The mob had been divided from its first assemblage into fourdivisions; the London, the Westminster, the Southwark, and theScotch. Each of these divisions being subdivided into variousbodies, and these bodies being drawn up in various forms andfigures, the general arrangement was, except to the few chiefs andleaders, as unintelligible as the plan of a great battle to themeanest soldier in the field. It was not without its method,however; for, in a very short space of time after being put inmotion, the crowd had resolved itself into three great parties, andwere prepared, as had been arranged, to cross the river bydifferent bridges, and make for the House of Commons in separatedetachments.
At the head of that division which had Westminster Bridge for itsapproach to the scene of action, Lord George Gordon took his post;with Gashford at his right hand, and sundry ruffians, of mostunpromising appearance, forming a kind of staff about him. Theconduct of a second party, whose route lay by Blackfriars, wasentrusted to a committee of management, including perhaps a dozenmen: while the third, which was to go by London Bridge, and throughthe main streets, in order that their numbers and their seriousintentions might be the better known and appreciated by thecitizens, were led by Simon Tappertit (assisted by a fewsubalterns, selected from the Brotherhood of United Bulldogs),Dennis the hangman, Hugh, and some others.
The word of command being given, each of these great bodies tookthe road assigned to it, and departed on its way, in perfect orderand profound silence. That which went through the City greatlyexceeded the others in number, and was of such prodigious extentthat when the rear began to move, the front was nearly four milesin advance, notwithstanding that the men marched three abreast andfollowed very close upon each other.
At the head of this party, in the place where Hugh, in the madnessof his humour, had stationed him, and walking between thatdangerous companion and the hangman, went Barnaby; as many a manamong the thousands who looked on that day afterwards rememberedwell. Forgetful of all other things in the ecstasy of the moment,his face flushed and his eyes sparkling with delight, heedless ofthe weight of the great banner he carried, and mindful only of itsflashing in the sun and rustling in the summer breeze, on he went,proud, happy, elated past all telling:--the only light-hearted,undesigning creature, in the whole assembly.
"What do you think of this?" asked Hugh, as they passed through thecrowded streets, and looked up at the windows which were throngedwith spectators. "They have all turned out to see our flags andstreamers? Eh, Barnaby? Why, Barnaby"s the greatest man of allthe pack! His flag"s the largest of the lot, the brightest too.
There"s nothing in the show, like Barnaby. All eyes are turned onhim. Ha ha ha!"
"Don"t make that din, brother," growled the hangman, glancing withno very approving eyes at Barnaby as he spoke: "I hope he don"tthink there"s nothing to be done, but carrying that there piece ofblue rag, like a boy at a breaking up. You"re ready for action Ihope, eh? You, I mean," he added, nudging Barnaby roughly withhis elbow. "What are you staring at? Why don"t you speak?"
Barnaby had been gazing at his flag, and looked vacantly from hisquestioner to Hugh.
"He don"t understand your way," said the latter. "Here, I"llexplain it to him. Barnaby old boy, attend to me."
"I"ll attend," said Barnaby, looking anxiously round; "but I wishI could see her somewhere."
"See who?" demanded Dennis in a gruff tone. "You an"t in love Ihope, brother? That an"t the sort of thing for us, you know. Wemustn"t have no love here."
"She would be proud indeed to see me now, eh Hugh?" said Barnaby.
"Wouldn"t it make her glad to see me at the head of this largeshow? She"d cry for joy, I know she would. Where CAN she be? Shenever sees me at my best, and what do I care to be gay and fine ifSHE"S not by?"
"Why, what palaver"s this?" asked Mr Dennis with supreme disdain.
"We an"t got no sentimental members among us, I hope."
"Don"t be uneasy, brother," cried Hugh, "he"s only talking of hismother."
"Of his what?" said Mr Dennis with a strong oath.
"His mother."
"And have I combined myself with this here section, and turned outon this here memorable day, to hear men talk about their mothers!"
growled Mr Dennis with extreme disgust. "The notion of a man"ssweetheart"s bad enough, but a man"s mother!"--and here his disgustwas so extreme that he spat upon the ground, and could say no more.
"Barnaby"s right," cried Hugh with a grin, "and I say it. Lookee,bold lad. If she"s not here to see, it"s because I"ve provided forher, and sent half-a-dozen gentlemen, every one of "em with ablue flag (but not half as fine as yours), to take her, in state,to a grand house all hung round with gold and silver banners, andeverything else you please, where she"ll wait till you come, andwant for nothing."
"Ay!" said Barnaby, his face beaming with delight: "have youindeed? That"s a good hearing. That"s fine! Kind Hugh!"
"But nothing to what will come, bless you," retorted Hugh, with awink at Dennis, who regarded his new companion in arms with greatastonishment.
"No, indeed?" cried Barnaby.
"Nothing at all," said Hugh. "Money, cocked hats and feathers, redcoats and gold lace; all the fine things there are, ever were, orwill be; will belong to us if we are true to that noble gentleman-thebest man in the world--carry our flags for a few days, and keep"em safe. That"s all we"ve got to do."
"Is that all?" cried Barnaby with glistening eyes, as he clutchedhis pole the tighter; "I warrant you I keep this one safe, then.
You have put it in good hands. You know me, Hugh. Nobody shallwrest this flag away."
"Well said!" cried Hugh. "Ha ha! Nobly said! That"s the oldstout Barnaby, that I have climbed and leaped with, many and many aday--I knew I was not mistaken in Barnaby.--Don"t you see, man," headded in a whisper, as he slipped to the other side of Dennis,"that the lad"s a natural, and can be got to do anything, if youtake him the right way? Letting alone the fun he is, he"s worth adozen men, in earnest, as you"d find if you tried a fall with him.
Leave him to me. You shall soon see whether he"s of use or not."
Mr Dennis received these explanatory remarks with many nods andwinks, and softened his behaviour towards Barnaby from that moment.