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more off his head than on； and looking up at the houses as he
passed along； with the air of one who was making a public entry；
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and yet was not puffed up or proud。
So they rode （to the deep and unspeakable disgust of John
Grueby） the whole length of Whitechapel； Leadenhall Street； and
Cheapside； and into St Paul’s Churchyard。 Arriving close to the
cathedral； he halted； spoke to Gashford； and looking upward at its
lofty dome； shook his head； as though he said； ‘The Church in
Danger！’ Then to be sure； the bystanders stretched their throats
indeed； and he went on again with mighty acclamations from the
mob； and lower bows than ever。
So along the Strand； up Swallow Street； into the Oxford Road；
and thence to his house in Welbeck Street； near Cavendish
Square； whither he was attended by a few dozen idlers； of whom
he took leave on the steps with this brief parting； ‘Gentlemen； No
Popery。 Good day。 God bless you。’ This being rather a shorter
address than they expected； was received with some displeasure；
and cries of ‘A speech！ a speech！’ which might have been complied
with； but that John Grueby； making a mad charge upon them with
all three horses； on his way to the stables； caused them to disperse
into the adjoining fields； where they presently fell to pitch and
toss； chuck…farthing； odd or even； dog…fighting； and other
Protestant recreations。
In the afternoon Lord George came forth again； dressed in a
black velvet coat； and trousers and waistcoat of the Gordon plaid；
all of the same Quaker cut； and in this costume； which made him
look a dozen times more strange and singular than before； went
down on foot to Westminster。 Gashford； meanwhile； bestirred
himself in business matters； with which he was still engaged
when； shortly after dusk； John Grueby entered and announced a
visitor。
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‘Let him come in；’ said Gashford。
‘Here！ come in！’ growled John to somebody without； ‘You’re a
Protestant； an’t you？’
‘I should think so；’ replied a deep； gruff voice。
‘You’ve the looks of it；’ said John Grueby。 ‘I’d have known you
for one； anywhere。’ With which remark he gave the visitor
admission； retired； and shut the door。
The man who now confronted Gashford； was a squat； thickset
personage； with a low； retreating forehead； a coarse shock head of
hair； and eyes so small and near together； that his broken nose
alone seemed to prevent their meeting and fusing into one of the
usual size。 A dingy handkerchief twisted like a cord about his
neck； left its great veins exposed to view； and they were swollen
and starting； as though with gulping down strong passions； malice；
and ill…will。 His dress was of threadbare velveteen—a faded； rusty；
whitened black； like the ashes of a pipe or a coal fire after a day’s
extinction； discoloured with the soils of many a stale debauch； and
reeking yet with pot…house odours。 In lieu of buckles at his knees；
he wore unequal loops of packthread； and in his grimy hands he
held a knotted stick； the knob of which was carved into a rough
likeness of his own vile face。 Such was the visitor who doffed his
three…cornered hat in Gashford’s presence； and waited； leering； for
his notice。
‘Ah！ Dennis！’ cried the secretary。 ‘Sit down。’
‘I see my lord down yonder—’ cried the man； with a jerk of his
thumb towards the quarter that he spoke of； ‘and he says to me；
says my lord； “If you’ve nothing to do； Dennis； go up to my house
and talk with Muster Gashford。” Of course I’d nothing to do； you
know。 These an’t my working hours。 Ha ha！ I was a…taking the air
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when I see my lord； that’s what I was doing。 I takes the air by
night； as the howls does； Muster Gashford。’
And sometimes in the day…time； eh？’ said the secretary—‘when
you go out in state； you know。’
‘Ha ha！’ roared the fellow； smiting his leg； ‘for a gentleman as
’ull say a pleasant thing in a pleasant way； give me Muster
Gashford agin’ all London and Westminster！ My lord an’t a bad
’un at that； but he’s a fool to you。 Ah to be sure；—when I go out in
state。’
‘And have your carriage；’ said the secretary； ‘and your chaplain；
eh？ and all the rest of it？’
‘You’ll be the death of me；’ cried Dennis； with another roar；
‘you will。 But what’s in the wind now； Muster Gashford；’ he asked
hoarsely； ‘Eh？ Are we to be under orders to pull down one of them
Popish chapels—or what？’
‘Hush！’ said the secretary； suffering the faintest smile to play
upon his face。 ‘Hush！ God bless me； Dennis！ We associate； you
know； for strictly peaceable and lawful purposes。’
‘I know； bless you；’ returned the man； thrusting his tongue into
his cheek； ‘I entered a’ purpose； didn’t I！’
‘No doubt；’ said Gashford； smiling as before。 And when he said
so； Dennis roared again； and smote his leg still harder； and falling
into fits of laughter； wiped his eyes with the corner of his
neckerchief； and cried； ‘Muster Gashford agin’ all England
hollow！’
‘Lord George and I were talking of you last night；’ said
Gashford； after a pause。 ‘He says you are a very earnest fellow。’
‘So I am；’ returned the hangman。
‘And that you truly hate the Papists。’
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‘So I do；’ and he confirmed it with a good round oath。 ‘Lookye
here； Muster Gashford；’ said the fellow； laying his hat and stick
upon the floor； and slowly beating the palm of one hand with the
fingers of