"How much do you ask for your fish in the first place?"
"Not such a fool as to name a price, my lord."
"Why not?"
"Because my fish is yours."
"By what right?"
"By that of the strongest."
"But my intention is to pay you for it."
"That is very generous of you, my lord."
"And the worth of it--"
"My lord, I fix no price."
"What do you ask, then?"
"I only ask to be permitted to go away."
"Where?--to General Lambert's camp?"
"I!" cried the fisherman; "what should I go to Newcastle for, now I have no longer any fish?"
"At all events, listen to me."
"I do, my lord."
"I shall give you some advice."
"How, my lord!--pay me and give me good advice likewise! You overwhelm me, my lord."
Monk looked more earnestly than ever at the fisherman, about whom he still appeared to entertain some suspicion. "Yes, I shall pay you, and give you a piece of advice; for the two things are connected. If you return, then, to General Lambert--"
The fisherman made a movement of his head and shoulders, which signified, "If he persists in it, I won't contradict him."
"Do not cross the marsh," continued Monk: "you will have money in your pocket, and there are in the marsh some Scottish ambuscaders I have placed there. Those people are very intractable; they understand but very little of the language which you speak, although it appears to me to be composed of three languages. They might take from you what I have given you, and, on your return to your country, you would not fail to say that General Monk has two hands, the one Scottish, and the other English; and that he takes back with the Scottish hand what he has given with the English hand."
"Oh! general, I shall go where you like, be sure of that," said the fisherman, with a fear too expressive not to be exaggerated. "I only wish to remain here, if you will allow me to remain."
"I readily believe you," said Monk, with an imperceptible smile, "but I cannot, nevertheless, keep you in my tent."
"I have no such wish, my lord, and desire only that your lordship should point out where you will have me posted. Do not trouble yourself about us--with us a night soon passes away."