The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

520 WAVElRLEY NOVELS.
fore intimated to Julian, by his assistant Ralph, that the horses stood
saddled behind the Lodge, ancthat all was ready for their departure.
Julian took the hint, and they were soon mounted, and clearing the road,
at a rapid trot, in the direction of London; but not by the most usual route.
Julian calculated that the carriage in which his father was transported
would travel slowly; and it was his purpose, if possible, to get to London
before it should arrive there, in order to have time to consult with the friends
of his family, what measures should be taken in his father's behalf.
In this manner, they advanced a day's journey towards London; at the
conclusion of which, Julian found his resting-place in a small inn upon the
road. No one came, at the first call, to attend upon the guests and their
horses, although the house was well lighted up; and there was a prodigious
chattering in the kitchen, such as can only be produced by a French cook,
when his mystery is in the very moment of projection. It instantly occurred
to Julian -so rare was the ministry of these Gallic artists at that time —
that the clamour he heard must necessarily be produced by the Sieur
Chaubert, on whose plats he had lately feasted, along with Smith and
Ganlesse.
One, or both of these, were therefore probably in the little inn; and if
so, he might have some opportunity to discover their real purpose and character. How to avail himself 6f such a meeting, he knew not; but chance
favoured him more than he could have expected.
" I can scarce receive you, gentlefolks," said the landlord, who at length
appeared at the door; "here be a sort of quality in my house to-night,
whom less than all will not satisfy; nor all neither, for that matter."
" We are but plain fellows, landlord," said Julian; "we are bound for
Moseley-market, and can get no farther to-night. Any hole will serve us,
no matter what."
"Why," said the honest host, "if that be the case, I must e'en put one
of you behind the bar, though the gentlemen have desired to be private;
the other must take heart of grace, and help me at the tap."
"The tap for me," said Lance, with ut waiting his master's decision.
"It is an element which I could live and die in."
" The bar, then, for me," said Peveril; and stepping back, whispered to
Lance to exchange cloaks with him, desirous, if possible, to avoid being
recognized.
The exchange was made in an instant; and presently afterwards the
landlord brought a light; and as he guided Julian into his hostelry, cautioned him to sit quiet in the place where he should stow him; and if he
was discovered, to say that he was one of the house, and leave him to make
it good. "You will hear what the gallants say," he added; " but I think
thou wilt carry but little on it; for when it is not French, it is Court gibberish; and that is as hard to construe."
The bar, into which our hero was inducted on these conditions, seemed
formed, with respect to the public room, upon the principle of a citadel,
intended to observe and bridle a rebellious capital. Here sat the host on
the Saturday evenings, screened from the observation of his guests, yet with
the power of observing both their wants and their behaviour, and also that
of overhearing their conversatilnn-a practice which he was much addicted
to, being one of that numerous class of philanthropists, to whom their
neighbour's business is of. as much consequence, or rather more, than their
own.
I-Iere he planted his new guest, with a repeated caution not to disturb the
gentlemen by speech or motion; and a promise that he should be speedily
accommodated with a cold buttock of beef, and a tankard of home-brewed.
And here he left him with no other light than that which glimmered from
the well-illuminated apartment within, through a sort of shuttle which
accommodated the landlord with a view into it.