sisters and for the property that he considered his own to be
unwilling to show the way to their valley; and he also reflected that
it would be well that whatever might happen to himself should be out
of sight of his sisters. Therefore he decided on following Oates,
going through on the way the whole question whether to deny all
knowledge, and yet feeling that the things belonging to God should
not be shielded by untruth. His resolution finally was to be silent,
and let them make what they would out of that, and Stead, though it
was long since he had put it on, had a certain sullen air of
stupidity such as often belongs to such natures as his, and which
Jeph knew full well in him.

They came in sight of the village green where the soldiers were
refreshing themselves at what once had been the Elmwood Arms, for
though not given to excess, total abstinence formed no part of the
discipline of the Puritans; and one of the men started forward, and
seizing hold of Steadfast by the shoulder exclaimed--

"As I live, 'tis the young prelatist who bowed himself down in the
house of Rimmon! Come on, thou seed of darkness, and answer for
thyself."

If he had only known it, he was making the part of dogged silence and
resistance infinitely easier to Steadfast by the rudeness and abuse,
which, even in a better cause, would have made it natural to him to
act as he was doing now, giving the soldier all the trouble of
dragging him onward and then standing with his hands in his pockets
like an image of obstinacy.

"Speak," said the corporal, "and it shall be the better for thee.