The apology was the more readily
accepted, as he prayed them, at the same time, to continue to amuse
themselves with such refreshments as the cellars of the castle afforded.
Shouts of applause followed their retreat; and the names of Vere,
Langley, and, above all, of Mareschal, were thundered forth in chorus,
and bathed with copious bumpers repeatedly, during the remainder of the
evening.
When the principal conspirators had retired into a separate apartment,
they gazed on each other for a minute with a sort of embarrassment,
which, in Sir Frederick's dark features, amounted to an expression of
discontented sullenness. Mareschal was the first to break the pause,
saying, with a loud burst of laughter,
--"Well! we are fairly embarked now, gentlemen--VOGUE LA GALERE!"
"We may thank you for the plunge," said Ellieslaw.
"Yes; but I don't know how far you will thank me," answered Mareschal,
"when I show you this letter which I received just before we sat down.
My servant told me it was delivered by a man he had never seen before,
who went off at the gallop, after charging him to put it into my own
hand.
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