Come, you brave and honest gentleman! Get
your senses together, for you haven't long to lie here.'
He had his foot upon the breast of their sham deliverer, in the absence
of a spare arm; and gave him a gentle roll as he spoke. Gashford, for
it was no other, crouching yet malignant, raised his scowling face, like
sin subdued, and pleaded to be gently used.
'I have access to all my lord's papers, Mr Haredale,' he said, in a
submissive voice: Mr Haredale keeping his back towards him, and not once
looking round: 'there are very important documents among them. There are
a great many in secret drawers, and distributed in various places, known
only to my lord and me. I can give some very valuable information, and
render important assistance to any inquiry. You will have to answer it,
if I receive ill usage.
'Pah!' cried Joe, in deep disgust. 'Get up, man; you're waited for,
outside. Get up, do you hear?'
Gashford slowly rose; and picking up his hat, and looking with a baffled
malevolence, yet with an air of despicable humility, all round the room,
crawled out.
'And now, gentlemen,' said Joe, who seemed to be the spokesman of the
party, for all the rest were silent; 'the sooner we get back to the
Black Lion, the better, perhaps.
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