much," Sir Giles muttered. "A moment, young man," he
cried, waving his hand imperiously to his antagonist. "Your turn will
come presently."

And without bestowing further notice on Jocelyn, who resisted all his
neighbour's entreaties to him to sit down, Sir Giles advanced towards
the middle chamber, where he paused, and took off his cap, having
hitherto remained covered.

In this position, he looked like a grand inquisitor attended by his
familiars.

CHAPTER VIII.

Of Lupo Vulp, Captain Bludder, Clement Lanyere, and Sir Giles's other
Myrmidons.

Close behind Sir Giles, and a little in advance of the rest of the
myrmidons, stood Lupo Vulp, the scrivener.

Lupo Vulp was the confidential adviser of our two extortioners, to whom
they referred all their nefarious projects. He it was who prepared their
bonds and contracts, and placed out their ill-gotten gains at exorbitant
usance. Lupo Vulp was in all respects worthy of his employers, being
just as wily and unscrupulous as they were, while, at the same time, he
was rather better versed in legal tricks and stratagems, so that he
could give them apt counsel in any emergency. A countenance more replete
with cunning and knavery than that of Lupo Vulp, it would be difficult
to discover. A sardonic smile hovered perpetually about his mouth, which
was garnished with ranges of the keenest and whitest teeth. His features
were sharp; his eyes small, set wide apart, of a light gray colour, and
with all the slyness of a fox lurking within their furtive glances.
Indeed, his general resemblance to that astute animal must have struck
a physiognomist. His head was shaped like that of a fox, and his hair
and beard were of a reddish-tawny hue. His manner was stealthy,
cowering, suspicious, as if he feared a blow from every hand. Yet Lupo
Vulp could show his teeth and snap on occasions. He was attired in a
close-fitting doublet of russety-brown, round yellow hose, and long
stockings of the same hue. A short brown mantle and a fox-skin cap
completed his costume.

The leader of the troop was Captain Bludder, a huge Alsatian bully, with
fiercely-twisted moustachios, and fiery-red beard cut like a spade. He
wore a steeple-crowned hat with a brooch in it, a buff jerkin and boots,
and a sword and buckler dangled from his waist. Besides these, he had a
couple of petronels stuck in his girdle. The captain drank like a fish,
and swaggered and swore like twenty troopers.

The rear of