fter passing the railings, I spied a modest brass plate
with the inscription _Clerk of the Ribands. Hours 11 to 3_.
The outside of the building has a quite modern look, but the
architect has spared the portal, and the three steps which lead down
to the flagged entrance hall seem to mark a century apiece.
I call it an entrance hall, but it is rather a small adytum, spanned
by a pointed arch carrying the legend _Stemmata Quid Faciunt_.
The modern exterior is, in fact, but a shell. All within dates from
Henry VI.; and Mr. Robertson (but this is only a theory) would
explain the sunken level of the ground-floor rooms by the action of
earthworms, which have gradually lifted the surface of Dean's Yard
outside. He contends the original level to be that of his office,
which lies on the right of the adytum. A door on the left admits to
two rooms occupied by the _nomenclator_, Mr. Pender, and two
assistant clerks, who comprise the staff. Straight in front, a
staircase leads to the upper-apartments.

Mr. Robertson was writing when the clerk ushered me in, but at once
professed himself at my service. He is a gentleman of sixty, or
thereabouts, with white hair, a complexion of a country squire, and
very genial manners. For some minutes we discussed the difficulty
which had brought me to him (a small point in county history), and
then he anticipated my request for permission to inspect his masks.

"Would you like to see them? They are really very curious, and I
often wonder that the public should evince so small an interest."

"You get very few visitors?"

"Seldom more than two a day; a few more when the Honours' Lists
appear. I thought at first that your visit might be in connection
with the new List, but reflected that it was too early. In a day or
two we shall be comparatively busy."

"The Scutorium is concerned then with the Honours' Lists?"

"A little," replied Mr. Robertson, smiling. "That is to say, we make
them." Then, observing my evident perplexity, he laughed.
"Well, perhaps that is too strong an expression. I should have said,
rather, that we fill up the blanks."

"I had always understood that the Prime Minister drew up the Lists
before submitting them to Her Majesty."

"So he does--with our help. Oh, there is no secrecy about it!" s