odated with a seat behind one of the dragoons, which seemed very
much to have disagreed with him, for he was as pale as death, now
stepped forward.
"You know me, Mr. Adamson?" said the doctor; "I am Mr.
Chillingworth."--"Oh! yes; Lord bless you! how came you here?"
"Never mind that just now; you can vouch for my having no connection
with the rioters."--"Oh! dear, yes; certainly. This is a respectable
gentleman, Captain Richardson, and a personal friend of mine."
"Oh! very good."--"And I," said the doctor's companion, "am likewise a
respectable and useful member of society, and a great friend of Mr.
Chillingworth."
"Well, gentlemen," said the captain in command, "you may remain here, if
you like, and take the chances, or you may leave."
They intimated that they preferred remaining, and, almost at the moment
that they did so, a loud shout from many throats announced the near
approach of the mob.--"Now, Mr. Magistrate, if you please," said the
officer; "you will be so good as to tell the mob that I am here with my
troop, under your orders, and strongly advise them to be off while they
can, with whole skins, for if they persevere in attacking the place, we
must persevere in defending it; and, if they have half a grain of sense
among them, they can surely guess what the result of that will be."
"I will do the best I can, as Heaven is, my judge," said the magistrate,
"to produce a peaceable recall,--more no man can do."
"Hurrah! hurrah!"' shouted the mob, "down with the Vampyre! down with
the Hall!" and then one, more candid than his fellows, shouted,--"Down
with everything and everybody!"
"Ah!" remarked the officer; "that fellow now knows what he came about."
A great number of torches and links were lighted by the mob, but the
moment the glare of light fell upon the helmets and accoutrements of the
military, there was a pause of consternation on the part of the
multitude, and Mr. Adamson, urged on by the officer, who, it was
evident, by no means liked the service he was on, took advantage of the
opportunity, and, stepping forward, he said,--
"My good people, and fellow townsmen, let me implore you to listen to
reason, and go to your homes in peace. If you do not, but, on the
contrary, in defiance of law and good order, persist in attacking this
house, it will become my painful duty to read the riot act, and then the
military and you will have to fight it out together, which I beg you
will avoid, for you
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