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attraction they had no firmness to resist。 The contagion spread
like a dread fever： an infectious madness； as yet not near its
height； seized on new victims every hour； and society began to
tremble at their ravings。
It was between two and three o’clock in the afternoon when
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Gashford looked into the lair described in the last chapter； and
seeing only Barnaby and Dennis there； inquired for Hugh。
He was out； Barnaby told him； had gone out more than an hour
ago； and had not yet returned。
‘Dennis！’ said the smiling secretary； in his smoothest voice； as
he sat down cross…legged on a barrel； ‘Dennis！’
The hangman struggled into a sitting posture directly； and with
his eyes wide open； looked towards him。
‘How do you do； Dennis？’ said Gashford； nodding。 ‘I hope you
have suffered no inconvenience from your late exertions； Dennis？’
‘I always will say of you； Muster Gashford；’ returned the
hangman； staring at him； ‘that that ’ere quiet way of yours might
almost wake a dead man。 It is；’ he added； with a muttered oath—
still staring at him in a thoughtful manner—‘so awful sly！’
‘So distinct； eh Dennis？’
‘Distinct！’ he answered； scratching his head； and keeping his
eyes upon the secretary’s face； ‘I seem to hear it； Muster Gashford；
in my wery bones。’
‘I am very glad your sense of hearing is so sharp； and that I
succeed in making myself so intelligible；’ said Gashford； in his
unvarying； even tone。 ‘Where is your friend？’
Mr Dennis looked round as in expectation of beholding him
asleep upon his bed of straw； then remembering he had seen him
go out； replied：
‘I can’t say where he is； Muster Gashford； I expected him back
afore now。 I hope it isn’t time that we was busy； Muster Gashford？’
‘Nay；’ said the secretary； ‘who should know that as well as you？
How can I tell you； Dennis？ You are perfect master of your own
actions； you know； and accountable to nobody—except sometimes
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to the law； eh？’
Dennis； who was very much baffled by the cool matter…of…
course manner of this reply； recovered his self…possession on his
professional pursuits being referred to； and pointing towards
Barnaby； shook his head and frowned。
‘Hush！’ cried Barnaby。
‘Ah！ Do hush about that； Muster Gashford；’ said the hangman
in a low voice； ‘pop’lar prejudices—you always forget—well；
Barnaby； my lad； what’s the matter？’
‘I hear him coming；’ he answered： ‘Hark！ Do you mark that？
That’s his foot！ Bless you； I know his step； and his dog’s too。
Tramp； tramp； pit…pat； on they come together； and； ha ha ha！—and
here they are！’ he cried； joyfully welcoming Hugh with both hands；
and then patting him fondly on the back； as if instead of being the
rough companion he was； he had been one of the most
prepossessing of men。 ‘Here he is； and safe too！ I am glad to see
him back again； old Hugh！’
‘I’m a Turk if he don’t give me a warmer welcome always than
any man of sense；’ said Hugh； shaking hands with him with a kind
of ferocious friendship； strange enough to see。 ‘How are you； boy？’
‘Hearty！’ cried Barnaby； waving his hat。 ‘Ha ha ha！ And merrry
too； Hugh！ And ready to do anything for the good cause； and the
right； and to help the kind； mild； pale…faced gentleman—the lord
they used so ill—eh； Hugh？’
‘Ay！’ returned his friend； dropping his hand； and looking at
Gashford for an instant with a changed expression before he spoke
to him。 ‘Good day； master！’
‘And good day to you；’ replied the secretary； nursing his leg。
‘And many good days—whole years of them； I hope。 You are
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heated。’
‘So would you have been； master；’ said Hugh； wiping his face； ‘if
you’d been running here as fast as I have。’
‘You know the news； then？ Yes； I supposed you would have
heard it。’
‘News！ what news？’
‘You don’t？’ cried Gashford； raising his eyebrows with an
exclamation of surprise。 ‘Dear me！ Come； then I AM the first to
make you acquainted with your distinguished position； after all。
Do you see the King’s Arms a…top？’ he smilingly asked； as he took
a large paper from his pocket； unfolded it； and held it out for
Hugh’s inspection。
‘Well！’ said Hugh。 ‘What’s that to me？’
‘Much。 A great deal；’ replied the secretary。 ‘Read it。’
‘I told you； the first time I saw you； that I couldn’t read；’ said
Hugh； impatiently。 ‘What in the Devil’s name’s inside of it？’
‘It is a proclamation from the King in Council；’ said Gashford；
‘dated to…day； and offering a reward of five hundred pounds—five
hundred pounds is a great deal of money； and a large temptation
to some people—to any one who will discover the person or
persons most active in demolishing those chapels on Saturday
night。’
‘Is that all？’ cried Hugh； with an indifferent air。 ‘I knew of that。’
‘Truly I might have known you did；’ said Gashford； smiling； and
folding up the document again。 ‘Your friend； I might have
guessed—indeed I did guess—was sure to tell you。’
‘My friend！’ stammered Hugh； with an unsuccessful effort to
appear surprised。 ‘What friend？’
‘Tut tut—do you suppose I don’t know where you have been？’
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retorted Gashford； rubbing his hands； and beating the back of one
on the palm of the other； and looking at him with a cunning eye。
‘How dull you think me！ Shall I say his name？’
‘No；’ said Hugh； with a hasty glance towards Dennis。
‘You have also heard from him； no doubt；’ resumed the
secretary； after a moment’s pause； ‘that the rioters who have been
taken （poor fellows） are committed for trial； and that some very
active witnesses have had the temerity to appear against them。
Among others—’ and here he clenched his teeth； as if he would
suppress by force some violent words that rose upon his tongue；
and spoke very slowly。 ‘Among others； a gentleman who saw the
work going on in Warwick Street； a Catholic gentleman； one
Haredale。’
Hugh would have prevented his uttering the word； but it was
out already。 Hearing the name； Barnaby turned swiftly round。
‘Duty； duty； bold Barnaby！’ cried Hugh； assuming his wildest
and most rapid manner； and thrusting into his hand his staff and
flag which leant against the wall。 ‘Mount guard without loss of
time； for we are off upon our expedition。 Up； Dennis； and get
ready！ Take care that no one turns the straw upon my bed； brave
Barnaby； we know what’s underneath it—eh？ Now； master； quick！
What you have to say； say speedily； for the little captain and a
cluster of ’em are in the fields； and only waiting for us。 Sharp’s the
word； and strike’s the action。 Quick！’
Barnaby was not proof against this bustle and despatch。 The
look of mingled astonishment and anger which had appeared in
his face when he turned towards them； faded from it as the words
passed from his memory； like breath from a polished mirror； and
grasping the weapon which Hugh forced upon him； he proudly
Charles Dickens