that honor , however , had gone to haworth ; hugh had embraced him in welcome , all the while thinking of de vire , and roger had been speaking , trying to tell him something , but he hadnt paid any attention , just smiled and patted him on the back , ready to greet the next man , to get to de virehe would never forget the noise that roared through his ears when ralphs horse and its burden stopped in front of him and his worst fear was stark reality .