The lion cub had never tasted blood.
The situation was prolonged beyond expectation.
Many a time had the brothers paced their platform of rock, the
criminal had fallen into a dose, and women and boys were murmuring
that they must call home their kine and goats, and it was a shame to
debar them of the sight of the hanging, long before Hans came back
between crying and stammering, to say that Father Jodocus had fallen
into so deep a study over his book, that he only muttered "Coming,"
then went into another musing fit, whence no one could rouse him to
do more than say "Coming! Let him wait."
"I must go and bring him, if the thing is to be done," said Friedel.
"And let it last all night!" was the answer. "No, if the man were to
die, it should be at once, not by inches. Hark thee, rogue!"
stirring him with his foot.
"Well, sir," said the man, "is the hanging ready yet? You've been
long enough about it for us to have twisted the necks of every
Adlerstein of you all."
"Look thee, caitiff!" said Ebbo; "thou meritest the rope as well as
any wolf on the mountain, but we have kept thee so long in suspense,
that if thou canst say a word for thy life, or pledge thyself to
meddle no more with my lands, I'll consider of thy doom.
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