Eager voices hailed
each other from house to house, all demanding the explanation, which
not a soul could give. Half-dressed men hurried towards the unknown
commotion, stumbling as they went over the stone steps, that thrust
themselves into the narrow foot-walk. The shouts, the laughter, and
the tuneless bray, the antipodes of music, came onwards with
increasing din, till scattered individuals, and then denser bodies,
began to appear round a corner at the distance of a hundred yards.
"Will you recognize your kinsman, if he passes in this crowd?"
inquired the gentleman.
"Indeed, I can't warrant it, sir; but I'll take my stand here,
and keep a bright look-out," answered Robin, descending to the outer
edge of the pavement.
A mighty stream of people now emptied into the street, and came
rolling slowly towards the church. A single horseman wheeled the
corner in the midst of them, and close behind him came a band of
fearful wind-instruments, sending forth a fresher discord, now that no
intervening buildings kept it from the ear. Then a redder light
disturbed the moonbeams, and a dense multitude of torches shone
along the street, concealing, by their glare, whatever object they
illuminated.
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