I affected indifference. (Was my Lord out of town, I wondered?)
"Why; it is nothing," I said.
My Lord exchanged a look with Mr. Sheppard; and made his second mistake.
"I saw my Lord only—last week," he said suddenly. "He wishes his address to be private for the present; but—
"Do not trouble yourself, my Lord," I said. "I assure you it has nothing to do with our business here."
I repeated this, I think, with a good enough manner to persuade them that what I said was true; and presently afterwards took my leave.
As I sat in the wherry that took me back to the Privy Stairs—(I had announced of course, "to the Temple")—I was preparing in my mind what I should say. I had learned a considerable amount for an evening; for the conversation I had overheard, added to what Mr. Chiffinch had told me, added to what they had all said in the parlour, interpreted and fitted together, was pretty significant.
These were the points I arranged.
First, that the visit of the Duke, my Lord Grey and Sir Thomas Armstrong to Whitehall was to see in what state the guards were in case of a surprise; and the conclusion they had arrived at was they "were not like soldiers at all" but "very remiss."
Second, that a "demonstration" in London was very imminent.