Oddsfish!

d, but for the thoughts that went continually through my heart and brain; and I do not suppose that I spoke twenty

*

e; but first we brought the horses back as softly as we could, with James (who, like a good servant had not stirred an inch from his orders through all the tumult which he had heard plainly enough from the meadow),

my Cousin Tom, he was no better than a dummy; for he was still terrified at all that had happened, and at the magistrate's words to him. I told them both, while we were still in the house, that I must go to London, partly for that that was the last place in the world that any would look for me in, and partly-(but this I told neither of them)-for that I must return the packet to His Majesty: and I said that from London I would go to France for a little, until it seemed safe for m

*

n the morning; and I think that for a lover who desires to be alone with his thoughts, there is no light of sun o

to see the King in London, and push straight on to Dover and take the packet there: and it was a solemn dawn too, in another way, for it was the first I had

ed to myself; but Providence had one more adventure for me first, that wa

*

ts lay, and see at least the walls that enclosed those saints of God; for I was pretty bold here, knowing that Mr. Dangerfield who was my chief peril, was off to Harwich to find me; and even if they found that I was not gone through Barkway, I did not

ing the same way; and so astonished was I at this-for no suspicion of the truth came to me-that I bid my man ask someo

none else could hear, "they are taking

e men, all priests, all Religious-suffering, in God's eyes at least, for nothing in the world but the Catholic religion; yes, and in men's too, if they had known all, for I remembered how Mr. Whitbread had refused to escape, while he had yet a whole day

observed very carefully everything that was to be seen. The sleds were three in number, and were each made flat of strong wood with runners about an inch high; and there was a pair of horses harnessed to each, with a man to guide them. I got close to these, next behind the line of yellow trainbandmen who kept the way open, as well as t

door at the head of the stairs was opened and men began to come out. I saw Mr. Sheriff How among them, wh

ed as by the old man; for I had spoken with him so often. He too walked cheerfully, first looking about him resolutely as he came out at all the faces turned up to his; and at him too was even a greater roaring, for the people thought him to be at the head of all the conspiracy. He was pinioned loosely with cords, but not so that he could not lift his hands (and so were the other three that followed), and a fellow held the other end of the cord in his hand. Mr. Turne

through, on my knees, enough to speak to Mr. Whitbread. Mr. Harcourt was already laid down on the sled, on the further side from me, and Mr. Whitbread was getting to his knees for the same end. As he turned and sat himself on the sled he saw me, and frowned ever so little. Then he smiled as I made the sign of the cross on myself and he made it too at me, and I saw his lips move as he blessed me. He wa

*

he tail, rather than to attempt to go before. When the word was given, the whips cracked, and the sled nearest me, with Mr. Whitbread and Mr. Harcourt upon it, began to move. Then came Mr. Turner and Mr. Gava

d my man James forced his way after me; so that we found ourselves with three or four other gentlemen, riding immedia

e in any church-for here was the very road along which so many hundreds of the Catholic martyrs had passed before; and at the end was waiting the very death by which they had died. I know that the martyrdom of these five was not so evident an one as th

from the windows of the houses, joined in the din that was made. At first the way was nasty enough, with the pails that folks had emptied out of doors into the gutter; but by the time we reached the Oxford Road the way was dusty only; so that the f

pes were in place all in one line; and a cart was there beneath them. A cauldron, too, sent up its smoke a little distance away beside the brook. All this space was kept clear again by guards; a

rced, somewhat, out of the place I had hoped to get, and found myself at last a good way off, with a press of people between m

angman down again upon the ground; and as soon as that was done, a great silence fell everywhere. I ha

ad begin; and the first sentence was clear enoug

ould speak something to the matter I am co

have been given him to swear falsely. He prayed God to bless His Majesty, and denied that it was any part of Catholic teaching that a king might be killed as it was said had been designed by the

old man; but I heard Mr. Sheriff How presently interrup

Berry Godfrey's

t letter concerning th

Godf

"These are the words of a dying man. I

harge; and he ended by begging the prayers of all in th

ad spoke a while, again S

ill not believe a word that you say. Spend your time

g his entire innocence; and, at the end he

pleased to do for me in the whole course of my life, and now in the hour of my death, with a firm belief of all things Thou hast revealed, and a stedfast hope of obtai

oke of Mariana the Jesuit who had seemed to teach a king-killing doctrine; but this sense on his words he repudiated altogether. H

Sheriff How broke in on him, and argued wi

y Godfrey," cried Mr. F

ver saw the m

heriff, "I am of opinion

id the priest, "do you think th

n," said Mr. How, "but I assure yo

ished, once more denying and renouncing the part that

ach, I think, absolved his neighbour. The crowd about kept pretty quiet, only murmuring together; and cried no more insults at them. I, too, did my best

may join with you. We shall do y

hat; and he spoke agai

hamed of yo

speak; and he tur

id, "it is reported tha

meeting

t opened

"I never did preach

the more that was to follow. There was something shocking in the quietness and the glory of the day-such a day as many that I had spent in the meadows of Hare Street, or in the high woods-faced as it was with this dreadful thing against the blue sky, and the five figures beneath it, like figures in a frieze, and the smoke of the cauldron that drifted up continually or brought a reek of tar to my nostrils. And, again, all this would pass; and I would feel that it was not hell but heaven that waited; and that all was but as a thin veil, a little shadow of

e very well; and I think that this spectacle of the five men praying had touched many hearts there. Now, however, when the end approached, they seemed to awaken

a horrib

came, and saw a great confusion break out in the outskirts of the crowd. Then I saw a horse's head, and a man's bare head behind it, whisk out from the trees in the direction of th

pardon!" An

sides; but as in dumb play I could see that Mr. How was speaking to the priests who still stood as before. Mr. Whitbread shook his head in answer and so

cept-and indeed they turned out afterwards to be that they should confess their guilt-and my

e, and then pulled down the caps over their faces, beginning with Father Whitbread and ending wi

r souls' easy passage. Then I saw old Father Harcourt suddenly stagger, and then the rest staggered; and I saw that the cart was being pu