“Because,” said the apparition coolly, “I don’t.”
“Never thought you were,” said Mr Benden grimly, turning the tables on the enemy, who had left him a chance to do it.
Tabitha rose and advanced to the table.
“Where is Alice?” she demanded.
“How should I know?” answered Mr Benden, hastily shovelling into his mouth another spoonful of eggs, without a notion what they tasted like. “In the gaol, I reckon. You are best to go and see, if you’d fain know. I’m not her keeper.”
“You’re not? Did I not hear you swear an oath to God Almighty, to ‘keep her in sickness and in health?’ That’s how you keep your vows, is it? I’ve kept mine better than so. But being thus ignorant of what you should know better than other folks, may be it shall serve you to hear that she is not in the gaol, nor none wist where she is, saving, as I guess, yon dotipole men call Dick o’ Dover. He and Satan know, very like, for I count they took counsel about it.”
Mr Benden laid down his spoon, and looked up at Tabitha. “Tabitha, I wist nought of this, I ensure you, neither heard I of it aforetime. I—”
He took another mouthful to stop the words that were coming. It would hardly be wise to let Tabitha know what he had said to the Bishop.
“Sit you down, and give me leave to help you to these eggs,” he said, hospitably in appearance, politically in fact.
“I’ll not eat nor drink in your house,” was the stern reply. “Must I, then, take it that Dick o’ Dover hath acted of his own head, and without any incitement from you?”