Chapter61
Onthatsamenight——eventssocrowduponeachotherinconvulsedanddistractedtimes，thatmorethanthestirringincidentsofawholelifeoftenbecomecompressedintothecompassoffour-and-
twentyhours——onthatsamenight，MrHaredale，havingstronglyboundhisprisoner，withtheassistanceofthesexton，andforcedhimtomounthishorse，conductedhimtoChigwell;bentuponprocuringaconveyancetoLondonfromthatplace，andcarryinghimatoncebeforeajustice。Thedisturbedstateofthetownwouldbe，heknew，asufficientreasonfordemandingthemurderer’scommittaltoprisonbeforedaybreak，asnomancouldanswerforthesecurityofanyofthewatch-housesorordinaryplacesofdetention;andtoconveyaprisonerthroughthestreetswhenthemobwereagainabroad，wouldnotonlybeataskofgreatdangerandhazard，butwouldbetochallengeanattemptatrescue。Directingthesextontoleadthehorse，hewalkedclosebythemurderer’sside，andinthisordertheyreachedthevillageaboutthemiddleofthenight。
Thepeoplewereallawakeandup，fortheywerefearfulofbeingburntintheirbeds，andsoughttocomfortandassureeachotherbywatchingincompany。Afewofthestoutest-heartedwerearmedandgatheredinabodyonthegreen。Tothese，whoknewhimwell，MrHaredaleaddressedhimself，brieflynarratingwhathadhappened，andbeseechingthemtoaidinconveyingthecriminaltoLondonbeforethedawnofday。
Butnotamanamongthemdaredtohelphimbysomuchasthemotionofafinger。Therioters，intheirpassagethroughthevillage，hadmenacedwiththeirfiercestvengeance，anypersonwhoshouldaidinextinguishingthefire，orrendertheleastassistancetohim，oranyCatholicwhomsoever。Theirthreatsextendedtotheirlivesandalltheypossessed。Theywereassembledfortheirownprotection，andcouldnotendangerthemselvesbylendinganyaidtohim。Thistheytoldhim，notwithouthesitationandregret，astheykeptaloofinthemoonlightandglancedfearfullyattheghostlyrider，who，withhisheaddroopingonhisbreastandhishatsloucheddownuponhisbrow，neithermovednorspoke。