The guard at the
door, who had heard the colloquy, led him into the governor's room.
"A messenger with a letter desires speech with you, Sir Philip," he
said.
"Bid him enter," the knight said, briefly.
Oswald entered, and bowed deeply. He waited until the door closed
behind the attendant, and then said:
"I am the bearer of a letter, sir, from Lord Percy to you."
The knight looked at him in surprise.
"Hotspur has chosen a strange messenger," he muttered to himself, as he
took the missive Oswald held out to him, cut the silk that bound it
with a dagger, and read its contents. As he laid it down, he rose to
his feet.
"Excuse my want of courtesy," he said. "Lord Percy tells me that you
are one of his esquires--no slight recommendation--and that you are
intrusted with somewhat important a mission, on his part, to Dunbar, a
still higher recommendation--for assuredly he would not have selected
you for such a purpose, had you not stood high in his regard. But,
indeed, at first I took you for what you seemed, as the bearer of a
complaint from some abbot; for in truth, such complaints are not
uncommon, for whenever a bullock is lost, they put it down to my men.
"Where are your horses that Percy speaks of? You will, I hope, take up
your abode here, as long as you stay in the town.
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