第23章 THE BLACK THIEF(4)

`My way of living, sir,' says the Black Thief, `was not good, as I told you before; and being at a certain time fairly run out of cash, and meeting with no enterprise worthy of notice, I was reduced to great straits.At length a rich bishop died in the neighbourhood Iwas then in, and I heard he was interred with a great deal of jewels and rich robes upon him, all which I intended in a short time to be master of.Accordingly that very night I set about it, and coming to the place, I understood he was placed at the further end of a long dark vault, which I slowly entered.I had not gone in far until I heard a foot coming towards me with a quick pace, and although naturally bold and daring, yet, thinking of the deceased bishop and the crime I was engaged in, I lost courage, and ran towards the entrance of the vault.I had retreated but a few paces when I observed, between me and the light, the figure of a tall black man standing in the entrance.Being in great fear and not knowing how to pass, I fired a pistol at him, and he immediately fell across the entrance.Perceiving he still retained the figure of a mortal man, I began to imagine that it could not be the bishop's ghost; recovering myself therefore from the fear I was in, Iventured to the upper end of the vault, where I found a large bundle, and upon further examination I found that the corpse was already rifled, and that which I had taken to be a ghost was no more than one of his own clergy.I was then very sorry that I had the misfortune to kill him, but it then could not be helped.I took up the bundle that contained everything belonging to the corpse that was valuable, intending to take my departure from this melancholy abode; but just as I came to the mouth of the entrance I saw the guards of the place coming towards me, and distinctly heard them saying that they would look in the vault, for that the Black Thief would think little of robbing the corpse if he was anywhere in the place.I did not then know in what manner to act, for if I was seen I would surely lose my life, as everybody had a look-out at that time, and because there was no person bold enough to come in on me.I knew very well on the first sight of me that could be got, I would be shot like a dog.However, I had not time to lose.I took and raised up the man which I had killed, as if he was standing on his feet, and I, crouching behind him, bore him up as well as I could, so that the guards readily saw him as they came up to the vault.Seeing the man in black, one of the men cried that was the Black Thief, and, presenting his piece, fired at the man, at which I let him fall, and crept into a little dark corner myself, that was at the entrance of the place.When they saw the man fall, they ran all into the vault, and never stopped until they were at the end of it, for fear, as I thought, that there might be some others along with him that was killed.But while they were busy inspecting the corpse and the vault to see what they could miss, Islipped out, and, once away, and still away; but they never had the Black Thief in their power since.'

`Well, my brave fellow,' says the Knight of the Glen, `I see you have come through many dangers: you have freed these two princes by your stories; but I am sorry myself that this young prince has to suffer for all.Now, if you could tell me something as wonderful as you have told already, I would pardon him likewise; I pity this youth and do not want to put him to death if I could help it.'

`That happens well,' says the Thief of Sloan, `for I like him best myself, and have reserved the most curious passage for the last on his account.'

`Well, then,' says the knight, `let us hear it.'

`I was one day on my travels,' says the Black Thief, `and Icame into a large forest, where I wandered a long time, and could not get out of it.At length I came to a large castle, and fatigue obliged me to call in the same, where I found a young woman and a child sitting on her knee, and she crying.I asked her what made her cry, and where the lord of the castle was, for I wondered greatly that I saw no stir of servants or any person about the place.

` ``It is well for you,'' says the young woman, ``that the lord of this castle is not at home at present; for he is a monstrous giant, with but one eye on his forehead, who lives on human flesh.He brought me this child,'' says she, ``I do not know where he got it, and ordered me to make it into a pie, and I cannot help crying at the command.''

`I told her that if she knew of any place convenient that Icould leave the child safely I would do it, rather than it should be killed by such a monster.

`She told me of a house a distance off where I would get a woman who would take care of it.``But what will I do in regard of the pie?''