He
desired to know by whose authority the malignant, called Lord Evandale,
had been freed from the doom of death, justly denounced against him.
"By my authority and Mr Morton's," replied Poundtext; who, besides being
anxious to give his companion a good opinion of his courage, confided
heartily in his support, and, moreover, had much less fear of
encountering one of his own profession, and who confined himself to the
weapons of theological controversy, in which Poundtext feared no man,
than of entering into debate with the stern homicide Balfour.
"And who, brother," said Kettledrummle, "who gave you authority to
interpose in such a high matter?"
"The tenor of our commission," answered Poundtext, "gives us authority to
bind and to loose. If Lord Evandale was justly doomed to die by the voice
of one of our number, he was of a surety lawfully redeemed from death by
the warrant of two of us."
"Go to, go to," said Burley; "we know your motives; it was to send that
silkworm--that gilded trinket--that embroidered trifle of a lord, to bear
terms of peace to the tyrant."
"It was so," replied Morton, who saw his companion begin to flinch before
the fierce eye of Balfour--"it was so; and what then?--Are we to plunge
the nation in endless war, in order to pursue schemes which are equally
wild, wicked, and unattainable?"
"Hear him!" said Balfour; "he blasphemeth.
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