"I could see you pitied the maid," he went on. "I could see that a man of inches like you thought it was a shame for a maid such as she to be wedded to such a shambling creature as he." "She should have a man like you," I suggested. "Ah, you see it!" he cried. "I thought so last night. I said, Here is a man who knows a man!"--and he drew himself up with a sort of mountebank bravado. "But I am kept out of it," he continued. "She is not allowed to think of me. She is not allowed even to see me. I must not speak to her. It's all Otho, Otho. He must have Endellion, he must have Restormel, and he must have the maid, too." "And he seems to love her." "Love her! With the cunning love of a priest. But it is not the love of a man such as I. If she could see me, talk with me, all would be different!" "You think she would love you?" "Maidens have not been wont to say me nay," he said, strutting around as vainly as a peacock. "But what hath all this to do with me?" "Ah, yes!" he cried; "I had forgotten. Otho hath embittered my father against you. He hath warned all the servants against you. You are to be kept here until Otho is wedded to Nancy." "And then?" "I cannot say yet. But if Otho hath his will it will go ill with you. But I have brains and power as well as Otho. I marked you last night, and I know that you, too, love the sight of a man." I could not help smiling at the fellow's vanity. But I said nothing. "You refused Otho's conditions last night, and you are here because of it. Look you, I will get you out of this if you like." "How?" "Oh, Otho hath not everything his own way. I have friends as well as he. If you will help me, you shall be free. Is it to be a bargain?" "How help you?" "Otho hath ceased to suspect me. He thinks I have given up all thoughts of wedding Nancy, seeing that my father hath willed that he shall wed her." I waited in silence. "A priest is coming here from Padstow shortly," he went on. "It is intended that Otho and Nancy shall be wedded before he leaves. If you will help me, we will baulk him. I will take her away. I know a parson near Bodmin, and he will wed her to me." "Whether the maid wills or no?" "She will be glad enough to wed me, I'll lay to that,"--and again he strutted around the room. "And how will you do this?" I asked. "Nay, I will not tell you until I get your promise. Give me your word, Roger Trevanion, and I will tell you how you shall get out of this hole; also my plans for taking away the maid Nancy from the marriage altar." In truth, I felt less inclined to give my promise to Benet than to Otho; but I had become more cautious. "But why need you my help?" I asked. "Because,"--he unlocked the door and listened carefully before replying; then, after locking it again, came back to me, and continued: "Because Otho hath bewitched almost everybody, and because I need such a man as you to carry out my plans." "But at least you can tell me what you wish me to do?"