t is as
well, for I must go out as soon as it is dusk;" and as he spoke he
cast himself into a chair, fixed his eyes upon some scanty embers
which were smouldering in the grate, and fell into a deep and
apparently painful fit of thought. His broad but heavy brow was
knitted with a wrinkled frown; the muscles of his face worked from
time to time; and Wilton could see the sinews of his large powerful
hand, as it lay upon his knee, standing out like cords, though he
uttered not a word.
After pausing for a moment or two, his companion thought it time to
recall this strange acquaintance to the subject of his coming, and
said, "You told me I might see some of my old friends here, Mr.
Green. Let me remind you it grows late."
"Don't be impatient, my good boy," replied the other, abstractedly, at
the same time rising and drinking a deep draught of the ale--"you
SHALL see some of your old friends! Don't you see me?"
"Yes," replied Wilton, "you are an acquaintance, certainly, of some
months, but nothing more that I know of."
"Well, well, do not be impatient, I say," answered Green "you shall
see some one else, if I don't satisfy you. But you are before your
time, as I said."
He had scarcely spoken, when the door of the little room opened once
more, and a woman apparently of no very high class, and considerably
advanced in years, so as to be somewhat decrepit, came in. She was
dressed in a large grey cloak of common serge, with a stick in her
hand, and mittens on her hands, while over her head was a large black
wimple or hood, which covered a great part of her face.
The moment Green saw her, he crossed over, and said in a low but not
inaudible voice, "Not a word, till all this business is over! They
will ruin the cause and themselves, and all that are engaged with
them, by committing all sorts of crimes. It will plunge him into the
greatest dangers, if you say a word."
Much of what he said was heard by Brown; and in the meantime Green
aided the woman to disembarrass herself of her hood and cloak, taking
the staff out of her hand, and at the same time turning the key of
the door. The moment that he did so, his female companion drew
herself up; the appearance of bowed decrepitude vanished; and she
stood before Brown a tall graceful woman, apparently scarcely forty
years of age, with a countenance still beautiful, and a demeanour
which left no doubt of the society with which at one time she must
have mingled.
Of Wilton himself the lady had as yet had but one gla