Redgauntlet [231]
sadness which has crept upon an assembly gathered together for so noble a purpose. Our numbers seem, when thus assembled, too small and inconsiderable to shake the firm-seated usurpation of a half-century. But do not count us by what we are in thew and muscle, but by what our summons can do among our countrymen. In this small party are those who have power to raise battalions, and those who have wealth to pay them. And do not believe our friends who are absent are cold or indifferent to the cause. Let us once light the signal, and it will be hailed by all who retain love for the Stuart, and by all--a more numerous body--who hate the Elector. Here I have letters from'--
Sir Richard Glendale interrupted the speaker. 'We all confide, Redgauntlet, in your valour and skill--we admire your perseverance; and probably nothing short of your strenuous exertions, and the emulation awakened by your noble and disinterested conduct, could have brought so many of us, the scattered remnant of a disheartened party, to meet together once again in solemn consultation; for I take it, gentlemen,' he said, looking round, 'this is only a consultation.'
'Nothing more,' said the young lord.
'Nothing more,' said Doctor Grumball, shaking his large academical peruke.
And, 'Only a consultation,' was echoed by the others.
Redgauntlet bit his lip. 'I had hopes,' he said, 'that the discourses I have held with most of you, from time to time, had ripened into more maturity than your words imply, and that we were here to execute as well as to deliberate; and for this we stand prepared. I can raise five hundred men with my whistle.'
'Five hundred men!' said one of the Welsh squires; 'Cot bless us! and pray you, what cood could five hundred men do?'
'All that the priming does for the cannon, Mr. Meredith,' answered Redgauntlet; 'it will enable us to seize Carlisle, and you know what our friends have engaged for in that case.'
'Yes--but,' said the young nobleman, 'you must not hurry us on too fast, Mr. Redgauntlet; we are all, I believe, as sincere and truehearted in this business as you are, but we will not be driven forward blindfold. We owe caution to ourselves and our families, as well as to those whom we are empowered to represent on this occasion.'
'Who hurries you, my lord? Who is it that would drive this meeting forward blindfold? I do not understand your lordship,' said Redgauntlet.
'Nay,' said Sir Richard Glendale, 'at least do not let us fall under our old reproach of disagreeing among ourselves. What my lord means, Redgauntlet, is, that we have this morning heard it is uncertain whether you could even bring that body of men whom you count upon; your countryman, Mr. MacKellar, seemed, just before you came in, to doubt whether your people would rise in any force, unless you could produce the authority of your nephew.'
'I might ask,' said Redgauntlet,' what right MacKellar, or any one, has to doubt my being able to accomplish what I stand pledged for? But our hopes consist in our unity. Here stands my nephew. Gentlemen, I present to you my kinsman, Sir Arthur Darsie Redgauntlet of that Ilk.'
'Gentlemen,' said Darsie, with a throbbing bosom, for he felt the crisis a very painful one, 'Allow me to say, that I suspend expressing my sentiments on the important subject under discussion until I have heard those of the present meeting.'
'Proceed in your deliberations, gentlemen,' said Redgauntlet; 'I will show my nephew such reasons for acquiescing in the result, as will entirely remove any scruples which may hang around his mind.'
Dr. Grumball now coughed, 'shook his ambrosial curls,' and addressed the assembly.
'The principles of Oxford,' he said,' are well understood, since she was the last to resign herself to the Arch-Usurper,--since she has condemned, by her sovereign authority, the blasphemous, atheistical, and anarchical tenets of Locke, and other deluders of the public mind. Oxford will give men, money and countenance, to the cause of the rightful monarch. But we have, been often deluded
Sir Richard Glendale interrupted the speaker. 'We all confide, Redgauntlet, in your valour and skill--we admire your perseverance; and probably nothing short of your strenuous exertions, and the emulation awakened by your noble and disinterested conduct, could have brought so many of us, the scattered remnant of a disheartened party, to meet together once again in solemn consultation; for I take it, gentlemen,' he said, looking round, 'this is only a consultation.'
'Nothing more,' said the young lord.
'Nothing more,' said Doctor Grumball, shaking his large academical peruke.
And, 'Only a consultation,' was echoed by the others.
Redgauntlet bit his lip. 'I had hopes,' he said, 'that the discourses I have held with most of you, from time to time, had ripened into more maturity than your words imply, and that we were here to execute as well as to deliberate; and for this we stand prepared. I can raise five hundred men with my whistle.'
'Five hundred men!' said one of the Welsh squires; 'Cot bless us! and pray you, what cood could five hundred men do?'
'All that the priming does for the cannon, Mr. Meredith,' answered Redgauntlet; 'it will enable us to seize Carlisle, and you know what our friends have engaged for in that case.'
'Yes--but,' said the young nobleman, 'you must not hurry us on too fast, Mr. Redgauntlet; we are all, I believe, as sincere and truehearted in this business as you are, but we will not be driven forward blindfold. We owe caution to ourselves and our families, as well as to those whom we are empowered to represent on this occasion.'
'Who hurries you, my lord? Who is it that would drive this meeting forward blindfold? I do not understand your lordship,' said Redgauntlet.
'Nay,' said Sir Richard Glendale, 'at least do not let us fall under our old reproach of disagreeing among ourselves. What my lord means, Redgauntlet, is, that we have this morning heard it is uncertain whether you could even bring that body of men whom you count upon; your countryman, Mr. MacKellar, seemed, just before you came in, to doubt whether your people would rise in any force, unless you could produce the authority of your nephew.'
'I might ask,' said Redgauntlet,' what right MacKellar, or any one, has to doubt my being able to accomplish what I stand pledged for? But our hopes consist in our unity. Here stands my nephew. Gentlemen, I present to you my kinsman, Sir Arthur Darsie Redgauntlet of that Ilk.'
'Gentlemen,' said Darsie, with a throbbing bosom, for he felt the crisis a very painful one, 'Allow me to say, that I suspend expressing my sentiments on the important subject under discussion until I have heard those of the present meeting.'
'Proceed in your deliberations, gentlemen,' said Redgauntlet; 'I will show my nephew such reasons for acquiescing in the result, as will entirely remove any scruples which may hang around his mind.'
Dr. Grumball now coughed, 'shook his ambrosial curls,' and addressed the assembly.
'The principles of Oxford,' he said,' are well understood, since she was the last to resign herself to the Arch-Usurper,--since she has condemned, by her sovereign authority, the blasphemous, atheistical, and anarchical tenets of Locke, and other deluders of the public mind. Oxford will give men, money and countenance, to the cause of the rightful monarch. But we have, been often deluded