“Who’s to pay the passage? For I have little money. Much of my gain has been withheld to pay for the things I needed when I came.”
“And I no money at all. But did you come here from Dossola by paying? Can we not offer service?”
He (thought of the one-eyed captain and the service demanded then, but) took her hand. “You are right, and it is the only thing to try,” he said. “Come, before any pursuit fairly starts.”
They crept down the stairs, hand in hand, like conspirators. At the parlor Rodvard sacrificed one of his coins to pay for his night’s lodging. (The thought of Leece and what she would be doing at this hour was in his mind as) they stepped into a street from which the grey light had rubbed out all the night’s romance to leave the city drab and wintry.
A milk-vendor met them with his goats and gave a swirl of his pipes in greeting. There were few other passengers abroad, but more began to appear as they drew near the harbor area; carters and busy men, and hand-porters. Presently they were among warehouses and places of commerce. Beyond lay the quays and a tangle of masts. Here was a tavern, opening for the day; the proprietor said that a Captain ’Zenog had a ship at the fourth dock down, due to sail for the Green Isles with the tide. The place was not hard to find, nor the captain either, standing by the board of his vessel, strong and squat, like a giant beaten into lesser stature by the mallet of one still stronger.
“A Green Islands captain, aye, I am that,” he said. “I’ll take you there on the smoothest ship that sails the waters.”
Said Rodvard; “I do not doubt it. But we have no money and wish to work our way.”
Bluff heartiness fell away from him (and the glance said he was suspicious of something). “What can you do?”
“I am a clerical, really, but would take other labor merely to reach the Green Islands.”
Lalette said; “I have done sewing and could mend a sail here and there.”