Richard,notknowingwhomighthavebetrayedhimandtowhatextent,wasveryfearful—havingthroughhisconnectionwiththeCauseeveryreasonsotobe。Blake,ontheotherhand,consciousofhisinnocenceofanyplotting,wasimpatientofhisposition,andathoughtcontemptuous。Itwashewho,uponbeingusheredbytheconstableandhismenintotheaugustpresenceoftheLord—Lieutenant,clamouredtoknowpreciselyofwhathewasaccusedthathemightstraightwayclearhimself。
Albemarlerearedhisgreatmassivehead,smotheredinamightyblackperuke,andscowleduponthefloridLondonbeau。Ablack—visagedgentlemanwasChristopherMonk。Hispendulouscheeks,itistrue,wereofasallowpallor,butwhatwithhisblackwig,blackeyebrows,darkeyes,andtheblue—blacktintofshavenbeardonhisgreatjawandupperlip,hepresentedanappearancesombrelysinister。Hisnetherlipwasthickandveryprominent;deepcreasesranfromthecornersofhismouthadownhisheavychin;hiseyesweredullandlack—lustre,withgreatpouchesunderthem。Inthemain,theairofthissonofthegreatParliamentariangeneralwasstupid,dull,unprepossessing。
ThecreasesofhismouthdeepenedasBlakeprotestedagainstwhathetermedthisoutragethathadbeendonehim;hesneeredponderously,thrustingfurtherforwardhisheavilyundershotjowl。
\"Weareinformed,sir,ofyourantecedents,\"hestaggeredBlakebyanswering。\"WehavelearntthereasonwhyyouleftLondonandyourcreditors,andinallmylife,sir,Ihaveneverknownamanmorereadytoturnhishandtotreasonthanabrokengamester。Yourkindturnsbyinstincttosuchworkasthis,asalastresourceforthemendingofbatteredfortunes。\"
Blakecrimsonedfromchintobrow。\"I\'mforejudged,it,seems,\"hemadeanswerhaughtily,tossinghisfairlocks,hisblueeyesglaringuponhisjudges。\"MayI,atleast,knowthenameofmyaccuser？\"