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〃Ah；〃 said Raleigh； 〃he would beat you out of Parnassus； Mr。 Secretary。 Remember； you may write about Fairyland； but he has seen it。〃
〃And so have others；〃 said Spenser； 〃it is not so far off from any one of us。 Wherever is love and loyalty； great purposes； and lofty souls； even though in a hovel or a mine； there is Fairyland。〃
〃Then Fairyland should be here； friend； for you represent love； and Leigh loyalty； while； as for great purposes and lofty souls； who so fit to stand for them as I； being （unless my enemies and my conscience are liars both） as ambitious and as proud as Lucifer's own self？〃
〃Ah； Walter； Walter； why wilt always slander thyself thus？〃
〃Slander？ Tut。I do but give the world a fair challenge； and tell it； 'Thereyou know the worst of me： come on and try a fall； for either you or I must down。' Slander？ Ask Leigh here； who has but known me a fortnight； whether I am not as vain as a peacock； as selfish as a fox； as imperious as a bona roba； and ready to make a cat's paw of him or any man； if there be a chestnut in the fire： and yet the poor fool cannot help loving me； and running of my errands； and taking all my schemes and my dreams for gospel； and verily believes now； I think； that I shall be the man in the moon some day； and he my big dog。〃
〃Well；〃 said Amyas； half apologetically； 〃if you are the cleverest man in the world what harm in my thinking so？〃
〃Hearken to him； Edmund！ He will know better when he has outgrown this same callow trick of honesty； and learnt of the great goddess Detraction how to show himself wiser than the wise； by pointing out to the world the fool's motley which peeps through the rents in the philosopher's cloak。 Go to； lad！ slander thy equals； envy thy betters； pray for an eye which sees spots in every sun； and for a vulture's nose to scent carrion in every rose…bed。 If thy friend win a battle； show that he has needlessly thrown away his men； if he lose one； hint that he sold it； if he rise to a place； argue favor； if he fall from one； argue divine justice。 Believe nothing； hope nothing； but endure all things； even to kicking； if aught may be got thereby； so shalt thou be clothed in purple and fine linen； and sit in kings' palaces； and fare sumptuously every day。〃
〃And wake with Dives in the torment；〃 said Amyas。 〃Thank you for nothing； captain。〃
〃Go to； Misanthropos；〃 said Spenser。 〃Thou hast not yet tasted the sweets of this world's comfits； and thou railest at them？〃
〃The grapes are sour； lad。〃
〃And will be to the end；〃 said Amyas； 〃if they come off such a devil's tree as that。 I really think you are out of your mind； Captain Raleigh； at times。〃
〃I wish I were； for it is a troublesome； hungry； windy mind as man ever was cursed withal。 But come in； lad。 We were sent from the lord deputy to bid thee to supper。 There is a dainty lump of dead horse waiting for thee。〃
〃Send me some out； then；〃 said matter…of…fact Amyas。 〃And tell his lordship that； with his good leave； I don't stir from here till morning； if I can keep awake。 There is a stir in the fort； and I expect them out on us。〃
〃Tut； man！ their hearts are broken。 We know it by their deserters。〃
〃Seeing's believing。 I never trust runaway rogues。 If they are false to their masters； they'll be false to us。〃
〃Well； go thy ways； old honesty； and Mr。 Secretary shall give you a book to yourself in the 'Faerie Queene''Sir Monoculus or the Legend of Common Sense；' eh； Edmund？〃
〃Monoculus？〃
〃Ay； Single…eye； my prince of word…coinerswon't that fit？And give him the Cyclops head for a device。 Heigh…ho！ They may laugh that win。 I am sick of this Irish work； were it not for the chance of advancement I'd sooner be driving a team of red Devons on Dartside； and now I am angry with the dear lad because he is not sick of it too。 What a plague business has he to be paddling up and down； contentedly doing his duty； like any city watchman？ It is an insult to the mighty aspirations of our nobler hearts；eh； my would…be Ariosto？〃
〃Ah； Raleigh！ you can afford to confess yourself less than some； for you are greater than all。 Go on and conquer； noble heart！ But as for me； I sow the wind； and I suppose I shall reap the whirlwind。〃
〃Your harvest seems come already； what a blast that was！ Hold on by me； Colin Clout； and I'll hold on by thee。 So！ Don't tread on that pikeman's stomach； lest he take thee for a marauding Don； and with sudden dagger slit Cohn's pipe； and Colin's weasand too。〃
And the two stumbled away into the darkness； leaving Amyas to stride up and down as before； puzzling his brains over Raleigh's wild words and Spenser's melancholy； till he came to the conclusion that there was some mysterious connection between cleverness and unhappiness； and thanking his stars that he was neither scholar； courtier； nor poet； said grace over his lump of horseflesh when it arrived； devoured it as if it had been venison； and then returned to his pacing up and down； but this time in silence； for the night was drawing on； and there was no need to tell the Spaniards that any one was awake and watching。
So he began to think about his mother； and how she might be spending her Christmas； and then about Frank； and wondered at what grand Court festival he was assisting； amid bright lights and sweet music and gay ladies； and how he was dressed； and whether he thought of his brother there far away on the dark Atlantic shore； and then he said his prayers and his creed； and then he tried not to think of Rose Salterne； and of course thought about her all the more。 So on passed the dull hours； till it might be past eleven o'clock； and all lights were out in the battery and the shipping； and there was no sound of living thing but the monotonous tramp of the two sentinels beside him； and now and then a grunt from the party who slept under arms some twenty yards to the rear。
So he paced to and fro； looking carefully out now and then over the strip of sand…hill which lay between him and the fort； but all was blank and black； and moreover it began to rain furiously。
Suddenly he seemed to hear a rustle among the harsh sand…grass。 True； the wind was whistling through it loudly enough； but that sound was not altogether like the wind。 Then a soft sliding noise； something had slipped down a bank； and brought the sand down after it。 Amyas stopped； crouched down beside a gun； and laid his ear to the rampart； whereby he heard clearly； as he thought； the noise of approaching feet； whether rabbits or Christians； he knew not； but he shrewdly guessed the latter。
Now Amyas was of a sober and business…like turn； at least when he was not in a passion； and thinking within himself that if he made any noise； the enemy （whether four or two…legged） would retire； and all the sport be lost； he did not call to the two sentries； who were at the opposite ends of the battery； neither did he think it worth while to rouse the sleeping company； lest his ears should have deceived him； and the whole camp turn out to repulse the attack of a buck rabbit。
So he crouched lower and lower beside the culverin； and was rewarded in a minute or two by hearing something gently deposited against the mouth of the embra