THE IMAGE OF THE FATHER
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streets near the waterfront. Corning to a still-open tavern, he decides
to make inquiry there. He is at first cordially received, but as soon
as he asks to be directed to his relative, the innkeeper begins to read
the description of an escaped "bounden servant," looking at Robin
in such a way as to suggest that the description fits him exactly.
Robin leaves, derisive laughter ringing in his ears for the second
time that night.
Now the youth loiters up and down a spacious street, looking at
each man who passes by in the hope of finding the Major. He is now
so tired and hungry that he begins to consider the wisdom of lifting
his cudgel and compelling the first passerby he meets to direct him
to his kinsman. While toying with this idea, he turns down an empty
and rather disreputable street. Through the half-open door of the
third house he passes he catches a glimpse of a lady wearing a scar–
let petticoat and decides to address his inquiry to her. His appear–
ance and voice are winning, and the lady steps outside to talk to him.
She proves both attractive and hospitable. Intimating that she is the
housekeeper of the Major, who she says is asleep, she offers to wel–
come the youth in his stead. Though Robin only half believes her,
he is about to follow her when she is startled by the opening of a
door in a nearby house and leaves him to run into her own.
A watchman now approaches, muttering sleepy threats. They
are perfunctory, but sufficient to discourage Robin temporarily from
inquiring for his kinsman. He shouts an inquiry just as the watch–
man is about to vanish around a corner, but receives no reply. Robin
thinks he hears a sound of muffled laughter. He quite clearly hears
a pleasant titter from an open window above his head, whence a
round arm beckons him. Being a clergyman's son and a good youth,
Robin flees.
He now roams through the town "desperately, and at random,
... almost ready to believe that a spell was on him."
Encountering a solitary passerby in the shadow of a church
steeple, Robin insists on being directed to the home of his kinsman.
The passerby unmuffles his face. He proves to be a man Robin had
noticed earlier at the tavern, but now
half
of his face has been
painted a livid red, the other half black. Grinning at the surprised
youth, the man tells him that his kinsman will pass that very spot
within the hour. Robin settles down on the church steps to wait.
As
