Genevieve, with tears in her eyes, exclaimed,
'Oh! this is madness! Will no one tell them how wicked they are?'
'Never mind, my dear,' said Mr. Kendal, pressing the hand that in her
fervour she had laid on his arm, 'they will come to their senses in
time. No, Mr. Hope, I beg you will not interfere, they are in no
state for it; they have done no harm as yet.'
'I wonder what the police are about?' cried Albinia, indignantly.
'They are too few to do any good,' said Mr. Kendal. 'It may be
better that they are not incensing the mob. It will all go off
quietly when this explosion has relieved their feelings.'
They felt as if there were something grand in this perfectly
dispassionate reception of the outrage, and they stood awed and
silenced, Sophy leaning on him.
'It will soon be over now,' he said, 'they are poking up the name to
receive me.'
'Hark! what's that?'
The mob came swaying back, and a rich voice swelled above all the
din, 'Boys, boys, is it burning your friends you are? Then, for the
first time, Mr. Kendal started, and muttered, 'foolish lad! is he
here?'
Confused cries rose again, but the other voice gained the mastery.
'So you call that undertaker-looking figure there Mr. Kendal. Small
credit to your taste. You want to burn him. What for?'
'For being a Nabob and a tyrant,' was the shout.
'Much you know of Nabobs! No; I'll tell you what it's for.
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