“What, indeed,” answered Brilliana, demurely. “I pray you persuade him hence.”
“So that I may return alone?”
Thus Master Peter interpreted Brilliana, and the minx gave him a glance which might well be taken as justifying his interpretation. At this moment Master Paul broke in upon their colloquy.
“A word with you, I pray you,” he said, sourly, “if my good neighbor will give me good leave.”
Master Rainham withdrew a little way his self-satisfaction and himself, while Master Paul whispered to Brilliana:
“You know me now: I am proved your friend. Prithee get rid of that mean huckster.”
Brilliana desired nothing better. She gave him the same advice that she had given his neighbor, and was mischievously delighted to find that he interpreted it after the same fashion. It did her heart good to see how the two squires approached each other with many formal expressions of good-will, each persuading the other to depart, and each warmly proffering companionship on the homeward road. In the end they went off together arm in arm, each endeavoring to convey to Brilliana by nods and winks that he proposed to return alone very shortly.
As soon as they were fairly gone Brilliana and Halfman allowed themselves to laugh like school-boy and school-girl, and then Brilliana commanded Halfman to take order that neither gentleman was to be admitted again. When he had gone on this business she turned to Evander.
“Well,” she said, “have you found the key to the riddle?”
“You have made these two neighbors plunder each other?” he hazarded. Brilliana nodded gleefully, and then, guessing at disapproval in his gravity, she asserted, defiantly: