here was a number of
persons seated round the table who all looked at me.

"This is a private room, sir," said one of them at the head.

"I beg your pardon, gentlemen," I said. "I was but looking for someone
to serve me." And I was about to withdraw when a voice hailed me aloud.

"Why it is Mr. Mallock!" the voice cried; and turning again to see who
it was I beheld my old friend Mr. Rumbald, seated next the one that
presided.

I greeted him.

"But I had best be gone," I said. "It is a private room, the gentleman
told me."

"No, no," cried the maltster. "Come in, Mr. Mallock." And he said
something to the gentleman he sat by, who was dressed very finely.

I could see that something was in the wind; and as I was out for
adventure, it seemed to me that here was one ready-made, however
harmless it might turn out in the end. So I closed the door behind me;
there was a shifting along the benches, and I stepped over into a place
next my friend.

"How goes the world with you, sir?" demanded Mr. Rumbald of me, looking
at my suit, which indeed was pretty fine.

"Very hungrily at present," I said. "Where the devil are the maids got
to?"

He called out to the man that sat nearest the door, and he got up and
bawled something down the passage.

"But it has treated me better lately," I said. "I have been in France on
my affairs." (I said this with an important air, for there is no
disguise so great as the truth, if it is put on a little awry.)

"Oho!" said Rumbald, who again, in spite of his old Presbyterianism, had
had a cup too many. And he winked on the company. I had not an idea of
what he meant by that; but I think he was but shewing off his friend as
a travelled gentleman.

"And we have been speaking of England," he went on, "and of them that
govern it, and of the Ten Commandments, in special the sixth."

I observed signs of consternation among one or two of the company when
he said this, and remembering of what political complexion Mr. Rumbald
had been on our previous meeting, I saw in general, at least, what they
had been after. But what he meant of the Sixth Commandment which is that
of killing, according to the Protestant arrangement of it, I understood
nothing.

"And of who shall govern England hereafter," I said in a low voice, but
very deliberate.

There fell a silence when I said that; and I was wondering what in God's
name I should say next, when the maid came in, and I fell to abusing of
her with