But Tom was hardly
conscious of the presence of these people, so wrought up was he and so
intensely absorbed in that other and more interesting matter. He
seated himself, absently, in his chair of state, and turned his eyes
upon the door with manifestations of impatient expectancy; seeing
which, the company forbore to trouble him, and fell to chatting a
mixture of public business and court gossip one with another.
In a little while the measured tread of military men was heard
approaching, and the culprits entered the presence in charge of an
under-sheriff and escorted by a detail of the king's guard. The
civil officer knelt before Tom, then stood aside; the three doomed
persons knelt also, and remained so; the guard took position behind
Tom's chair. Tom scanned the prisoners curiously. Something about
the dress or appearance of the man had stirred a vague memory in
him. 'Methinks I have seen this man ere now... but the when or the
where fail me'- such was Tom's thought. Just then the man glanced
quickly up, and quickly dropped his face again, not being able to
endure the awful port of sovereignty; but the one full glimpse of
the face, which Tom got, was sufficient. He said to himself: 'Now is
the matter clear; this is the stranger that plucked Giles Witt out
of the Thames, and saved his life that windy, bitter first day of
the New Year- a brave, good deed- pity he hath been doing baser ones
and got himself in this sad case... I have not forgot the day, neither
the hour; by reason that an hour after, upon the stroke of eleven, I
did get a hiding by the hand of Gammer Canty which was of so goodly
and admired severity that all that went before or followed after it
were but fondlings and caresses by comparison.
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