A low murmur of approval surged over the hall.
"Will he deny that he is over fond of silk?"
Master Nathaniel bowed, in token that he did deny it.
Master Polydore asked if he would then be willing to have his house searched; again Master Nathaniel bowed.
There and then?
And Master Nathaniel bowed again.
So the Senate rose and twenty of the Senators, without removing their robes, filed out of the Guildhall and marched two and two towards Master Nathaniel's house.
On the way who should tag himself on to the procession but Endymion Leer. At this, Master Ambrose completely lost his temper. He would like to know why this double-dyed villain, this shameless Son of a Fairy, was putting his rancid nose into the private concerns of the Senate! But Master Nathaniel cried impatiently, "Oh, let him come, Ambrose, if he wants to. The more the merrier!"
You can picture the consternation of Dame Marigold when, a few minutes later, her brother—with a crowd of Senators pressing up behind him—bade her, with a face of grave compassion, to bring him all the keys of the house.
They proceeded to make a thorough search, ransacking every cupboard, chest and bureau. But nowhere did they find so much as an incriminating pip, so much as a stain of dubious colour.