ers, might be dispensed with, now that the
wolf is about to be carried away from England, and that this man, Ursus,
makes no resistance; and since your honour's orders are being punctually
carried out, your honour will consider that the respectable business of
the police, so necessary to the good of the kingdom, does great harm to
an establishment, and that my house is innocent. The merry-andrews of
the Green Box having been swept away, as her Majesty says, there is no
longer any criminal here, as I do not suppose that the blind girl and
the two women are criminals; therefore, I implore your honour to deign
to shorten your august visit, and to dismiss these worthy gentlemen who
have just entered, because there is nothing for them to do in my house;
and, if your honour will permit me to prove the justice of my speech
under the form of a humble question, I will prove the inutility of these
revered gentlemen's presence by asking your honour, if the man, Ursus,
obeys orders and departs, who there can be to arrest here?"

"Yourself," said the justice.

A man does not argue with a sword which runs him through and through.
Master Nicless subsided--he cared not on what, on a table, on a form, on
anything that happened to be there--prostrate.

The justice raised his voice, so that if there were people outside, they
might hear.

"Master Nicless Plumptree, keeper of this tavern, this is the last point
to be settled. This mountebank and the wolf are vagabonds. They are
driven away. But the person most in fault is yourself. It is in your
house, and with your consent, that the law has been violated; and you, a
man licensed, invested with a public responsibility, have established
the scandal here. Master Nicless, your licence is taken away; you must
pay the penalty, and go to prison."

The policemen surrounded the innkeeper.

The justice continued, pointing out Govicum,--

"Arrest that boy as an accomplice." The hand of an officer fell upon the
collar of Govicum, who looked at him inquisitively. The boy was not much
alarmed, scarcely understanding the occurrence; having already observed
many things out of the way, he wondered if this were the end of the
comedy.

The justice of the quorum forced his hat down on his head, crossed his
hands on his stomach, which is the height of majesty, and added,--

"It is decided, Master Nicless; you are to be taken to prison, and put
into jail, you and the boy; and this house, the Tadcaster