hat you will be able to add much to what other of our witnesses
will be able to say. I am not at all sure but that it may not be best
for you to keep away from the case at first at any rate. You have the
King's ear, which is worth more to us than any testimony you could
give."

"Why do you not fly the country?" I cried.

He smiled again.

"Because that," he said, "would be as much as to say that we were
guilty; and so the whole Society would be thought guilty, and the Church
too. No, Mr. Mallock, we must see the matter out, and trust to what
justice we can get. But I do not think we shall get a great deal."

So it was decided then, that I would not give testimony unless there was
some call for it; and I took my leave, marvelling at the constancy of
these men, who preferred to imperil life itself, sooner than reputation.

* * * * *

Well; all went forward as Mr. Whitbread had said it would. On the
twenty-eighth day of September Dr. Oates appeared before the Council to
give his testimony; and it was to the same effect as was that which I
had heard Mr. Chiffinch relate before, as to the Jesuit plot to murder
the King, and if need be, the Duke too, and to establish Catholic
domination in England.

I went into a gallery in the Council room for a little, to confirm with
my own eyes whether it were Dr. Titus Oates himself against whom I had
knocked in Drury Lane; and it was the man without doubt, though he
looked very different in his minister's dress. It was not a very great
room, and only those were admitted who had permission. His Majesty
himself was there upon the second day; and sat in the midst of the
table, at the upper end, with the Duke beside him, and the great
officers round about; amongst whom I marked my Lord Shaftesbury, who I
was beginning to think knew more of the plot than had appeared; Dr.
Oates stood in a little pew at one side, so that when he turned to speak
I could see his face. Dr. Tonge and Mr. Kirby and others sat on a seat
behind him.

He was dressed as a minister--for he had been one, before his pretended
reconciliation to the Catholic Church--in gown and bands and wore a
great periwig; and not his face only--which no man could forget who had
once set eyes on it--but the strange accent with which he spoke,
confirmed me that it was the man I had seen.

My Lord Danby, I think it was, questioned him a good deal, as well as
others: and he repeated the same tale w