ing that pleases the miners and colliers wonderfully, and I
always humour them. This St Lys preached us such a sermon that I was
almost afraid at one time the game would be spoiled. Our great man was
alarmingly taken by it, was saying his prayers all day and had nearly
marched back again: had it not been for the excellence of the rum and
water at our quarters, the champion of the Charter would have proved a
pious recreant."

"St Lys will trouble you," said Morley. "Alas! for poor human nature,
when violence can only be arrested by superstition."

"Come don't you preach," said the Chartist. "The Charter is a thing the
people can understand, especially when they are masters of the country;
but as for moral force, I should like to know how I could have marched
from Wodgate to Mowbray with that on my banner."

"Wodgate," said Morley, "that's a queer place."

"Wodgate," said Hatton, "what Wodgate is that?"

At this moment a great noise sounded without the room, the door was
banged, there seemed a scuttling, some harsh high tones, the deprecatory
voices of many waiters. The door was banged again and this time flew
open, while exclaiming in an insolent coarse voice, "Don't tell me of
your private rooms; who is master here I should like to know?" there
entered a very thickset man, rather under the middle size, with a brutal
and grimy countenance, wearing the unbuttoned coat of a police serjeant
conquered in fight, a cocked hat, with a white plume, which was also a
trophy of war, a pair of leather breeches and topped boots, which from
their antiquity had the appearance of being his authentic property. This
was the leader and liberator of the people of England. He carried in his
hand a large hammer which he had never parted with during the whole
of the insurrection; and stopping when he had entered the room,
and surveying its inmates with an air at once stupid and arrogant,
recognizing Field the Chartist, he halloed out, "I tell you I want him.
He's my Lord Chancellor and Prime Minister, my head and principal Doggy;
I can't go on without him. Well, what do you think," he said advancing
to Field, "here's a pretty go! They won't stop the works at the big
country mill you were talking of. They won't, won't they? Is my word the
law of the land or is it not? Have I given my commands that all labour
shall cease till the Queen sends me a message that the Charter is
established, and is a man who has a mill, to shut his gates upon my