"Friend Hannibal," said he.
But I made no answer. At which he thought--for he was a strange man in many ways--to test me with the classics.
"'Tutum silentii praemium,'" said he; "or, as we have it, 'Silence is ever golden.' However, I believe that you could tell us much, were you so disposed."
Still I never answered. He could think what he liked; I was determined to hold my peace. For all that, I was considerably disconcerted; for he continued to look at me for a long time in a very searching manner, the while the daylight grew and the woods became flooded with that faint, evanescent twilight that fades and seems to drift, even when the sun is at its height.
At last he gave a start, and sat bolt upright, rubbing both his eyes.
"A strange thing!" said he, and continued to look at me, but this time with a frown.
"A strange thing, indeed!" he repeated.
There was another pause, during which I had not the courage to look him in the face. I had some presentiment of what was now to come; in spite of which the suddenness with which he had made it manifest that my secret was out, quite took away my breath.
"Allow me," said he, "to offer you my most hearty congratulations. We have every reason to presume that Master Richard Treadgold is unloved by the gods."
And at that, he held out a hand, and I was obliged to shake with him, though I felt at once frightened and a fool.