be your pleasure with me?"

"I am very sorry to delay your lordship even for a moment," replied the
stranger, very much in the same tone as that with which the Earl had
spoken; "but I do it for the purpose of requesting, that you would
disburden yourself of a part of your baggage, which you can very well
spare, and which we cannot. I mean, my lord, shortly and civilly, to
say, that we must have your money, and also any little articles of gold
and jewellery that may be about your person."

"Sir," replied the Earl, "you ask so courteously, that I should be
almost ashamed to refuse you, even were your request not backed by the
soft solicitation of a pistol. There, sir, is my purse, which probably
is not quite so full as you might desire, but is still worth something.
Then as to jewellery, my watch, seals, and these trinkets are at your
disposal. Farther than these I have but this ring, for which I have a
very great regard; and I wish that some way could be pointed out by
which I might be able to redeem it at a future time it may be worth some
half dozen guineas, but certainly not more, to any other than myself. In
my eyes, however, it only appears as a precious gage of old affection,
given to me in my youth by one I loved, and which has remained still
upon my finger, till age has wintered my hair."

"I beg that you will keep the ring," replied the highwayman; "you have
given enough already, my lord, and we thank you."

He was now retiring with a bow, and closing the door, but the Earl
stopped him, saying, in a tone of some feeling, "I beg your pardon; but
your manner, language, and behaviour, are so different from all that
might be expected under such circumstances, that I cannot but think