And this notwithstanding
that if Sir Walter escaped, it is certain he would lose his
office of Vice-Admiral and the six hundred pounds he had paid for
it.
"As to that, you shall be at no loss," Sir Walter assured him. "I
could not suffer it. I pledge you my honour, Lewis, that you
shall have a thousand pounds from my wife on the day that I am
safely landed in France or Holland. Meanwhile, in earnest of what
is to come, here is a toy of value for you." And he presented Sir
Lewis with a jewel of price, a great ruby encrusted in diamonds.
Thus reassured that he would be immune from pecuniary loss, Sir
Lewis was ready to throw himself whole-heartedly into Sir
Walter's plans, and to render him all possible assistance. True,
this assistance was a costly matter; there was this person to be
bought and that one; there were expenses here and expenses there,
incurred by Sir Lewis on his kinsman's behalf; and there were odd
presents, too, which Stukeley seemed to expect and which Sir
Walter could not deny him. He had no illusions now that King had
been right; that here he was dealing with a rogue who would exact
the uttermost farthing for his services, but he was gratified at
the shrewdness with which he had taken his cousin's measure, and
did not grudge the bribes by which he was to escape the scaffold.
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