“The hound! I would I had been there to tell him straight what manner of cur he is.”
“There was no need for that. Wilfrid forthwith flew into such a rage as drove from him all fear of what might betide. First he shouted at the bailiff some most naked truths as to his character and doings, then he rushed upon him, and, warding off a sword blow, pulled him from his horse, even as he had done that other time, and ere the soldiers could interfere had broken Bardolph’s nose with one great blow from his fist.”
“Oh Saints above! Did he so indeed? There’s a yeoman for thee of the sort that win England’s battles. I would we had him under Mountjoy banner. But what next occurred?”
“The soldiers had leaped from their horses as soon as the bailiff went down, and both together they seized Wilfrid and overthrew and bound him fast. Then, lashing him on the back of a horse, they set out for Kimberley, with he of the broken nose riding close behind, shedding a stream of blood and furious oaths. The neighbor folk say that over and over again he swore that young Birkenhead should never leave Kimberley alive.”
“By’r Lady!” I cried, “there’s naught to prevent him making good his threats. He is in command at Kimberley now that the Sheriff hath left for the North.”
Cedric nodded sadly.
“’Tis so. He dares not put him to death openly, but he may starve him in his cell and report that he died of a sickness. And if the Sheriff returns, I doubt of much betterment for one in Wilfrid’s plight. Thou knowest well that throughout England at this moment there are lying in dungeons, with chains on their limbs, full many honest men who are as innocent of any crime as thou or me.”
“I know it well indeed. And of these there are many as to whom their very jailers know not the charge against them, for their accusers are long ago dead. ’Tis a hard world we live in, Cedric; but I see not how we may better it.”
Cedric sprang up and faced me with high-held head and blazing eyes.
“Sir Richard, if thou’lt help me, we may better this hard world for one luckless man. It has come to me how we may take Wilfrid of Birkenhead from the very walls of Kimberley.”