That it was not of an oppressively grave character, but wasenlivened by various pleasantries arising out of the subject, wasclear from their loud and frequent roars of laughter, whichstartled Barnaby on his post, and made him wonder at their levity.
But he was not summoned to join them, until they had eaten, anddrunk, and slept, and talked together for some hours; not, indeed,until the twilight; when they informed him that they were about tomake a slight demonstration in the streets--just to keep thepeople"s hands in, as it was Sunday night, and the public mightotherwise be disappointed--and that he was free to accompany themif he would.
Without the slightest preparation, saving that they carried clubsand wore the blue cockade, they sallied out into the streets; and,with no more settled design than that of doing as much mischief asthey could, paraded them at random. Their numbers rapidlyincreasing, they soon divided into parties; and agreeing to meetby-and-by, in the fields near Welbeck Street, scoured the town invarious directions. The largest body, and that which augmentedwith the greatest rapidity, was the one to which Hugh and Barnabybelonged. This took its way towards Moorfields, where there was arich chapel, and in which neighbourhood several Catholic familieswere known to reside.
Beginning with the private houses so occupied, they broke open thedoors and windows; and while they destroyed the furniture and leftbut the bare walls, made a sharp search for tools and engines ofdestruction, such as hammers, pokers, axes, saws, and such likeinstruments. Many of the rioters made belts of cord, ofhandkerchiefs, or any material they found at hand, and wore theseweapons as openly as pioneers upon a field-day. There was not theleast disguise or concealment--indeed, on this night, very littleexcitement or hurry. From the chapels, they tore down and tookaway the very altars, benches, pulpits, pews, and flooring; fromthe dwelling-houses, the very wainscoting and stairs. This Sunday evening"s recreation they pursued like mere workmen who had acertain task to do, and did it. Fifty resolute men might haveturned them at any moment; a single company of soldiers could havescattered them like dust; but no man interposed, no authorityrestrained them, and, except by the terrified persons who fled fromtheir approach, they were as little heeded as if they were pursuingtheir lawful occupations with the utmost sobriety and goodconduct.
In the same manner, they marched to the place of rendezvous agreedupon, made great fires in the fields, and reserving the mostvaluable of their spoils, burnt the rest. Priestly garments,images of saints, rich stuffs and ornaments, altar-furniture andhousehold goods, were cast into the flames, and shed a glare on thewhole country round; but they danced and howled, and roared aboutthese fires till they were tired, and were never for an instantchecked.
As the main body filed off from this scene of action, and passeddown Welbeck Street, they came upon Gashford, who had been awitness of their proceedings, and was walking stealthily along thepavement. Keeping up with him, and yet not seeming to speak, Hughmuttered in his ear:
"Is this better, master?"
"No," said Gashford. "It is not."
"What would you have?" said Hugh. "Fevers are never at theirheight at once. They must get on by degrees."
"I would have you," said Gashford, pinching his arm with suchmalevolence that his nails seemed to meet in the skin; "I wouldhave you put some meaning into your work. Fools! Can you make nobetter bonfires than of rags and scraps? Can you burn nothingwhole?"
"A little patience, master," said Hugh. "Wait but a few hours, andyou shall see. Look for a redness in the sky, to-morrow night."
With that, he fell back into his place beside Barnaby; and when thesecretary looked after him, both were lost in the crowd.