and the river Thames. The wall of the dwelling
being adjacent to that which guarded the east side of the Parliament
House, 'twas not so difficult a matter for one bent upon gaining
secret entrance to the latter, to tunnel through it. Being of soft
bricks it would afford but a slight obstacle to determined men. To
penetrate the official structure was a harder undertaking, the
thickness thereof being some nine feet, and the masonry of flinty
stone, firmly cemented, and hardened into a compact mass by the lapse
of years. But, having once pierced through the two walls, the first of
brick, the other of stone, one would find himself in a chamber of some
extent, lying directly beneath the assembling place of the peers, and
the throne from which the King witnessed the convening of his
Parliament.

Though, in fact, a cellar to the main building, the room was upon a
level with the street without, the walls being of "stout stones" and
the ceiling formed by beams upon which rested the flooring of the
House of Lords. 'Twas in this room the conspirators proposed to place
the six and thirty barrels of gunpowder, and--Parliament being in
session--to apply a spark to the slumbering power by which those who
occupied the room above would be blown heavenward with such scant
ceremony that none among them should have time to cry: "Good Lord,
have mercy upon us! Amen!"

In selecting the house against the east wall of the Peer's meeting
place, Percy had acted with some wisdom. The Thames was the silent
highway of London, and did a boat stop beside the river entrance of
the dwelling, none would be likely to take any note thereof, nor to
think it matter of suspicion for one who occupied the place to use the
water as means of conveying such commodities as he chose to his
storeroom or cellar. In this manner the powder stored under the
guardianship of Master Keyes was removed by night to the second
storage place, that it might be in readiness when the time arrived for
placing it beneath the floor of Parliament. Many persons dwelt in the
neighborhood; in the vicinity were clustered the houses of the Keeper
of the Wardrobe, auditors and tellers of the Exchequer, and many other
officials of the government, any of whom might notice the barge lying
close at the edge of the garden on the river front, and the men
carrying from it to the house divers packages, but it was not probable
that they would. None, unless having business with Master Percy, would