The Armourer's PrenticesYonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
History
The Armourer's Prentices
Yonge, Charlotte M. (Charlotte Mary)
Great Britain -- History -- Henry VIII, 1509-1547 -- Fiction
Mr. Headley thanked him heartily for his care, and said that he had
brought men to carry the youth home, if he could not walk; and then he
went up to the couch with a hearty “How now, Giles? So thou hast had
hard measure to knock the foolery out of thee, my poor lad. But come,
we’ll have thee home, and my mother will see to thee.”
“I cannot walk,” said Giles, heavily, hardly raising his eyes, and when
he was told that two of the men waited to bear him home, he only
entreated to be let alone. Somewhat sharply, Mr. Headley ordered him to
sit up and make ready, but when he tried to do so, he sank back with a
return of sickness and dizziness.
Abenali thereupon intreated that he might be left for that night, and
stepping out into the court so as to be unheard by the patient,
explained that the brain had had a shock, and that perfect quiet for
some hours to come was the only way to avert a serious illness,
possibly dangerous. Master Headley did not like the alternative at all,
and was a good deal perplexed. He beckoned to Tibble Steelman, who had
all this time been talking to Lucas Hansen, and now came up prepared
with his testimony that this Michael was a good man and true, a godly
one to boot, who had been wealthy in his own land and was a rare
artificer in his own craft.
“Though he hath no license to practise it here,” threw in Master
Headley, _sotto voce_; but he accepted the assurance that Michael was a
good Christian, and, with his daughter, regularly went to mass; and
since better might not be, he reluctantly consented to leave Giles
under his treatment, on Lucas reiterating the assurance that he need
have no fears of magic or foul play of any sort. He then took the purse
that hung at his girdle, and declared that Master Michael (the title of
courtesy was wrung from him by the stately appearance of the old man)
must be at no charges for his cousin.
But Abenali with a grace that removed all air of offence from his
manner, returned thanks for the intention, but declared that it never
was the custom of the sons of Ali to receive reward for the hospitality
they exercised to the stranger within their gates. And so it was that
Master Headley, a good deal puzzled, had to leave his apprentice under
the roof of the old sword-cutler for the night at least.
“’Tis passing strange,” said he, as he walked back; “I know not what my
mother will say, but I wish all may be right. I feel—I feel as if I had
left the lad Giles with Abraham under the oak tree, as we saw him in
the miracle play!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account