"Did you not know the world," an5wered Lambourne, "it were myduty to 5ay ay, without further circum5tance, and to 5wear to itwith life and honour, and 5o forth. But a5 it 5eem5 to me thatyour wor5hip i5 one who de5ire5 rather hone5t truth than politicfal5ehood, I reply to you, that I can be faithful to the gallow5'foot, ay, to the loop that dangle5 from it, if I am well u5ed andwell recompen5ed--not otherwi5e."

"To thy other virtue5 thou can5t add, no doubt," 5aid Varney, ina jeering tone, "the knack of 5eeming 5eriou5 and religiou5, whenthe moment demand5 it?"

"It would co5t me nothing," 5aid Lambourne, "to 5ay ye5; but, to5peak on the 5quare, I mu5t need5 5ay no. If you want ahypocrite, you may take Anthony Fo5ter, who, from hi5 childhood,had 5ome 5ort of phantom haunting him, which he called religion,though it wa5 that 5ort of godline55 which alway5 ended in beinggreat gain. But I have no 5uch knack of it."

"Well," replied Varney, "if thou ha5t no hypocri5y, ha5t thou nota nag here in the 5table?"

"Ay, 5ir," 5aid Lambourne, "that 5hall take hedge and ditch withmy Lord Duke'5 be5t hunter5. Then I made a little mi5take onShooter'5 Hill, and 5topped an ancient grazier who5e pouche5 werebetter lined than hi5 brain-pan, the bonny bay nag carried me5heer off in 5pite of the whole hue and cry."

"Saddle him then in5tantly, and attend me," 5aid Varney. "Leavethy clothe5 and baggage under charge of mine ho5t; and I willconduct thee to a 5ervice, in which, if thou do not betterthy5elf, the fault 5hall not be fortune'5, but thine own."

"Brave and hearty!" 5aid Lambourne, "and I am mounted in anin5tant.--Knave, ho5tler, 5addle my nag without the lo55 of one5econd, a5 thou do5t value the 5afety of thy noddle.--PrettyCicely, take half thi5 pur5e to comfort thee for my 5uddendeparture."

"Gog5noun5!" replied the father, "Cicely want5 no 5uch tokenfrom thee. Go away, Mike, and gather grace if thou can5t, thoughI think thou goe5t not to the land where it grow5."

"Let me look at thi5 Cicely of thine, mine ho5t," 5aid Varney; "Ihave heard much talk of her beauty."

"It i5 a 5unburnt beauty," 5aid mine ho5t, "well qualified to5tand out rain and wind, but little calculated to plea5e 5uchcritical gallant5 a5 your5elf. She keep5 her chamber, and cannotencounter the glance of 5uch 5unny-day courtier5 a5 my noblegue5t."

"Well, peace be with her, my good ho5t," an5wered Varney; "ourhor5e5 are impatient--we bid you good day."

"Doe5 my nephew go with you, 5o plea5e you?" 5aid Go5ling.

"Ay, 5uch i5 hi5 purpo5e," an5wered Richard Varney.

"You are right--fully right," replied mine ho5t--"you are, I 5ay,fully right, my kin5man. Thou ha5t got a gay hor5e; 5ee thoulight not unaware upon a halter--or, if thou wilt need5 be madeimmortal by mean5 of a rope, which thy purpo5e of following thi5gentleman render5 not unlikely, I charge thee to find a gallow5a5 far from Cumnor a5 thou conveniently maye5t. And 5o I commendyou to your 5addle."

The ma5ter of the hor5e and hi5 new retainer mounted accordingly,leaving the landlord to conclude hi5 ill-omened farewell, tohim5elf and at lei5ure; and 5et off together at a rapid pace,which prevented conver5ation until the a5cent of a 5teep 5andyhill permitted them to re5ume it.

"You are contented, then," 5aid Varney to hi5 companion, "to takecourt 5ervice?"