"Nay, but I want him to journey home with me to-morrow," said the steward in some alarm. "I came to the fair for plenishings, but my chief errand was to bid Master Paton here journey homeward with all speed."
"But he could not ride on horseback, and he cannot walk; and since the world was made there hath been no other fashion by which a man can move from place to place," said the young surgeon.
"No!" slowly uttered one of the group. But at last it was proposed that a duly qualified doctor should be fetched, and the young surgeon volunteered to go for him and tell him the state of the case, that he might bring such bandages and medicines with him that he would be likely to require; and with him went several others, leaving the steward alone with his master at last, and as soon as he saw this the young fellow turned and looked at the elder man, and said, "What is it, Roger? What hath happened? Is my father well?"
"Aye, he is well, and the Lady Jane, thy mother, too."
"Then I care not what the news may be. Tell it, Roger, I can bear it, though I hope our little Margery is no worse."
"Nay, Mistress Margery is better, but a sore mischance bath befell thy brother, Mr. John,—and —and—"
"A mischance to Jack? Why, he hath not been married a year!"
"Aye, the bridal marchpane hardly eaten before—" but there he stopped, for Miles had grown deathly pale again, and he gave him some of the medicine left by his friend to restore him.
"Don't say it, Roger," murmured the young fellow, feebly. "I quarreled with Jack the last time I was at home, and it was over this new learning too. Tell me he is only hurt a little, or ill a little, for we loved each other, Roger, though he was the eldest, and the Hall and all that belongs to it would go to him, and leave the rest of us poor."
But at this point the old man hid his face in his hands, and groaned.