Lately he had repeated his offense; and in
consequence was now under sentence to lose what remained of his
ears, pay a fine of L5,000, be branded on both cheeks, and remain in
prison for life.
'These be honorable scars,' he said, and turned back his gray hair
and showed the mutilated stubs of what had once been his ears.
The king's eye burned with passion. He said:
'None believe in me- neither wilt thou. But no matter- within
the compass of a month thou shalt be free; and more, the laws that
have dishonored thee, and shamed the English name, shall be swept from
the statute-books. The world is made wrong, kings should go to
school to their own laws at times, and so learn mercy.'*(20)
CHAPTER XXVIII
The Sacrifice
MEANTIME Miles was growing sufficiently tired of confinment and
inaction. But now his trial came on, to his great gratification, and
he thought he could welcome any sentence provided a further
imprisonment should not be a part of it. But he was mistaken about
that. He was in a fine fury when he found himself described as a
'sturdy vagabond' and sentenced to sit two hours in the pillory for
bearing that character and for assaulting the master of Hendon Hall.
His pretensions as to brothership with his prosecutor, and rightful
heirship to the Hendon honors and estates, were left contemptuously
unnoticed, as being not even worth examination.
He raged and threatened on his way to punishment, but it did no
good; he was snatched roughly along by the officers, and got an
occasional cuff, besides, for his unreverent conduct.
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