"Your pal wants it worse than you," said the sergeant. "If there was
an old coachman's cape or anything to put over him, I would see it
returned safe. I don't want to bring him round the country in a
blanket, like a wild Injin."
"I have a cloak inside," said Bashville. "I'll get it for you." And
before Lydia could devise a pretext for stopping him, he went out,
and she heard him reentering the lodge by the back door. It seemed
to her that a silence fell on the crowd, as if her deceit were
already discovered. Then Mellish, who had been waiting for an
opportunity to protest against the last remark of the policeman,
said, angrily, "Who are you calling my pal? I hope I may be struck dead for a liar
if ever I set my eyes on him in my life before."
Lydia looked at him as a martyr might look at a wretch to whom she
was to be chained. He was doing as she had done--lying. Then
Bashville, having passed through the other rooms, came into the
library by the inner door, with an old livery cloak on his arm.
"Put that on him," he said, "and come along to the castle with me.
You can see the roads for five miles round from the south tower, and
recognize every man on them, through the big telescope. By your
leave, madam, I think Phoebe had better come with us to help."
"Certainly," said Lydia, looking steadfastly at him.
"I'll get clothes at the castle for the man that wants them," he
added, trying to return her gaze, but failing with a blush. "Now
boys. Come along."
"I thank your ladyship," said the sergeant. "We have had a hard
morning of it, and we can do no more at present than drink your
health." He touched his helmet again, and Lydia bowed to him. "Keep
close together, men," he shouted, as the crowd moved off with
Bashville.
"Ah," sneered Mellish, "keep close together like the geese do.
Things has come to a pretty pass when an Englishman is run in for
stopping when he sees a crowd."
"All right," said the sergeant. "I have got that bundle of colored
handkerchiefs you were selling; and I'll find the other man before
you're a day older. It's a pity, seeing how you've behaved so well
and haven't resisted us, that you won't drop a hint of where those
ropes and stakes are hid. I might have a good word at the sessions
for any one who would put me in the way of finding them."