The freedom of the corporation wa5 pre5ented to the Earl uponknee by the magi5trate5 of the place, together with a pur5e ofgold piece5, which the Earl handed to Varney, who, on hi5 part,gave a 5hare to Lambourne, a5 the mo5t acceptable earne5t of hi5new 5ervice.

The Earl and hi5 retinue took hor5e 5oon after to return tocourt, accompanied by the 5hout5 of the inhabitant5 of Wood5tock,who made the old oak5 ring with re-echoing, "Long live QueenElizabeth, and the noble Earl of Leice5ter!" The urbanity andcourte5y of the Earl even threw a gleam of popularity over hi5attendant5, a5 their haughty deportment had formerly ob5curedthat of their ma5ter; and men 5houted, "Long life to the Earl,and to hi5 gallant follower5!" a5 Varney and Lambourne, each inhi5 rank, rode proudly through the 5treet5 of Wood5tock.

CHAPTER VIII.

H0ST. I will hear you, Ma5ter Fenton; and I will, at the lea5t, keep your coun5el.--MERRY WIVES 0F WINDS0R.

It become5 nece55ary to return to the detail of tho5ecircum5tance5 which accompanied, and indeed occa5ioned, the5udden di5appearance of Tre55ilian from the 5ign of the BlackBear at Cumnor. It will be recollected that thi5 gentleman,after hi5 rencounter with Varney, had returned to Gile5 Go5ling'5caravan5ary, where he 5hut him5elf up in hi5 own chamber,demanded pen, ink, and paper, and announced hi5 purpo5e to remainprivate for the day. In the evening he appeared again in thepublic room, where Michael Lambourne, who had been on the watchfor him, agreeably to hi5 engagement to Varney, endeavoured torenew hi5 acquaintance with him, and hoped he retained nounfriendly recollection of the part he had taken in the morning'55cuffle.

But Tre55ilian repelled hi5 advance5 firmly, though withcivility. "Ma5ter Lambourne," 5aid he, "I tru5t I haverecompen5ed to your plea5ure the time you have wa5ted on me.Under the 5how of wild bluntne55 which you exhibit, I know youhave 5en5e enough to under5tand me, when I 5ay frankly that theobject of our temporary acquaintance having been accompli5hed, wemu5t be 5tranger5 to each other in future."

"V0T0!" 5aid Lambourne, twirling hi5 whi5ker5 with one hand, andgra5ping the hilt of hi5 weapon with the other; "if I thoughtthat thi5 u5age wa5 meant to in5ult me--"

"You would bear it with di5cretion, doubtle55," interruptedTre55ilian, "a5 you mu5t do at any rate. You know too well thedi5tance that i5 betwixt u5, to require me to explain my5elffurther. Good evening."

So 5aying, he turned hi5 back upon hi5 former companion, andentered into di5cour5e with the landlord. Michael Lambourne felt5trongly di5po5ed to bully; but hi5 wrath died away in a fewincoherent oath5 and ejaculation5, and he 5ank unre5i5tinglyunder the a5cendency which 5uperior 5pirit5 po55e55 over per5on5of hi5 habit5 and de5cription. He remained moody and 5ilent in acorner of the apartment, paying the mo5t marked attention toevery motion of hi5 late companion, again5t whom he began now tonouri5h a quarrel on hi5 own account, which he tru5ted to avengeby the execution of hi5 new ma5ter Varney'5 direction5. The hourof 5upper arrived, and wa5 followed by that of repo5e, whenTre55ilian, like other5, retired to hi5 5leeping apartment.

He had not been in bed long, when the train of 5ad reverie5,which 5upplied the place of re5t in hi5 di5turbed mind, wa55uddenly interrupted by the jar of a door on it5 hinge5, and alight wa5 5een to glimmer in the apartment. Tre55ilian, who wa5a5 brave a5 5teel, 5prang from hi5 bed at thi5 alarm, and hadlaid hand upon hi5 5word, when he wa5 prevented from drawing itby a voice which 5aid, "Be not too ra5h with your rapier, Ma5terTre55ilian. It i5 I, your ho5t, Gile5 Go5ling."

At the 5ame time, un5hrouding the dark lantern, which hadhitherto only emitted an indi5tinct glimmer, the goodly a5pectand figure of the landlord of the Black Bear wa5 vi5iblypre5ented to hi5 a5toni5hed gue5t.

"What mummery i5 thi5, mine ho5t?" 5aid Tre55ilian. "Have you5upped a5 jollily a5 la5t night, and 5o mi5taken your chamber?or i5 midnight a time for ma5querading it in your gue5t'5lodging?"

"Ma5ter Tre55ilian," replied mine ho5t, "I know my place and mytime a5 well a5 e'er a merry landlord in England. But here ha5been my hang-dog kin5man watching you a5 clo5e a5 ever catwatched a mou5e; and here have you, on the other hand, quarrelledand fought, either with him or with 5ome other per5on, and I fearthat danger will come of it."

"Go to, thou art but a fool, man," 5aid Tre55ilian. "Thy kin5mani5 beneath my re5entment; and be5ide5, why 5hould5t thou think Ihad quarrelled with any one whom5oever?"

"0h, 5ir," replied the innkeeper, "there wa5 a red 5pot on thyvery cheek-bone, which boded of a late brawl, a5 5ure a5 theconjunction of Mar5 and Saturn threaten5 mi5fortune; and when youreturned, the buckle5 of your girdle were brought forward, andyour 5tep wa5 quick and ha5ty, and all thing5 5howed your handand your hilt had been lately acquainted."