Here the other bellowed out into a loud laugh, pointing to Gregory’s back, then surveying himself, and evidently with congratulation at his own more imaginary prepossessing appearance.

“Sir knight,” said the black dwarf, “what errand comes to our mighty prince?”

“Tut! if it be his infernal kingship ye mean, I bear not messages to one of his quality.”

“Thee brings writing in thy fist.  Go to!”

“From a woman, fallen in love wi’ thee, belike.  Well, quit me o’ woman’s favours, say I, if this be of ’em.”

“Well-a-day, sir page,” cried the grinning Ethiop, whose teeth looked like a double row of pearls set in a border of carnelian, “my mistress be a queen:  I do rub the dust on thy ugly nose if that red tongue wag more, for make bad speech of her.  Go to, clown!”

“Ill betide thee for a blackamoor ape,” said Gregory, his courage waxing apace when his fears of the supernatural began to subside; “and wherefore?  Look thee, Mahound, though my mistress sent me to such a lady-bird as thou art, Master Oliver shall know on’t.  Thou hast won her with spells and foul necromancie; but I’ve commandment from him to catch all that be poaching on his lands.  Thou art i’ the mine, too, as I do verily guess; therefore I arrest thee i’ the king’s name, as a lifter of his treasure, and a spoiler of our good venison.”

Gregory, being stout-limbed, and of a more than ordinary strength for his size, proceeded forthwith to execute his threat; but the dwarf, with a short shrill scream, gave him a sudden trip, which again laid the officious dispenser of justice prostrate, without either loosing the torch from his hand, or seeming to use more exertion than would have thrown a child.

“Ah, ah, there be quits.  Lie still; go to; lick thy paws.  Know, dog, I’m body to the queen!”

“Body o’ me, I think thee be’st liker fist and crupper.  I would I had thee in a cart at holiday-time, and a rope to thy muzzle,” said the astonished Gregory.  He had dropped his billet in the scuffle, which the dwarf seized, opening it without ceremony.

“A message.  Good; stay here, garbage; I be back one, two, t’ree,” and away straddled the black monster along the passage.  Turning suddenly, before he was aware, into another avenue, leading apparently far into the interior, Gregory was left once more in total darkness.  He heard the sound of retreating footsteps, but not a glimmer was visible, and he feared to follow lest he might be entangled in some inextricable labyrinth.  He recollected to have heard a vague sort of tradition, that a subterraneous passage once led from the hall to the Ribble bank, whereby the miners had in former days kept their operations secret.