The man was dumb with fear and distress, for a moment; then he rallied, and said with forced lightness—
"'Tis making a mighty matter, indeed, out of a jest; I but plagued the woman for mine amusement."
"Kept you the woman's pig for amusement?"
The man answered sharply—
"Nought else, good sir—I tell thee 'twas but a jest."
"I do begin to believe thee," said Hendon, with a perplexing mixture of mockery and half-conviction in his tone; "but tarry thou here a moment whilst I run and ask his worship—for nathless, he being a man experienced in law, in jests, in—"
He was moving away, still talking; the constable hesitated, fidgeted, spat out an oath or two, then cried out—
"Hold, hold, good sir—prithee wait a little—the judge! Why, man, he hath no more sympathy with a jest than hath a dead corpse!—come, and we will speak further. Ods body! I seem to be in evil case—and all for an innocent and thoughtless pleasantry. I am a man of family; and my wife and little ones—List to reason, good your worship: what wouldst thou of me?"