"You might have known it, friend," said Gashford, "it was perfectlyunderstood. How came you to be so ill informed?"
"He cannot tell you, sir," the widow interposed. "It"s of no useto ask him. We are but this morning come from a long distance inthe country, and know nothing of these matters."
"The cause has taken a deep root, and has spread its branches farand wide," said Lord George to his secretary. "This is a pleasanthearing. I thank Heaven for it!"
"Amen!" cried Gashford with a solemn face.
"You do not understand me, my lord," said the widow. "Pardon me,but you cruelly mistake my meaning. We know nothing of thesematters. We have no desire or right to join in what you are aboutto do. This is my son, my poor afflicted son, dearer to me than myown life. In mercy"s name, my lord, go your way alone, and do nottempt him into danger!"
"My good woman," said Gashford, "how can you!--Dear me!--What doyou mean by tempting, and by danger? Do you think his lordship isa roaring lion, going about and seeking whom he may devour? Godbless me!"
"No, no, my lord, forgive me," implored the widow, laying both herhands upon his breast, and scarcely knowing what she did, or said,in the earnestness of her supplication, "but there are reasons whyyou should hear my earnest, mother"s prayer, and leave my son withme. Oh do! He is not in his right senses, he is not, indeed!"
"It is a bad sign of the wickedness of these times," said LordGeorge, evading her touch, and colouring deeply, "that those whocling to the truth and support the right cause, are set down asmad. Have you the heart to say this of your own son, unnaturalmother!"
"I am astonished at you!" said Gashford, with a kind of meekseverity. "This is a very sad picture of female depravity."
"He has surely no appearance," said Lord George, glancing atBarnaby, and whispering in his secretary"s ear, "of being deranged?
And even if he had, we must not construe any trifling peculiarityinto madness. Which of us"--and here he turned red again--"wouldbe safe, if that were made the law!"
"Not one," replied the secretary; "in that case, the greater thezeal, the truth, and talent; the more direct the call from above;the clearer would be the madness. With regard to this young man,my lord," he added, with a lip that slightly curled as he looked atBarnaby, who stood twirling his hat, and stealthily beckoning themto come away, "he is as sensible and self-possessed as any one Iever saw."
"And you desire to make one of this great body?" said Lord George,addressing him; "and intended to make one, did you?"
"Yes--yes," said Barnaby, with sparkling eyes. "To be sure I did!
I told her so myself."
"I see," replied Lord George, with a reproachful glance at theunhappy mother. "I thought so. Follow me and this gentleman, andyou shall have your wish."
Barnaby kissed his mother tenderly on the cheek, and bidding her beof good cheer, for their fortunes were both made now, did as he wasdesired. She, poor woman, followed too--with how much fear andgrief it would be hard to tell.
They passed quickly through the Bridge Road, where the shops wereall shut up (for the passage of the great crowd and the expectationof their return had alarmed the tradesmen for their goods andwindows), and where, in the upper stories, all the inhabitants werecongregated, looking down into the street below, with facesvariously expressive of alarm, of interest, expectancy, andindignation. Some of these applauded, and some hissed; butregardless of these interruptions--for the noise of a vastcongregation of people at a little distance, sounded in his earslike the roaring of the sea--Lord George Gordon quickened his pace,and presently arrived before St George"s Fields.
They were really fields at that time, and of considerable extent.
Here an immense multitude was collected, bearing flags of variouskinds and sizes, but all of the same colour--blue, like thecockades--some sections marching to and fro in military array, andothers drawn up in circles, squares, and lines. A large portion,both of the bodies which paraded the ground, and of those whichremained stationary, were occupied in singing hymns or psalms.
With whomsoever this originated, it was well done; for the sound ofso many thousand voices in the air must have stirred the heart ofany man within him, and could not fail to have a wonderful effectupon enthusiasts, however mistaken.
Scouts had been posted in advance of the great body, to give noticeof their leader"s coming. These falling back, the word was quicklypassed through the whole host, and for a short interval thereensued a profound and deathlike silence, during which the mass wasso still and quiet, that the fluttering of a banner caught the eye,and became a circumstance of note. Then they burst into atremendous shout, into another, and another; and the air seemedrent and shaken, as if by the discharge of cannon.