'Is that what you would say ?' Instead of replying, Hugh changed the leg on which he leant, shuffled his cap from one hand to the other, looked at the ground, the wall, the ceiling, and finally at Sir John himself; before whose pleasant face he lowered his eyes again, and fixed them on the floor.
'And how have you been employing yourself in the meanwhile ?' quoth Sir John, lazily crossing his legs.

'Where have you been?
what harm have you been doing ?' 'No harm at all, master,' growled Hugh, with humility.

'I have only done as you ordered.' 'As I WHAT ?' returned Sir John.
'Well then,' said Hugh uneasily, 'as you advised, or said I ought, or said I might, or said that you would do, if you was me.

Don't be so hard upon me, master.' Something like an expression of triumph in the perfect control he had established over this rough instrument appeared in the knight's face for an instant; but it vanished directly, as he said--paring his nails while speaking: 'When you say I ordered you, my good fellow, you imply that I directed you to do something for me--something I wanted done--something for my own ends and purposes--you see?
Now I am sure I needn't enlarge upon the extreme absurdity of such an idea, however unintentional; so please--' and here he turned his eyes upon him--'to be more guarded.

Will you ?' 'I meant to give you no offence,' said Hugh.