'Is that what you
would say?'
Instead of replying, Hugh changed the leg on which he leant, shuffled
his cap from one hand to the other, looked at the ground, the wall, the
ceiling, and finally at Sir John himself; before whose pleasant face he
lowered his eyes again, and fixed them on the floor.
'And how have you been employing yourself in the meanwhile?' quoth Sir
John, lazily crossing his legs. 'Where have you been? what harm have you
been doing?'
'No harm at all, master,' growled Hugh, with humility. 'I have only done
as you ordered.'
'As I WHAT?' returned Sir John.
'Well then,' said Hugh uneasily, 'as you advised, or said I ought, or
said I might, or said that you would do, if you was me. Don't be so hard
upon me, master.'
Something like an expression of triumph in the perfect control he had
established over this rough instrument appeared in the knight's face for
an instant; but it vanished directly, as he said--paring his nails while
speaking:
'When you say I ordered you, my good fellow, you imply that I directed
you to do something for me--something I wanted done--something for my
own ends and purposes--you see? Now I am sure I needn't enlarge upon the
extreme absurdity of such an idea, however unintentional; so please--'
and here he turned his eyes upon him--'to be more guarded.
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