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centre； who； interposing with an air of authority； inquired in a
somewhat loud but not harsh or unpleasant voice：
‘Pray； is this the London road？’
‘If you follow it right； it is；’ replied Hugh roughly。
‘Nay； brother；’ said the same person； ‘you’re but a churlish
Englishman； if Englishman you be—which I should much doubt
but for your tongue。 Your companion； I am sure； will answer me
more civilly。 How say you； friend？’
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‘I say it is the London road； sir；’ answered John。 ‘And I wish；’ he
added in a subdued voice； as he turned to Hugh； ‘that you was in
any other road； you vagabond。 Are you tired of your life； sir； that
you go a…trying to provoke three great neck…or…nothing chaps； that
could keep on running over us； back’ards and for’ards； till we was
dead； and then take our bodies up behind ’em； and drown us ten
miles off？’
‘How far is it to London？’ inquired the same speaker。
‘Why； from here； sir；’ answered John； persuasively； ‘it’s thirteen
very easy mile。’
The adjective was thrown in； as an inducement to the travellers
to ride away with all speed； but instead of having the desired
effect； it elicited from the same person； the remark； ‘Thirteen
miles！ That’s a long distance！’ which was followed by a short pause
of indecision。
‘Pray；’ said the gentleman； ‘are there any inns hereabouts？’ At
the word ‘inns；’ John plucked up his spirit in a surprising manner；
his fears rolled off like smoke； all the landlord stirred within him。
‘There are no inns；’ rejoined Mr Willet； with a strong emphasis
on the plural number； ‘but there’s a Inn—one Inn—the Maypole
Inn。 That’s a Inn indeed。 You won’t see the like of that Inn often。’
‘You keep it； perhaps？’ said the horseman； smiling。
‘I do； sir；’ replied John； greatly wondering how he had found
this out。
‘And how far is the Maypole from here？’
‘About a mile’—John was going to add that it was the easiest
mile in all the world； when the third rider； who had hitherto kept a
little in the rear； suddenly interposed：
‘And have you one excellent bed； landlord？ Hem！ A bed that
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you can recommend—a bed that you are sure is well aired—a bed
that has been slept in by some perfectly respectable and
unexceptionable person？’
‘We don’t take in no tagrag and bobtail at our house； sir；’
answered John。 ‘And as to the bed itself—’
‘Say； as to three beds；’ interposed the gentleman who had
spoken before； ‘for we shall want three if we stay； though my
friend only speaks of one。’
‘No； no； my lord； you are too good； you are too kind； but your
life is of far too much importance to the nation in these portentous
times； to be placed upon a level with one so useless and so poor as
mine。 A great cause； my lord； a mighty cause； depends on you。 You
are its leader and its champion； its advanced guard and its van。 It
is the cause of our altars and our homes； our country and our faith。
Let me sleep on a chair—the carpet—anywhere。 No one will
repine if I take cold or fever。 Let John Grueby pass the night
beneath the open sky—no one will repine for him。 But forty
thousand men of this our island in the wave （exclusive of women
and children） rivet their eyes and thoughts on Lord George
Gordon； and every day； from the rising up of the sun to the going
down of the same； pray for his health and vigour。 My lord；’ said the
speaker； rising in his stirrups； ‘it is a glorious cause； and must not
be forgotten。 My lord； it is a mighty cause； and must not be
endangered。 My lord； it is a holy cause； and must not be deserted。’
‘It is a holy cause；’ exclaimed his lordship； lifting up his hat with
great solemnity。 ‘Amen。’
‘John Grueby；’ said the long…winded gentleman； in a tone of
mild reproof； ‘his lordship said Amen。’
‘I heard my lord； sir；’ said the man； sitting like a statue on his
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horse。
‘And do not you say Amen； likewise？’
To which John Grueby made no reply at all； but sat looking
straight before him。
‘You surprise me； Grueby；’ said the gentleman。 ‘At a crisis like
the present； when Queen Elizabeth； that maiden monarch； weeps
within her tomb； and Bloody Mary； with a brow of gloom and
shadow； stalks triumphant—’
‘Oh； sir；’ cried the man； gruffly； ‘where’s the use of talking of
Bloody Mary； under such circumstances as the present； when my
lord’s wet through； and tired with hard riding？ Let’s either go on
to London； sir； or put up at once； or that unfort’nate Bloody Mary
will have more to answer for—and she’s done a deal more harm in
her grave than she ever did in her lifetime； I believe。’
By this time Mr Willet； who had never beard so many words
spoken together at one time； or delivered with such volubility and
emphasis as by the long…winded gentleman； and whose brain；
being wholly unable to sustain or compass them； had quite given
itself up for lost； recovered so far as to observe that there was
ample accommodation at the Maypole for all the party： good beds；
neat wines； excellent entertainment for man and beast； private
rooms for large and small parties； dinners dressed upon the
shortest notice； choice stabling； and a lock…up coach…house； and； in
short； to run over such recommendatory scraps of language as
were painted up on various portions of the building； and which in
the course of some forty years he had learnt to repeat with
tolerable correctness。 He was considering whether it was at all
possible to insert any novel sentences to the same purpose； when
the gentleman who had spoken first； turning to him of the long
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wind； exclaimed； ‘What say you； Gashford？ Shall we tarry at this
house he speaks of； or press forward？ You shall decide。’
‘I would submit； my lord； then；’ returned the person he
appealed to； in a silky tone； ‘that your health and spirits—so
important； under Providence； to our great cause； our pure and
truthful cause’—here his lordship pulled off his hat again； though
it was raining hard—‘require refreshment and repose。’
‘Go on before； landlord； and show the way；’ said Lord George
Gordon； ‘we will follow at a footpace。’
‘If you’ll give me leave； my lord；’ said John Grueby； in a low
voice； ‘I’ll change my proper place； and ride before you。 The looks
of the landlord’s friend are not over honest； and it may be as well
to be cautious with him。’
‘John Grueby is quite right；’ interposed Mr Gashford； falling
back hastily。 ‘My lord； a life so precious as yours must not be put
in peril。 Go forward； John； by all means。 If you have any reason to
suspect the fellow； blow his brains out。’
John made no answer； but looking straight before him； as his
custom seemed to be when the secretary spoke； bade Hugh push
on； and followed close behind him。 Then came his lordship； with
Mr Willet at his bridle rein； and； last of all； his lordship’s
secretary—for that； it seemed； was Gashford’s office。
Hugh strode briskly on； often looking back at the servant；
whose horse was close upon his heels； and glancing with a leer at
his bolster case of pistols； by which he seemed to set great store。