This cool audacity effected its purpose, though one long and closely
hunted by the law evaded the authorities of the town, when this singular
being took his seat by the little package which contained his scanty
wardrobe.
Chapter II.
"My nobiel liege! all my request
Ys for a nobile knyghte,
Who, tho' mayhap he has done wronge,
Hee thoughte ytt stylle was righte."
Chatterton.
While this impudent evasion of vigilance was successfully practised by so
old an offender, the trio of sentinels, with their volunteer assistant the
pilgrim, manifested the greatest anxiety to prevent the contamination of
admitting the highest executioner of the law to form one of the strangely
assorted company. No sooner did the Genevese permit a traveller to pass,
than they commenced their private and particular examination, which was
sufficiently fierce, for more than once had they threatened to turn back
the trembling, ignorant applicant on mere suspicion. The cunning Baptiste
lent himself to their feelings with the skill of a demagogue, affecting a
zeal equal to their own, while, at the same time, he took care most to
excite their suspicions where there was the smallest danger of their being
rewarded with success.
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