“It is you—” began his father.
“It is certainly not Nick, sir. The hot fool nearly provoked me.”
“But you hate such mummery yourself, my son?”
Ralph hesitated.
“It is not seemly—” began his father again.
“It is certainly not seemly; but neither are the common folk seemly.”
“Did you have much business with them, my son?” Ralph smiled in the firelight.
“Why, no, sir. I told them who I was. I charged myself with the burden.”
“And you will not be in trouble with my Lord?”
“My Lord has other matters to think of than a parcel of mummers.”