'I suppose I was not, for my instinct always was to use the simplest and quickest means possible to gain my point. I had an intense dislike to doing things in a crooked, roundabout way; and if I made the slightest attempt to do so, was sure to break down hopelessly. Now, Hal had undoubtedly a strong taste for a little bit of intrigue. Not that he would do anything that he considered mean or dishonourable. He had his own ideas of honour, and was staunch enough to them; but his Court life had begun very early, and had taught him a great many things which shocked me when I first knew him. Among them was this love of man[oe]uvring, which I could neither understand nor take a share in, notwithstanding my friendship for Hal. But he was older than I was; and I admired and respected him so much that I generally gave way to his opinion.
'"You see, we could not offer him a bribe worth having," Hal presently pursued; "and even if we could, I have my doubts as to whether he would take it. He is a superstitious fool, and chicken-hearted enough for anything; but I don't think he is so greedy as some folks that I wot of. No! Look you, Algernon, this is what we must do; we must frighten him into it."
'"Well, but how! Do you mean by some trick of goblins or demons?"
'"No, not that; though that were no bad notion either. There's nothing he would not believe. But I'll tell you the scheme I've thought of. You know Father Niccolo always paces up and down the green walk under the chapel windows, reading his breviary for some time before vespers. Well, we'll be in hiding in that dark alley leading down to the river, you and I, and two or three more of us. We must be right well cloaked and masked, of course—in such guise that he shall have no inkling as to who we are. Then, when Father Niccolo passes, out we rush, drag him into the alley, and force a promise from him to pray the Queen's grace for the maids of Taunton."
'"But, Hal, force a promise! how can that be managed? Father Niccolo is not very easily browbeaten, I imagine."
'"Leave that to me," replied Hal, whose confidence in his own powers seemed to increase with the necessity for using them. "It will be my business to arrange about that. Your legs and arms will be more wanted in this affair than your tongue, Algernon; and they are not to be despised in the matter of strength. I think I could be made to promise most things if held in your grip, with no chance of being released until I had passed my word. But are you willing that I should have the whole conduct of this affair?"
'"Oh, certainly; if you are quite sure there is no other way of gaining the pardon."
'"You must see yourself that this is the surest and swiftest," cried Hal eagerly; and then he hastily ran over the arguments which proved that every other scheme must fail. In fact, he was becoming so much in love with his plot, that I am sure he would have been highly disgusted if I had discovered a flaw in it, or had suddenly devised a much better one. But I could not, and so was obliged to fall in, heart and soul, with Hal's project. I was not without some doubts and scruples which I was ashamed to confess to him, but which troubled me a good deal at first, though I speedily forgot them in the excitement of planning and carrying out our enterprise.
'"In the first place," said Hal, "we must get one or two of the others to help us, who will keep our counsel, and do as they are told. Roger Crosbie for one, I think, and Phil Buckthorne for the other."
'"Is he to be trusted?" I ask rather doubtingly.