His dinner comforted him also greatly; and when, after that meal was discussed, the landlord presented himself in person to ask whether he might not recommend his admirable port, Mr. Tims, after an internal struggle, acquiesced, and the wine was accordingly produced.
"Pray, landlord," said the lawyer, after a few words of innkeeper gossip had passed, while with a clean napkin he rubbed the outside of the decanter; "pray who was that gentleman standing at the door as I got out, who stared at me so hard? The gentleman in the black coat and gray trowsers."
"Oh, sir!" replied mine host of the King's Arms, "don't you know? That is Mr. Cousins, the officer from London, come to inquire into this sad business!"
"Why, Ruthven was sent for, and came, too; for I saw and spoke to him long!" ejaculated Mr. Tims, in some surprise.
"True, sir! True!" replied the landlord. "But Ruthven was sent after the captain, you know; and Dr. Wilton thought it would be better to have some one else down to keep about the place; so Cousins was sent for, and has been here all day--that is to say, about the place; for he was both up at Emberton and at Ryebury, I heard the waiter saying."
"At Emberton!" cried Mr. Tims. "Then, I dare say, he can tell me something of the people there. Will you have the goodness to present my compliments to him, and say, I should be happy if he will take a glass of wine with me?"
"Certainly, sir! Certainly!" replied the landlord; and away he went in embassage to Cousins, who soon after was ushered into the private apartment occupied by Peter Tims, Esq.
He was--or rather is--neither a very tall, nor a very stout man; but yet, in the various points of his frame, there is a good deal of solid strength to be remarked; and in his face, which is pale, and somewhat saturnine, Mr. Tims thought he could trace a great deal of resolution, mingled with that shrewd knowledge of human nature in its most debased form, which is at once necessary to, and inseparable from, the character of an officer of police. The lawyer, seeing that the officer was a very gentlemanly person in his appearance, soon made sufficient advances; and, being seated together over their wine, Mr. Tims inquired whether his companion had heard any thing of the family at Emberton.
"No, no," he said, in a tone which appeared habitually guarded against all inquiries, except from those authorized to squeeze the contents out of the sponge of his mind. "No, no," he said--"I have heard nothing of them at all."
"Come, come, now, Mr. Cousins!" said the lawyer, who well entered into the spirit of the wariness displayed by his companion; "you know I am interested in this business!"