But he was deceived in his expectations; and fate, which seemed at first
to promise so fairly, soon threatened to turn the incident which he thus
gloried in into the cause of their utter ruin.
They had not ridden a short mile from the place where they left the
lad before they heard a man's voice shouting on the wind behind them,
"Robbery! robbery!--Stop thief!" and similar exclamations, which
Wayland's conscience readily assured him must arise out of the
transaction to which he had been just accessory.
"I had better have gone barefoot all my life," he said; "it is the Hue
and Cry, and I am a lost man. Ah! Wayland, Wayland, many a time thy
father said horse-flesh would be the death of thee. Were I once safe
among the horse-coursers in Smithfield, or Turnbull Street, they should
have leave to hang me as high as St. Paul's if I e'er meddled more with
nobles, knights, or gentlewomen."
Amidst these dismal reflections, he turned his head repeatedly to see by
whom he was chased, and was much comforted when he could only discover
a single rider, who was, however, well mounted, and came after them at
a speed which left them no chance of escaping, even had the lady's
strength permitted her to ride as fast as her palfrey might have been
able to gallop.
"There may be fair play betwixt us, sure," thought Wayland, "where there
is but one man on each side, and yonder fellow sits on his horse more
like a monkey than a cavalier. Pshaw! if it come to the worse, it will
be easy unhorsing him. Nay, 'snails! I think his horse will take the
matter in his own hand, for he has the bridle betwixt his teeth. Oons,
what care I for him?" said he, as the pursuer drew yet nearer; "it is
but the little animal of a mercer from Abingdon, when all is over."
Even so it was, as the experienced eye of Wayland had descried at a
distance. For the valiant mercer's horse, which was a beast of mettle,
feeling himself put to his speed, and discerning a couple of horses
riding fast at some hundred yards' distance before him, betook himself
to the road with such alacrity as totally deranged the seat of his
rider, who not only came up with, but passed at full gallop, those
whom he had been pursuing, pulling the reins with all his might, and
ejaculating, "Stop! stop!" an interjection which seemed rather to
regard his own palfrey than what seamen call "the chase." With the same
involuntary speed, he shot ahead (to use another nautical phrase) about
a furlong ere he was able to stop and turn his horse, and then rode back
towards our travellers, adjusting, as well as he could, his disordered
dress, resettling himself in the saddle, and endeavouring to substitute
a bold and martial frown for the confusion and dismay which sat upon his
visage during his involuntary career.