her heart, though it must be owned, for the honour of this blooming
damsel, that her thoughts had never once deviated from the paths of
innocence and virtue. The more Sir Launcelot surveyed this agreeable
maiden, the more he felt himself disposed to take care of her fortune;
and from this day he began to ruminate on a scheme which was afterwards
consummated in her favour. In the meantime he laid injunctions on Mr.
Clarke to conduct his addresses to Mrs. Cowslip according to the rules of
honour and decorum, as he valued his countenance and friendship. His
next step was to procure a saddle-horse for Dolly, who preferred this to
any other sort of carriage, and thereby gratified the wish of her
admirer, who longed to see her on horseback in her green joseph.

The armour, including the accoutrements of the novice and the squire,
were left in the care of the inn-keeper, and Timothy Crabshaw was so
metamorphosed by a plain livery-frock, that even Gilbert with difficulty
recognised his person. As for the novice Crowe, his head had almost
resumed its natural dimensions, but then his whole face was so covered
with a livid suffusion, his nose appeared so flat, and his lips so
tumefied, that he might very well have passed for a Caffre or Ethiopian.
Every circumstance being now adjusted, they departed from Bugden in a
regular cavalcade, dined at Hatfield, and in the evening arrived at the
Bull and Gate Inn in Holborn, where they established their quarters for
the night.




CHAPTER TWENTY

IN WHICH OUR HERO DESCENDS INTO THE MANSION OF THE DAMNED.