CHAPTER III. HOW HORDLE JOHN COZENED THE FULLER OF LYMINGTON.

Itisnot,however,inthenatureofthingsthataladoftwenty,withyounglifeglowinginhisveinsandallthewideworldbeforehim,shouldspendhisfirsthoursoffreedominmourningforwhathehadleft.LongereAlleynewasoutofsoundoftheBeaulieubellshewasstridingsturdilyalong,swinginghisstaffandwhistlingasmerrilyasthebirdsinthethicket.Itwasaneveningtoraiseaman'sheart.Thesunshiningslantwisethroughthetreesthrewdelicatetraceriesacrosstheroad,withbarsofgoldenlightbetween.Awayinthedistancebeforeandbehind,thegreenboughs,nowturninginplacestoacopperyredness,shottheirbroadarchesacrossthetrack.Thestillsummerairwasheavywiththeresinoussmellofthegreatforest.Hereandthereatawnybrookprattledoutfromamongtheunderwoodandlostitselfagaininthefernsandbramblesuponthefurtherside.Savethedullpipingofinsectsandthesoughoftheleaves,therewassilenceeverywhere—thesweetrestfulsilenceofnature. Andyettherewasnowantoflife—thewholewidewoodwasfullofit.Nowitwasalithe,furtivestoatwhichshotacrossthepathuponsomefellerrandofitsownthenitwasawildcatwhichsquattedupontheoutlyingbranchofanoakandpeepedatthetravellerwithayellowanddubiouseye.Onceitwasawildsowwhichscuttledoutofthebracken,withtwoyoungsoundersatherheels,andoncealordlyredstaggardwalkeddaintilyoutfromamongthetreetrunks,andlookedaroundhimwiththefearlessgazeofonewholivedundertheKing'sownhighprotection.Alleynegavehisstaffamerryflourish,however,andthereddeerbethoughthimthattheKingwasfaroff,sostreakedawayfromwhencehecame. TheyouthhadnowjourneyedconsiderablybeyondthefurthestdomainsoftheAbbey.Hewasthemoresurprisedthereforewhen,oncomingroundaturninthepath,heperceivedamancladinthefamiliargarboftheorder,andseatedinaclumpofheatherbytheroadside.Alleynehadknowneverybrotherwell,butthiswasafacewhichwasnewtohim—afacewhichwasveryredandpuffed,workingthiswayandthat,asthoughthemanweresoreperplexedinhismind.Onceheshookbothhandsfuriouslyintheair,andtwicehesprangfromhiss