Having thus spoken, the Colonel raised his steeple-crowned hat in a formal manner, slightly bending his body, and walked up to the landlord, to whom he paid his score, and then left the apartment.

“I will endure this no longer,” said Arundel to himself, putting on his own hat.  “I will seek the Governor immediately, and demand from him its explanation.”

Upon arriving at the house of Winthrop, he learned, with a feeling of disappointment, that the Governor was absent on a visit at Plymouth, and he turned reluctantly away, in order to communicate to the rough Dudley, instead of the polished chief magistrate, the result of the mission, and to obtain that information which would enable him to give shape to the chaotic rumors.

He was received with neither cordiality nor incivility by the Deputy Governor, to whom the young man communicated the success of the conciliatory efforts of Sir Christopher with the Taranteens, and at the same time delivered the Knight’s message.  His auditor listened in grim silence, interrupting him by no inquiry, nor did he, when the communication was finished, vouchsafe a word of thanks for the service rendered.  Dudley had been a soldier in his youth, having received a captain’s commission from Queen Elizabeth, and commanded a company of volunteers under the chivalrous Henry Fourth of France, at the siege of Amiens, in 1597; and, if he had not the quality of frankness by nature, had acquired an appearance of it in the camp, together with a military decision and roughness of manner.  It was not his wont to disguise his feelings, and on the present occasion they were obvious, even before he opened his lips to speak.  When Arundel had concluded, he waited for the comments of the Deputy, nor had he to wait long.  First, however, Dudley inquired,

“Is there nothing more thou wouldst communicate?”

“If there be any thing of importance or of public concern omitted, it is done unwittingly,” said Arundel.

“Then is thy news most jejune and unsatisfactory, seeing that our condition is neither war nor peace, but of sort of armed truce, liable to be broken at any moment by these treacherous savages.  I am not to be deceived by the promise, that, for the present, we need fear no hostilities.  I know their craft.  If they refuse formally to make peace, they are preparing for war.  Well, they may try their hand.  But I am disappointed in the opinion I had of the extent of the influence, by some means acquired, over the Indians by this Sir Christopher Gardiner, if he indeed have authority to bear the title.”

“Who dares to say,” exclaimed Arundel, whose irritation this fresh taunt increased, “that Sir Christopher assumes a title which belongs not to him, or to asperse in any respect his character?”

“It will come to light,” said Dudley, “in its own time; but tell me now, wherefore made not the Knight, as you choose to call him, his appearance himself?  Methinks such proceeding were more respectful to the authority which commissioned him.”