en exclaimed once
more, that it was an impudent imposition, and that he would hold those
who acted upon such a warrant liable in the highest damages. 'I guess
at your motive, Mr. Redgauntlet,' he said, 'for acquiescing in so
ridiculous a proceeding. But be assured you will find that, in this
country, one act of illegal violence will not be covered or atoned for
by practising another. You cannot, as a man of sense and honour, pretend
to say you regard this as a legal warrant.'

'I am no lawyer, sir,' said Redgauntlet; 'and pretend not to know what
is or is not law--the warrant is quite formal, and that is enough for
me.'

'Did ever any one hear,' said Fairford, 'of an advocate being compelled
to return to his task, like a collier or a salter [See Note 10.] who has
deserted his master?'

'I see no reason why he should not,' said Redgauntlet, dryly, 'unless
on the ground that the services of the lawyer are the most expensive and
least useful of the two.'

'You cannot mean this in earnest,' said Fairford; 'you cannot really
mean to avail yourself of so poor a contrivance, to evade the word
pledged by your friend, your ghostly father, in my behalf. I may have
been a fool for trusting it too easily, but think what you must be if
you can abuse my confidence in this manner. I entreat you to reflect
that this usage releases me from all promises of secrecy or connivance
at what I am apt to think are very dangerous practices, and that'--

'Hark ye, Mr. Fairford,' said Redgauntlet; 'I must here interrupt you
for your own sake. One word of betraying what you may have seen, or what
you may have suspected, and your seclusion is like to have either a very
distant or a very brief termination; in either case a most undesirable
one. At present, you are sure of being at liberty in a very few
days--perhaps much sooner.'

'And my friend,' said Alan Fairford, 'for whose sake I have run myself
into this danger, what is to become of him? Dark and dangerous man!' he
exclaimed, raising his voice, I will not be again cajoled by deceitful
promises'--

'I give you my honour that your friend is well,' interrupted
Redgauntlet; 'perhaps I may permit you to see him, if you will but
submit with patience to a fate which is inevitable.'

But Alan Fairford, considering his confidence as having been abused,
first by Maxwell, and next by the priest, raised his voice, and appealed
to all the king's lieges within hearing, against the violence with
wh