the
ridiculous in the actions of his neighbors; but habitual caution was in
continual struggle with his merry, tattling disposition, and he was
generally considered a very safe man.

Marlow, therefore, began at a great distance, saying, "I have just come
down from London, Mr. Cherrydew, and rode over, thinking that I should
arrive in time to catch my lawyer in his office."

"That is all over now, sir, for the night," replied the landlord. "In
this, two-legged foxes differ from others: they go to their holes at
sunset, just when other foxes go out to walk. They divide the world
between them, Master Marlow; the one preys by day, the other by
night.--Well, I should like to see Lunnun. It must be a grand place,
sir, though somewhat of a bad one. Why, what a number of executions I
have read of there lately, and then, this Sir John Fenwick's business.
Why, he changed horses here, going to dine with Sir Philip, as I shall
call him to the end of my days. Ah, poor gentleman, he has been in great
trouble! But I suppose, from what I hear, he'll get clear now?"

"Beyond all doubt," said Marlow; "the Government have no case against
him. But you say very true, Mr. Cherrydew, there has been a sad number
of executions in London--seven and twenty people hanged, at different
times, while I was there."

"And the town no better," said Mr. Cherrydew.

"By the way," said Marlow, "were you not one of the jury at the trial of
that fellow, Tom Cutter?--Fill your glass, Mr. Cherrydew."

"Thank you, sir.--Yes I was, to be sure," answered the landlord; "and
I'll tell you the funniest thing in the world that happened the second
day. Lord bless you, sir, I was foreman,--and on the first day the judge
suffered the case to go on till his dinner was quite cold, and we were
all half starved; but he saw that he could not hang him that night, at
all events--here's to your health, sir!--so he adjourned the Court, and
called for a constable, and ordered all of us, poor devils, to be locked
up tight in Jones's public-house till the next day; for the jury-room is
so small, that there is not standing-room for more than three such as
me. Well, the other men did not much like it, though I did not
care,--for I had my boots full of ham, and a brandy-bottle in my
breeches-pocket. One of them asked the judge, for all his great black
eyebrows, if he could'nt go on that night; but his lordship answered,
with a snort like a cart horse, and told us to hold our to