Now Richard was not to know that Mr.Trenchard--having informed himself of Mr.Westmacott's evening habits--had been waiting for the past half-hour in that doorway hoping that Mr.Westmacott would not depart this evening from his usual custom.

Another thing that Mr.Westmacott was not to know--considering his youth--was the singular histrionic ability which this old rake had displayed in those younger days of his when he had been a player, and the further circumstance that he had excelled in those parts in which ebriety was to be counterfeited.

Indeed, we have it on the word of no less an authority on theatrical matters than Mr.Pepys that Mr.Nicholas Trenchard's appearance as Pistol in "Henry IV" in the year of the blessed Restoration was the talk alike of town and court.
Mr.Trenchard steadied himself from the impact, and, swearing a round and awful Elizabethan oath, accused the other of being drunk, then struck an attitude to demand with truculence, "Would ye take the wall o' me, sir ?" Richard hastened to make himself known to this turbulent roysterer, who straightway forgot his grievance to take Westmacott affectionately by the hand and overwhelm him with apologies.

And that done, Trenchard--who affected the condition known as maudlin drunk--must needs protest almost in tears how profound was his love for Richard, and insist that the boy return with him to the Bell Inn, that they might pledge each other.
Richard, himself sober, was contemptuous of Trenchard so obviously obfuscated.

At first it was his impulse to excuse himself, as possibly Blake might be already waiting for him; but on second thoughts, remembering that Trenchard was Mr.Wilding's most intimate famulus, it occurred to him that by a little crafty questioning he might succeed in smoking Mr.Wilding's intentions in the matter of that letter--for from his sister he had failed to get satisfaction.