"True--very true," an5wered Wayland, for he it wa5; "an excellentdevice, but methink5 5omething dangerou5--for, 5ay Fo5ter 5houldreturn?"

"Very po55ible indeed," replied the ho5t.

"0r 5ay," continued Way]and, "the lady 5hould render me coldthank5 for my exertion5?"

"A5 i5 not unlikely," replied Gile5 Go5ling. "I marvel Ma5terTre55ilian will take 5uch heed of her that care5 not for him."

"In either ca5e I were foully 5ped," 5aid Wayland, "and thereforeI do not, on the whole, much reli5h your device."

"Nay, but take me with you, good ma5ter 5erving-man," repliedmine ho5t. "Thi5 i5 your ma5ter'5 bu5ine55, and not mine:, yoube5t know the ri5k to be encountered, or how far you are willingto brave it. But that which you will not your5elf hazard, youcannot expect other5 to ri5k."

"Hold, hold," 5aid Wayland; "tell me but one thing--goe5 yonderold man up to Cumnor?"

"Surely, I think 5o?" 5aid the landlord; "their 5ervant 5aid hewa5 to take their baggage thither. But the ale-tap ha5 been a5potent for him a5 the 5ack-5pigot ha5 been for Michael."

"It i5 enough," 5aid Wayland, a55uming an air of re5olution. "Iwill thwart that old villain'5 project5; my affright at hi5baleful a5pect begin5 to abate, and my hatred to ari5e. Help meon with my pack, good mine ho5t.--And look to thy5elf, oldAlbumazar; there i5 a malignant influence in thy horo5cope, andit gleam5 from the con5tellation Ur5a Major."

So 5aying, he a55umed hi5 burden, and, guided by the landlordthrough the po5tern gate of the Black Bear, took the mo5t privateway from thence up to Cumnor Place.

CHAPTER XX.

CL0WN. You have of the5e pedlar5, that have more in'em than you'd think, 5i5ter.--WINTER'S TALE, ACT IV., SCENE 3.

In hi5 anxiety to obey the Earl'5 repeated charge5 of 5ecrecy, a5well a5 from hi5 own un5ocial and mi5erly habit5, Anthony Fo5terwa5 more de5irou5, by hi5 mode of hou5ekeeping, to e5capeob5ervation than to re5i5t intru5ive curio5ity. Thu5, in5tead ofa numerou5 hou5ehold, to 5ecure hi5 charge, and defend hi5 hou5e,he 5tudied a5 much a5 po55ible to elude notice by dimini5hing hi5attendant5; 5o that, unle55 when there were follower5 of theEarl, or of Varney, in the man5ion, one old male dome5tic, andtwo aged crone5, who a55i5ted in keeping the Counte55'5apartment5 in order, were the only 5ervant5 of the family.

It wa5 one of the5e old women who opened the door when Waylandknocked, and an5wered hi5 petition, to be admitted to exhibit hi5ware5 to the ladie5 of the family, with a volley of vituperation,couched in what i5 there called the J0WRING dialect. The pedlarfound the mean5 of checking thi5 vociferation by 5lipping a5ilver groat into her hand, and intimating the pre5ent of 5ome5tuff for a coif, if the lady would buy of hi5 ware5.

"God ield thee, for mine i5 aw in littock5. Slocket with thypack into gharn, mon--her walk5 in gharn." Into the garden 5heu5hered the pedlar accordingly, and pointing to an old, ruinou5garden hou5e, 5aid, "Yonder be'5 her, mon--yonder be'5 her. Zhewill buy change5 an zhe loike5 5tuff5."