Page:Man Who Laughs (Estes and Lauriat 1869) v2.djvu/47

Rh birds; in the way of talking, imitate the fishes. England has one admirable point in her favour,—her legislation is very mild."

His admonition over, Ursus remained uneasy for some time; Gwynplaine, not at all. The intrepidity of youth arises from want of experience. However, it seemed that Gwynplaine had good reason for his easy mind, for the weeks flowed on peacefully, and no bad consequences seemed to have resulted from his observations about the queen.

Ursus, like a roebuck on the watch, kept a lookout in every direction. One day, a short time after his sermon to Gwynplaine, as he was looking out from the window in the wall which commanded the field, he became suddenly pale.

"Gwynplaine!"

"What?"

"Look!"

"Where?"

"In the field."

"Well?"

"Do you see that man?"

"The man in black?"

"Yes."

"Who has a kind of mace in his hand?"

"Yes."

"Well?"

"Well, Gwynplaine, that man is the wapentake."

"What is the wapentake?"

"He is the bailiff of the hundred."

"What is the bailiff of the hundred?"

"He is the præpositus hundredi."

"And what is the præpositus hundredi?"

"He is a terrible officer."

"What has he got in his hand?"