The inner circle consisted of his friends--some
fifty who remained staunch in their faith. Prominent among them was
the man Redgrave, he who had presented the address when Mutimer took
leave of his New Wanley workpeople. He had come to London at the
same time as his leader, and had done much to recommend Mutimer's
scheme in the East End. His muscular height made those about him
look puny. He was red in the face with the excitement of abusing
Mutimer's enemies, and looked as if nothing would please him better
than to second words with arguments more cogent. He and those about
him hailed the agitator's appearance with three ringing cheers. A
little later came a supporter whom Richard had not expected to see--
Mr. Westlake. Only this morning intelligence of what was going on
had reached his ears. At once he had scouted the accusations as
incredible; he deemed it a duty to present himself on Mutimer's
side. Outside this small cluster was an indefinable mob, a portion
of it bitterly hostile, a part indifferent; among the latter a large
element of mere drifting blackguardism, the raff of a city,
anticipating with pleasure an uproar which would give them unwonted
opportunities of violence and pillage. These gentle men would with
equal zeal declare for Mutimer or his opponents, as the fortune of
the day directed them.
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