The String of Pearls (1850), p. 299

great coat on him, merged from behind a column that lent its support to a doorway.
"Here you is," said the man.
"Is all right, Crotchet?" said Sir Richard.
"Yes; everything is quiet enough. Not a blessed mouse hasn't wagged his tail or smoothened his whiskers for the last half hour or so."
"Very good, Crotchet. I'm afraid, though, I cannot dismiss you just yet, as the business is very important."
"What's the odds," said Crotchet, "as long as you are happy?"
Sir Richard Blunt smiled, as he added—
"Well, Crotchet, you deserve, and you shall have an ample reward for the services you are doing and have done, in this affair. I and some gentlemen will
go into the church, and I wish you to remain at the porch, and if you find occasion to give any warning, I think your whistle will be quite shrill enough to
reach my ears.
"Not a doubt on it, Sir Richard. If what they calls the last trumpet is only half as loud as my last whistle, it will wake up the coves, and no mistake."
"Very good, Crotchet. Only don't make any profane allusions in the hearing of the gentlemen with me, for one of them is the Under Secretary of State,
and the other two are men of account. We have to meet some one else in the church."
"Then he hasn't come."
"That's awkward. The Lord Mayor was to meet us. Ah! who is this?"
A private carriage stopped on the other side of the way, and some one alighted, and a voice cried—
"Go home now, Samuel, and put up the horses. I shall not want you any more to-night. Go home."
"Shan't we call anywhere for you, my lord?" said Samuel, the coachman.
"No—no, I say. Go away at once."
"That's the Lord Mayor," said Sir Richard. "He is pretty true to his time."
As he spoke, Sir Richard crossed the road, and addressed the chief magistrate of the city, saying—
"A fine night, my lord."
"Oh, Sir Richard, is that you? Well, I am very glad to meet with you so soon. If I were to tell you the difficulty I have had to get here, you would not
believe me. Indeed you could not."
"Really, my lord."
"Yes. You must know, Sir Richard, between you and I, and—and—"
Here the Lord Mayor, who did not like to say post, looked about him, and his eyes falling upon Temple Bar, added—"Bar, I say; between you and me and the Bar, the Lady Mayoress, although a most excellent woman—indeed I may say an admirable woman—has at times her little faults of temper. You understand?"
"Who is without?" said Sir Richard.
"Ah, who indeed—who indeed, Sir Richard. That is a very sensible remark of yours. Who is without? as you justly enough say."
"The Lord Mayor!" said Sir Richard, who had been gradually leading his lordship to Temple Bar, and now announced his arrival to the three gentlemen
who were there in waiting.
The three gentlemen professed themselves to be quite delighted to see the Lord Mayor, and; he Lord Mayor professed to be quite in raptures to see the
three gentlemen, so that a pleasanter party than they all made, could not have been imagined.
"Now," said Sir Richard Blunt, "I think, with all deference, gentlemen, that the sooner we proceed to business the better."