“Thank you for your courtesy, gentlemen, and for your confidence in my honour.  I am, indeed, anxious to return home at once.  If I do not do so, there will be a hue and cry for me, and by the time I return in the morning all London will know that I am missing.  I naturally should not wish this adventure to become a matter of common talk:  in the first place, because the position in which you have placed me can scarcely be called a pleasant one; and secondly, because the success of your enterprise might lead others to make similar attempts on my person, or that of my colleagues.  Even now, I fear that my servants, when sufficiently recovered, will go to my house and give the alarm.”

“I do not think that that is likely to be the case, my lord,” O’Neil said, “as we took the precaution of gagging and binding them, and laid them down some distance from the roadside.  If, on your return home, you find they have not arrived, you have but to send a couple of your servants out to release them.  You can give them strict orders that no word is to be said of the affair, and make them to understand you were attacked in error, and that the ruffians who took part in the outrage at once released you, upon discovering your identity.”

“Very good, sir,” Godolphin said, with a grim smile.  “I must really compliment you all on your fertility of resource and invention.  And now, is there anything else that I can do for you?”

“There is one small favour,” Desmond said.  “Your lordship has doubtless twenty guineas in your possession.  You would greatly oblige us if you would give us them, for so many louis.  These you will have no difficulty in exchanging, whereas the exhibition of French money, on our part, might excite suspicion.”

Lord Godolphin placed his hand in his pocket, drew out a heavy purse, and, opening it, counted out twenty guineas.  O’Neil took these up, and handed to him twenty louis pieces.

“One more question, gentlemen.  What has become of my sedan chair?”

“It is in an alley, hard by,” O’Neil said, “and as we are ourselves going in your direction we will carry it to your door.”

“You are obliging, indeed, sir.  If it had been found, the escutcheon on the panels would have shown that it was mine.”

“I fear, my lord, that you will have to have it repainted; for, before starting with you, we took the precaution to put black paint over the gilding and panels.  Still, the lining and fittings would show that it belonged to some person of wealth and importance.  As you have been so obliging to us, we will gladly escort you, with it, to your door.”

“I shall be glad, indeed, of that, gentlemen, for I certainly should not care about travelling alone through these lanes and alleys, which have by no means a good reputation.”

“We are ready to start at once, my lord,” O’Neil said.  “We have a long journey to perform, and, although there is now no need for extraordinary speed, we shall be glad to be off.”