"Not a bad idea, upon my honour! I myself am inclined to think that the
worthy highwayman will be sooner found in a coffee house than in a
forest. I only regret that I did not mark my own coins so that I might
recognize them again."
And so laughing and whistling, he returned to his party which appeared
to consist of mere dependents and gave them his orders.
"Unpack the horses and get lunch ready," said he, "we will not go any
further."
Then he turned again to Vamhidy.
"Since we are obliged to capitulate to superior force, would you be so
good as to pick out with me a nice, round, shadowy spot in the forest
where we may encamp and share with each other our provisions which have
thus become the spoils of war?"
"Thank you, my lord," replied Vamhidy coldly, "but I have already had my
lunch."
His lunch, by the way, had consisted of a maize cake baked in the ashes.
"Then won't you allow your men to drink my health in a glass of wine,
since they are actually on my domains?"
"My _pandurs_ are not allowed to drink; they have to remain sober. They
must not leave the mill without my leave and your lordship must not camp
out here although the mill is your property. For just now I am
'verbiro,'[50] here with the right to open and close every door as I may
think fit."
[Footnote 50: A magistrate with the power of life and death in his
hands.
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