We issued at last upon a country by-road where we might walk abreast and without precaution.  It was nine miles to Aylesbury, our immediate destination; by a watch, which formed part of my new outfit, it should be about half-past three in the morning; and as we did not choose to arrive before daylight, time could not be said to press.  I gave the order to march at ease.

‘Now, Rowley,’ said I, ’so far so good.  You have come, in the most obliging manner in the world, to carry these valises.  The question is, what next?  What are we to do at Aylesbury? or, more particularly, what are you?  Thence, I go on a journey.  Are you to accompany me?’

He gave a little chuckle.  ’That’s all settled already, Mr. Anne, sir,’ he replied.  ’Why, I’ve got my things here in the valise—­a half a dozen shirts and what not; I’m all ready, sir:  just you lead on:  You’ll see.’

‘The devil you have!’ said I.  ’You made pretty sure of your welcome.’

‘If you please, sir,’ said Rowley.

He looked up at me, in the light of the lantern, with a boyish shyness and triumph that awoke my conscience.  I could never let this innocent involve himself in the perils and difficulties that beset my course, without some hint of warning, which it was a matter of extreme delicacy to make plain enough and not too plain.

‘No, no,’ said I; ’you may think you have made a choice, but it was blindfold, and you must make it over again.  The Count’s service is a good one; what are you leaving it for?  Are you not throwing away the substance for the shadow?  No, do not answer me yet.  You imagine that I am a prosperous nobleman, just declared my uncle’s heir, on the threshold of the best of good fortune, and, from the point of view of a judicious servant, a jewel of a master to serve and stick to?  Well, my boy, I am nothing of the kind, nothing of the kind.’

As I said the words, I came to a full stop and held up the lantern to his face.  He stood before me, brilliantly illuminated on the background of impenetrable night and falling snow, stricken to stone between his double burden like an ass between two panniers, and gaping at me like a blunderbuss.  I had never seen a face so predestined to be astonished, or so susceptible of rendering the emotion of surprise; and it tempted me as an open piano tempts the musician.

‘Nothing of the sort, Rowley,’ I continued, in a churchyard voice.  ’These are appearances, petty appearances.  I am in peril, homeless, hunted.  I count scarce any one in England who is not my enemy.  From this hour I drop my name, my title; I become nameless; my name is proscribed.  My liberty, my life, hang by a hair.  The destiny which you will accept, if you go forth with me, is to be tracked by spies, to hide yourself under a false name, to follow the desperate pretences and perhaps share the fate of a murderer with a price upon his head.’

His face had been hitherto beyond expectation, passing from one depth to another of tragic astonishment, and really worth paying to see; but at this it suddenly cleared.  ‘Oh, I ain’t afraid!’ he said; and then, choking into laughter, ’why, I see it from the first!’