opped to enforce your commands of care and secrecy on yonder
Foster, and to inquire about the abode of the gentleman whom I would
promote to your lordship's train, in the room of Trevors."

"Is he fit for the meridian of the antechamber, think'st thou?" said the
Earl.

"He promises well, my lord," replied Varney; "but if your lordship were
pleased to ride on, I could go back to Cumnor, and bring him to your
lordship at Woodstock before you are out of bed."

"Why, I am asleep there, thou knowest, at this moment," said the Earl;
"and I pray you not to spare horse-flesh, that you may be with me at my
levee."

So saying, he gave his horse the spur, and proceeded on his journey,
while Varney rode back to Cumnor by the public road, avoiding the park.
The latter alighted at the door of the bonny Black Bear, and desired to
speak with Master Michael Lambourne, That respectable character was not
long of appearing before his new patron, but it was with downcast looks.

"Thou hast lost the scent," said Varney, "of thy comrade Tressilian.
I know it by thy bang-dog visage. Is this thy alacrity, thou impudent
knave?"

"Cogswounds!" said Lambourne, "there was never a trail so finely
hunted. I saw him to earth at mine uncle's here--stuck to him like
bees'-wax--saw him at supper--watched him to his chamber, and, presto!
he is gone next morning, the very hostler knows not where."

"This sounds like practice upon me, sir," replied Varney; "and if it
proves so, by my soul you shall repent it!"

"Sir, the best hound will be sometimes at fault," answered Lambourne;
"how should it serve me that this fellow should have thus evanished?
You may ask mine host, Giles Gosling--ask the tapster and hostler--ask
Cicely, and the whole household, how I kept eyes on Tressilian while
he was on foot. On my soul, I could not be expected to watch him like a
sick nurse, when I had seen him fairly a-bed in his chamber. That will
be allowed me, surely."

Varney did, in fact, make some inquiry among the household, which
confirmed the truth of Lambourne's statement. Tressilian, it was
unanimously agreed, had departed suddenly and unexpectedly, betwixt
night and morning.

"But I will wrong no one," said mine host; "he left on the table in
his lodging the full value of his reckoning, with some allowance to the
servants of the house, which was the less necessary that he saddled his
own gelding, as it seems, without the hostler's assistance."

Thus satis