ed Smith, "I prithee beware--thou knowest I can
cut gullets as well as tickle them."

"Ay, Will," answered Ganlesse carelessly; "I think I have seen thee wave
thy whinyard at the throat of a Hogan-Mogan--a Netherlandish
weasand, which expanded only on thy natural and mortal objects of
aversion,--Dutch cheese, rye-bread, pickled herring, onion, and Geneva."

"For pity's sake, forbear the description!" said Smith; "thy words
overpower the perfumes, and flavour the apartment like a dish of
salmagundi!"

"But for an epiglottis like mine," continued Ganlesse, "down which the
most delicate morsels are washed by such claret as thou art now pouring
out, thou couldst not, in thy bitterest mood, wish a worse fate than to
be necklaced somewhat tight by a pair of white arms."

"By a tenpenny cord," answered Smith; "but not till you were dead; that
thereafter you be presently embowelled, you being yet alive; that
your head be then severed from your body, and your body divided into
quarters, to be disposed of at his Majesty's pleasure.--How like you
that, Master Richard Ganlesse?"

"E'en as you like the thoughts of dining on bran-bread and
milk-porridge--an extremity which you trust never to be reduced to.
But all this shall not prevent me from pledging you in a cup of sound
claret."

As the claret circulated, the glee of the company increased; and Smith
placing the dishes which had been made use of upon the side-table,
stamped with his foot on the floor, and the table sinking down a trap,
again rose, loaded with olives, sliced neat's tongue, caviare, and other
provocatives for the circulation of the bottle.

"Why, Will," said Ganlesse, "thou art a more complete mechanist than I
suspected; thou hast brought thy scene-shifting inventions to Derbyshire
in marvellously short time."

"A rope and pullies can be easily come by," answered Will; "and with a
saw and a plane, I can manage that business in half a day. I love the
knack of clean and secret conveyance--thou knowest it was the foundation
of my fortunes."

"It may be the wreck of them too, Will," replied his friend.

"True, Diccon," answered Will; "but, _dum vivimus, vivamus_,--that is my
motto; and therewith I present you a brimmer to the health of the fair
lady you wot of."

"Let it come, Will," replied his friend; and the flask circulated
briskly from hand to hand.

Julian did not think it prudent to seem a check on their festivity, as
he hoped in its progress som