouched by his side. 'Twas none too soon, for I was scarce in hiding when I heard a great racket in the house, and the sound of men swearing and mounting horse