CHAPTER XXX.
A FIGHT AT THE TAVERN.
It was a quiet time of the day, in a quiet part of the city. Adam discerned one or two individuals only and was not concerned with noting that he was suddenly preceded by a noiseless person, who hastened ahead of him to the tavern. The rover was much more occupied in observing the beauties of a horse that stood hitched to a post across the way from the public house.
The animal, a fine bay, imported from England, was the property of one of Randolph’s followers, a drinking young dandy with questionable ambitions and many extravagant tastes. Charmed by the horse’s impatience, as evinced by his pawing at the ground, Adam was tempted to get astride his back for a gallop.
However, after standing for a moment on the sidewalk, while his gaze caressed the champing animal, he turned and passed on into the tavern. Desiring to conclude his business as speedily as possible, he was somewhat annoyed to find the way to the bar, in front of the landlord, completely blocked by a great hulk of a creature, with a sword loosely girt about his loins, and two or three others, of whom the rover took less notice.
“By your leave,” he said, politely, not yet suspicious of the odd silence which had fallen on the company at his entrance, “I would like to get to the——”
“What!” roared the big lout, whom he had slightly touched upon the arm. “Who the devil are you? Keep your hands off of me, you fool!”
The person on whom Adam looked was Gallows, whose face, florid almost to being purple, was so savagely contorted as to comprise an insult in itself.
“My cross-eyed friend,” retorted Adam, whose temper had risen without delay, “have done looking at yourself, if you would see no fool. If you will tell me which hand I put on you, I’ll cut it off, else I may live to see it rot!”
The company had turned about at once. Pinchbecker was there, with his satellite, Psalms Higgler, the little white-eyed scamp that Adam had once dropped from the near-by window. The foppish young Englishman, who owned the horse outside, was likewise in the party. They all saw the burly Gallows turn to them hopelessly, befuddled by Adam’s answer.
“You be a fool!” he roared again, his eyes bulging out of their sockets in his wrath, “and I be the fool-killer!”