bounty for accusations against the men. Half these
rascals would swear away a man's life for a _crusado_."

"Perhaps so, my lord. But by cross-questions and examining them apart,
the truth may be wrung from even lying witnesses."

"Impossible, with these people; the truth is not in them. Come,
L'Isle, no one knows better than you, who are so much in Sir Rowland's
councils, that we are on the point of moving from this part of the
country. The little disorders that have occurred here, can be followed
by no ill consequences."

"We carry the worse consequences with us," said L'Isle,
pertinaciously. "Little disorders, my lord! The peasantry round Elvas
do not talk of them so. They say that their property is plundered,
their women insulted, and themselves at constant risk in life and
limb."

"What! do the rascals talk of us in that way? even while we are
protecting them," exclaimed Lord Strathern, springing from his chair.
"We have spent more money among them than their beggarly country is
worth in fee simple; and they are no more thankful than if we had
occupied it as enemies. I wish they had among them again, for a few
weeks, that one-handed _Loison_ with his cut-throat bands, or pious
_Junot_, who loved church plate so well."

"It is bad enough to be robbed by their enemies, they say," suggested
L'Isle, "but they did not expect it from their friends."

"Pooh," said Lord Strathern, "the Portuguese, of all people, ought to
know what real military license is. The French taught them that. As
for our fellows, what if they do at times drink a little more wine
than they pay for, or even take a lamb or kid from the flocks they
protect, or kiss a wench before she has consented; is that any thing
to make a hubbub about? The lads should be paid for drinking their
muddy _vinho verde_, and as for the girls, all the trouble comes of
their ignorance of our tongue, so that they have to be talked to by
signs."

"You must be jesting, my lord. To overlook small offences is to
license greater."

"I license none; I punish whatever is clearly proved, but will not
play grand Inquisitor, and hunt out every little peccadillo. With your
notions, L'Isle, you would bring the men to confession every morning
and make the service worse than purgatory. Must I answer for it if a
girl squeaks out, half in jest, and half in earnest?"

L'Isle was provoked to see that Lord Strathern was laughing at him,
and said, earnestly, "You cannot have forgo