Stopping deliberately before Sir Norman,
he placed a hand on each hip, and in a deep, guttural voice,
addressed him:
"So, sir knight - for such I perceive you are - you are anxious
to know something of that old ruin yonder?"
"Well," said Sir Norman, so far recovering from his surprise as
to be able to speak, "suppose I am? Have you anything to say
against it, my little friend?"
"Oh, not in the least!" said the dwarf, with a hoarse chuckle.
"Only, instead of wasting your breath asking this good man, who
professes such utter ignorance, you had better apply to me for
information."
Again Sir Norman surveyed the little Hercules from head to foot
for a moment, in silence, as one, nowadays, would an intelligent
gorilla.
"You think so - do you? And what may you happen to know about
it, my pretty little friend?"
"O Lord!" exclaimed the landlord, to himself, with a frightened
face, while the dwarf "grinned horribly a ghastly smile" from ear
to ear.
"So much, my good sir, that I would strongly advise you not to go
near it, unless you wish to catch something worse than the
plague. There have been others - our worthy host, there, whose
teeth, you may perceive, are chattering in his head, can tell you
about those that have tried the trick, and - "
"Well?" said Sir Norman, curiously.
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