He did not cut a very insinuating figure, for a man of his staturesuffers in a crowd; and having been active in yesterday morning"swork, his dress was literally crushed from head to foot: his hatbeing beaten out of all shape, and his shoes trodden down at heellike slippers. His coat fluttered in strips about him, the buckleswere torn away both from his knees and feet, half his neckerchiefwas gone, and the bosom of his shirt was rent to tatters. Yetnotwithstanding all these personal disadvantages; despite his beingvery weak from heat and fatigue; and so begrimed with mud and dustthat he might have been in a case, for anything of the real texture(either of his skin or apparel) that the eye could discern; hestalked haughtily into the parlour, and throwing himself into achair, and endeavouring to thrust his hands into the pockets of hissmall-clothes, which were turned inside out and displayed upon hislegs, like tassels, surveyed the household with a gloomy dignity.
"Simon," said the locksmith gravely, "how comes it that you returnhome at this time of night, and in this condition? Give me anassurance that you have not been among the rioters, and I amsatisfied."
"Sir," replied Mr Tappertit, with a contemptuous look, "I wonder atYOUR assurance in making such demands."
"You have been drinking," said the locksmith.
"As a general principle, and in the most offensive sense of thewords, sir," returned his journeyman with great self-possession,"I consider you a liar. In that last observation you haveunintentionally--unintentionally, sir,--struck upon the truth."
"Martha," said the locksmith, turning to his wife, and shaking hishead sorrowfully, while a smile at the absurd figure beside himstill played upon his open face, "I trust it may turn out that thispoor lad is not the victim of the knaves and fools we have so oftenhad words about, and who have done so much harm to-day. If he hasbeen at Warwick Street or Duke Street to-night--"
"He has been at neither, sir," cried Mr Tappertit in a loud voice,which he suddenly dropped into a whisper as he repeated, with eyesfixed upon the locksmith, "he has been at neither."
"I am glad of it, with all my heart," said the locksmith in aserious tone; "for if he had been, and it could be proved againsthim, Martha, your Great Association would have been to him the cartthat draws men to the gallows and leaves them hanging in the air.
It would, as sure as we"re alive!"
Mrs Varden was too much scared by Simon"s altered manner andappearance, and by the accounts of the rioters which had reachedher ears that night, to offer any retort, or to have recourse toher usual matrimonial policy. Miss Miggs wrung her hands, andwept.
"He was not at Duke Street, or at Warwick Street, G. Varden," saidSimon, sternly; "but he WAS at Westminster. Perhaps, sir, hekicked a county member, perhaps, sir, he tapped a lord--you maystare, sir, I repeat it--blood flowed from noses, and perhaps hetapped a lord. Who knows? This," he added, putting his hand intohis waistcoat-pocket, and taking out a large tooth, at the sight ofwhich both Miggs and Mrs Varden screamed, "this was a bishop"s.
Beware, G. Varden!"
"Now, I would rather," said the locksmith hastily, "have paid fivehundred pounds, than had this come to pass. You idiot, do you knowwhat peril you stand in?"
"I know it, sir," replied his journeyman, "and it is my glory. Iwas there, everybody saw me there. I was conspicuous, andprominent. I will abide the consequences."
The locksmith, really disturbed and agitated, paced to and fro insilence--glancing at his former "prentice every now and then--andat length stopping before him, said:
"Get to bed, and sleep for a couple of hours that you may wakepenitent, and with some of your senses about you. Be sorry forwhat you have done, and we will try to save you. If I call him byfive o"clock," said Varden, turning hurriedly to his wife, and hewashes himself clean and changes his dress, he may get to the TowerStairs, and away by the Gravesend tide-boat, before any search ismade for him. From there he can easily get on to Canterbury,where your cousin will give him work till this storm has blownover. I am not sure that I do right in screening him from thepunishment he deserves, but he has lived in this house, man andboy, for a dozen years, and I should be sorry if for this one day"swork he made a miserable end. Lock the front-door, Miggs, and showno light towards the street when you go upstairs. Quick, Simon!
Get to bed!"
"And do you suppose, sir," retorted Mr Tappertit, with a thicknessand slowness of speech which contrasted forcibly with the rapidityand earnestness of his kind-hearted master--"and do you suppose,sir, that I am base and mean enough to accept your servileproposition?--Miscreant!"
"Whatever you please, Sim, but get to bed. Every minute is ofconsequence. The light here, Miggs!"
"Yes yes, oh do! Go to bed directly," cried the two womentogether.
Mr Tappertit stood upon his feet, and pushing his chair away toshow that he needed no assistance, answered, swaying himself to andfro, and managing his head as if it had no connection whatever withhis body:
"You spoke of Miggs, sir--Miggs may be smothered!"
"Oh Simmun!" ejaculated that young lady in a faint voice. "Oh mim!
Oh sir! Oh goodness gracious, what a turn he has give me!"
"This family may ALL be smothered, sir," returned Mr Tappertit,after glancing at her with a smile of ineffable disdain, "exceptingMrs V. I have come here, sir, for her sake, this night. MrsVarden, take this piece of paper. It"s a protection, ma"am. Youmay need it."
With these words he held out at arm"s length, a dirty, crumpledscrap of writing. The locksmith took it from him, opened it, andread as follows:
"All good friends to our cause, I hope will be particular, and dono injury to the property of any true Protestant. I am wellassured that the proprietor of this house is a staunch and worthyfriend to the cause.
GEORGE GORDON."
"What"s this!" said the locksmith, with an altered face.
"Something that"ll do you good service, young feller," replied hisjourneyman, "as you"ll find. Keep that safe, and where you canlay your hand upon it in an instant. And chalk "No Popery" on yourdoor to-morrow night, and for a week to come--that"s all."
"This is a genuine document," said the locksmith, "I know, for Ihave seen the hand before. What threat does it imply? What devilis abroad?"