“And then?”
“Why, then, he will be very tired; but his work will be done, and if the beast rests for a day or two afterwards he will not suffer.”
“A noble for thee, if thou canst get the draught.”
The ostler went away a brief space, and returned with a mixture which he poured into a bucket with a little water; the steed drank it greedily.
“Now let him rest another half-hour, and he will be ready.”
“Half-an-hour, now—”
“Thou hast but just arrived; get thine own breakfast, and thou needest not tarry again till thou catchest Master Redpate. He could not get a change of horses here either, although he tried hard; there was a hunt in the neighbourhood, and every steed was in the field; thou wilt hear of him before thou reachest Glastonbury.”
Cuthbert was forced to make a merit of necessity and wait as patiently as he could.
“If thou canst not take it easy, take it as easy as thou canst,” said this old philosopher of an ostler.
At the end of the half-hour he brought the horse to the door. Cuthbert mounted eagerly, gave the man his promised douceur, and was off.