battered about by two rustic servants, who, they learned, were
members of a Popish household in the town. But all the provincial
fellows were not like this. There was a big man, half clerk and half
man-servant to a poor little lawyer, who lived across the square--a man
of no wit indeed, but, at any rate, one of means and of generosity, too,
as they had lately found out--means and generosity, they understood,
that were made possible by the unknowing assistance of his master. In a
word it was believed among Mr. Topcliffe's men that all the refreshment
which they had lately enjoyed, beyond that provided by their master, was
at old Mr. Biddell's expense, though he did not know it, and that
George Beaton, fool though he was, was a cleverer man than his employer.
Lately, too, they had come to learn, that although George Beaton was
half clerk, half man-servant, to a Papist, he was yet at heart as stout
a Protestant as themselves, though he dared not declare it for fear of
losing his place.

On this last night they made very merry indeed, and once or twice the
landlord pushed his head through the doorway. The baggage was packed,
and all was in readiness for a start soon after dawn.

There came a time when George Beaton said that he was stifling with the
heat; and, indeed, in this low-ceilinged room after supper, with the
little windows looking on to the court, the heat was surprising. The men
sat in their shirts and trunks. So that it was as natural as possible
that George should rise from his place and sit down again close to the
door where the cool air from the passage came in; and from there, once
more, he led the talk, in his character of rustic and open-handed boor;
he even beat the sullen man who was next him genially over the head to
make him give more room, and then he proposed a toast to Mr. Topcliffe.

It was about half an hour later, when George was becoming a little
anxious, that he drew out at last a statement that Mr. Topcliffe had a
great valise upstairs, full of papers that had to do with his law
business. (He had tried for this piece of information last night and the
night before, but had failed to obtain it.) Ten minutes later again,
then, when the talk had moved to affairs of the journey, and the valise
had been forgotten, it was an entirely unsuspicious circumstance that
George and the man that sat next him should slip out to take the air in
the stable-court. The Londoner was so fuddled with drink as to thi