第33章

Lurchingforward，thebeardedpeasantinterposedwitharasp:

“Yes，doyoutellusallaboutit，andthingswillbecomeeasierforyou。Forasinalwaysneedstobemadeknown。“

While，likeanecho，avoicesaidinboldandsarcasticaccents:

“Itwouldbebettertoseizehimandtiehimup。“

Uponthistheyoungfellowraisedhisbrowsalittle，andretortedinanundertone:

“Letmebide。“

“Therascal！“thecrowdcommented，whiletheoldman，neatlyfoldingandreplacinghishandkerchief，raisedahandasdryasacock’sleg，andremarkedwithasharp，knowingsmile:

“Possiblyitisnotmerelyoutofidlecuriositythatfolkaremakingthisrequest。“

“Goandbedamnedtoyou！“theyoungfellowexclaimedwithagrimsnap。Whereuponthebigpeasantbellowedoutinablusteringfashion:

“What？Thenyouwillnottellusatleastyourdestination？“

Whereafterthesamespeakercontinuedtoholdforthonhumanity，God，andthehumanconscience——staringwildlyaroundhimashedidso，wavinghisarmsabout，andgrowingevermorefrantic，untilreallyitwascurioustowatchhim。

Atlengththecrowdgrewsimilarlyexcited，andtooktoencouragingthespeakerwithcriesof“True！Thatisso！“

Asfortheyoungfellow，helistenedawhileinsilence，withoutmoving。Then，straighteninghisback，herose，thrusthishandsintothepocketsofhistrousers，and，swayinghisbodytoandfro，begantoglareatthecrowdwithgreenisheyeswhichweremanifestlylighteningtoaviciousgleam。Atlength，thrustingforthhischest，hecriedhoarsely:

“SoyouaskmewhitherIambound？Iamboundforthebrigands’lair，forthebrigands’lair，where，unlessyoufirsttakeandputmeinfetters，IintendtocutthethroatofeverymanthatImeet。Yes，ahundredmurderswillIcommit，forallfolkwillbethesametome，andnotasoulwillIspare。Aye，theendofmytetherisreached，sotakeandfettermewhilstyoucan。“

Hisbreathwasissuingwithdifficulty，andashespokehisshouldersheaved，andhislegstrembledbeneathhim。Also，hisfacehadturnedgreyandbecomedistortedwithtremors。

Uponthis，thecrowdbrokeintoagruff，ugly，resentfulroar，andedgedawayfromtheman。Yet，indoingso，manyofitsmemberslookedcuriouslylikethemanhimselfinthewaythattheyloweredtheirheads，caughtattheirbreath，andlettheireyesflash。Clearlythemanwasinimminentdangerofbeingassaulted。

Suddenlyherecoveredhissubdueddemeanour——he，asitwere，thawedinthesunlight:until，assuddenly，hislegsgavewaybeneathhim，and，narrowl

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