of
intercourse, though in nothing but what was loyal and innocent, with my
noble kinsman, the late Lord Stafford--I will call him so in spite of
his misfortunes--and with my wife's relation, the Honourable Countess
of Derby. But what likelihood can there be that I should have
colleagued with a decrepit buffoon, with whom I never had an instant's
communication, save once at an Easter feast, when I whistled a hornpipe,
as he danced on a trencher to amuse the company?"

The rage of the poor dwarf brought tears in his eyes, while, with an
affected laugh, he said, that instead of those juvenile and festive
passages, Sir Geoffrey Peveril might have remembered his charging along
with him at Wiggan Lane.

"On my word," said Sir Geoffrey, after a moment's recollection, "I will
do you justice, Master Hudson--I believe you were there--I think I heard
you did good service. But you will allow you might have been near one
without his seeing you."

A sort of titter ran through the Court at the simplicity of the larger
Sir Geoffrey's testimony, which the dwarf endeavoured to control, by
standing on his tiptoes, and looking fiercely around, as if to admonish
the laughers that they indulged their mirth at their own peril. But
perceiving that this only excited farther scorn, he composed himself
into a semblance of careless contempt, observing, with a smile, that
no one feared the glance of a chained lion; a magnificent simile, which
rather increased than diminished the mirth of those who heard it.

Against Julian Peveril there failed not to be charged the aggravated
fact, that he had been bearer of letters between the Countess of Derby
and other Papists and priests, engaged in the universal treasonable
conspiracy of the Catholics; and the attack of the house at Moultrassie
Hall,--with his skirmish with Chiffinch, and his assault, as it
was termed, on the person of John Jenkins, servant to the Duke of
Buckingham, were all narrated at length, as so many open and overt acts
of treasonable import. To this charge Peveril contented himself with
pleading--Not Guilty.

His little companion was not satisfied with so simple a plea; for when
he heard it read, as a part of the charge applying to him, that he had
received from an agent of the Plot a blank commission as Colonel of a
regiment of grenadiers, he replied, in wrath and scorn, that if Goliath
of Gath had come to him with such a proposal, and proffered him the
command of the whole sons