e Lord to witness, I know
nothing of it!"

Cromwell gathered his eyebrows and looked upon him for a moment with a
look which made the proud lord tremble; then sending forth a species of
hissing noise from between his teeth, sounding like a prolonged
hish--h--h--h. "Nevertheless, I think you may as well tell him that I
know it. Good night, my Lord, good night!"

"He's had his night-cap put on, and now for mine," thought little Robin,
who, as he advanced, bowing all the way up the room, could not avoid
observing, (even under such circumstances, there was something
singularly touching in the fact,) that a little girl, a child of about
six or seven years old, sat on a stool at the Protector's feet, her fair
arms twined around his knee; and her plain, but expressive face, looking
up to his, and watching every movement of his features with more than
childish earnestness. As Robin drew near, she stood up, and contemplated
him with very natural curiosity.

"Closer, young man--still closer," said the Protector; "our sight grows
dim; and yet we will see distinctly, and with our own eyes too--for the
eyes of others serve us not."

Robin did as he was commanded, bowing and shaking all the time like the
figure of a mandarin. The Protector advanced one step towards him; and
then plucked at the Ranger's beard with so strong a hand, that it
deserted his chin, and dangled between Cromwell's fingers. At this, the
child set up a loud and merry shout of laughter; but not so did the
incident affect the Protector, to whose mind treachery was ever present;
he instantly exclaimed,--

"Guards! what ho! without there!" Five or six rushed into the room and
laid hands upon Robin, who offered no resistance, submitting to their
mercy.

"Your Highness has mistaken," said Ben Israel; "there is no treachery in
the young man. I have told your Highness how he came to me, and what he
knows. Your servant has not spoken words of falsehood, but of truth."

"But you did not tell me he was not a Jew: you know him not as I do,"
was the Protector's reply: "he consorts with----" then suddenly checking
himself, he continued, addressing the soldiers: "But search him gently
withal--peradventure he has no secret weapons--we would not deal
unjustly; but, of late, there has been so much evil intended us by all
classes of Malignants, that it behoves us to be careful. Methinks,
friend Manasseh, there was no need of this disguise?"

"It was to avoid the scandal