The Splendid Spur | Page 4

(as was
natural), and was stretching out a hand to pull the window close, but
suddenly sat down again and fell to watching instead.
The window look'd down, at the height of ten feet or so, upon a
bowling-green at the back of the "Crown" Tavern (kept by John
Davenant, in the Corn Market), and across it to a rambling wing of the
same inn; the fourth side--that to my left--being but an old wall, with a
broad sycamore growing against it. 'Twas already twilight; and in the
dark'ning house, over the green, was now one casement brightly lit, the
curtains undrawn, and within a company of noisy drinkers round a table.
They were gaming, as was easily told by their clicking of the dice and
frequent oaths: and anon the bellow of some tipsy chorus would come
across. 'Twas one of these catches, I dare say, that woke me: only just
now my eyes were bent, not toward the singers, but on the still lawn
between us.
The sycamore, I have hinted, was a broad tree, and must, in summer,
have borne a goodly load of leaves: but now, in November, these were
strewn thick over the green, and nothing left but stiff, naked boughs.
Beneath it lay a crack'd bowl or two on the rank turf, and against the
trunk a garden bench rested, I suppose for the convenience of the
players. On this a man was now seated.
He was reading in a little book; and this first jogged my curiosity: for
'twas unnatural a man should read print at this dim hour, or, if he had a

mind to try, should choose a cold bowling-green for his purpose. Yet he
seemed to study his volume very attentively, but with a sharp look, now
and then, toward the lighted window, as if the revellers disturb'd him.
His back was partly turn'd to me; and what with this and the growing
dusk, I could but make a guess at his face: but a plenty of silver hair
fell over his fur collar, and his shoulders were bent a great deal. I
judged him between fifty and sixty. For the rest, he wore a dark, simple
suit, very straitly cut, with an ample furr'd cloak, and a hat rather tall,
after the fashion of the last reign.
Now, why the man's behavior so engaged me, I don't know: but at the
end of half an hour I was still watching him. By this, 'twas near dark,
bitter cold, and his pretence to read mere fondness: yet he
persevered--though with longer glances at the casement above, where
the din at times was fit to wake the dead.
And now one of the dicers upsets his chair with a curse, and gets on his
feet. Looking up, I saw his features for a moment--a slight, pretty boy,
scarce above eighteen, with fair curls and flush'd cheeks like a girl's. It
made me admire to see him in this ring of purple, villainous faces.
'Twas evident he was a young gentleman of quality, as well by his
bearing as his handsome cloak of amber satin barr'd with black. "I think
the devil's in these dice!" I heard him crying, and a pretty hubbub all
about him: but presently the drawer enters with more wine, and he sits
down quietly to a fresh game.
As soon as 'twas started, one of the crew, that had been playing but was
now dropp'd out, lounges up from his seat, and coming to the casement
pushes it open for fresh air. He was one that till now had sat in full
view--a tall bully, with a gross pimpled nose; and led the catches in a
bull's voice. The rest of the players paid no heed to his rising; and very
soon his shoulders hid them, as he lean'd out, drawing in the cold
breath.
During the late racket I had forgot for a while my friend under the
sycamore, but now, looking that way, to my astonishment I saw him
risen from his bench and stealing across to the house opposite. I say
"stealing," for he kept all the way to the darker shadow of the wall, and

besides had a curious trailing motion with his left foot as though the
ankle of it had been wrung or badly hurt.
As soon as he was come beneath the window he stopped and called
softly--
"Hist!"
The bully gave a start and look'd down. I could tell by this motion he
did not look to find anyone in the bowling-green at that hour. Indeed he
had been watching the shaft of light thrown past him by the room
behind, and now moved so as to let it fall on the man that addressed
him.
The other stands close under