I came out into a place much like that at which I had entered, except that it was still more masked by shrubs, and found myself in the clearing of a wood. It seemed to me that I had come quite straight along the underground passage, so that I must be on the way in which I intended to go. The cave, as a cave, had been disappointing, and there was nothing to be gained by going back. I would take my nap, and then find the road again.
I looked about for a place to lie down in, and as I did so saw a very ragged dirty man coming towards me.
I was rather annoyed at this. Having shaken off one uninvited companion, I did not want to be troubled with another.
There was something rather striking about his face, in spite of his unkempt hair and beard—a look of self-possession, even of pride, and, as he kept his eyes on me approaching him, almost of arrogance.
However, he was poor enough, to all appearances, and I thought that if I gave him some money he would probably want to go away at once and spend it. So I accosted him cheerfully and offered him a sixpence.
I had made no mistake about his arrogance. He drew himself up, and his eyes flashed at me.
"How dare you?" he began. "I will——"; and he looked round as if to summon someone to aid him in resenting an insult.
"Oh, all right," I said, pocketing the coin; "if you are as proud as all that——! But I meant no harm, and I'm almost as poor as you are."
"The more shame to you for behaving like that," he said hotly. "I could forgive it, perhaps, in one who was richer. I will not take your money; and if you use your superior strength to force it on me, I warn you that you will not hear the last of it."