What would he most desire to hear?"
"Of the welfare of his Grace of Buckingham," I replied.
He smiled. "His Grace is as well as heart could desire, and as
powerful. The Queen's dog now tuggeth the sow by the ears this
way or that, as it pleaseth him. Since we are not to hang you as a
pirate, Captain Percy, I incline to think your affairs in better
posture than when you left Virginia."
"I think so too, sir," I said, and gave him thanks for his courtesy,
and wished him good-day, being anxious to sit still and thank God,
with my face in my hands and summer in my heart.
CHAPTER XXVIII IN WHICH THE SPRINGTIME IS AT HAND
TIRED of dicing against myself, and of the books that Rolfe had
sent me, I betook myself to the gaol window, and, leaning against
the bars, looked out in search of entertainment. The nearest if not
the merriest thing the prospect had to offer was the pillory. It was
built so tall that it was but little lower than the low upper story of
the gaol, and it faced my window at so short a distance that I could
hear the long, whistling breath of the wretch who happened to
occupy it. It was not a pleasant sound; neither was a livid face,
new branded on the cheek with a great R, and with a trickle of
dark blood from the mutilated ears staining the board in which the
head was immovably fixed, a pleasant sight.
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