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"Nay, worshipful Master Desborough," said Bletson, winking at Everard, to show that he was playing on his thick-sculled colleague, "how could I tell your particular mode of reposing? there are many tastes I have known men who slept by choice on a slope or angle of forty-five." "Yes, but did ever a man sleep standing on his head, except by miracle?" said Desborough.
"Because, before we had been a week separate, I should hear of your dying after the fashion of a dog. Come, my good friend, what madness was it in thee to fall foul on Harrison, and then to enter into useless argument with Bletson?" "Why, we are in the Devil's house, I think, and I would willingly give the landlord his due wherever I travel.
"Ay, ay! well," answered Desborough, to whom this description of the old poet was unintelligible "I for one desire his room rather than his company; one of your conjurors, I warrant him. But what says he to the matter?" "Only a slight spell, which I will take the freedom to repeat to Colonel Everard," said Bletson; "but which would be as bad as Greek to thee, Desborough.
"He would scarce have left the New Testament as well as the Old," said Everard. "Come, my dear Bletson, do not be ashamed of the wisest thing you ever did in your life, supposing you took your Bible in an hour of apprehension, with a view to profit by the contents." Bletson's vanity was so much galled that it overcame his constitutional cowardice.
"Hush, hush," said Bletson; and the servants, making their appearance from behind the tall cupboard, announced Colonel Everard. It may not be uninteresting to the reader to have a description, of the party into which he now entered. Desborough was a stout, bull-necked man, of middle-size, with heavy vulgar features, grizzled bushy eyebrows, and walleyes.
His acute and observing eye detected, with a sneering smile, the cordage and machinery by which the bed of poor Desborough had been inverted, and several remains of the various disguises, as well as private modes of access, by which Desborough, Bletson, and Harrison, had been previously imposed upon.
In the next instant, however, Sergeant-major Bletson was seen repairing, with long and hasty strides, to the barrack whence the voice proceeded, and the interruption was heard no more.
Cromwell had already been tampering with him, like wax between his finger and thumb, and which he was ready shortly to seal with, smiling at the same time to himself when he beheld the Council of State giving rewards to Bletson, as their faithful adherent, while he himself was secure of his allegiance, how soon soever the expected change of government should take place.
Colonel Desborough acquitted his right honourable and excellent cousin and kinsman of all species of unkindness; Master Bletson discovered, that the interest of the state was trebly concerned in the good administration of Windsor more than in that of Woodstock.
"Scorn not for that, young man," said the philosopher; "the Jews are, in point of religion, the elder brethren, you know." "The Jews older than the Christians?" said Desborough, "'fore George, they will have thee before the General Assembly, Bletson, if thou venturest to say so."
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