"
Then came another series of murmurings, mingled with confused and
rambling sentences.
"This stair is like old Giles's horn, it's long a-winding. Now,--thy
spurs, is it? Aroynt thee, knave, thou art like to frighten the children
with their clattering. They are up, and ready for their trip. Alice will
stitch a pillow to your pummels, and they'll ride bravely, the pretty
dears. Stop there, I tell ye; I'll just say that you wait his pleasure,
and return."
Old Hardpiece tapped gently at a small door; it was opened hastily; and
a few moments only elapsed ere Master Geoffery's cunning face was
cautiously extended out of the narrow opening. He beckoned to his
companions, and at once ushered them into a low chamber. A lamp, half
extinguished, stood on the floor; the walls were nearly bare, and
streaked in various colours by the moisture filtering from the roof; a
curiously-carved oak-table, and two or three stone benches comprised the
furniture of the apartment; a few rusty swords, with two large pistols
nearly falling from their holsters, hung from the wall. In one corner,
reposing in decayed dignity, were seen some halberds, with several
unmatched pairs of mildewed boots; near to the window, or rather
loop-hole, heaped up in dust and disorder, lay a score or two of rusty
helmets, their grim appurtenances mostly broken and disjointed.
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