"Or a lire of wine," said his facetious companion –
"Or a psalm," said Tragedy –
"Or a song," said Comedy –
"Neither, my good, kind, and most expeditious friends," said the Bohemian – "I only pray to speak a few minutes with yonder Archer of the Scottish Guard."
The executioners hesitated a moment; but Trois-Eschelles recollecting that Quentin Durward was believed, from various circumstances, to stand high in the favour of their master, King Louis, they resolved to permit the interview.
When Quentin, at their summons, approached the condemned criminal, he could not but be shocked at his appearance, however justly his doom might have been deserved. The remnants of his heraldic finery, rent to tatters by the fangs of the dogs, and the clutches of the bipeds who had rescued him from their fury to lead him to the gallows, gave him at once a ludicrous and a wretched appearance. His face was discoloured with paint, and with some remnants of a fictitious beard, assumed for the purpose of disguise, and there was the paleness of death upon his cheek and upon his lip; yet, strong in passive courage, like most of his tribe, his eye, while it glistened and wandered, as well as the contorted smile of his mouth, seemed to bid defiance to the death he was about to die.
Quentin was struck partly with horror, partly with compassion, as he approached the miserable man, and these feelings probably betrayed themselves in his manner, for Petit-André called out, "Trip it more smartly, jolly Archer – This gentleman's leisure cannot wait for you, if you walk as if the pebbles were eggs, and you afraid of breaking them."
"I must speak with him in privacy," said the criminal, despair seeming to croak in his accent as he uttered the words.
"That may hardly consist with our office, my merry Leap-the-ladder," said Petit-André; "we know you for a slippery eel of old."
"I am tied with your horse-girths, hand and foot," said the criminal – "You may keep guard around me, though out of ear-shot – the Archer is your own King's servant – And if I give you ten gilders" –