"
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.
Hast thou any knowledge where the priests of Baal have bestowed the
vessels of their mockery of worship."
Stead moved not a muscle of his face. He had no acquaintance with
priests of Baal or their vessels, so that he was not in the least
bound to comprehend, and one of them exclaimed "The oaf knows not
your meaning, corporal. Speak plainer to his Somerset ears. He
knows not the tongue of the saints."
"Ho, then, thou child of darkness. Know'st thou where the mass-
mongering silver and gold of this church be hidden from them of whom
it is written 'haste to the spoil.' Come, speak out.
Pages:
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174