"Nothing," returned Gashford with a sneer. "If you are cast intoprison; if the young man--" here he looked hard at Barnaby"sattentive face--"is dragged from us and from his friends; perhapsfrom people whom he loves, and whom his death would kill; is throwninto jail, brought out and hanged before their eyes; still, donothing. You"ll find it your best policy, I have no doubt."
"Come on!" cried Hugh, striding towards the door. "Dennis-Barnaby--come on!"
"Where? To do what?" said Gashford, slipping past him, andstanding with his back against it.
"Anywhere! Anything!" cried Hugh. "Stand aside, master, or thewindow will serve our turn as well. Let us out!"
"Ha ha ha! You are of such--of such an impetuous nature," saidGashford, changing his manner for one of the utmost good fellowshipand the pleasantest raillery; "you are such an excitable creature-butyou"ll drink with me before you go?"
"Oh, yes--certainly," growled Dennis, drawing his sleeve across histhirsty lips. "No malice, brother. Drink with Muster Gashford!"
Hugh wiped his heated brow, and relaxed into a smile. The artfulsecretary laughed outright.
"Some liquor here! Be quick, or he"ll not stop, even for that. Heis a man of such desperate ardour!" said the smooth secretary, whomMr Dennis corroborated with sundry nods and muttered oaths--"Onceroused, he is a fellow of such fierce determination!"
Hugh poised his sturdy arm aloft, and clapping Barnaby on the back, bade him fear nothing. They shook hands together--poor Barnabyevidently possessed with the idea that he was among the mostvirtuous and disinterested heroes in the world--and Gashfordlaughed again.
"I hear," he said smoothly, as he stood among them with a greatmeasure of liquor in his hand, and filled their glasses as quicklyand as often as they chose, "I hear--but I cannot say whether it betrue or false--that the men who are loitering in the streets tonightare half disposed to pull down a Romish chapel or two, andthat they only want leaders. I even heard mention of those in DukeStreet, Lincoln"s Inn Fields, and in Warwick Street, GoldenSquare; but common report, you know--You are not going?"
--"To do nothing, rnaster, eh?" cried Hugh. "No jails and halterfor Barnaby and me. They must be frightened out of that. Leadersare wanted, are they? Now boys!"
"A most impetuous fellow!" cried the secretary. "Ha ha! Acourageous, boisterous, most vehement fellow! A man who--"
There was no need to finish the sentence, for they had rushed outof the house, and were far beyond hearing. He stopped in the middle of a laugh, listened, drew on his gloves, and, clasping hishands behind him, paced the deserted room for a long time, thenbent his steps towards the busy town, and walked into the streets.
They were filled with people, for the rumour of that day"sproceedings had made a great noise. Those persons who did not careto leave home, were at their doors or windows, and one topic ofdiscourse prevailed on every side. Some reported that the riotswere effectually put down; others that they had broken out again: