“Oho! you think to frighten me with fine words, do you, madam?” he sneered, his evil smile replaced by an ugly frown. “Not so fast, my dainty dove; you came hither for your own pleasure, you will remain awhile for mine.”
“Let me pass,” my lady replied, advancing boldly towards him.
But she had mistaken her man. Instead of giving place to her, he took two steps forward and gripped her wrists.
“You shall pass fast enough, mistress,” he said roughly, “but first I will even take toll of those ripe lips; for who passes, pays.” And despite her struggles he strove to draw her towards him. Up till now I had remained a silent spectator of the scene; nay, I had even felt a thrill of satisfaction that my lady should see that not every one would treat her with the same forbearance that I had shown towards her; but when he laid hands upon her a sudden flame of anger took possession of me, and I sprang into the open space.
“You hound!” I cried.
At my words, releasing his hold upon my lady’s wrists, he stepped backwards, a circumstance of which I was not slow to take advantage by placing myself between him and the bridge. But his surprise once mastered, he faced me with a lowering brow.
“So,” he said sneeringly after a moment’s pause, “the recreant lover arrives. Now I understand, and I congratulate you, mistress, on your choice.”
“You fool!” was all I could stammer, so taken aback was I at his words; “what do you mean?”
“What I say,” he answered in the same sneering tone. “We were blind not to have suspected it before. ’Tis not the first time a pretty face has caused a man to change sides. And I come between you, do I?” he continued darkly. “I am a spoil-sport, am I? Yours, and that——”
I checked the foul word on his lips by a blow that sent him reeling backwards, when, his spurred heel catching in a projecting root, he fell heavily to the ground.