, and could, were we as blind as a mole, out
of what quiver this shaft hath been drawn."

He then put on his spectacles, and having desired Julian to be brought
forward, he glared upon him awfully with those glazen eyes, from under
the shade of his quilted turban.

"So young," he said, "and so hardened--lack-a-day!--and a Papist, I'll
warrant."

Peveril had time enough to recollect the necessity of his being at
large, if he could possibly obtain his freedom, and interposed here a
civil contradiction of his worship's gracious supposition. "He was no
Catholic," he said, "but an unworthy member of the Church of England."

"Perhaps but a lukewarm Protestant, notwithstanding," said the sage
Justice; "there are those amongst us who ride tantivy to Rome, and have
already made out half the journey--ahem!"

Peveril disowned his being any such.

"And who art thou, then?" said the Justice; "for, friend, to tell you
plainly, I like not your visage--ahem!"

These short and emphatic coughs were accompanied each by a succinct nod,
intimating the perfect conviction of the speaker that he had made the
best, the wisest, and the most acute observation, of which the premises
admitted.

Julian, irritated by the whole circumstances of his detention, answered
the Justice's interrogation in rather a lofty tone. "My name is Julian
Peveril!"

"Now, Heaven be around us!" said the terrified Justice--"the son of that
black-hearted Papist and traitor, Sir Geoffrey Peveril, now in hands,
and on the verge of trial!"

"How, sir!" exclaimed Julian, forgetting his situation, and, stepping
forward to the grating, with a violence which made the bars clatter, he
so startled the appalled Justice, that, snatching his Protestant flail,
Master Maulstatute aimed a blow at his prisoner, to repel what he
apprehended was a premeditated attack. But whether it was owing to the
Justice's hurry of mind, or inexperience in managing the weapon, he not
only missed his aim, but brought the swinging part of the machine round
his own skull, with such a severe counter-buff, as completely to try
the efficacy of his cushioned helmet, and, in spite of its defence,
to convey a stunning sensation, which he rather hastily imputed to the
consequence of a blow received from Peveril.

His assistants did not directly confirm the opinion which the Justice
had so unwarrantably adopted; but all with one voice agreed that,
but for their own active and instantaneous interferen