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@@ -1,38 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of First Love Vol. 1 of 3, by Margracia Loudon - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: First Love Vol. 1 of 3 - -Author: Margracia Loudon - -Release Date: October 23, 2013 [EBook #44018] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - - - - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert MA1/4ller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44018 *** FIRST LOVE. @@ -426,7 +392,7 @@ fat." "To be sure, my dear," replied Mrs. Montgomery, "we will never turn the poor little thing out of doors again, while it wants a shelter." Frances was delighted; caught up both her mother's hands and kissed -them, and then the forehead of her protege: nor did she leave him till +them, and then the forehead of her protegé: nor did she leave him till he dropped asleep in a comfortable bed, with her hand in his to give him confidence. @@ -1074,7 +1040,7 @@ French windows, leading out on the lawn, were all standing open. A table, covered with fruit and other refreshments, might be just peeped at through one of these; musical instruments, freed from their cases, appeared through others, and through more might be discerned, sofas, -book-stands, work-tables, Turkey carpets, repose chairs, Italian vases, +book-stands, work-tables, Turkey carpets, reposé chairs, Italian vases, bronze lamps, cut-glass lustres, hothouse plants, French beds, swing mirrors, &c.: while the intervention of silk and muslin draperies, permitting each object to be but imperfectly seen, left imagination @@ -5417,7 +5383,7 @@ a grey freckled skin, light red hair, and green-gooseberry eyes, who had never done any thing remarkable in his life, of whom nobody spoke, whose entrance into a room created no sensation,--in this case, we maintain that Julia would have felt, forcibly, his situation as the -protege of her family; that she would have dreaded the thoughts of his +protegé of her family; that she would have dreaded the thoughts of his feeling himself little among so many great people; and that, therefore, she would have shown him, particularly on his return home, the most marked attention, and bestowed, too, with the utmost frankness. @@ -5613,366 +5579,4 @@ Transcriber's Note End of Project Gutenberg's First Love Vol. 1 of 3, by Margracia Loudon -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - -***** This file should be named 44018.txt or 44018.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/0/1/44018/ - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert MA1/4ller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: First Love Vol. 1 of 3 - -Author: Margracia Loudon - -Release Date: October 23, 2013 [EBook #44018] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - - - - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert Müller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - FIRST LOVE. - - A NOVEL - IN THREE VOLUMES. - - - VOL. I. - - - LONDON: - SAUNDERS AND OTLEY, CONDUIT STREET. - - 1830. - - - - - LONDON: - IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY-STREET, STRAND. - - - - -All the mottoes annexed to the chapters of this work, have been -selected from the Author's dramatic and other poetical works, not yet -published. - - - - -FIRST LOVE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - "No hut shelters Comala from the rain." - - -A family of travelling vagrants were overtaken on the high road -just leading out of Keswick, on the Penrith side, by a gentleman -on horseback. He had observed the same group begging during the -entertainments of the regatta which had concluded but the evening -before. - -"Ho! ho! my good woman," he said, as he passed in a sling trot, "I am -glad to see your boy has found his second leg!" - -The woman, who appeared to be young, and who would have been handsome, -had not dirt and impudence rendered her disgusting, looked behind her, -and perceived that a poor, sickly, ragged child, apparently about five -years old, who followed her, tired of his crutches, which pushed up his -little shoulders almost out of their sockets, had contrived to loosen -the bandage of his tied-up leg, and slip it down out of the dirty linen -bag, in which it usually hung on the double, and from which it was not -always released, even at night, as so doing necessarily incurred the -further trouble of tying it up again in the morning. She laid down her -bundle, and stood still with her arms a-kimbo, till, with hesitating -steps, and looks of suppressed terror, her victim came up; then -glancing round, to ascertain that the gentleman was out of sight, she -seized the child, snatched both the crutches from his trembling hands, -and grasping them in one of hers, she began to flog him without pity. -He seemed used to this, for he uttered no sound of complaint; silent -tears only rolled down his face. - -"Ye villain!" said she at last, with a strong Cumberland accent, and -gasping for breath, "it's not the first time, is it? it's not the first -time I've beat you within an inch of your life for this. But I'll -do for you this time: that I will! You shan't be a burden to me any -longer, instead of a profit. If it wasn't for the miserable looks of -ye," she added, shaking him almost to atoms as she wheeled him round, -"that sometimes wrings a penny out of the folk, I'd ha' finished ye -long ago." Then, with her great foot, armed with an iron-rimmed wooden -shoe, she gave him a violent kick on the offending leg, continuing -thus:--"Its best break the shanks on ye at ance, ye whey-faced urchin -ye! and then ye'll tak te yeer crutches without biddin'!" - -Finding, however, that though he had staggered and fallen forward on -both hands, he had yet risen again, and still contrived to stand, she -once more lifted her foot, to repeat the kick with increased force: for -she was as much intoxicated by drink as by rage, and really seemed to -intend to break the child's leg; but her husband, a sort of travelling -tinker, coming up at the moment, and uttering a violent curse, struck -her a blow that, poised as she just then was on one foot, brought her -to the ground. - -During the scuffle which ensued, the poor little sufferer, who had -occasioned it all, crept through the hedge of a field by the road side, -and hid himself under some bushes. But the woman, soon after pursuing -in search of him, jumped the fence, and dropped among the very brambles -where he lay. She perceived him instantly, and shook her clenched hand, -which so paralysed him, that he did not dare to move, though she for -some time delayed seizing him. Finding that the inside of the hedge -was covered with clothes for bleaching, she thought it best, the first -thing she did, to secure a good bundle of so desirable a booty, and -fling it over to her husband. She was just in the act of so doing, -when the owner of the linen came into the field, and immediately set -up the halloo of "Thieves! thieves!" upon which, dropping what she had -collected, and giving up all thoughts of carrying the child with her, -she made the best of her way, and disappeared not only from the spot, -but from the neighbourhood. - -About an hour after, when the poor boy, pressed by hunger, crept from -his hiding place, a girl, who was left to watch the clothes, spying -him, cried out, "Ha! you little spawn e--the devil! did she leave you -to bring her the bundle?" And so saying, she pursued and beat him, till -she drove him out of the field, and into the adjoining garden of an old -woman, who was standing at the moment with a long pole in her hand, -endeavouring to beat down, as well as her failing sight would permit, -the few remaining apples from the topmost branches of her single -apple-tree: the well laden lower boughs of which had been robbed of -their goodly winter store but the preceding night. - -On seeing a boy scramble through her hedge, she concluded, of course, -that his errand was to possess himself of the said remaining apples, -and, accordingly, uttering a yell of execration, she converted her -fruit-pole into a weapon defensive and offensive, and hobbling towards -the poor child, drove him from her premises; over the boundary of -which, long after he had so far escaped, she continued to address to -him, at the very top of her voice, every opprobrious epithet of which -she was mistress: her shrill tones the while collecting, at the heels -of the fugitive, hooting boys, and barking curs innumerable. These, -however, did not follow him far; and when they returned to their homes -or their sports, he wandered about for the rest of the day, avoiding -houses and people, and fearing that every one he met would beat him. - -At length, towards evening, he found himself on the borders of the lake -of Derwent, and seeing a boat fastened close to the land, he got into -it; partly with the idea of hiding himself, and partly with a vague -recollection of having often wished to be a sailor-boy, when begging -about with his mother in sea-port towns. He rolled himself up in an old -cloak which lay under one of the benches, where, exhausted by pain, -hunger, and fatigue, he fell asleep. - -Shortly after our poor wanderer had chosen this refuge, in stepped -Master Henry St. Aubin, whose pleasure-boat it was, to take a sail -_alone_, contrary to reiterated commands, and for no other reason, -but because, for fear of accidents, he had been desired never to go -without a servant. He pushed from the land, and began to arrange his -canvass. He put up his main-sail, which filling immediately, bent his -little bark on one side, almost level with the water, and made it fly -across the lake in great style. When, however, it got under shade of -the high mountains on the Borrowdale coast, the breeze slackened, and -he determined to add his mizen and jib; but what was his surprise, -when, on attempting to remove the old cloak which lay near them, he -discovered within its folds the sleeping boy. Supposing him to be a spy -placed there to watch his movements, and report his disobedience, he -began to curse and swear, kicked at him under the bench, and ordered -him to pack out of his boat instantly. The poor child, but half awake, -gazed all round him, got up as well as his bruises would permit, and -was about to obey in silence; but, when, he saw how far they were from -land, he hesitated; upon which Henry took up a rope's end, and lashed -at him in the manner that sailors call starting, repeating at each -stroke, "Jump, spy! jump!" - -Driven almost wild with the pain of the blows, the child at last did -jump; but, at the same moment, caught instinctively at the side of -the boat, to which he hung with both hands, and so kept his head above -water. Henry set up a loud laugh, and rowed out, towing him after him. -Then, willing to make sport for himself, by terrifying the beggar -brat, he attempted to push his fingers off the edge of the boat, but -they clung to it with all the tenacity of self preservation; when -the one hand was forced for a moment from its hold, the grasp of the -other became but the more convulsively strong; and when the second was -assailed by the united efforts of both of Henry's, the first returned -to its former position. - -At length, tired of the jest himself, Master St. Aubin turned into -shallow water, leaped ashore, and suffering the half-drowned child to -land as he might, bade him scamper, ere he had well got footing. Then, -intent on pursuing his sweet, because forbidden amusement, he stepped -back into his boat, which with its white sails, contrasted with the -dark woods of the coast it glided silently beneath, soon became as -picturesque an object as though the urchin that guided it had been the -most noble and adventurous of romantic heroes. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - --"And I tremble amid the night." - - -About the centre of the entrance of the vale of Borrowdale, -conspicuously situated, stands that curious rock, called, by the -native Cumbrians, Borrowdale-stane. In form and position it is much -like a dismasted and stranded vessel, laying on its keel and leaning -a little to one side. On the highest point of this rock, a station -well known to the lovers of the sublime, stood a lady wrapped in a -warm fur lined cloak. Her air, however, was much too fashionable and -modern to harmonize in any degree with the wild desolation of the -surrounding region, which, when viewed from the elevated position she -thus occupied, as far as the eye could reach, resembled a stormy ocean: -its gigantic billows formed by the congregated tops of mountains. - -The evening was cold, approaching to frost; and the sun, though still -much above the natural horizon, was just sinking from view behind -the lofty chain of western hills: his last rays lingered a while on -the most prominent parts of each stupendous height, then, gradually -retiring, left point after point, which, like so many beacon lights -extinguished by an invisible hand, successively disappeared, till all -became shrouded alike in cheerless gloom and volumes of mist rolling -down the sides of the mountains, a dense fog settled in the valley like -a white and waveless lake. - -The lady on the rock appeared to deem it time to return home, for, -withdrawing her eyes from the distant view, she cast them downward in -search of the path by which to descend; when, amid the rocks and huge -rough stones which lay scattered beneath like the ruins of a former -world, she thought she saw something move, though very slightly. -She looked at it for a time; it quitted not the spot where she -first descried it; yet, still it certainly did move! She descended, -approached, and beheld a poor little boy, who seemed about five or six -years old. He was sitting on the ground; the wretched rags, in which -he was dressed, were dripping with wet; his poor limbs, which were all -bent together, and drawn up close to his face, trembled extremely, -while his little hands, with their long emaciated fingers, spread and -hooked round his knees, seemed endeavouring to hold them, as though -the violence of their motion was becoming too much for his frame to -bear. - -The lady stood looking down on him for a moment with mingled pity and -surprise. He was slowly rocking himself from side to side: it was a -movement quite expressive of despondency, his chin rested on the backs -of the hands which held his knees, and his eyes wandered hopelessly -among the bare stones that lay around him, while his head retained the -same fixed position. - -"Little boy, look up!" she said, taking one of his cold wet hands in -hers. He raised his face; misery was depicted in every feature: his -teeth chattered excessively, and his poor eyes, that swam in tears, -were now lifted to hers with an expression truly piteous. - -"Poor child! come with me," she said. Something like hope began to dawn -on his forlorn countenance; but she finished her sentence, in what she -intended for the most comforting manner, by saying, "and I will take -you home to your mother." - -He had not risen. He drew his hand from hers, turned on his face on -the ground with the universal shudder of terror, and, clinging to the -rocks, cried, "No! no! no!" - -She endeavoured to soothe him, and to untwist his fingers from the -fastenings, which, like so many fibres of roots, they had found for -themselves among the crevices and broken fragments of his flinty bed; -but he hid his face against the hard stone, and would not turn round. -When she succeeded at length in detaching one of his hands, and was -gently endeavouring to raise him, his inward shudderings increased so -visibly that she became fearful of throwing him into convulsions: she -desisted therefore, and, feigning to go away, removed a few paces; -then stopped, and said, "Well! I am going; but won't you tell me your -name?" - -"Edmund," he sobbed out; without, however, raising his head. - -"Well, Edmund," said the lady, in a kind voice, "good night!" He -turned, sat up, looked at her, and then all round, as though having -had her near him, even for the last few seconds, the thought of being -left alone for the night now struck upon his heart anew with fresh -desolation; then, resuming the attitude she had first found him in, -he began, as before, to rock himself from side to side and weep. "But -where do you mean to sleep tonight, Edmund?" said the lady; "I am sure -you must be cold sitting on those hard stones with your clothes so wet." - -"Yes, I am," he said, looking up wistfully again, "very cold, and very -hungry." Then, hesitating a little, he suddenly stretched out his -hand, and said, "I'll go with you, if you will hide me from every one." - -"I will! I will, my poor child!" she exclaimed, flying back to him, -kindly stooping over him, and, with some difficulty, assisting him to -rise; for he was so stiffened it seemed scarcely possible to unbend his -knees: nor did there appear to be one spark of vital heat remaining in -the poor little creature! She drew a part of her warm fur mantle close -over him, and endeavoured to soothe him and give him confidence in her -protection. - -"And will you stay here with me, then?" he whispered softly. - -"I will take you to a much more comfortable place," she replied, "where -there is a good fire, and a nice dinner for Edmund." - -"And are you sure she won't find me there?" he said, still whispering. - -"She shall never hurt you, while you are with me," the lady replied, -"whoever she may be." - -"Then I will go!" said Edmund; and he lifted his head and tried to -smile through his tears. The lady, still sharing with him her warm -cloak, now led him by the hand, while he held hers fast in both of his, -and walked, with short uneven steps, so close to her, that she was -every moment in danger of treading on his little bare feet; and thus -did they arrive at Lodore House, just as the first roll of the thunder -resounded along the desolate valley they had so lately quitted. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - "Vases filled with liquid beams, hang in chains - Of gold." - - "A sumptuous banquet - Spread, invites the taste." - - -The cheerful, well-aired, already lit up dwelling, now entered by our -wanderers of the valley, formed a striking contrast to the dreary scene -they had just left. An excellent fire blazed in the hall, bronzed -figures held flaming lamps aloft, and powdered, well-dressed, well-fed -servants, bustled to and fro, bearing, towards the dining-room, dishes, -which though covered, tempted the palate by the various savoury odours -they sent forth. In short, every comfort, every elegance, nay, every -luxury, evidently abounded beneath the roof of Lodore House. - -It had indeed, some years since, been a mere shooting lodge, situated -in the midst of an extensive property, on which, from its remoteness, -no family mansion had ever been built. Mrs. Montgomery, however, its -present possessor, had, since her early widowhood, made additions to -the lodge in her own taste: and though on her daughter's account she -regularly visited London during the fashionable season, at all other -times she chose to reside in this romantic retirement. The lady, -who had just entered, leading poor Edmund by the hand, was Frances -Montgomery, the only child of Mrs. Montgomery. As Frances, with her -charge, crossed the hall already described, they met Henry St. Aubin, a -nephew of Mrs. Montgomery's, a boy of about twelve years old. Frances -called immediately for the housekeeper, and desired her own maid to -bring some warm soup. While her attention was thus engaged, master -Henry contrived to come up close to the poor little stranger, and say -to him in an under tone, "Take care, you sir, you don't dare to tell, -or I'll--" Frances feeling an additional pressure of Edmund's hand, -turned suddenly round, and saw the frown still on Henry's face, with -which he had thought fit to strengthen his arguments. - -"How can you look so cross, Henry?" she exclaimed; "you actually -frighten the poor child!" - -"Pshaw!" said Henry, and went laughing into the drawing-room, where he -attempted to entertain, by ludicrous descriptions of the pretty new -pet Frances had found; while she proceeded to the housekeeper's room, -and there, before a comfortable fire, herself assisted, in despite -of the dinner-announcing voice of the gong, the operations of the two -women she had summoned. They released the poor child from the wet rags -which hung about him, sending a chill to his little heart; they put him -up to the neck in warm water; and cautiously gave him, by a little at -a time, some nourishing soup. Frances then called for meat, pudding, -and every thing nice she could think of; and, lastly, for a supply of -her own night things. By all these prompt exertions, the poor, naked, -shivering, starving Edmund, was soon dressed in a long sleeved, high -collared, full frilled sleeping chemise; his limbs warmly clothed in a -pair of the housekeeper's worsted web stockings, which served him at -once for drawers and hose; a large dressing-gown of Frances's folded -about him, and a pair of her dressing slippers on his little feet; -and, thus equipped, he was seated in front of the fire, with all the -other good things which had been called for, placed on a table before -him. - -It was with the greatest pleasure that Frances, who stayed to help -him herself, saw him venture, thus encouraged, to eat some dinner; -and what with the refreshment, the cleanliness, the glow of all the -surrounding warmth on his cheeks, and the comfortable white dress up -about his neck, he certainly appeared almost a new creature; though, -when he looked up, there was still a wildness, the unsteady glance of -fear mingled with the appealing expression of his eyes; and when he -looked down, their long black lashes, sweeping his hollow cheeks, might -well inspire the beholder with even a painful degree of compassion; -yet when, notwithstanding his timidity, he smiled with gratitude and -a sense of present pleasure arising from bodily comfort, Frances, at -least, could not help thinking him grown already quite a beauty; and -she ran to the dining-room door, and entreated her mamma just to come -out for a moment and see what a fine child the poor boy was, now that -they had washed and dressed him. - -Lord L., hearing her voice, begged permission to follow, but was -refused. - -Frances' absence had, in the meantime, banished the smiles of Edmund, -so that Mrs. Montgomery, on entering the housekeeper's room, exclaimed, -with a laugh, patting her daughter on the cheek, "I cannot say much for -his beauty, my dear!--But that is no reason why you should not save -the life of the poor child," she added; and, with the tenderness of -one accustomed to a mother's feelings, she stroked his little head. He -smiled again, and she continued, "but he may be pretty when he gets -fat." - -"And shall he stay here to get fat, mamma?" asked Frances eagerly. - -"To be sure, my dear," replied Mrs. Montgomery, "we will never turn -the poor little thing out of doors again, while it wants a shelter." -Frances was delighted; caught up both her mother's hands and kissed -them, and then the forehead of her protegé: nor did she leave him till -he dropped asleep in a comfortable bed, with her hand in his to give -him confidence. - -Frances at length entered the dining-room, just as the domestic party -engaged round the table were dispatching a third or fourth summons for -her; the second course having by this time made its appearance. Lord -L., who occupied his usual seat beside her chair, began to question -her about the adventure of the evening. Compassion made her eloquent on -the misery, the cold, the hunger, the wretchedness of poor Edmund; but -when she came to his beauty, she faltered and looked at her mother with -a beseeching expression. - -Mrs. Montgomery laughed, and replied to the look, "Oh, yes! there -was a sweetness when he smiled, that made me begin to think he would -be pretty if he were fat; but now, the poor child is all eyes and -eyelashes." - -"Oh, mamma!" said Frances, "he has the most beautiful mouth I ever saw -in my life, and such nice teeth!" - -"Has he, my dear?" said Mrs. Montgomery, with provoking indifference: -for she happened to be deep in a discussion on the nature of the poor -laws, with Mr. Jackson, the clergyman. - -Master Henry, meanwhile, was greedily devouring tart and cream, -with his face close to his plate, and his eyes levelled at the dish, -in great anxiety to be in time to claim the last portion which now -remained on it; but, in his attempt to swallow what was before him, he -missed his aim, and was a moment too late, though he thrust out his -plate with both hands just as he saw a servant coming round; but the -tart was dispatched to Lord L., to whom it had been offered, and who, -being too much occupied to refuse it, had bowed. It lay before him -a few moments, and went away untouched. Henry, vexed extremely, and -desirous of revenge on Frances for the disappointment occasioned him -by her lover, said, "If you are talking of the beggar brat, he is the -image of a monkey! I was quite afraid he would bite me as I passed him -in the hall." - -"I am sure, Henry," retorted Frances, "he seemed more afraid of you, -than you could be of him: and, by the bye, you need not, I think, have -looked so cross at the poor child." - -"Cross!" repeated Henry, "I did not look cross. What reason do you -suppose I had to look cross? I never saw the brat before in my life." - -Henry's speech was accompanied by that hateful expression, which the -eyes of an ill-disposed child assume, when it knows it is uttering -falsehood! - -"Henry!" said Mrs. Montgomery, with some surprise; "you need not look -angry, much less guilty. No one can suppose that you know any thing of -the poor boy. But leave the room, sir: and remember you don't sit at -table again, till you know better how to conduct yourself." - -Henry obeyed, but slowly and sulkily; trailing one foot after the -other, and determining to have revenge on the cause of his disgrace. -He offered no apology, and therefore was not taken into favour again -for the evening, though poor Mrs. Montgomery, as she passed to her own -apartment, looked into that where he lay, and said, with a sigh, "Good -night, and God bless you, child!" - -To account, in some degree, for the unprepossessing manners of Master -Henry, we shall introduce a few words respecting the young gentleman's -birth, and hitherto unfortunately directed education. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - "Lifting at - The thought my timid eyes, I pass them o'er - His brow; and, if I would, I dare not love him: - Yet, dare I never disobey that eye, - Flashing outward fires, while, within its depths, - Where love should dwell, 'tis ever still, and cold, - To look upon." - - -St. Aubin, Henry's father, was a Frenchman, and totally without -religion. A flourish of worldly honour, as long as no temptation had -arisen, had sustained for him even a showy character. By this, a -showy appearance, and showy manners, he had, what is called, gained -the affections, that is, he had dazzled the fancy, of Maria, the -younger sister of Mrs. Montgomery. Maria was a beautiful girl, and -but seventeen. Her sister, who was also her guardian, for she was some -years her senior, and their parents were dead, disapproved of the -match, but in vain: Maria married St. Aubin, and was miserable! The -marriage being a runaway affair, no settlements were entered into, -which circumstance St. Aubin imagined would be in his favour; but, -when he discovered that the consent of the guardians not having been -obtained, gave them the power of withholding Maria's fortune till she -should be of age, and of then settling it on herself and her children, -without suffering him to touch one shilling, his brutality was such, -that Mrs. St. Aubin, before the birth of her child, for she had but -one, was broken-hearted. - -She denied herself the consolation she might have found in the sympathy -of her sister, for she wished to conceal from her the wretchedness she -had brought upon herself, by acting contrary to her advice. She was, -however, shortly removed out of the reach of that sister's penetration. - -St. Aubin was deeply in debt when he married, and things had been -ever since becoming worse and worse. He had always flattered himself -that the guardians would not use the full power of which they spoke, -and that by making fair promises he should be able, when once Maria -was of age, to get the money, or the greater part of it, into his own -hands; he had therefore laboured incessantly to put off the payment of -every demand to the day of his wife's coming of age, and made all his -arrangements with reference to that period. At length it arrived. He -made application for his wife's fortune; but Mrs. Montgomery, in reply, -reminded him, that her sister having married without her consent, had -given her, as sole remaining guardian, a power, which she now saw it -was her duty to exert; namely, that of refusing to pay down any part of -the money. She should, therefore, she said, secure the whole of it in -the hands of trustees, as a future provision for Maria and her child. - -With this letter open in his hand, St. Aubin, foaming with rage, -entered the room where his wife sat with Henry, then between two -and three years old, playing on the ground at her feet, while she -was absorbed in melancholy anticipations of the probable result of -her husband's application. St. Aubin flung the letter in her face, -swearing, with horrid imprecations, that he would be the death both -of her and her brat, and then blow out his own brains. Mrs. St. Aubin -remained silent; but the shrieks of the child brought servants. By -the time they arrived, however, St. Aubin was striding up and down the -room, venting his rage on the open letter, which he kicked before him -at each step. - -Shortly after this final disappointment respecting Maria's fortune, St. -Aubin found it necessary to take refuge from his creditors in the Isle -of Man; whither he went accordingly, carrying with him his wife and -child, and settling there with a very reduced establishment. - -Not choosing, it would seem, to be hung for declared murder, he -appeared determined, by every species of ingenious barbarity, to -torture the wretched Maria out of her remaining shred of existence; -and, among other devices, he daily and hourly made her shudder, by his -vows of deep and black revenge on her sister. - -One day, after sitting some time leaning his head on his hand, with a -countenance resembling the thunder-cloud, lightning suddenly flashed -from his eyes, imprecations exploded from his lips, he started to his -feet, stood before his wife, and clenching his hand, uttered these -words: "I tell you, Mrs. St. Aubin, that child, that I hate, because -it is yours! that child, to whose future provision she has sacrificed -me! that child I will rear, I will preserve, for the sole purpose of -being the instrument of my revenge!--by his means, were it twenty years -hence, were it thirty years hence, I will break her heart! Yes," he -added, as if in reply to a look from Maria of astonishment, almost -amounting to incredulity, "and I have determined how I shall do it." He -then resumed his sitting attitude, and again leaning his head on his -hand, a long hour of utter silence followed, during which his unhappy -wife sat at the other side of the table, not daring to arouse him by -rising to leave the room. - -Henry, at this time, promised to have in him a strange mixture of the -dispositions both of his father and mother; or, in other words, of evil -and good. The evil certainly did predominate; yet, had a careful hand -early separated the seeds, cultivated the good, and cast out the bad, -this ill-fated child might have been saved from perdition; or had he, -with all his faults, been supplied with that only unerring standard of -right, the practical application of sacred truths to moral obligations, -even in after-life there might have been hope; but his father, as we -have said, had no religion: he daily scoffed at whatever was most -sacred, purposely to insult the feelings of his wife, and this before -his child. One morning, he found Maria with the Bible before her, and -Henry on her knee. He looked at them for a moment; then taking the -child by the shoulder, he raised one foot level with the hand in which -he held him, and kicked him, in a contemptuous manner, as he swung him -to the middle of the floor, saying, that such a mammy's brat ought -to have been a girl. Mrs. St. Aubin ran to raise the child from the -ground. St. Aubin snatched up the sacred volume, open as it lay, and -flung it after her, telling her, in a voice of thunder, that she was a -psalm-singing fool, and ordering her not to cram the boy's head with -any of her cursed nonsense. Indeed, in his calmest and best disposed -moods, "You are a fool, Mrs. St. Aubin!" was his usual remark on any -thing his wife ventured to say or do. - -Mrs. St. Aubin having ascertained that the child was not hurt, took up -the book, arranged its ruffled leaves in silence, and laid it with -reverence on the table. Her husband viewed her with a malicious grin -till her task was completed; then, walking up to the table, he opened -the treasury of sacred knowledge, and deliberately tore out every leaf, -flinging them, now on one side, now on the other, to each far corner of -the apartment; then striding towards the fire-place, he planted himself -on the hearth, with his back to the chimney, his legs spread in the -attitude of a colossal statue, the tails of his coat turned apart under -his arms, and his hands in his side-pockets. - -"Now," he said, looking at his wife, "pick them up!--pick them up! pick -them up!" he continued, till all were collected. - -Mrs. St. Aubin was about to place the sheets within their vacant cover -on the table; but, with a stamp of his foot, which made every article -of furniture in the room shake, and brought a picture that hung -against the wall, on its face to the floor, he commanded her to put -them in the fire. She hesitated; when seizing her arm, he shook it over -the flames, till the paper taking fire, she was compelled to loose her -hold. - -"I ought to have reserved a sheet to have made a fool's cap for you, I -think," he said, perceiving that silent tears were following each other -down the cheeks of his wife. "Why, what an idiot you are! the child has -more sense than you have," he added, seeing that Henry, occupied by -surprise and curiosity, was not crying. "Come, Henry," he continued, in -a voice for him most condescending, "you shall carry my fishing basket -to-day." - -Henry had been just going to pity his poor mamma when he saw her -crying; but hearing his father say that he had more sense than his -mother, he could not help feeling raised in his own estimation, and -anxious to show his sense by flying with peculiar alacrity for the -basket. - -He had viewed the whole of the preceding scene with but little -comprehension, as may be supposed, of its meaning, and with very -confused ideas of right and wrong, being, at the time, not above six -years old; but the practical lesson--and there are no lessons like -practical lessons--made an indelible impression: all future efforts, -whether of mother or aunt, usher or schoolmaster, layman or divine, -to infuse into Henry precepts derived from a source he had seen so -contemned by his father, were for ever vain. His father, he was old -enough to perceive, was feared and obeyed by every one within the -small sphere of his observation: for him, therefore, he felt a sort -of spurious deference, though he could not love him. For his mother, -who had always indulged him with the too great tenderness of a -gentle spirit utterly broken, and who had wept over him many a silent -hour, till his little heart was saddened without his knowing why, he -naturally felt some affection; but then he daily saw her treated with -indignity, and therefore did not respect either her or her lessons: for -he was just at the age when a quick child judges wrong, a dull one not -at all. - -Henry had much of the violence of his father's temper, with some of the -fearfulness of his mother's. In judicious hands, the latter, though -no virtue, might have been made to assist in correcting the former; -the whole current of his fears might have been turned into a useful -channel: in short, he might have been taught to fear only doing wrong, -and, by a strict administration of justice, proving to him his perfect -security from blame while he did right, he might have been given -all that honest-hearted boldness in a good cause, which, throughout -after-life, is so necessary to ensure dignity to the character of man, -and the early promises of which, it is so delightful to see in the -happy open countenance, in the very step and air of a fine frank boy, -who has never had his spirit broken by undeserved harshness, or been -rendered hopeless of pleasing by inconsistency. - -Henry, on the contrary, when he had done no real wrong, was frequently -treated with the most violent cruelty; while his very worst faults -passed unreproved, if they did not happen to cross the whims of his -father: and this cruelty, thus inflicted on a helpless, powerless -child, which could not resist, for ever raised in the breast of Henry, -who was, as we have said, naturally violent, an ever unsatisfied -thirst of vengeance; a sense too of the injustice of the punishments -inflicted, a thing early understood by children, embittered his -feelings, and the transient impressions thus rendered permanent, -corroded inwardly, till they settled into a malice of nature, totally -subversive of all that was or might have been good or amiable. - -Alas! why will not parents reflect, how much the characters and -happiness of their children, in after life, depend on the species of -minor experience collected in infancy, and the few years immediately -succeeding that period. When intellect is matured, we may call upon it -to judge of great events, to guide us in great undertakings, or lead us -to signal self-conquests; but by this time, the feelings, the strong -holds, whether of vice or virtue, are pre-occupied, and the passions, -already in arms and in the field, too probably on the side of error, -certainly so, if hitherto undirected. And hence it is, that in so many -minds the kingdom within is found in a perpetual state of rebellion -against the sovereignty of reason: or, in other words, hence it is, -that so many people daily act by impulse, contrary to what they call -their better judgment. Here, then, is the true task of the parent; to -use, for the benefit of his child, that deliberate sense of right, -which, in his own case, comes frequently too late for action. And how -shall that parent depart in peace, who has not thus endeavoured, at -least, to smooth the path of truth before the footsteps of his child? - -When Henry was old enough for public education, Mrs. Montgomery wrote -to her sister, to offer an allowance for the expenses of placing him at -school. St. Aubin ordered his wife to accept the offer, and selected -S-- B-- school, with the meanest description of lodging in the -neighbouring village, as the cheapest he could hear of, that a part of -the allowance, which was liberal, might remain in his own hands. - -The school-house, at the period of which we speak, could accommodate -but a very few of the boys, while the rest were generally lodged in the -houses of the poor villagers; where, it is to be feared, they lorded -it, and did just as they pleased. - -Rather more than a year before the opening of this history, St. Aubin -was assailed by a temptation, against which, the fear of detection, in -the desperate state of his affairs, was an insufficient defence. He -yielded, and became engaged in a swindling transaction to an immense -amount. The business was discovered, and St. Aubin apprehended under -circumstances which left no doubt of his being hung, unless steps were -taken to prevent the prosecution. In this extremity the wretched Maria -entreated her sister, if the sacrifice of the fortune so long preserved -would suffice, to rescue with it herself and child from the disgrace -of having a husband and father die an ignominious death. A compromise -was accordingly offered, and accepted. It was not, however, in the -power of the persons principally interested, to do more than connive -at the escape of St. Aubin, who therefore fled the kingdom, taking -with him his miserable wife, and his black factotum, the only slaves -utter beggary had left him; and abandoning the child, still at S-- B-- -school, to the compassion of Mrs. Montgomery. Nor did he remit any part -of his hatred to that lady, notwithstanding her late concession; on the -contrary, he called down fresh imprecations on her head, as being the -sole cause, he said, of all his misfortunes, by having withheld the -money at the time it would have been really of use, and enabled him to -have arranged his affairs before they became quite desperate. - -The next accounts Mrs. Montgomery had of her sister and St. Aubin -were, that the ship in which they had sailed, with all the crew, and -passengers, had perished off the coast of France. The affair was of -too public a nature to afford, from the first, the slightest hope of -mis-statement; for the vessel, though a merchantman, was of importance, -from the value of her cargo, as she had much specie on board. The -circumstances too under which she was lost were remarkable, and -consequently made a great noise, for the weather was perfectly calm. -She had been seen and passed in the evening by a frigate homeward -bound, but after that was never seen or heard of more, and not even -one individual, it was stated, had escaped, to relate the particulars -of the accident: it was therefore concluded, that she must have -foundered during the night. - -Thus was Henry cast entirely on Mrs. Montgomery; who, while she grieved -to trace in him the evil nature of his father, could not help loving -him, as the child of her poor lost sister. Having concluded this -necessary retrospect, we shall, in our next chapter, return to our -narrative. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - "He - To her face looked up, with innocent love, - And she looked fondly on him." - - -We left the family at Lodore House enjoying, we hope, the refreshment -of a good night's rest. The next morning Frances, before she thought -of breakfast, repaired to the bedside of Edmund. He had been for some -time awake; but, unaccustomed, it would seem, to have any friend or -confidant, he had not ventured to speak or stir. The tones of Frances' -voice, naming him to the servants as she inquired for him, appeared to -bring at once happiness and confidence to his heart. He opened his -eyes as she bent over him: he started up, clung round her neck, and -wept; though now it was evidently for joy. These first transports, over -however, he cast, from time to time, doubting glances on the various -sides of the apartment, and especially towards that in which the door -was placed, and evinced a great anxiety to retain Frances' hand. She -thought him feverish; and with great alarm perceived that his poor -little frame was covered with fearful bruises. His neck and hands first -drew her attention; and Mrs. Smyth, the housekeeper, soon ascertained -that the limbs, concealed by the night-dress, had suffered full as -much. Frances sent to Keswick for medical aid, and left her charge -with Mrs. Smyth. Mrs. Smyth was a good-natured woman, added to which, -the patience and gentleness of the little sufferer had begun to win -upon her heart, from the very moment her assistance was first ordered -to him. She found it necessary to sit by and encourage him while he -breakfasted, for, like a wild animal, driven by hunger nearer to the -haunts of man than usual, he started, and desisted from eating, at -every sound. - -"And what might you have for breakfast yesterday's morn, my dear?" said -Mrs. Smyth. - -"Nothing," he answered. - -"And what had you for dinner, then?" - -"Nothing." - -"Nothing, my dear!" repeated the good woman; "and ye could na ha' -less! Ney fault tell the cooking o' sic dinners, to be sure! And wha -was it then, that beat and bruised the life and saul out on ye in this -shamefoo manner, my dear?" she continued. - -Edmund trembled, sighed heavily, and was silent. - -"And win't ye tall me wha it was 'at beat ye?" - -Tears stood in his eyes, but still he was silent. - -"So you win't speak till me! And after the nice breakfast I geed ye, -too!" - -The tears now flowed, but still he was silent. - -"And wha was it then, that droonded ye in the water?" - -He looked all round, but did not speak; and Mrs. Smyth soon saw it was -vain to persist in questioning him. - -Mr. Dixon, the Keswick surgeon, arrived. He inquired of Mrs. Smyth what -the child had eaten, and how his food had seemed to agree with him. -Having received due replies, he turned to Frances, who by this time was -just entering, and addressed her thus:-- - -"I should not have anticipated, madam--I should not have anticipated, -that so great a variety of aliment would have assimilated well in the -child's stomach; but, such being the case, I never set my face against -facts, madam!--never set my face against facts! I should, therefore, -continue the course which has been hitherto pursued, with respect to -nutriment." - -"Yes, sir; but have you seen his bruises?" asked Frances. - -"My practice is very simple, madam," resumed the doctor, without -answering her question; "I love to go hand-in-hand with our great -instructress, Nature." - -"But--these terrible bruises, sir! What is your----" - -"It is too much the custom with men of our profession, to oppose the -efforts of nature; but I love to assist them, madam--I love to assist -them." - -"You are quite right, sir. But, do you think those bruises will be of -any consequence?" - -"Depend upon it, madam, depend upon it, there is always a revulsion, -as it were, towards right; a rebounding, a returning, in nature to her -usual functions, as first ordained by her all, wise Creator; and our -part, is carefully to watch those movements. And when the elasticity of -any power is impaired by the forcible, or long continued pressure of -adventitious circumstances; first, to remove the weight of such, and -then, by gentle stimulants, to restore buoyancy to the injured spring; -thus, madam--thus, I ever doff my cap to Nature!" - -The doctor having arrived at what seemed a pause, at least, if not -a conclusion, Frances had some hopes of being heard; and, by way of -exordium, said, - -"Your system, sir, is as judicious as it is pious." - -"I am not presumptuous, madam!" again interrupted the doctor; "I am not -presumptuous--" - -"And I should like," persisted Frances, "to have the opinion of one so -skilful, respecting the bruises of this poor child." - -The doctor's ear at length caught the word. "The bruises, madam! the -bruises! They have been inflicted by a cruel and most unsparing hand! -No doubt of it, madam--no doubt of it! Who was it that beat you in this -shocking manner, my little dear?" he continued, stroking the child's -head good-naturedly. - -Edmund looked alarmed, but made no attempt at reply. - -"There are, I hope, no inward bruises," resumed the doctor: "some -of these outward ones are attended with a degree of inflammation, -doubtless; but it is very slight and quite local, and may, I hope, be -even beneficial: inasmuch as it may divert the attention of the system, -and prevent any more vital part becoming the seat of disease; but it is -not such as to require any general reduction of a patient already so -low." - -"I am delighted to hear you say so, sir!" exclaimed Frances; "for I -wish so much to give him every thing good, when I think, poor fellow, -that perhaps he never had a comfortable meal in his life, before last -night! And I long so, too," she added, looking at Edmund, "to see the -little creature quite fat and rosy." - -"No roses here, madam! doubtless none, nor rotundity of limb, that is -most certain. I do not know that I have ever met with a more decided -case of emaciation in the whole course of my practice! Look at his -fingers, madam! do look at his fingers! Nor do I think that his pulse -would warrant me in bleeding him at present, as I should, doubtless, -any other patient, labouring under contusions of this nature. I will, -therefore, send an emolient and cooling mixture, with which, Mrs. -Smyth, you will bathe the parts frequently. Nutriment and quiet will do -the rest," he added, turning again to Frances, "for his fever proceeds -entirely from irritation of the nervous system, not from general -fulness; therefore, as I said before, cannot require general reduction. -General opposed to general, you see, madam, in the healing, as well -as in the wounding profession! Heigh! heigh! You don't admire puns, -I know; but come, that's rather a good one, is it not? Good morning -to you." And so saying, though on the wrong side of sixty, the doctor -performed an active pirouette at the door, as was his custom; and, -with the lightness of a lad of sixteen, made good his retreat, being -in great haste to leave the impression of the last good thing he had -said fresh on the minds of his hearers. Notwithstanding these little -innocent peculiarities, Mr. Dixon was a truly worthy, a kind-hearted, -and a skilful man, charitable to the poor, and solicitously attentive -to his patients; and, with all, he had not a mercenary thought! Mrs. -Montgomery had employed him for many years; and such was her confidence -in his abilities, that she would have judged those she regarded, less -safe in any other hands. - -Frances flew after Mr. Dixon, to entreat his aid for Fairy, her -beautiful Italian greyhound, that she had left very ill in the arms of -Lord L--. But, alas! the poor little dog was no more: it had expired -in convulsions; and the group which presented itself, on entering the -breakfast-room, appeared holding a sort of coroner's inquest over -the body. Lord L., still faithful to his charge, held the motionless -favourite on his knee; Mrs. Montgomery sat near, with a countenance -which seemed to say, "all is over!" Frances' maid and the butler stood, -one with a saucer of milk, the other with a plate of water, both now -become useless; while Henry pinched, first a foot, then the tail, then -an ear, to ascertain, as he said, whether the thing were quite dead. -Frances gently put his hand aside, and looked in the doctor's face. The -doctor shook his head. He was asked if he could say, from the symptoms, -what had caused the creature's death? - -"Poison, madam! poison!" he replied, without hesitation. - -Henry reddened. "It does not admit of a doubt, madam!" continued the -doctor, "the animal has died by poison." The servants had their own -opinion, as to who had given the poison, but were silent.--Such are the -beginnings of crime. - -Poor Edmund had now been some days an inmate of Lodore House, but, as -yet, no one had been able to discover who or what he was: while from -himself no replies could be obtained, but sobs and terrified looks. - -One morning Frances sent for him to the breakfast-room, and, after -giving him many good things, began a kind of questioning, which she -hoped might draw some information from the child, without alarming -him: such as, Where was his home? Where was the place where he used -always to be? He replied, "No where." Was there any one that used to -love him? "Yes," he said. She now thought she had found a clue to some -useful discovery, and asked him, who it was that loved him? "You do," -he replied. Frances took him on her knee, and put her questions in low -whispers; upon which, when she asked him particularly about the large -bruise on the side of his leg, he stole his little arms round her -neck, and breathed softly in her ear, "She wanted to break it off." -"Who, my dear, wanted to break it off?" "My mother." Then, alarmed at -the great effort he had made, he became more silent than ever, and -looked so much distressed, that at last, for his own relief, he was -dismissed in charge of good Mrs. Smyth. While Frances, inspired by the -same sentiment which had guided the righteous judgment of Solomon, -felt convinced that the woman, whoever she might be, who could treat -a child so barbarously, was not its real mother. Mrs. Montgomery was -herself disposed to entertain the same opinion; she, however, laughed -at the romantic deduction attempted to be made by Frances, that Edmund -therefore must be the child of parents in an exalted rank in life. - -While the ladies were discussing this point, Mr. Lauson, an attorney -resident at Keswick, came in to pay his respects: for he was agent to -the Cumberland and Westmoreland estates, as well as general man of -business to the family. Lauson had passed Mrs. Smyth and Edmund in the -hall, and had looked rather hard at the child. As soon as the morning -salutations were ended, and he had taken his seat, he pointed with his -thumb over his shoulder towards the door, which was behind him, saying, -"What child's that?" And, without waiting for a reply, he added, "I'd -be sworn but it's the boy that was begging about at the regatta with -one leg." - -"With one leg!" interrupted Frances. - -"Ay, ay," said Lauson; "but I saw him myself find the other, so there -is nothing so surprising in his having the two now." - -The ladies requested an explanation, and Mr. Lauson gave the best he -could, by recounting as much as he had witnessed of the scene which -opens our history. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - "Of snowy white the dress, the buskin white, - And purest white, the graceful waving plume." - - -In about six weeks the marriage of Frances and Lord L-- took place, -and the happy couple set off for Beech Park, his lordship's seat, near -London. Within the following ten days Mrs. Montgomery made all her -home arrangements, paid her pensioners, gave orders for the Christmas -dinner of the neighbouring poor, placed Edmund in the peculiar care -of Mrs. Smyth; and, finally, the day before she set out to join her -daughter and son-in-law, dispatched Henry, under escort of the butler, -back to S-- B-- school. The school, as we have before observed, was -an excellent, though a cheap one; but the lodging was such as Mrs. -Montgomery certainly would not have selected for her nephew, nor indeed -suffered him to occupy, could she have known the scenes and society -into which it threw him. - -Henry arrived at the village of S-- B--, and jumped out of the carriage -at the door of a butcher's house. While the servant was taking out the -luggage, Henry addressed, very familiarly, a woman who stood with her -back to him; and accommodating his language, as was his custom, to his -company, said, "Weel, Katty, and whoo is't wee aw wee you?" "No mickle -the better for yeer axin!" she replied, continuing her washing. The -next moment Henry was engaged in a game of romps with a fine girl of -fourteen, who just then came in from the garden: all the flowers which -had lately bloomed there collected in her apron, to be tied up in penny -bunches for the ensuing day's market. On receiving, though not, it must -be confessed, without richly deserving it, a smart slap on the ear from -his fair antagonist, the young gentleman closed with her, and commenced -an absolute boxing-match. At this juncture the butcher himself entered. - -"What's aw this? what's aw this?" he exclaimed. The angry voice of -David Park (such was the butcher's name) ended the scuffle. - -"Mr. Henry and me was no' but larking, fether," replied his daughter, -adjusting her disordered hair and drapery, and gathering up her -scattered flowers. - -"Mr. Henry! Mr. Deevil!" said the man, recognising Henry with a scowl. -"Bonny larking truly!" he continued; "bonny larking truly! And what -business had you, wife, to aloo of ony sic work?" And he sat down -sullenly, deterred from taking signal vengeance on the laughing young -gentleman, by the dread of losing his lodger. "Bonny larking truly!" he -resumed, as, without looking round, he poked the fire before which he -had seated himself, and began to light his pipe. "Ye'll soon be oure -aul', te lark afther that gate wi' the scholar lads, I can tell yee!" -Here he glanced at his daughter, and added, "Git awaw wi' ye, and don -yeer sel', lass! yeer na fit till stand afoor a man body noo, tho' he -be thee fether! Yeer aw ribbands!" - -We shall here leave Henry to keep such society, and to follow such -pursuits unmolested, and give our attention again to other and more -amiable personages of our history. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - "Yes, sweet boy, Clara will be thy mother. - Thou hast thus her first of mother's feelings; - Even should there rise, to claim her fondness, - Other beings like to thee: innocents, - Helpless innocents." - - -Months had rolled away. It was a beautiful evening in the middle -of July; and Lodore House, which had been deserted by most of its -inhabitants about the latter end of last October, when the trees were -almost leafless, and the voice of the fall loud with the swell of -wintry torrents, now looked with a cheerful aspect from amid embowering -verdure. The lofty head of Skiddaw arose with great majesty above the -woods immediately behind the house, and the calm lake spread abroad in -front, and bounded by the wide amphitheatre of the Keswick mountains, -filled the mind with pleasing ideas of peace and retirement. The -building, in its own outline, was picturesque; running along in light -corridors, connecting its principal parts. Numerous glass doors, or -French windows, leading out on the lawn, were all standing open. A -table, covered with fruit and other refreshments, might be just peeped -at through one of these; musical instruments, freed from their cases, -appeared through others, and through more might be discerned, sofas, -book-stands, work-tables, Turkey carpets, reposé chairs, Italian vases, -bronze lamps, cut-glass lustres, hothouse plants, French beds, swing -mirrors, &c.: while the intervention of silk and muslin draperies, -permitting each object to be but imperfectly seen, left imagination -free to deck the whole with the charms of fairy-land. Indeed, from -what did appear, it was evident that the sitting-rooms were numerous, -and richly furnished; that one corridor was a green house, another -a conservatory; and that the wings contained library, music-room, -billiard-room, and several sleeping and dressing-rooms, all on the -ground floor, all opening on the smooth turf, and displaying, or -rather betraying, enough of their arrangements to show that, not only -convenience, but luxury had been studied in their fitting up. - -On the outside, ever-blowing roses, with jessamine, honeysuckle and -clematis, bloomed in abundance, climbing around the casements, and -creeping along the palings: while a gay assemblage of the choicest and -sweetest flowers occupied plots, scattered irregularly on the velvet -green. - -The evening song of myriads of birds was pouring from the deep woods -with every wild variety of note, rendered the more remarkable by the -monotonous sound of the now subdued murmur of the fall, which still -went on, on, like the studied sameness of a judicious accompaniment, -selected to give effect to the varied excursions of the singer's voice. - -Though the sun was still above the horizon, many bonfires were already -lit at various distances along the road. The immediate approach was -crouded with people, looking full of expectation. Detached groups were -advancing in different directions; and, here and there, individuals had -climbed trees, or elevated portions of rock, and seemed looking out -for something. Every now and then, Mrs. Smyth, dressed in a holiday -suit, came forth from some one or other of the many open doors, held -up her hand to shade the glare of light from her eyes, looked towards -the lake for a few moments, and returned in again. Then, would some -beautiful exotic be seen to change its position on some flower-stand; -next a drapery would be let down from the golden pin which had held it, -and hung again, we suppose, with more grace, at least in the opinion -of good Mrs. Smyth, whose form glided on through long corridors, from -time to time appearing, disappearing, and re-appearing; and generally -followed by that of a child that seemed, at every step, to leap and -gambol for very glee. - -At length, a carriage was seen driving, at a rapid pace, along the -borders of Derwent-water. Every thing bright about it sparkled in the -rays of the setting sun. A universal shout arose, and all became -hurry and motion. The carriage approached: it was a barouche thrown -open, and, seated in it, were Mrs. Montgomery and Lord and Lady L. -They bowed, smiled, and waved their hands on every side. But soon the -attention of the latter lady was entirely engrossed by the appearance -of a lovely little boy, whom Mrs. Smyth, as she descended the lawn, -led by the hand; and in whom, but for one touching expression, -imperceptible perhaps to any other eye than Frances', no one could have -recognized poor Edmund. The rich dark locks, the profusion of which -had formerly added the look of wild neglect to that of misery, now -flew back as he ran against the wind, displaying and giving contrast -to a forehead white and open. The late hollow cheeks were now rounded, -dimpled, and glowing, at once with exercise and delight. His mouth, -always beautiful in its form, and so very sweet in its movements, had -now all the advantages of rosy lips and happy smiles. While his eyes, -which from their being large, and adorned by peculiarly long lashes, -had once seemed to occupy the chief part of his face, now but served to -give soul to the more earthly beauties, which the good cheer of Mrs. -Smyth had supplied. - -Edmund had got a few paces before his conductress. He stretched -forward both hands, and leaped up with a bound towards the door, as -he reached the side of the carriage. Lady L. pulled the check-string. -The carriage stopped, and Edmund, whom by its rapid motion it had -already passed some yards, was brought back by a servant, and lifted -in. Such was his joy, that the poor little creature could not speak! -He trembled excessively, and, for a moment or two, his features -were almost convulsed by his struggles not to cry: he thought it -would seem as if he were not glad, and he knew he was very glad. A -few tears, however, forced their way; but they only hung in the long -lashes, shining like early dew-drops, while happiness sparkled through -them: for now, encouraged and caressed, he sat on Lady L.'s knee, and -hugged one of her hands. Yet, when he looked up in her face and tried -to speak, his little lip trembled again, and his little countenance -assumed an expression of feeling beyond his years, which early sorrow -had taught the infant features. Lady L. kissed his forehead and passed -her hand over it, to wipe away, as it were, the trace of care; while -an ardent desire swelled in her heart to screen this object of her -tender compassion from every painful vicissitude of life, accompanied, -however, by a sigh to think how vain the wish! This sigh was followed -by yet another, as, from association, the very natural idea presented -itself, that it must be also impossible for her effectually to shelter -from the changes and chances of mortal existence, even the babe, that -destined to be born under auspices so different, would, in a few -months, make her really a mother. - -Mrs. Montgomery rallied, and Lord L. complimented her on her -discernment; declaring that they never had seen any thing half so -beautiful as her unpromising favourite had turned out. - -"Do not think me illiberal," said Lady L.; "but I cannot imagine this -the child of coarse, vulgar parents--a creature that seems all soul! -See, with what an intelligent countenance he listens to every thing -that is said!" - -Mrs. Montgomery smiled; and Lord L., anxious to please a wife with whom -he was still in love, was about to express himself quite of her opinion. - -The discussion was, however, for the present broken off by the stopping -of the carriage amid shouts of joyous welcome. While the merry groups -around the bonfires drank the healths of our family party, its members -seated themselves at a most inviting looking table, which we have long -half seen from behind a muslin curtain. - -The agreeable summer supper they here found prepared for their -entertainment, consisted chiefly of fruit, of which little Edmund, -placed between Lady L. and Mrs. Montgomery, was permitted to partake. - -"You see," remarked her partial ladyship, after observing the child for -a time, "with all the gentleness of his nature, there is no slavish -awe of superiors about him. Do you know, I almost fancy I can discern -an innate consciousness of being in his right place when he is with us: -it would seem as though, however long he had been in the hands of those -wretches, the impressions of absolute infancy, and of the caresses -and tender treatment experienced, (if my conjecture is correct,) -during that period, were never entirely effaced; for, that though they -were not within the reach of memory to recall with any thing like -distinctness, association possessed a mysterious power of bringing -every thing similar to them home to the feelings. Can you imagine so -nice a distinction? I can," she added, turning to Lord L. - -"There are few," replied his lordship, "who have not, I should think, -experienced the feeling of which you speak. Of this class are all the -sensations of pleasure or of pain, occasioned by sounds or sights -possessing in their own natures no corresponding qualities. How often, -for instance, do we hear people say of an air, by no means solemn. -'That tune always makes me melancholy: it reminds me of something, -though I cannot remember what.'" - -This sort of conversation naturally led to the subject of Edmund's -future prospects. It seemed tacitly yielded to the evident wishes of -Lady L., that his profession should be that of a gentleman. - -"I think," said Lord L., "it will be the best way to give the boy a -liberal education: and when he is of an age to judge for himself, let -him choose for himself." - -Mrs. Montgomery expressed the same opinion. - -"Nothing can be kinder, I am sure!" said Lady L., giving a hand to -each, and seeming to take the obligation entirely to herself: then -looking at Edmund, she added, after a moment's pause, "I dare say, he -will choose to be a clergyman, the benevolent duties of that sacred -office will suit so well with his gentle temper. Should you not like -to be a clergyman, my dear--like the gentleman who reads in the church -every Sunday." - -"I'd like to be a sailor boy," said Edmund. - -"A sailor boy!" repeated Lady L. "Poor child!" - -"That's right, my brave fellow!" exclaimed Lord L. "You see, Frances, -he will not be so very gentle after all! Less than a year of good -feeding and kind treatment have already brought out his English spirit. -If he continue of this opinion, I can obtain his admittance into the -naval college at Portsmouth; after which, I shall put him forward in -his profession with all the interest I can command." - -Things being thus arranged, so much to Lady L.'s satisfaction, the -family retired for the night. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - "Thou wilt see him." - - -Mrs. Montgomery received an account, in the morning, from Mrs. Smyth, -of how good Edmund had been, and of his having become so great a -favourite, not only with the good doctor, but also with the clergyman, -that both had had him to dine and play with their children more than -once. She also reported, with great self gratulation, the very uncommon -progress he had made in learning, under her tuition; and then proceeded -to relate an adventure she had met with one evening, when walking with -Edmund. - -"We were just returning," said Mrs. Smyth, "from Keswick, where I had -been taking a cup of tea wee a vara discreet neighbour. I carried -the boy wee me, for I niver like to let a child that is in my care -oot o' my sight; it's a thing I nivir did, and Edmund is ne trouble; -tack him whar ye will, he awways behaves himsel so prettily. So just -as we were walking quietly up the hill, before ye git under the -shade o' the trees, hearing voices, I happened to look ehint me, -when I saw following us a dacent, vara gentleman looking man, in -earnest conversation with a woman, wha from her rags, and the whiff -o' spirituous liquor I found as she passed, seemed a beggar o' the -maist disreputable kind. They keep't looking, looking, still at little -Edmund, as they spoke; and though, when I think upon it, it seems as -though ony body might look at his bonny face, heaven love him! yet at -the time I felt within myself parfact sure 'at they were no looking at -him for the sake o' looking at him. As they cam' past I heard the man -say, 'Well, I suppose she'll be satisfied, now that I have seen him -myself.' I am quite sure o' these words, but they went on, and I could -hear no more. It seemed so strange like, I thought, to follow and speak -wee them, when I felt the bairn pull me by the hand; I looked round, -and he was trembling aw over, and as pale as death. By the time I had -speered at him what ailed him, and spoken him a word o' comfort, the -man and the woman were bathe gane, and the peur thing talt me, that yon -graceless wretch was his mother." - -Much commenting followed, on the part of Mrs. Smyth, which it is -unnecessary to repeat; while Mrs. Montgomery could not refrain from -expressing great regret, that so favourable an opportunity had been -lost for compelling the vagrant to give some account of herself, and of -the child. The subject was, of course, discussed in the breakfast-room, -but nothing could be made of it, except that it would seem there did -exist some one who took an interest in Edmund, and who might yet claim -him, when their reasons for mystery were at an end. But then, their -choice of such an agent as the drunken beggar, was quite unaccountable; -for, had she stolen the child, why should she be in the confidence of -the decent man, who, it seems, was to satisfy the child's friends, -by being able to say that he had seen him himself. The most diligent -search was made in the neighbourhood, but neither man nor woman could -be heard of. - -Mrs. Montgomery and Lady L. now undertook the instruction of Edmund -themselves, till proper arrangements should be made respecting that -point, lest he should acquire too much of good Mrs. Smyth's accent; yet -that discreet lady was far from thinking any such precaution necessary, -as she prided herself on reading English with great precision, and -indulging in her native idiom only in familiar conversation, for the -sake, as she averred, of "Auld lang syne." - -This plan of the lessons brought Edmund much into the sitting-rooms, -till, by degrees, it passed into a custom for him to remain all the -morning with the ladies. Then, when particularly good, he was indulged -with a sort of second dinner at the table: and he was always good, so -that there was no opportunity to withdraw an indulgence once granted, -and, very shortly, a chair and plate were set for him at every meal, -as a matter of course; while every one grew so fond of him, that -it seemed forgotten he was not a child of the family, and even the -servants, of their own accord, all began to call him Master Edmund. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - "This is thy - Birth-day, and thou must be the little idol - Of the festival." - - -In the mean time preparations of every kind were making for Lady L.'s -expected confinement. The doctor had an apartment assigned him, and -now lived at Lodore House, lest his attendance should be a moment too -late. A respectable woman, of approved abilities, arrived all the way -from Edinburgh. She was provided with an assistant under-nurse from -Keswick, and both established at Lodore. Offerings too, at the shrine -of the expected stranger, made their appearance every day. A splendid -set of caudle-cups, of very curious china, was sent from London by Lady -Theodosia R., a sister of Lord L. A set of baby-linen, of needle-work -the most exquisite, arrived from Scotland, sent by Major Morven, -a rather elderly bachelor-brother of Mrs. Montgomery's. The major -mentioned in his letter, that, as he did not understand those things -himself, he had had them chosen by a committee of ladies, the best -judges in Edinburgh. - -Many, indeed, were the little, very little things, which came from -various quarters, more than we entirely understand ourselves; but every -band-box that was opened produced something little, so that it seemed -a sort of importation from the Liliputian world. Little hats of white -beaver, like snow-balls, in which, however, little plumes were not -forgotten. Little caps, little bonnets, and even little shoes, wrapped -in silver paper. In short, there was nothing big, but the good woman -from Edinburgh, and Major Morven. The major came to be in time for the -christening, as he was to be one of the sponsors. - -At length another little arrival took place, and a beautiful little -girl commenced her earthly pilgrimage. Quickly was the young stranger -dressed in the raiment of needle-work, and carried by its grandmamma, -and followed by its nurse, to the drawing-room, there to receive the -caresses, and claim the admiration of its happy papa. There also was -Edmund, wondering much at the bustle, and at his lessons having been -entirely omitted. His ecstacies of delight and astonishment on seeing -the baby were so great, and his entreaties so eager, first to be -allowed to look at, then to touch this quite new object of wonder, -all the time trying each expedient to add to his height, now leaping -straight up, now climbing the chair nearest to Lord L., then the arm of -the sofa, and, finally, the sofa-table itself, to the imminent danger -of his neck, that Mrs. Montgomery was at length induced, after making -him sit down on the said table, to hold the infant, for a second or -two, across his knees. - -During those seconds it was, we have good reason to believe, that the -first idea of self-importance ever entertained by our hero, entered -his mind: it accompanied the proud consciousness of fancying that he -afforded support to a creature more helpless than himself. He touched -its soft cheek, then its miniature hand, which soon began to close -itself round his finger, in the manner that infants do. It seemed to -Edmund, as though his caresses were kindly returned. His little heart -overflowed with fondness. He looked up, his face beaming with delight, -and asked if he might kiss the darling little baby. - -"A pretty bold request indeed!" said Lord L., laughing, "kiss my eldest -daughter, you urchin." - -Mrs. Montgomery, laughing also, told him he might, and Edmund -accordingly approached his rosy lips to those of his precious charge, -with, however, the greatest gentleness, lest, as he said, he should -hurt it. - -Mrs. Montgomery, on her return back from the drawing-room, was much -surprised to hear the cry of an infant inside her daughter's apartment, -while she herself, if she were not dreaming, held the baby in her own -arms, outside the door. The fact was, an occurrence had taken place, -which, with all their preparation, they were not at all prepared -for. A second little girl had made her appearance. Two dress caps, -certainly, had been provided, one with a cockade for a boy, the other -with a suitable rosette for a girl, in case of such a contingency -(and bad enough in all conscience) as that of the child being a girl, -after doctor, nurse, servants, tenants, and indeed every one knowing -perfectly well that it would be a boy, but two girls never had been so -much as thought of. The elder young lady, therefore, by three-quarters -of an hour, being already in possession of the girl's rosette, the -younger was obliged to make her first public appearance in this world -of vanities, figuring in a boy's cockade. - -To prevent, however, a serious disappointment on the part of Lord L., -an explanatory message was sent to him before she was permitted to -enter the drawing-room. There was but one child's nurse, too; but what -with grandmamma's help, and good Mrs. Smyth's assistance, and Edmund's, -which he judicially afforded, by running under every body's feet who -carried a baby, they contrived to manage till a second nurse could be -procured. - -We speak of nurses under certain limitations; for Lady L. had been too -well instructed by her mother, in every right sentiment, to meditate -for a moment depriving her infants of the nutriment nature had ordained -for them. - -The doctor, as soon as he thought he could venture to assert that there -would be no more, either boys or girls, frisked into the drawing-room, -rubbing his hands, and smiling with perfect satisfaction. - -"I give your lordship," he said, "joy, twice told! twice told! I -believe I am justified in so doing on the present twofold occasion. -Twofold, heigh? twofold it certainly is, literally so, and twofold -should be our rejoicing; else are we ungrateful for the bounty of -Providence, and the liberality of nature! Liberality of nature, heigh?" - -"But--," said his lordship, with a countenance of some anxiety. - -"We did not anticipate this, sir," continued the doctor, "this is a -contingency that we did not anticipate." - -"Pray--," recommenced Lord L., making a fresh effort to be heard; but -the doctor proceeded. - -"Two beautiful girls, upon my life--beautiful! I already see future -conquests sparkling in their eyes!" - -"Are you sure, doctor," asked the major, "there won't be any more? A -boy now, eh? Girls first: all right that--_Place aux dames_." - -"The next," proceeded the doctor, still addressing Lord L., "shall be a -boy. At present two _belles_ have been sent us, and we should make them -joy _belles_! eh? Come, that's rather good, a'n't it?" And with his -usual pirouette, he flung himself on the sofa beside the major, threw -one leg across the other, and with his head a little back, and on one -side, looked up and smiled with entire self-complacency. - -Mrs. Montgomery now appeared at the door, to give Lord L. the -long-wished-for summons; which he obeyed on tip-toe. - -"From Scotland, I presume, sir?" said the doctor to his neighbour on -the sofa. - -"Ee noo, sir," replied the major; "bit hoo did ye ken I cam frae -Scotland? No by my speech, I reckon." - -"Oh, sir, the name--the name," returned the doctor, a little -disconcerted. - -"Morven is a weel kent name, dootless," rejoined the man of war; "and -for my speech, I should tack ney sham that it savoured o' the land o' -my nativity, provided sic was the case; bit it fell oot, that being -much wee my regiment, on the sarvice o' his Majesty, I ha' been full -saxteen year o' my life oot o' Scotland; se that noo, when I gang to -Lunnon, ne body kens me till be a Scotchman: that is, by my speech. Bit -ne' doot--" - -Here the doctor, who had kept silence unusually long (perhaps from -admiration of the major's pure English), interrupted his companion, to -descant on use or custom being second nature, &c. And the major being -one of the many who never listen to anybody's speeches but their own, -leaned back on the sofa, and fell asleep. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - "But not less pious was the ardent pray'r - That rose spontaneously." - - "Look at him! Is he not a beauteous boy?" - - -The christening was quite a splendid festival. A number of friends and -relations, among whom was Lady Theodosia R., became inmates of Lodore -House for the occasion. All the neighbourhood was invited to join their -party for the day; and the tenantry and poor people entertained on the -lawn and borders of the lake; while the inhabitants of the town of -Keswick illuminated their houses to show their respect and affection -for the family. - -The names of Julia and Frances were given to the little girls. The -ceremony was over, and Edmund, who had been dressed very sprucely for -the great occasion, was standing near one of the nurses, endeavouring -to pacify his baby, as he invariably called the eldest of the twins. -The young lady was evincing her displeasure at the drops of cold water -which had visited, so suddenly, the nice warm glow produced on her -cheek by the full lace border of her cap, and the sheltering shawl of -her nurse. - -Mrs. Montgomery, who was looking on much amused at the little -manoeuvres of Edmund, naturally recollected (the whole business being -about names) that he, poor fellow, had but one appellation, and though -that did very well now, the case would be altered when he began to -go among strangers, when some sort of surname would become quite -indispensable. She chanced to express her thoughts on the subject (in -an under tone of course) to Lady L. and Mr. Jackson, who were standing -near her, adding, that as there was no name over which she had so good -a right as her own, she thought he had better in future be called -Montgomery. - -"Are you quite determined, madam?" asked Mr. Jackson. - -"Yes, quite," she replied. - -"Come here, then, my dear little fellow!" proceeded the worthy -clergyman, addressing Edmund in an elevated tone. - -Edmund obeyed timidly, but immediately. - -Mr. Jackson still stood opposite to the font, though, his sacred duties -being ended, he had descended the steps previous to the foregoing -conversation, which took place while the congregation were moving out -of church. - -The figure and countenance of Mr. Jackson were fine and impressive, -and his air and carriage lent to them all the dignity which the Ruler -of nature intended man to derive from his upright form, when the mind -is upright too. The infantine figure at his knee seemed, by contrast, -to add nobleness to his stature. His eyes were raised to heaven, those -of the child to his face, as laying one hand on Edmund's head, and -extending the other, he pronounced with solemnity the following words: - -"May the Almighty Father of the fatherless, and Defender of the -orphan's cause, bless, guide, and protect you, under the name of Edmund -Montgomery, till your claim (if you have such) to any other shall be -known and acknowledged." - -The tones of his voice were fine; and, on this occasion, a tenderness -was blended with their depth, supplied by the growing partiality he -had for some time felt for poor Edmund; while his naturally grave and -almost severe deportment, borrowed, when, as now, he had been recently -engaged in divine service, a grace from his piety, a humility which yet -elevated: it was a consciousness, visible, of standing in the presence -of his Maker. - -When our party had come out of church, and were waiting under some -trees in the little green that surrounded the building, for the -carriages to come up in convenient order, Mr. Jackson, who still -held Edmund by the hand, turned to Mrs. Montgomery, and, with an -enthusiasm peculiar to himself, and the very glow of which prevented -his perceiving that he not unfrequently produced a smile on the lips of -those who were not capable of entering into his feelings, said, "This -child, madam, is a more perfect personification of my ideas of what -the angels must be, than any thing I have ever before met with, or even -read of." - -"You except the ladies, I hope," said Lady Theodosia, "or, at least, -those of the present company." - -"I make no exceptions, madam," replied Mr. Jackson, with but little -gallantry of voice or manner. Then turning again to Mrs. Montgomery, he -was about to proceed; but Lady Theodosia ran on thus:-- - -"It is certainly customary to say of any fine fat child, that it is -quite a cherub; but I cannot see why a perfection so earthly, should -lay exclusive claim to the attribute of angels! The Edinburgh sick -nurse, in that case, would be the most angelic creature among us, for -she must measure, as Sir John Falstaff says of himself, at least three -yards round the waist." - -Lady Theodosia was very thin. - -"My premises, madam, led to no such monstrous conclusion!" replied Mr. -Jackson, with much more severity of tone than the occasion called for. - -"Monstrous conclusion!" echoed the doctor. "Come, that's very good! -The person your ladyship has just mentioned, is somewhat monstrous, it -cannot be denied." - -Mr. Jackson, meanwhile, with a gravity not to be shaken, proceeded -addressing Mrs. Montgomery as follows:--"In my mental visions, I have -often indulged in speculations on the possible appearance of angels. -I have, 'tis true, always pictured them to myself decked in that -freshness of beauty peculiar to extreme youth; yet, on the brow, I have -imagined an expression resembling what may be traced here!" and he -passed his hand over the forehead of Edmund. Then taking off the little -plumed Scotch bonnet, and viewing him as he spoke, he continued: "That -look, I had almost said of thought, that touch of sentiment, scarcely -corresponding with the dimpled and infantine loveliness of the cheek: -that smile too, of perfect happiness, emanating from the blissful -consciousness of never even wishing wrong! No seeds of jarring passions -there, madam! no contentions of spirit: but that absolute harmony of -soul, so rarely to be met with on earth, when every impulse of the -native will is in unison with the sense of right implanted in all, by -the great Author and Source of good!" - -Lady Theodosia was dying to laugh, but dare not, Mr. Jackson's face was -so perfectly serious. Edmund looked up at the moment, conscious that he -was spoken of, though, of course, not comprehending what was said. - -"The eye," continued Mr. Jackson, "when it meets yours, certainly -conveys a tender appeal, a silent claim on protection, that we scarcely -expect in that of a superior intelligence." - -Lady Theodosia philosophically observed, that the child's hair was -black, and that angels were always depicted with golden locks. (Her -ladyship's were auburn, bordering on red.) "And as to supposing," -continued the lady, "that angels must invariably be children," (Lady -Theodosia was no child,) "it is quite an erroneous idea. Milton's -angels were of all ages." - -"But there were no ladies among them, Theodosia!" said Lord L., just -coming up. "Lovers call you angels, but brothers and married men may -speak the truth; and, it must be confessed, that all the angels upon -record are either children or young men." - -"Oh fie! my lord," ventured the doctor; "is it not recorded every day -before our eyes, in the fairest characters," bowing and smiling to -Lady Theodosia, "that the ladies are angels! Fair characters! fair -characters! Come, that's fair, very fair, a'n't?" - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - "There is nothing great, - Which religion does not teach; nothing good, - Of which she is not the eternal source; - At once the motive and the recompense." - - -From the evening of the birth of Lady L.'s babies, it was evident that -our hero, though not yet seven years old, no longer thought himself -little. He assumed a manly air and carriage, and could not bear the -idea of being suspected of wanting assistance or protection. He, -indeed, was always ready to give his assistance, if one of the babies -stretched a little hand for any thing, or his protection, if the -bark of a dog, the sight of a stranger, or any such awful occurrence, -alarmed either of them; or his soothings, if they cried. - -He would no longer hold by any one's hand in walking, but would step -out in front of the nursery party, with quite a proud air, looking over -his shoulder, from time to time, and telling the nurses that he was -going first, to see that there was nothing there to hurt the babies. -He often asked if they would ever be as big as he was; and always kept -alive, by perpetual inquiries, and additional caresses, a perfect -recollection of the identity of the eldest baby--the one that had been -held across his arms, the evening it was born; and which, at the moment -it seemed to clasp his finger, had awakened in his little breast the -first emotion of tenderness, that was not accompanied by that almost -awe-inspiring feeling--a grateful looking up, as from an immeasurable -distance, to beings, in whose love and protection he himself sought -shelter. - -The partiality evinced by Mr. Jackson for our hero, on the day of the -christening, encouraged Mrs. Montgomery to put in immediate execution -a plan which Lady L. and herself had been for some time meditating; -namely, to request that gentleman to undertake the education of Edmund, -till he was of an age to be sent to the Naval College. - -Mr. Jackson was eminently fitted for the task of instructing youth. He -had been a fellow of one of the universities, and distinguished both -for his learning and his talents. - -Since his retirement from college on his present living, he had enjoyed -much leisure, and had devoted it to elegant studies: modern classics, -modern languages, the fine arts, late discoveries in science, &c. &c. -In short, to use his own words, he had, since that period, wandered -daily through the pleasure-grounds of literature; not suffering his -mind to sink into utter indolence, yet giving it no more than the -healthful stimulus of gentle exercise. He was born a poet, but had, -through life, indulged more in poetical feelings than in poetical -effusions; unless, indeed, we admit as such, the energetic overflowing -of his spontaneous eloquence in conversation; for his sermons, he took -care, should be plain and practical. He was not a shepherd, who, at the -instigation of vanity, would turn the green pasture-lands of his flock -into beds of tulips. Yet did not the pure and perspicuous style, which -good taste, as well as good feeling, taught him to adopt on sacred -subjects, want for that true sublime which is derived from simplicity, -when the grandeur of the thought itself leaves laboured language far -behind. - -The topic on which he was unwearied was, the inseparable connexion -between right faith and right practice, and between both and -happiness. He proved, by the most beautiful and feeling arguments and -illustrations, that, like the root, the blossom, and the fruit, they -grew out of, necessarily produced, and, as necessarily, could not exist -without each other. He then proceeded to show, that the whole chain of -natural causes and effects formed one unbroken, practical revelation -of the Almighty will, ordaining virtue and forbidding vice; inasmuch -as not only is virtue necessary to make us capable of happiness even -here, but out of vice invariably grows suffering, not only moral, but -generally physical also, lest the lowest capacity should be slow to -comprehend this manifestation of the sovereign purpose of him who -called us into being, but bestows upon us that felicity, towards which, -his all-wise government is constituted to lead us; of him who, had it -been possible even to infinite power, to bestow a consciousness of -individuality of spiritual being, without an equal consciousness of -freedom of will, would have rendered it impossible for his creatures -to err; or, in other words, to forfeit that bliss which "eye hath not -seen, ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to -conceive." - -"For," our Christian philosopher would add, as he drew his arguments -to their close, "had that emanation of the divinity which is the -soul of man, been without choice between good and evil; or, in other -words, necessitated to act by no other impulse than that of its great -source, the Almighty had created but a material world, all spiritual -intelligence, the whole soul of the universe, had still been God -himself!" - -Mr. Jackson's imaginings, especially when he walked alone amid the -majestic scenery that surrounded his dwelling, certainly were poetry; -but he seldom interrupted his pleasing reveries, or checked his nights -of fancy, to place them on paper, or even to arrange them in any -precise order of words. Indeed, it was one of his favourite positions, -(and he was famous for theories of his own,) that a man might be a -poet, without possessing one word of any language whatsoever, in which -to express his poetic ideas. - -In judging a new work, too, he seldom descended to verbal criticism; -but, taking an enlarged view of the spirit in which the thing was -written, pronounced it, at once, to want, or to possess, that poetical -spark, that vivifying principle, which must, he maintained, breathe a -soul into every composition, whether prose or verse, worth the trouble -of reading. - -To complete Mr. Jackson's qualifications for a preceptor, he himself -found a sensible pleasure in imparting knowledge. Let others prove the -wonders, the properties, the virtues of all that the material world -affords; and, admired be their curious, and respected their useful -labours; but the natural philosophy in which he delighted, was the -development of the young mind. In his mode, too, of communicating -instruction, there was a peculiar felicity. He never required of a -pupil an arbitrary act of mere memory: "indeed," he would say, "there -is no such a power as mere memory." What is commonly called having a -good memory, he considered as nothing more than the natural result -of fixing the attention, awaking the feelings, and forming the -associations. These last, he termed the roots, by which remembrances -entwine themselves with our whole constitution, till the very heart -vibrates to a sound, a colour, or but the scent of a flower, plucked -in the day of joy, or of sorrow. He, therefore, always endeavoured to -lead the understanding to facts, through their causes; and, again, to -interest the feelings in the consequences of those facts: thus were -the lessons he taught never to be effaced. Above all things, he hasted -to supply the infant mind with salutary associations, on every subject -tending to implant principles and form character; considering every -avenue of the soul, not thus timely fortified, as laid open to the -incursions of wrong, perhaps, fatal opinions. For instance, whilst -others railed, with common-place argument, against bribing children, as -they termed it, into goodness; he maintained that the lowest animal -gratification of the infant, (that is, before it can understand any -other,) may be so judiciously bestowed, as to become the first seed of -that grand principle, a thorough conviction that the virtuous only can -enjoy happiness. If the child's daily and hourly experience prove to -it, that when it is good it has all from which it knows how to derive -pleasure; and that when it is not good, the reverse is the case; must -it not soon learn to connect, so thoroughly, goodness with happiness, -that, through after-life, the ideas can never present themselves apart. -"As mind is developed," he would say, "let the sources of the child's -happiness be ennobled: teach it to prize, as its best reward, the -love and approval of its parent; to dread, as its greatest punishment, -the withholding such. And, to acquire this power, let your tenderest -indulgence, the perpetual sunshine of your countenance, be the very -atmosphere in which your child is reared; and soon, the sight of -features on which no smile appears, will be chastisement sufficient, -and you be spared the brutalizing and alienating your offspring, by -beating it into forced obedience, and spontaneous hatred." - -That such a man as we have described, was ever found, in the fulfilment -of his active duties as a pastor, the conscientious and benevolent -Christian, we need scarcely add. - -The income arising from Mr. Jackson's living was considerable; and, -as he had also private property, he was quite independent; it was, -therefore, entirely as a favour; that Mrs. Montgomery meditated -requesting him to take charge of Edmund's education. He, on his part, -came into all her plans and wishes, with as much readiness and warmth, -as his enthusiastic praises of our hero had led her to hope. - -The parsonage, to which Mr. Jackson had built very elegant additions, -stands within a short walk of Lodore House. Its own situation is -beautiful. Indeed, it is scarcely possible to choose a spot in this -immediate neighbourhood which is not so. Every distance is terminated -by magnificent mountains. More or less ample views of the lake, -are almost everywhere to be descried through trees that grow with -luxuriance to the water's-edge; the long vista of each opening, -carpeted with a velvet sod of the tenderest green; while, where the -wooding climbs the feet of the hills, bare rocks, like the sides and -turrets of ruined castles, protrude in many parts, giving much beauty -and variety to the scenery. One of the highest of these lifts itself -conspicuously above the grove which embowers Mr. Jackson's dwelling, -and stands just in view of his study-windows. It is crowned by a rent -and blasted oak, the outer branches of which still bud forth every -spring, displaying a partial verdure, while the naked roots are bound -around the rock's hard brow, with a grasp which has maintained its hold -from age to age, against the winds and rains of countless winters. -Beyond the woods, stupendous Skiddaw rears its lofty head, enveloped -in perpetual clouds, in much the same manner, that it backs the view -of Lodore House; for in this wild region, that mountain holds so -conspicuous a place in every scene, that it may almost be said to be -omnipresent. - -A window to the south presents some slight traces of human existence, -not discernible from any of the others: a curious bridge, roughly -constructed, its date unknown, and crossing a spot where there is -now no water; and a single chimney, with its blue smoke, peeping from -the cleft of a rock, within which is concealed the little habitation -to which it belongs. The study itself, from which these prospects are -enjoyed, contains an excellent library: it opens with French windows -on the lawn, and communicates with the drawing-room by means of a -green-house in the corridor form, in imitation of that at Lodore, from -which it had been stored with choice plants. Beyond the drawing-room, -in the old part of the building, is situated a comfortable dining-room. -To this literary Eden, our hero each day repaired, reaping from his -visits all the advantages which might be expected. Thus did matters -proceed for about four years, except that we omitted to mention that -he spent all periods of Mrs. Montgomery's absence from Lodore House -entirely at Mr. Jackson's dwelling, by that gentleman's particular -request. Edmund had become the consolation of his worthy preceptor's -lonely hours, the centre of his affections. Those had, indeed, no other -object. Within the first three years of Mr. Jackson's marriage, he had -lost a wife to whom he had been attached from early youth; and, more -recently, the measles had robbed him of both the boys she had left him. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - "Did jealous hate inspire thee?" - - -Meanwhile the unamiable Henry, every time he returned from his school -for the vacations, was filled with fresh envy and hatred on beholding -Edmund more and more established in the rank of a child of the family, -and more and more beloved by every one; while he, Henry, felt as if at -enmity with the whole world, merely because his own unworthy nature -could not divest itself of an instinctive consciousness, that he did -not deserve to be loved. He, however, explained the business very -differently: he persuaded himself that the beggar-brat (as he called -Edmund in his own thoughts, for Mrs. Montgomery would not suffer him to -do so to be heard) had got into his place, and deprived him of every -body's regard. - -As soon as Mrs. Montgomery had been aware of her nephew's lodging, she -had had him removed to one more eligible; but his low habits were too -strongly confirmed to be much amended by this salutary change. He still -spent his leisure hours at the butcher's house, and carried thither the -fruits of all his depredations, namely, the spoils of robbed orchards, -and scaled poultry-yards. There the wife and daughter would first cook -for him, and then, joining in the carousal, help to demolish. His -rompings too, with Miss Betsy Park, for so was the butcher's daughter -named, grew daily more frequent. - -The sagacious mother did not choose to interfere, observing, that -though Betsy had become very saucy to Mr. Henry, and sometimes even -gave him a smart slap in the face, he, instead of threatening to beat, -and not unfrequently to kick her, as he used to do, was now often heard -to menace her with a good kissing if she did not behave herself. The -damsel, however, by no means alarmed, would most generally repeat her -offence, and, snapping her fingers, tell him she defied him; upon which -he would pursue her round the house, back yard, or garden, to put his -threat into execution. On such occasions, however, he could not so -entirely get rid of his old habits, as to let Miss Betsy off, without -following up his new species of vengeance, by some of those cruel -pinches which, in childhood, had so often diversified the snowy surface -of the young lady's skin, with the various tints of black, blue, and -green. - -Yet Miss Betsy was, by this time, become a very fine girl: she was -fair, had a glowing colour, a quantity of light auburn hair, laughing -blue eyes, a saucy nose, full pouting lips, good white teeth, and was -tall and well made, though, if any thing, a little too fat; but, in -consequence of her youth, this, at present, rather gave luxuriance to -her beauty, than coarseness to her appearance. - -It may be asked, why any thing in the shape of a mother sanctioned -such scenes as we have alluded to. But too many S-- B-- mothers, in -Mrs. Park's way, speculated on marrying their daughters to scholar -lads, as the boys and young men are indiscriminately termed; and the -questionable means employed by Mrs. Park were not only, in her opinion, -the best to obtain her end, but those sanctioned by the customs of the -village, time immemorial. - -By such mothers, while their daughters were permitted--we had almost -said counselled--to cast off all delicacy, a sort of worldly prudence -was taught, by which the necessity of not forfeiting their chance of -marrying a gentleman was duly impressed on young creatures, whose -habitual manners, from childhood, had early deprived them of the -natural guard of modesty. Thus, a girl who was forsaken (before -marriage we mean) by a scholar-lad, incurred direful suspicions in the -village; while one who had so successfully balanced her blandishments, -as to decoy one into marriage, was ever after held up as a pattern -of virtue! This was the more easily managed, when we consider the -respective ages of the parties. - -When once these lads left the school, their brides saw no more of them. -The ladies, however, as soon as the schoolmaster's authority was at an -end, proclaimed their marriage in the village, called themselves by the -gentleman's name, had some allowance, particularly if there was a child -in the case, and considered themselves a step higher in the ranks of -society. - -Henry was not yet seventeen, but he would be older before he finally -quitted the school; and most of the S-- B-- weddings took place between -mere boys and girls a few years their seniors. - -A custom too prevailed in this village, and its vicinity, very -favourable to suitors--we mean among the elevated rank of which we -are now speaking. All received sweethearts, as they are called, were -permitted to sit the whole of the night by the embers of the kitchen -fire, without witness or candle, beside the damsel to whom they wished -to plead their cause. This indulgence was granted, whether scholar -lad or labourer, on the plea of the swain, in either case, having no -leisure for love-making by day. It was a custom, however, which David -Park never permitted in his house, though he had himself been so -favoured when courting Betsy's mother. - -It is reported in the village, that great confusion exists in the -parish register, respecting the christenings and weddings of many -families, including the butchers. We think, however, that it must be by -a mistake of the old clerk, when a christening appears actually upon -record before the wedding, the circumstance being quite out of the -course of nature. - -Betsy's father, to do him justice, though he joined in wishing to -see his daughter married to a gentleman, and though he was sturdily -determined, if such a thing should ever happen, to have her publicly -acknowledged; yet would he have disapproved of all the methods pursued -by his wife for forwarding such views, had he been aware of them; nor -did he permit the slightest familiarity in his presence, from the time -that Betsy began to assume at all the appearance of a woman. Indeed he -often took her seriously to task; and one memorable day, in particular, -as he sat before his house fire, he drew his pipe, which he had been -smoking for some time in moody silence, from his mouth, and addressed -his daughter thus:-- - -"If thoo has a mind tle be a gintleman's woife, or an honest man's -outher, kep thee sell' to thee sell', and behave theesell' decently." -Turning half round, with both hands resting on his knees, he seemed -to measure her height and form with his eyes, and then said, "Thoo's -gitting up, Bess! dinna let the lads owr nigh thee!" She blushed and -smiled. "Coome," he continued, "thoo may kiss thee fayther tho'!" - -After a rough caress, he recommenced, still looking at her, "Thoo's a -fine lass thoo! It wad be a pity ti--a, that thoo shouldst coome tle -ney bitter end, than tle mac devartion for scholar lads!--And sham to -thee fayther!" he subjoined, after a pause, and in an altered tone. - -After another pause he proceeded thus:--"Bonny devartion truly! bonny -devartion! Nay, nay, Betsy, thoo's worthy to be sum'ot bether nor that, -my barne! If thoo sould niver be a gintleman's woife, thoo may be a -farmer's woife, and ha' plenty and decency roond thee aw thee days, -and bonny bairns, like what thoo was thee sell, aboot thee. And when -I's tired wee killing swine," he added, pleased with the picture he had -drawn, "I can coome to thee chimney corner, and tack the wee things -on my knee, and gee thee good-man sum'ot be the week for my leeving. -I think I sould like that bether, after aw Betsy, nor yon gentleman -hunting!" - -"A weel, fayther," said Betsy, affected, "and I'll dee whativer thoo -wilt. Bit Mr. Henry's a nice enough lad, tee--a! and civiler grown nor -he used to be." - -"Weel, weel, lass! Bit tack care o' thee sell: the civiler the war, may -be." - -That evening Henry brought one of his suppers to be cooked; and, among -other good things, a jar of smuggled spirits, a delicacy which he -had latterly contrived, by some secret means, to add to his feasts. -On this occasion he seemed already to have taken himself a foretaste -of the potent beverage. He found Betsy unusually distant. He kept -following her about and deranging all her culinary proceedings, in the -hope of provoking a game of romps. At last he got her up into a corner -and kept teasing her, and coming up so close that it was impossible -to get by without a struggle, which was just what he wanted. At this -moment her father came in. - -"Kep off the lass!" he cried; "kep off the lass!" And, pushing Henry -roughly aside, he stood between him and his daughter. "I tell you what, -Mr. Henry St. Aubin," he said, "I been't a gintleman, to be sure; bit -she is my flesh and blood for au' that, and the best gintleman in the -land shan't coome nigh hand her, withoot he gangs to church wee her -first! She's a fine lass, and a bonny lass, and a good lass; and -worthy till be an honest man's wife, and the mother o' bonny bairns; -and she sha'n't be sport for scholar lads, as long as her fayther has -twa hands tle knock him doon that mislests her!" - -Henry laughed coarsely, and muttered some reply which did not seem to -coincide exactly with David's notions of delicacy; for he continued -thus: - -"Hoo durst yee tle spack in that undecent fashion afoor the lass? And -what for do you look at her e that gate?" - -Henry, whose usually slender stock of good manners had not received -much addition from his late intercourse with the spirit jar, was -getting provoked. He could think, at the moment, of no readier mode of -venting his anger than that which the immediate power of insulting -offered. He seized Betsy, therefore, in pretended jest, and began to -pull her about rudely, in open defiance of David and decency. The -father's ire, at this, so got the better of him, that he forgot all his -speculations. - -"Git oot o' my hoose!" he cried; and seizing Henry by the shoulders, he -thrust him into the street, flinging the preparations for the supper at -his heels, and exclaiming, "I'll gar ye! ye greet gapping fiery-faced -deevil! I'll gar ye!" - -Henry's countenance, at the time, flushed with intoxication, rage, and -insolence, at once suggested and justified the epithet of 'fiery-faced -deevil,' bestowed by honest David. - -The next time Henry found Betsy alone (though, fortunately for her, her -father came in almost immediately) there was so much of ferocity in his -manner; and the determined advances of the urchin, in despite of grave -looks, partook so much more of revenge than of love, that Betsy was -instinctively disgusted, and determined, though with tears, to think no -more of him, and please fayther by marrying John Dixon. - -Dixon was a young farmer in the neighbourhood, who could not help -showing a partiality for Betsy, though he did not much like her -intimacy with the scholar lads, nor the thoughts of her having romped -so often with Mr. Henry. He got over all this, however, being a -gentle-tempered, kind-hearted, rather simple young man; and, since he -first fancied Betsy, disposed to melancholy. - -The day was accordingly fixed for their wedding, when Henry, who had -been forbid the house, contrived, by the mother's means, to get an -interview with the bride elect. He affected repentance for his late -rudeness, pleaded excessive love by way of an excuse, and, rather -than be ousted by the farmer, proposed marriage. Betsy shed tears of -reconciliation, and poor John Dixon was dismissed. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - "No green star trembles - On its top, no moonbeam on its side." - - "The blast of the desert comes, - It howls in thy empty courts." - - -There happened to be a young man at this time expected in the village, -who had received his early education at S-- B-- school, and who had -been, for many years, the mate in mischief of Henry St. Aubin. - -The young man, of whom we are speaking, was the only child of a lone -woman who kept the bakehouse of the village. His father, whom he had -never seen, had been, in the youthful days of his mother, a scholar -lad. The mother was determined that her son should be, as his father -had been, a gentleman! She devoted, therefore, the fruits of a life's -industry to educate him for the church. After such an exertion, -however, she had no pocket-money left to give her darling, who, -consequently, often wanted cash. He was selfish, and had no principles. -His habits were low, yet, in their own petty way, expensive. His -present return to the village was after a considerable absence. Henry -hastened to the bakehouse at the moment of his arrival, and, taking him -aside, asked him if he was yet ordained, "because," continued Henry, -without waiting for a reply, "if you are not, tell David you are, and -pretend to marry me to Betsy. We'll have rare fun and carousing at the -wedding: and the next time my aunt fills my purse, I'll go halves with -you." - -Now, the young man was in orders already; but so good an offer as -a carouse and even half a purse, was not to be cast away without -consideration. Besides which, it might be 'very convenient' to have -St. Aubin in his power; for though it was perfectly well known that -Henry did not inherit any thing from his father, his future prospects -from his aunt were equally well known not to be despicable; and, at -any rate, she behaved so handsomely to him at present, that as a -scholar-lad his purse was always tolerably well lined; it was not -likely, therefore, that she would ever let him be without money, when -he went into the world as a man. The conscientious young divine, -accordingly, without more time for his calculations than whilst Henry -spoke, told his friend that he was not yet ordained, and, at the same -time, undertook that his mother should tell David (as well she might) -that her son was in orders. "Indeed, for that matter," he added, "it -will be the safest way to make her think so herself." - -After this, it was easily arranged, with all parties, that Greyson -(such was our hopeful churchman's name) should perform the ceremony. It -was to take place among the roofless ruins of S-- B-- Abbey, poor David -having a prejudice in favour of his child being married in church, and -the repaired part of the building, which is the present church, being -of course locked. The little party, in contempt of canonical hours, -left David's house after midnight. They passed down the street, and all -was silent. As they approached the little bridge, situated half-way -between the village and the abbey, Betsy saw a man leaning over the -battlements, seemingly looking on the water as it glided from beneath -the one low arch. She was sure, doubtful as was the light, for the moon -was much obscured, that the figure was that of the young farmer. When -they came to the gate which divides the road and school-house from the -wide-spread ruins, they found it fastened, and were obliged to get over -the stile. When elevated on the upper step of this, Betsy gave one look -towards the bridge. The figure had left its position there. She passed -her eye along the road, and could still discern it following at some -distance. - -"Make haste!" whispered Henry, hurrying her down the steps rather -roughly. "You're not going to change your mind again, are you?" he -added, sneeringly. - -Betsy's heart misgave her, and she answered, with a heavy sigh, "If I -have changed it ance, Henry, it's no you 'at sould reproach me!" - -"Hoot! if it is such a sighing matter," he replied, "don't break your -heart to oblige me." - -"Tack care yee dinna brack it, Henry, nor my honest fayther's nowther," -was Betsy's answer. Then, mentally she added, "There's ane 'at must be -bracken, and that's enew." - -At this moment a shadow passed along a moonlit wall beside them, and -sunk in a dark archway before them. They soon entered the same archway; -proceeded along the flags in front of the great western entrance; -mounted some steps; walked on the northern high gravelled terrace, -some way; then, leaving it, climbed over graves, and stumbled over -tombstones, till, descending a rugged path, among nettles and long -grass, they entered a part of the ruin which was without any roof. The -walls, however, still rose to their full original height, till the -starry sky seemed a canopy that closed them in; while, through a row -of long, narrow, well-preserved arches, the moonlight streamed with an -adventitious brightness, borrowed from contrast with the dark shadows -in every other part. The entrance of our party, however, seemed the -signal for all that had been bright to disappear. The moon, which had -struggled for some time with the vapours of a hazy night, almost at the -instant dropped behind a range of thick clouds near the horizon. She -set a few moments after, and the haze thickening to a mizzling rain, -the very stars became extinguished. It was slowly, therefore, and with -difficulty, that the feet of our wanderers now advanced to the further -or eastern end, where the altar is said to have once stood. - -Our reverend divine here took a small dark lantern from his breast, -unfastened its door, and opened before it a pocket prayer-book. By -this time the darkness of all around was total, and added much to the -strange effect of the partial gleam that lit up the book, the one -hand that held it, and a part only of the one arm, the back of the -lantern itself throwing a powerful shadow on the rest of the figure; -so that the waving hand seemed a floating vision unconnected with any -form, and the voice that arose out of the darkness behind it, almost -supernatural! At the moment of its first sound, which, after the -silence that had preceded it, seemed to startle every thing, an owl -on the top of the ruins screamed. Betsy shuddered: the owl fluttered -downwards, fell, as it happened, actually on the lantern, and, striking -it out of the hand that held it, extinguished its light; then, having -panted a moment at the feet of the astounded group, rose, and screaming -again, brushed by their faces. A minute after, its cry was heard -repeated, but fainter from the distance, for it now came from the -highest point of the steeple. - -"It's no to be, fayther!" said Betsy, in a low voice, "it's no to be!" - -"Hoot!" said Henry, gruffly. - -Betsy felt her hand, on the other side, taken in one that seemed to -tremble. She thought, at first, it was her father's; but just then she -heard his voice on the far side of Henry, saying to the clergyman, -"What's to be done noo?" - -"He kens it off book," said Henry. - -Greyson, who had engaged to swear whatever Henry said, alleged that, -while he held the book in his hand, and repeated the words, it was the -same thing as if he read them. Accordingly, with particular solemnity -of tone, as if to compensate for the want of other requisites, he -recommenced the ceremony. - -Betsy felt the hand suddenly dropped, which had been all this time held -against the throbbing heart of some one, whose laboured breathing she -had distinguished close to her; not by sounds, those were apparently -suppressed, but she had felt each warm sigh steal over that side of her -neck and cheek. A moment after her hand had been dropped, she heard -a slight movement among some loose stones at a little distance. The -darkness was such, that she could not see any of the figures present. - -David gave away his daughter: the ceremony was concluded, and they all -began to make the best of their rugged way homeward. With much ado they -got from among tombstones, and fragments of ruins. They passed the -stile at the gate, even the bridge, and Betsy could see no traces of -any one; but it was still very dark. At length they arrived at David -Park's door; it was opened, and a strong stream of light, pouring from -it, crossed the street. David, the clergyman, and a friend of David's, -who had been taken as a witness, went in. - -The bride and bridegroom, happening to be a little behind the rest, -were following, when, just as Betsy put her foot on the threshold, she -heard in the direction of the bridge a plunge, which, though distant, -was distinct, from the perfect stillness of the night. She staggered -back a few paces, drawing Henry with her. - -"Oh, run! run!" she cried, pointing to the bridge, which was in a -straight line from where they stood, so that any one who had been upon -it might have seen the light of David's open door, and the figures -entering. - -"Run where?" asked Henry. - -"Yonder! yonder! Didna ye hear yon? I's amaist sure its John, gane o'ur -the brig for love o' me!" - -"And if it be," replied Henry, "he may go. He shall have no help of -mine!" - -At this tender and considerate speech from the bridegroom, his young -bride fainted away. She was carried into the house, without any one but -Henry knowing the cause of her illness. - -"My peur bairn's doon-hearted wid yon darkling wedding, and that ne'er -do weel o'a Jenny Owlet," said David. - -When Betsy recovered, which was not for a considerable time, she told -her father her fears, and entreated him to go to the bridge. - -"It was aw nonsense," he said, "and no but fancy! The lad had na mickle -to say for his sel, to be sure, bit he was no sic a feul as aw that; -and if there had been ony body faud i' the water, of a mischance, it -wad be owr late tle help them noo." - -However, to satisfy his daughter, he walked down the road; but -returned, saying, he could see nout. "It was no but yon Jenny Owlet -again, or may be a wild duck; there plenty o' them i' the Senbee vale. -And, what's mare," he added, "I wadend care an' we had twa on them noo, -twirling afoor this rouser." - -So saying, he placed himself in his own large chair before the said -rouser, which he roused still more, with a gigantic poker, as was his -invariable custom; while his wife laid on the board smoking dishes, one -of which was graced, if not by two wild ducks, by two good tame geese. -Henry, mean time, was preparing, scientifically, a large bowl of punch; -to which was added, on the present occasion, several bottles of choice -wine, purloined from the cellars of Lodore House. - -In the morning, the miller who lives near to where the river ----, -after wandering through the vale of S-- B--, and passing under the -bridge of which we have spoken, empties itself into the sea, found, -stopped in its course, as it floated towards the ocean, by his -mill-dam, the body of poor John Dixon. And Betsy was long before she -could get it out of her mind, how his heart had beat against her hand -so short a time before it lay still, and cold, in the mill-stream. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - "My soul is tormented - With fear! Ah, they are dead!" - - -Lady L. had not increased her family since the birth of the twins, and -they were, by this time, between four and five years old. Her ladyship -now, however, expected to do so, and the event was to take place at -Lodore. - -Dr. Dixon, too, such was the almost superstitious confidence placed in -him by Mrs. Montgomery, was to be again employed, which was matter of -no small pride, as well as delight of heart, to the good old man. - -He did not fail, as may be believed, to mention in every house in -Keswick, and that before he felt a pulse, or even contemplated the hue -of a tongue, that an humble individual like himself, had been selected -to usher into this eventful life the future Earl of L. "For it would be -a boy, no doubt," ran on the Doctor, "as there are already two girls; -lovely little creatures!--the Ladies Julia and Frances L. Both the -future brides of noble earls, doubtless. But, respecting the seniority -of the Lady Julia L.," continued the Doctor, proud of having it in his -power to give little people so much information about great people, -"the circumstances are very remarkable--very remarkable, indeed! And -if her little ladyship makes as good use of her time through life, -as she did for the first three quarters of an hour, she will be -fortunate--very fortunate--no doubt of it! Three quarters of an hour -only, the elder of her fair sister; yet, by that short space, is her -ladyship entitled to the sum of three thousand pounds per annum; to -which fine property, situated in the shire of ----, her ladyship is, by -the will of the late Major Morven, of age on the day that she completes -her eighteenth year. The property has on it, the Earl tells me, a fine -old family-seat, called the Craigs, with wood, they say, worth forty -thousand pounds! The mansion, too, I understand, contains a gallery of -invaluable pictures, a fine library, with service of plate, &c." - -The old gentleman made a very curious will, leaving the young lady -entirely her own mistress, independent of father, mother, or guardian. -"For," said the good major, "I had not been an old bachelor, had they -let me follow my own way in my youth." "I was one of the witnesses -myself," continued the doctor, "and heard him say these words. The -major was gallant, you see, as all soldiers should be, and was -determined that his will, should not thwart the will of a lady! The -will! the will! Well, come, that's very fair, a'n't it?" - -About this time, Mrs. Montgomery received a letter from the master -of the S-- B-- school, stating, that he had been obliged, however -reluctantly, to expel Mr. St. Aubin from his establishment, for the -following offences, namely,--many scandalous irregularities, respecting -the young women of the village; holding intercourse with the crew of a -smuggling vessel, laying off S-- B-- head; absenting himself for days -and nights, it is supposed on board the said vessel; and re-appearing -in a shameful state of intoxication. - -Soon after this epistle had been read, and before its contents had -been half talked over, Henry himself arrived. Some charges he denied, -others scoffed at; but did not succeed in satisfying Mrs. Montgomery. - -He was sitting with her and Lady L. in the breakfast-room, which opens -on the lawn. Speaking in answer to the account of his being supposed -to have formed an unjustifiable intimacy, at least, if not a marriage, -with Betsy Park, he said: "You must know, ma'am, the people of that -village are always getting some one to swear that their daughters -are married to every gentleman's son in the school, just to extort -money. They consider it quite a trade, I assure you," he added; seeing -that what he had said had made some impression. At this moment, a -tradesman-like looking man appeared on the lawn. - -On perceiving Henry, instead of directing his steps to the regular -entrance, he came up to the French window, or glass-door, which was -standing open. Stopping a moment, he said, respectfully, to Mrs. -Montgomery: "May I comeb ene, madam?" His dress and manner were so -decent, and he seemed so much heated and fatigued, that, without -hesitation, she said: "Certainly, sir." He put the lifted foot, which -had waited in that position for her reply, over the threshold, and, -turning to Henry, said, in a determined manner: "Where is my Bess, sir? -Where is my bairn?" - -"You needn't ask me," replied Henry, turning pale, and speaking as -though a lock-jaw were coming on; "the last I saw of her was in your -own house." - -"Oh, doon't say so, Mr. Henry!" exclaimed the poor man, clasping his -hands entreatingly. - -"It's very true though," said Henry, gaining courage. - -"It's not true!" returned David, with sudden fierceness, "or, if it -is," he added, changing again to accents of despair; "there's nay body -in this warld that kens whare she is!" He paused; then, with forced -composure subjoined, "She gade oot o' the hoose, the morn after yee -gade away, and she's niver cam back syne." - -"She is gone off with some sweetheart, I suppose," replied Henry, -affecting carelessness. - -"For sham o' yeersel!" cried David, "for sham o' yeersel; and she at -the doon-lying wid yeer bairn! Wha was she gang wid bit wid you? Ye ken -weel enew, she was nane o' that sort, or ye wad niver have been forced -til mack her yeer wife." - -"She's no wife of mine, man," interrupted Henry, "and don't dare to say -so!" - -"I will dare," returned David, "til spack the truth." Henry switched -his boots with his whip, and whistled a tune. David continued--"She -is your wife, Mr. St. Aubin; and your lawfu' wife, afoor heaven, and -lawfu' witnesses beside." - -"Neither you, nor your false witnesses, can say that you saw us -married," said Henry, with a sort of laugh. - -"If we didna, we heard yee," replied poor David. - -"Then it would seem, by your own confession, that you have nothing but -hear-say to found your story upon," wittily retorted master Henry. -"You had better send the fellow away, ma'am," he added; turning, as he -hurried out of the room, to Mrs. Montgomery; who, together with Lady -L., had hitherto listened in mute astonishment. - -"Look yee theere!" cried David: "oh, madam, if my heart was na breaking -within my body, I wad knock that young man doon at my feet." - -Mrs. Montgomery was about to speak, probably to reprove such violence. - -"Hear me, madam!" he continued with solemn earnestness; "Yee're a -Christian woman, and a mother, I dar say. She was doon-lying, (as -yon lady may be,) the neighbours aw kent she was wid bairn, and kent -she was wedded and need na' sham; then, whare wad she gang from her -fayther, and her fayther's hoose, in sic a straight, if she didna gang -we him, whose wedded wife she was? Sweetheart, indeed! An the lass had -been withoot sham hersel, whare's the sweetheart at wad tack her awa, -an she gone wid another man's bairn?--Not his wife!--not his wife! An' -he thinks then, does he, to tack a vantage of yon darkling wedding? -But I'll tell you aw aboot it, madam," he continued, gasping for -breath. Then, with the utmost simplicity, he recounted every minute -particular of Betsy's wedding; the roofless ruin, the midnight hour, -the fall of the owl, the consequent darkness, &c. &c.; and finding that -his relation was listened to with interest, and evident compassion, -he advanced a step nearer, grasped Mrs. Montgomery's arm, with a hand -that almost scorched her skin, and, lowering his voice, continued: "Oh, -madam! bit what's to come, is war than all; I went to Whiten like one -distract, when Bess was missing; and theere, the ostler folk at ane -o' the Inn-yards, talt me sic a tale aboot a lady and a gentleman, at -had been seen late at evening, walking ootby o' the sands, a lang way -aff. And hoo the gentleman, at darkling, cam back by his sel'; and cam -'intle the inn-yard, looking affeared like, and caw'd for a carriage; -and hoo he walked up and doon, up and doon, on a bit o' flag, nay -longer nor yon table, aw the time the cattle war putting too; (the folk -showed me the bit o' flag;) and hoo, when ane on them asked him to -remember t'ostler, hoo he looked at him, and never spack; and when he -asked him again to remember t'ostler, hoo he started like a body at was -wakened, and talt him te gang te hell; and gave him nout, and bad the -driver drive on. I trembled fray head to foot," continued David, "and I -asked them--but, oh, I feard te hear what they should say in reply--I -asked them, if the lass was na wid bairn; and--and--they answered----" -Here the poor man became dreadfully agitated; threw up his arms and -eyes a moment, then flung himself forward with violence on a table -that stood before him, laid his face down on it, and sobbed audibly, -uttering, in broken accents, the concluding words:--"They answered, -she was wid bairn--it was why they notished her." - -"But what would you infer?" asked Mrs. Montgomery. - -"Wha wad it be but Bess!" he replied, still sobbing. "And she did-na -cam back," he recommenced, raising his streaming eyes and clasped hands -to heaven, as he joined complaint to complaint thus:--"And she'll niver -cam back! and she was aw I had! and I'll niver see her bonny face more! -nor her bairn, that I could ha' loved for being Betsy's bairn, if the -deevil had been the fayther on't! He has murdered her i' the sands!" -he added, sternly and suddenly, and he faced round as he spoke, "to be -clean rid bathe o' her and the bairn!" - -"Silence! silence, man!" exclaimed Mrs. Montgomery, in a voice of -authority. Then, too much shocked and affected to experience, in full, -the indignation she must otherwise have felt on hearing Henry thus -accused, she added, "For heaven's sake compose yourself! The horrible -suspicion which agitates you in this dreadful manner, it is quite -impossible should have any foundation! My nephew, however imprudent he -may have been, is much too young a creature to have even thought of an -enormity such as this!" - -"Then where is Betsy?" said the poor man, looking up in her face. - -"I shall insist on Henry's declaring all he knows about her," replied -Mrs. Montgomery. "Depend upon it, she is perfectly safe in some lodging -in Whitehaven, or some cottage in this neighbourhood, perhaps." - -The poor father smiled. It was a ghastly and a momentary smile. "Heaven -grant it!" he ejaculated. - -"Henry has behaved most imprudently," continued Mrs. Montgomery, -"in marrying, as you assure me he has done: and very wickedly, in -endeavouring to deny it, when done; and I shall see that he does your -daughter, if she be a modest girl, every justice, however ruinous to -his prospects, ill-fated being! But you ought, indeed, my good man, -you ought to take care, how you accuse any one, lightly, of such a -crime as you have ventured to name! Were it not that I see your own -internal sufferings are so dreadful, that you scarcely know what you -say, and that it all proceeds from parental affection, in which I can -sympathise, I should, indeed, be very much, and very justly offended!" - -But there was no severity in Mrs. Montgomery's tone: she looked, while -she spoke, at her own daughter, and her mind glanced at what was, and -what was not, parallel in situation, and she could have pardoned -almost any extravagance in poor David. - -"Weel, weel," he replied, and forgetting ceremony, he sat down on a -chair, and leaned back quite exhausted. - -Lady L., who had felt for his extreme agitation, and had ordered wine -to be brought in, now charitably offered him some, helping him herself. -At this mark of condescension he attempted to stand up; but she saw -he was unable, and would not let him. He took the glass from her; in -doing so, a finger came in contact with the hand of Lady L.; its touch -was like that of an icicle! He brought the wine near his lips; then, -pausing, laid it on the table untasted, and said, "Bit wha could yon -ha' been, 'at went oot wid a young gintleman, and niver cam' back, and -was big wid bairn!" - -"Possibly," replied Mrs. Montgomery, "some lady, whose friends live in -that direction, and who had no intention of returning." - -David took up the glass again; but it dropped from his hand, and he -fell to the floor with a fatally heavy sound. - -Mrs. Montgomery rang, called, begged Lady L. to sit down quietly in the -next room, and not suffer herself to be agitated; then rang, and called -again. Servants appeared, the doctor was sent for, bleeding, and every -other method of restoring animation, resorted to, but in vain--poor -David was no more! It was the doctor's opinion, that his long and -hurried journeys on foot, the frightful agitation of his mind, and the -heat of the weather, had all together occasioned apoplexy. - -Henry, when, a few days after this melancholy catastrophe, the subject -was renewed, persisted in his assertions, that he had never thought of -marrying the girl; that she was a perfectly good-for-nothing creature, -and, most probably, gone off with some fellow, whoever, perhaps, she -had been most intimate with; though it was not a week since the father -had had the insolence to threaten him, because he had spoken to the -girl two or three times, with legal proceedings, forsooth. - -Mrs. Montgomery was staggered, and puzzled, and knew not what to think. -She wrote, however, to the master of S-- B-- school, but received, in -reply, no more satisfactory information than the certainty that Betsy -Park was missing. As to her character, she had always been considered -dressy, and fond of the company of scholar lads. - -If there was any truth in David's having thought of taking legal -proceedings, his sudden death seemed to have silenced his intended -witnesses, for no person came forward. All, therefore, on which Mrs. -Montgomery could decide was, that Henry's profession should not be the -church, as had been intended; and that she would settle some little -pension on David Park's widow. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - "Fruits, abundant as the southern vintage, - O'erspread the board, and please the wand'ring eye, - As each, from its moist and globular side, - Reflects a ray, varied by its native hue; - And all, through shelt'ring foliage shine, so placed, - To give them tempting freshness: while Flora, - Dispensing fragrance in the gayest forms, - And brightest tints, that once fair Paradise - Adorned, flings all the loveliness of spring - O'er autumn's ripen'd richness." - - -A social party of relatives, friends, and neighbours, were seated -round the dinner-table at Lodore House. They have, it would seem, just -dispatched the first two courses, and all important business thus -concluded, they appear to be, at the present moment, trifling most -agreeably with a summer dessert, consisting of clustering grapes, -golden pines, velvet-cheeked peaches, &c. &c. These, crowning costly -dishes, and decked with fresh leaves and gay flowers, resembled, -as the shining surface of the board reflected each inverted heap, -so many isles of plenty, scattered on a glassy sea. While, to keep -up our simile, we may add, that cruising fleets of wine decanters -sailed smoothly round and round, dispensing, wherever they passed, -the sparkling juice of the foreign grape, with wit and gaiety as -sparkling. The busy hum of voices still went on, some in the low murmur -of flirtation, some in the loud debate of politics; while others, in -medium tones, discussed the merits of the last new novel, opera, or -play. - -Mr. Jackson, who sat next to Mrs. Montgomery, addressing Henry, -said--"Pray, Mr. St. Aubin, if the question is not an impertinent one, -who might the man be, whom I saw part from you last evening, at the end -of the wood leading into the shrubbery walks between this and my little -place? I was much struck with his figure, and the insolence, I had -almost said, of his step and carriage." - -Henry, at first, affected not to hear; but, on the question being -repeated, answered, with over-acted indifference--"The fellow has been, -I believe, a sailor. Begging, I fancy, is his present calling." - -"He doubted then," rejoined Mr. Jackson, "either my ability, or my will -to be charitable; for he did not beg of me. Indeed, he seemed disposed -to get out of my way as fast as he could." - -"Possibly," said Henry, "he feared that, as a magistrate, you might -put into force the laws against vagrants." - -"There was something very remarkable in the countenance of the man," -persisted Mr. Jackson: "handsome, certainly; but the expression -sinister in the extreme!" - -"Expression," repeated Henry with a sneer, "the man is deranged! You -must have heard of a mad beggar about Whitehaven, who calls himself Sir -Sydney Smyth: this is the fellow. I have been foolish enough to give -him money, more than once, I believe; and, consequently, he now does me -the favour to consider me in the light of an old acquaintance." - -"I thought," said Mr. Jackson, "the man spoke in a strangely loud and -dictatorial tone.--And so, he is a mad beggar! Well, I have dignified -him amazingly: for he presented to my fancy, why, I scarcely know, the -poetical idea of Milton's devil, walking in paradise. The spot where I -first observed him certainly is equal to any garden of Eden I have ever -been able to imagine!" - -"The parson is always in the heroics!" whispered Lady Theodosia to her -next neighbour, Colonel B--: "the last time I was down here, he could -talk of nothing but angels, I remember." - -At this moment, the beautiful little twins, now between four and five -years old, were ushered in. After speaking to mamma, papa, grandmamma, -&c. they took up their usual station, one at each side of Edmund, who -helped them to fruit, ice, &c. Indeed he had so many requisitions of -attention from both young ladies, and generally at one and the same -moment, that he proved himself to have no mean talent for gallantry, in -being able to turn with sufficient quickness from one to the other. - -"Why, my little pupil will learn to be quite an accomplished ladies' -man," observed Mr. Jackson, aside to Mrs. Montgomery. - -"Then will the list of his accomplishments be complete!" said our old -friend the doctor, who happened to catch the words, though across the -table; "for I understand you are teaching him everything--absolutely -everything! In short, erecting, on the substratum of ancient -literature, an elegant structure, adorned with all the modern additions -lately made to science, and inhabited by the muses!" - -"Why," said Mr. Jackson, who always answered seriously, however -foolish the speech addressed to him; "I could not feel satisfied in -communicating to a mind like Edmund's, mere dry learning: he already -shows a sensibility to what I call the poetry of nature, and indeed of -everything, which quite delights me." - -A young lady, beside whom Henry sat speaking at the same time to her -neighbour, observed, that the little beau had quite enough to do. "It -is not every gentleman who can take as good care of even one lady," she -added, with a laugh. - -Henry's attention thus aroused, (for something had thrown him into -a reverie,) he perceived that the lady's plate was quite vacant. He -started, apologized, and now heaped upon it every kind of fruit; -making, at the same time, so many pretty speeches, that the young lady -began to suspect that love, and that for herself, must have caused -his absence of manner. Henry now appeared determined to be quite gay, -and even full of frolic: and the young lady, restored to perfect -good-humour, seemed highly amused by his efforts. - -Edmund, and his two little ladies, were on the other side of Henry; -Julia the nearest to him: whenever she looked away, he stole the fruit -off her plate; and laughed much, in unison with his young lady, at -her look of innocent astonishment, when she turned about; and at her -instant application to Edmund, to get her more fruit; which, at the -next opportunity, Henry would again steal. At length he was discovered; -and Julia, without condescending to remonstrate, turned her shoulder as -much as possible to him, and took better care of her plate; which she -pushed with both hands quite close to Edmund's. - -Henry's young lady, now seized with a strong veneration for justice, -insisted on her swain's making restitution of the heap of fruit, by -this time collected before her. He, accordingly, slipped his hand over -Julia's head, and emptied the young lady's plate on hers. Julia turned -round; hustled back from off her own chair, and on to Edmund's knee, -supporting herself with one arm over his shoulder; and now, facing the -enemy, she took up her plate in her other hand, slid off its whole -contents on the table near Henry, still without speaking to him, and -asked Edmund to give her more fruit; which he did. - -"That is not polite, my dear," observed Lady L.; "why should you throw -Henry's fruit away, and take the same kind from Edmund?" - -"Because," answered Julia, speaking distinctly, and with an air of -importance and decision which amused every one, "I don't love Henry, -and I do love Edmund!" - -"Explicit, upon my word!" said a gentleman at the other side of the -table, who had been all day receiving alternate smiles and frowns from -an heiress, to whom he was paying his devotions. - -"You love poor Henry, then, I suppose," said that gentleman's fair -neighbour to Frances. - -"No, indeed!" said Frances; "I hate Henry!" - -"And so do I!" said Julia. - -The twins always made it a point to be exactly of the same opinion. - -"You must not hate any one, my dears," said Lady L., looking grave. - -Frances was busily engaged arranging the grey hair of the doctor; and -the better to effect her purpose, she was standing on tip-toe on the -seat of her chair, with her little arms stretched eagerly across the -wrinkled, smiling countenance of the good old man. While Julia, having -kept the strong position she had at first taken up on Edmund's knee, -was sitting perfectly still. - -"How marked at this moment," observed Mr. Jackson, aside to Mrs. -Montgomery, "are the distinguishing characteristics of the two little -girls! Quiescent," he proceeded, "I should hardly know one from the -other: the size, the fairness of the skin, the brilliancy of the red in -the cheek, but especially the remarkable quantity of curling, floating, -flaxen hair, is so exactly the same in both." - -"The eyes," interrupted Mrs. Montgomery, "are a different colour." - -"Oh, yes; and in my opinion," said Mr. Jackson, "the dark hazel is -the most beautiful eye in the world! Yet, Frances', it must be owned, -have many of the poets on their side. Do look," he added, "at the -elastic spring of all her movements, and the picturesque air of her -every attitude; while Julia's grace is always that of repose, except -at the moment of some immediate excitement--I mean, of the feelings, -when the colour mounts, the eyes sparkle, and all becomes energetic -expression. That little creature will require the greatest nicety of -management: her very warmth of heart may lead to a too great vehemence -of character." - -"She has certainly a most affectionate disposition," said Mrs. -Montgomery. - -"And her gratitude," pursued Mr. Jackson, "is quite a passion!" - -"Well, gratitude can never degenerate into a fault!" resumed Mrs. -Montgomery, "and the child is not in the least selfish; indeed, it is -always in the cause of something oppressed or injured, that her little -spirit rises: a bird, a fly, or I have seen her, after trying to beat -Henry, sit down and cry over a crushed worm, that he had refused to -step aside to spare." - -"She may require the stricter guard," rejoined Mr. Jackson; "for, under -the guise, and in the cause of generous feelings, we sometimes permit -a warmth of temper to grow upon us, which we should have early subdued, -had it appeared with a bare-faced front, and offered to fight our own -battles." - -The rising of the ladies to retire, here put an end to the conversation. - -In a day or two, Lady L.'s expected confinement took place. What were -the rejoicings, bonfires, and illuminations, may be imagined, when we -say, that the child was, as the doctor had prophesied, a son. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - "Thinkest thou, that he but sleeps? - Long shalt thou wait his awaking." - - -The sick nurse ought not to have been asleep. Yet it appears that she -certainly must have slept; for when the sound of something like a -door shutting made her start forward from the deep, high back, of her -easy-chair, she found, not only that her eyes had been shut, but that -she had dreamed, what she considered a most remarkable dream. She was -our old acquaintance from Edinburgh, and was very superstitious. The -dream, and the particulars attending it, were as follows. We shall -give them in her own words, as she ventured, nearly thirteen years -after, to relate them, under a promise of secrecy, to her countrywoman, -Mrs. Smyth, while they sat together at their tea in the housekeeper's -room. - -"The peur lady," said the nurse, "had fall'n intle a sweet sleep, wi' -the baby at her breast. The chamber was dark, exceptin' a dull bit -lamp, that was blinking doon on the hearth-stane; for being summer -time, there was nae fire. I mysell' was sitting quietly e the great -chair; every thing e the hoose was se still, that I amaste thought -'at I could hear the far-aff voises o' the folk, 'at was making -rejoicing around the bonfires. My ane mind, you see, being quite easy -like; for, nor mother, nor child, could be doing better nor they were -doing; I must just ha' dozed a bit; for I begun a-dreaming, tho' I -canna' say precisely the purport of my dreams, until I thought I saw -Mr. Henry, as plain as I see you, slip on tip-toe, and stop half-way -e the middle e the floor. And then, I was se parfect certain, that I -heard him ask, in a whisper, hoo Lady L. was; that I meant to reply, -'As weel as can be expected, Sir;' bit tho' I begun working my jaw -frae side to side, to strive to get the words oot, it was se stiff it -wad na move. I can remember naething maer, till I thought I heard a -soond like a watchman's rattle; and then, I thought it was naething -bit the crumpling o' a piece o' paper, 'at I dreamed the doctor was -taking aff o' a bottle o' medicine. I was sure 'at I saw him quite -plain, standing wi' the bottle in his hand, near the table. Nor was I -that far gane, but that I kent weel enough, through aw my sleep, 'at -I ought tle rise and reach him a glass; bit I had na poor tle stir a -limb. I could nae ha' been weell mysell', for it was mere like tle a -trance, woman, nor tle common sleep. And then, I thought, 'at to my -great surprise, the doctor had the vara face o' Mr. Henry, bit oulder -like; and while I was wondering at this, and looking at the doctor, and -the doctor, I thought, looking hard at me, the doctor, and the bottle, -and the table, and the foot o' the bed-curtain, aw disappeared; and I -can remember naething mere, bit a deal o' confusion about being hame -again in Edinburgh; until I was wakened ootright, by what I thought at -the time, was the shutting o' the door frae the dressing-room intle -the gareden. Bit it must ha' been the doctor's rap, for he cam' in -amaste immediately. What was vara remarkable was, that after I should -ha' dreamed o' seeing yon bottle in the doctor's hand, that there -should hae been se mickle said and done about yon vara bottle; and -that it should ha' been yon bottle, that I mysell' blamed for every -thing! Weel! the doctor he could na get the bit tie undoone; and he -sais to me, 'Mrs. Mowbray, will you favour me weth a pin?' I remember -it as weel as it was but yesterday. And he said, at the same time, -that he never had afore, in aw the hale course o' his practice, used -a double knot wi' tying down a bottle, but a'y a single ane, wi' the -ends twisted. And then he said, in his curious way, ye ken, as he shook -the bottle afoor he poured the medicine intle the glass, that the -good lady need na to be afeared to tack it, for that he aye mixed his -medicines afoor dinner. And then, he pleased his sell', honest man, wi' -laughing a bit at his ane joke. And then he geed the lady the glass; -bit yeer mistress, wha had come in soon after the doctor did, and wha -was standing at the bedside, just eased the lily-white hand o' the -weight, for a moment or twa, while she observed, that as her daughter -had had some refreshing sleep, it might no be necessary to gie her a -composing draught. Weel, the doctor, he alood his sell', that there was -naething like natural rest; bit tho' he was amang the best o' them, he -was like them aw, in that particular, he wad hae his ane ill-savoured -trash swallowed, right or wrong--and wrong enough it proved. However, -the doctor said, that they might depend upon it, it was a maste benign -and salubrious mixture; and that having slept se much a'ready, the lady -might the mere likely be wakefu' in the night-time, if she did na tack -her sleeping-draught. And se, her peur mither, she was over-ruled, and -geed her back the glass. And she swallowed the draught sure enough, -and slept sure enough, and lang enough, for she never waked more!" - -Mrs. Smyth made no reply, for she was rocking herself from side to -side, with the tears rolling down her face. - -"The doctor, peur old man, he is dead and gane," resumed the nurse, "or -I wad na say what I am going to say, even to yoursell', Mrs. Smyth; -but I have often thought syne," and here she lowered her voice, "that -yon sleeping-draught was stronger nor the hold o' life in her that -drank it." Mrs. Smyth only shook her head. "My dream," added the old -nurse, after a short silence, "certainly cam' oot, about the bottle; -and that's what I blame mysell' for: I should ha' spoken up, and talt -the vision; for never did I, nor ony belanging to me, dream o' seeing -ony thing, so distinct as I saw yon bottle, that some harm did na come -o' 't. And the doctor, too, he was na long for this warld, after I -dreamed o' seeing his face changed. It's never good to dream o' seeing -ony body wi' another body's face." - -"Bonfires, indeed!" murmured Mrs. Smyth to herself, as if thinking -aloud. "Aye," she added, in a spiritless tone, when aroused to -attention by the ceasing of nurse's voice, "it was a particular dream, -to be sure. And some of the folk was saying, too, that there was ane -seen oot by that night, that keeped be his sell', like the angel o' -death. He went near nowther bonfires nor drink, and was seen ne more, -when aw was over wi' them within." - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - "He lies beside the dead; at frantic starts, - Kisses the cold lips of Julius." - - "At such a moment, piety becomes - The only passion of the soul!" - - -Although the conversation related in our last chapter, was not, as we -have already hinted, held between the parties till thirteen years after -the present era, owing to the nurse's unwillingness to confess that she -had slept when she should have watched; yet, as the subjects of which -it treats, belong strictly to this epoch of our history, we do not -consider that we anticipate unjustifiably, in giving the conversation -itself the place it now fills. - -The melancholy events to which it alludes, divested only of the -additions made by superstition, did indeed but too truly, too surely, -take place at this period. Lady L.'s infant died at her breast, soon -after the closing in of evening had rendered the illuminations for its -birth conspicuous; and in less than half an hour she herself expired. - -When once the termination of the miserable scene had separated the -remaining members of the family, Lord L. could not be prevailed on to -see again, even for a moment, Mrs. Montgomery or the children. He lay, -day and night, without retiring, on the sofa in his dressing-room, till -the funeral was over, and then fled to the continent in a state of mind -the most alarming. - -Henry, now destined to a naval life, went with him as far as the port -where both embarked, though on board different vessels. - -Henry, usually so unamiable, had, on the present occasion, greatly -endeared himself both to Mrs. Montgomery and Lord L. by the excessive -grief he had evinced. Indeed, his countenance appeared haggard, and -expressive not only of sorrow, but almost of despair. - -Mr. Jackson was the only person who had conducted any thing like -business; not only the family, but the very servants, were in -consternation; and even the doctor had been quite unable to give -the slightest assistance. He, indeed, from the time that Lady L.'s -unfavourable symptoms had appeared, had behaved as if seized with -sudden insanity; while life remained, he had continued in the sick -room, in a state of uncontrollable perturbation; he had drained or -tasted every bottle from which the patient had taken medicine; his hand -had trembled to that degree, that he had broken almost every thing he -had attempted to take up; he had repeated incessantly the word "No, no, -no," beginning with low murmurs, and increasing gradually in quickness -and loudness, and again declining into whispers; till, finally, the -moment Lady L. had expired, he rushed from the house without hat or -cane, and ran till he reached home, while his horse stood in the -stables at Lodore. - -It was Mr. Jackson too, who had put all the household in mourning, -and who had made the arrangements for the funeral: at which, what -was remarkable, was the concourse of the poor, and, perhaps, the -unpremeditated part taken by our hero in the solemn pageant; for, -when the hearse arrived at its destination, and the body was about -to be lifted out, poor Edmund, to the astonishment of every one, was -discovered lying across the coffin. He had not fainted; for, when -brought into the light, he looked all round him vacantly, and, with a -sudden movement, hid his face again. - -Mrs. Smyth had, it seems, some days before shown him the chamber of -death, with all its awful circumstances; and on this morning, when -dressing him, she had, inconsiderately, given vent to the petulance -which often accompanies sorrow, in the following words:--"And its her -ain sel 'at brought ye in aff the cald stanes, boy, and tak the wet -rags aff ye, and put the warm clothing on ye, and geed ye bread when ye -were hungry, boy; its hersel' they're goin' to carry oot the day, and -leave her by hersel', in the cald church-yard!" - -Edmund made no reply; but soon after this he stole from the nursery, -and lingered about the halls. Presently the bearers brought out the -coffin; he followed at their feet, and when they lifted it into the -hearse, he too clambered up unheeded. But here, no sooner was the -hearse closed, and the consequent darkness complete, than the situation -into which an impulse of grateful affection had led the poor child, -proved too much for his strength. A strange sensation of awe, and worse -than loneliness, at once silenced the sobs which had hitherto shaken -his frame; the tears, which had been streaming over his cheeks, ceased -to flow; his forehead became covered with the cold dew of superstitious -terror; he was motionless; his very breathing was suspended; while -still the wretched consciousness remained, that his little heart was -breaking. And had the funeral not arrived at the church door at the -moment it did, most probably either life or reason must have yielded -to a combination of feelings so overwhelming. - -Mr. Jackson also preached the funeral sermon. All he was able to -deliver were a few broken sentences of passionate admiration and -pathetic regret, mingled with the tender hopes of piety, for the -triumphant ones he could not reach. - -And now it was painful to witness, even on the outside, the appearance -of the late gay Lodore House. All was silent; the very bells were taken -off the necks of the sheep that fed on the lawn; no sound was heard, -but the uninterrupted murmur of the fall; every window was closed by -a blind or shutter; and when any symptom of remaining life was seen, -it was, at times, the figure of Mr. Jackson, in deep mourning, both of -habit and attitude, leaning against the paling, and looking fixedly -at the two little girls, in their little black frocks, walking, one -on each side of Edmund, also dressed in black, up and down the gravel -before the door, without speaking a word, or deviating from the direct -path. If a meal of the children happened to be ready, Mrs. Smyth would -come to the door, and preserving silence, beckon them in; then letting -them pass her, and following them, look at them, and shake her head -mournfully. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - - "Am I indeed the cause of this?" - - -In one of the streets of Keswick stood an old, gloomy, but respectable -house. In this house was a small back parlour, receiving light from a -back lane, and surrounded with shelves, covered with bottles and jars; -while ranged beneath the shelves were small drawers, on the outsides -of which appeared, labelled, the names of every medicine in use. In -the midst of this parlour stood a table; on the table stood a number -of bottles, with the apparatus for various chemical experiments; -and before the table, wrapped in a loose dressing-gown, slippers on -his feet, his grey hair uncombed, stood Doctor Dixon. On his face -a haggard expression of fear, inverted the lines of harmless mirth -which had so often mingled, gleefully, with those of age, on the poor -man's features. His step was uncertain, and his hand trembled, as he -selected another and another bottle from a shelf, or another paper -from a drawer. His whole frame seemed to have undergone a species of -dissolution; and all the infirmities of old age, which he had hitherto, -with so much gaiety, warded off, seemed to have been suddenly let in -upon him. In short, his heart was broken! - -A terrible suspicion had for some days pressed upon his mind; his -experiments, his researches, had failed to throw any light upon the -subject; he had not dared to communicate his thoughts to any one. He -sat down. At length he exclaimed, "I--I, who should have healed, have I -destroyed?" Tears came to his relief. "I am an old man," he said, in a -faltering tone, "I cannot live long: would I had died before this had -happened!" After a long silence, during which he moved his lips often, -and seemed to undergo a powerful inward struggle, he pronounced, with -the air of one refusing an importunate request, "Never! never! never!" - -The cruel thoughts which so agonized the poor man's mind were these. -From Lady L.'s symptoms, he suspected that her death had been -occasioned by poison; every medicine she had taken had been mixed by -himself, and here was the distracting thought! Some ingredients in his -dispensary must then, he feared, have come to him wrong labelled; and, -in mixing these, he must have formed some combination, hitherto unknown -in chemistry, which had produced a deadly poison. To decide this point, -he made numerous experiments. When every mixture proved wholesome, or -at least innocent, and every label seemed rightly placed, he would say -to himself. "But, they are dead!" Then, after pausing, and wearying -his mind with vain conjectures, he would break forth again: "And the -symptoms of both were those of poison, which the babe, doubtless, -imbibed with its mother's milk. And I mixed every medicine myself; my -own servant took them over; they lay on the table in Lady L.'s own -bedroom, till I, with my own hands, administered them, taking care to -see that my own labels were upon them! Yet," he added, shuddering, -"the dregs in one of the bottles had neither exactly the colour, nor -exactly the taste, that I should have anticipated." And whenever this -conviction forced itself upon him, he turned cold, and the pulsations -of his heart ceased for some seconds. - -We have seen the doctor completing the last of his experiments. He had -reflected for a short time, in dreadful agitation, whether he were not -in duty bound to declare his belief respecting the cause of Lady L.'s -death to the family. He had decided that the information could only add -to their affliction; while the confession, to himself, would be worse -than ten thousand deaths! It was at this conclusion he had arrived, -when we heard him exclaim, "Never! never! never!" - -He destroyed the whole contents of his dispensary, never more -prescribed for any one, or mixed another medicine. All observed a -general decay, a total failure both of strength and faculties, in -their friend, the good doctor. He never smiled again, nor made another -pun; and in a few weeks he died, carrying with him to the grave, the -dreadful secret, or rather surmise, which was the occasion of his -death. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - "He spoke of thee, but not by name." - - -About six months after the death of Lady L., Mrs. Montgomery, in -looking over papers of all descriptions, which had accumulated on her -dressing-table, while she had been unable to attend to any thing, found -one, folded and wafered, which had the appearance of a petition. On -being opened, however, it proved to be a sort of letter, but vulgarly -written, badly spelt, and without signature. It was also without date -of time or place. It bore, notwithstanding, in its simplicity, strong -marks of truth. - -It professed to be from a person, calling herself Edmund's nurse. Yet -it gave him no name but that of the "young masther; or, be rights, the -young lord, sure; only he was too young, the crathur, to be calling -him any thing, barring the misthress's child." In like manner, it -called Edmund's father "the lord," and his mother "the lady," but did -not mention the title of the family. The writer asserted, that having -laid the child down for a moment, on the grass of the lawn, at a time -when the family were from home, it was stolen by a strolling beggar, -for the sake of the fine clothes it had on; for, that the "lord and -the lady" were, that very day, expected at the castle. That afraid of -blame, she had substituted her own infant. That it had been received -without suspicion by the parents, who, having been "mostly in London -town and other foreign parts," had seen but little of their boy. It -then went on as follows:--"A little while after, sure, I seen the poor -child, with hardly a tack on him, of a winter's day, in the arms of -the divil's own wife, at laste, if it was'nt the divil himself, the -strolling woman, I mane, in the big town, hard by. I went up to her, -and abused her all to nothing, and offered to take the child from her. -And glad enough he was, the crathur, to see me, and stretched out his -poor arms to come to me. But the woman, she hits him a thump, and -houlds down both his little hands with one of her great big fists, and -turns to me, and says, smelling strong wid spirits all the while, (but -for a drunkard as she was, she had cunning enough left,) and she says, -spakin' low, and winking her eye, like, 'And whose young master is -that, dressed up at the castle, yonder?' says she. 'And it's my boy, -to be sure,' says I, 'and small blame to me, when you didn't lave me -the right one.' 'And are you going to send the right one there now, -if you get him?' says she. 'And what's that to you?' says I. And with -that, she gives a whistle like, and snaps her fingers afore my face, -and thrusts her tongue in her cheek, and begins jogging off. 'And' -says I, following of her, 'and what do you want o' the child?' says I; -'and haven't you got the clothes? and can't yee be satisfied? I'm not -going, sure, to ax them of yee, and can't yee give me the child! when -it's I that 'ill kape him warm, any how, and fade him well too; I that -gave him the strame o' life from my own breast,' says I; 'and what 'ud -I be grudging of him afther that?' says I. 'Then nothing at all sure, -but jist what belongs to him!' says she, 'But the divil a bit of him -you'll get, any how; for there's not a day since I've carried him, that -I haven't got the price of a dram, at laste, by the pitiful face of -him!' says she. 'And for that mather,' says she, 'if any one takes him -to the castle,' says she, 'it'll be myself that'll do it,' says she, -'and git the reward too.' 'You the reward!' says I; 'is it for stailing -him? It's the gaol's the reward you'll get, my madam!' says I. 'It's -the resaver's as bad as the thafe,' says she. 'And it's you, and yours, -that'll git more by the job than iver I will. But it's I that'll make -my young gintleman up at the castle yonder, pay for his sate in the -coach, and his sate in the parler, too, one o' these days,' says she, -wagging her head, and looking cunning like. And so it was, to make a -long story short, the divil tempted me; and I couldn't think te take -my own boy out o' the snug birth he had got safe into; and the divil a -bit o' her 'at was worse nor the divil, that 'ud give up the mistress's -boy quietly, at all, at all; and so, I was forced, without I'd a mind -to tell the whole truth, to say no more why about it, and let her take -the poor child away wid her, tho' my heart bled for him. Well, sure, -twis every year, she came to the big town, begging, and brought him -with her, sure enough; but looking miserable like, and starved like; -for it was less of him there was every time, instead o' more. And be -the time he was near hand five years ould, she brought him, at last, -sure, lainin' up on crutches, and only one leg on him! I flewd upon -her like a tiger, to be sure, and just fastening every nail o' me in -the face of her, I axed her where the rest o' the boy was. And she -tould me, but not till she was tired bateing me for what my nails had -done, that the leg o' him was safe enough in the bag. And a dirty rag -of a bag there was, sure enough, hanging where the tother leg should -be. And jist then, cums by the coach and six from the castle! And up -she makes to the side of it, with the brazen face of her, driving the -poor cripple before her. And, sure, I see my mistress throw money out -to him, little thinking it was her own child, with the one bare foot -of him over the instip in mud, and them crutches, pushing his little -shoulders a'most as high as his head, and his poor teeth chattering -with the could, and the tears streaming from his eyes, (for she'd given -him a divil of a pinch, to make him look pitiful.) And there was my boy -sitting laughing on the mistress's knee. But he looked quite sorry -like, when the little cripple said he was hungry, and he throw'd him -out a cake he was ateing. 'Well!' says I, (quite low to myself,) 'that -you should be throwing a mouthful of bread to the mistress's child!' -And it was for dropping on my knees I was, and telling all, to the -mistress herself; but just then, they brought her out a sight o' toys -she was waiting for, and she drawd up the winder, and the coach druv -off. And the next time the woman cum, she cum'd without him, at all, at -all! 'And,' says I, 'the last time you cum'd, you brought but a piece -of him, and now you've brought none at all of him!' But she tould me, -sure, his fortune was made, and that he was with grand people that 'ud -do for him. But I wouldn't believe her, you see, and gave her no pace, -any way, but threat'nin' te hav' her hanged at the 'sizes, if I was -hanged myself along with her, till she took'd my husband with her over -seas, and let him see the boy. And he seen him, sure enough, walking -with a nice ould lady, that's been your ladyship, I suppose. And he had -his two legs, my husband said, which I was particular glad to hear. -And he was getting fat, too, and rosy-like, and was dressed, as the -mistress's child (heaven love the boy) should be. And this made my mind -a dale asier, for now there was little wrong dun him. - -"But, by and bye, troubles came upon me, and my husband died; but, -before he died, he thought, and I thought about our sin in regard to -the child, and so I made him write down the way to get a letter to -your ladyship's hands; and it was a thing that my husband, as he was a -dying, seemed to hear to. Well, when I buried my husband, sure, I fell -sick myself, and then I begun to think the hand of Heaven was upon me, -and I sat up in my bed, and wrote this long letter to your ladyship; -which, becourse of what my husband set down for me before he died, I -give to one that's going over seas to the harvest, to give to your -ladyship's own hand. He'll tell your ladyship all my husband thought -it best not to put down in the letter. But just ax him that takes it -what is nurse's name, and he'll tell you fast enough, and all about the -great folk at the castle. And it's he that can tell that too, for its -he that ought to know it, for his father, and grandfather before him, -got bread under them, and he might have got bread under them himself, -only for his tricks. But no matter for that. He knows no more o' what's -inside the letter, than one that never seen the outside of it; and he's -sworn too, before the praist, at the bedside of the sick, and may be -of the dying, to deliver it safe, for the ase of the conscience of the -living, and the rest of the soul of him that's dead. - -"And now I have no more to add, but that the young masther (that's him -that's with your ladyship this present time,) when he has all, should -take it to heart to do for his foster-brother, that's innocent of all -harm, and that has larned to lie on a soft bed, without fault o' his, -and that throwd him the cake he was aiting in the coach, poor boy, when -he thought it was his own, and that may be too.--But no matter for that -now: the penance has been done for that, and the absolution has been -given for that, and the priest has had his dues. And it's not like the -sin that satisfaction can be done for, and that it must be done for -too, before the absolution can serve the soul: sich as giving back -to the owner his own, or the likes of that; or the setting up of the -misthress's child again in his own place, and the pulling down of him -that a mother's heart blades for, but that has no business where he is; -though it would be hard, for all that, if his father's child should -want. But don't be frightening yourself with the thoughts of that, -Molly. The young masther, after all that cum and gone, will surely do -for him that's his foster-brother, any way; and may be do something for -his foster-sister too. - -"Why I trouble your ladyship I forgot to mintion, but thim that -it concarns most are not to the fore, and, besides, you have the -boy.--Your sarvent till death: and that, I think, won't be long now. - -"I'm jist thinking, that may be your ladyship would'nt be happy without -you'd a boy to be doing for: and there's him, sure, that's up at the -castle now, my poor boy, and there isn't a finer boy in the wide world; -and if I thought that your ladyship would jist take him in place of the -misthress's child, and do for him, I would die quite aisy." - -Thus ended the nurse's epistle. - -"I should certainly," observed Mrs. Montgomery to Mr. Jackson, "believe -this strange letter to be genuine, from the perfect simplicity of the -style, but that the writer appears to be too illiterate to have been -any thing so decent as a nurse in such a family as is here described." - -"That," replied Mr. Jackson, "does not at all invalidate the evidence -of this extraordinary document; for, nurses intended merely to -supply the nutriment denied by unnatural mothers to their offspring, -must be chosen with reference chiefly to their youth, health, and -wholesomeness of constitution; and, in great country families, they -are naturally selected from among the simplest of the surrounding -peasantry." - -The letter, bearing, as we have said, no date of time or place, the -first and most obvious step seemed to be, to inquire very particularly -where, and by whom, it had been brought to the house. The outside of -the mysterious dispatch was shown to, and examined, by most of the -servants, without other effect than a disclaiming shake of the head, -although each turned it upside down, and downside up, and viewed it, -not only before the light, but through the light, as with the light -through, is generally expressed. - -Mrs. Smyth, indeed, allowed that, as the bit of a scrawl was vara like -a petition, it was no impossible that she hersel' meud ha' just laid it -o' the mistress's table; for the mistress, to be sure, never refused -tle read ony peur body's bit o' paper, however unlarned or dirty it -meud be. - -At length John, the under-footman, made his appearance, and after -examining the shape, hue, and dimensions of the folded paper, said, -that it was not unlike one which he had taken about six months since -from a strange looking man, who had come to the door, requesting to see -his mistress, on the very day that ----, and he hesitated--that every -body was in so much trouble, he added. - -Mr. Jackson, seeing Mrs. Montgomery turn pale, took up the questioning -of John. And here, lest the said John's powers of description should -not do justice to his subject, we shall give the scene between him and -the nurse's messenger, exactly as it occurred. - -The stranger was tall and well made, with a countenance, the leading -characteristic of which was, now drollery, and now defiance; -whilst its secondary, and more stationary expression, was equally -contradictory, being made up of shrewdness and simplicity, most oddly -blended. He carried a reaping-hook in one hand, and, with the other, -held over his shoulder a large knotted stick, with a bundle slung on -the end of it. - -This personage, on the melancholy day alluded to, arrived at the -closed and silent entrance of Lodore House. Disdaining to use the -still muffled, and therefore, in his opinion, noneffective knocker, he -substituted the thick end of his own stick. This strange summons was -answered by John. - -"And is it affeard of a bit of a noise you are?" was the first question -asked by the stranger. Without, however, waiting for reply, he was -about to pass in, saying, "Just show us which is the mistress, will -yee?" - -The powdered lackey, astonished at such want of etiquette, placed -an opposing hand against the breast of the intruder; upon which the -stranger, after a momentary look of unfeigned surprise, very quietly -laid down his reaping-hook, bundle, and stick, behind him, (for -the latter he would not deign to use against an unarmed foe,) then -planting his heels as firmly together as though he had grown out of -the spot whereon he stood, he cocked his hat (none of the newest) on -three hairs, put his arms a-kimbo, and his head on one side; and, his -preparations thus completed, with a knowing wink, said, "Now I'll tell -you what, my friend, I'd as soon crack the scull of yee, as look at -yee!" - -John, even by his own account, stepped back a little, while saying, -"You had better not raise a hand to me: for if you do, there are half a -dozen more of us within, to carry you to Carlisle gaol." - -"Half a dozen!" cried our unknown hero, in a voice of contempt, and -snapping his fingers as he spoke, "the divil a much I'd mind half -a dozen of you, Englishers, with your gingerbread coats, and your -floured pates, for all the world as if you had been out in the snow -of a Christmas day, with never a hat on; that is, if I had you onest -in my own dacent country, where one can knock a man down in pace and -quietness if he desarve it, without bothering wid yeer law for every -bit of a hand's turn." - -During the latter part of this speech he turned to his bundle, and -kneeling on one knee, untied it, took a small parcel out of it, -unrolled a long bandage of unbleached linen cloth from about the -parcel, next a covering of old leather, that seemed to have once formed -a part of a shamoy for cleaning plate, then several pieces of torn -and worn paper, and at length, from out the inmost fold, he produced -a letter, which, as he concluded, he held up between his thumb and -finger, saying, "There it is now! I mane no harm at all at all, to the -misthress; nothing but to give her this small bit of paper, that the -dying woman put into my hands, in presence of the priest, and that -hasn't seen the light o' day since till now." - -John told him, that if that was all, he might be quite easy, as his -delivering the letter at the house was the same thing as if he handed -it to his lady herself; for that all his lady's letters were carried in -by the servants. - -"And is she so great a lady as all that," said the stranger, "that a -poor man can't have spache of her? But I've had spache, before now, of -the great lady up at the castle, sure, and its twiste, aye, three times -as big as that house." - -After some more parleying, in the course of which John disclosed the -peculiar circumstances in which his mistress then was, our faithful -messenger, after ejaculating, with a countenance of true commiseration, -"And has she, the crathur?" at length seemed to feel the necessity of -consenting to what he considered a very irregular proceeding, namely, -the sending in of the letter; not, however, till he had first compelled -John to kiss the back of it, and, in despite of the evidence of his -own senses, to call it a blessed book, and holding one end, while our -pertinacious friend held the other, to repeat after him the words of a -long oath, to deliver it in safety. This, John proceeded to say, he did -immediately, by giving the letter to one of the women to carry into his -mistress's room. - -"I suppose," said Mrs. Montgomery, with a sigh, "I must have laid it -down without opening, and forgotten it." - -Mr. Jackson observed, that from the expression, "over seas to the -harvest," and also the man's appearance, it was very evident he must -be one of those poor creatures who come over in shiploads from the -north of Ireland to Whitehaven, during the reaping season; and that -this fact, once admitted, seemed to render it more than probable, that -the noble family spoken of were Irish. As to the important particulars -of names and titles, there seemed but one chance of obtaining them; -which was, to institute an immediate search after the young man who had -brought the letter. Every inquiry was accordingly made, but in vain. - -After some months, Mr. Jackson himself, in the warmth of his zeal, -undertook a journey to Ireland; but returned, without having been able -to discover any clue to the business. Advertisements were next resorted -to, but no one claimed Edmund. The letter had said, that "those it -concerned most were," in the nurse's phraseology, "not to the fore." -Whether death, or absence from the kingdom was meant, it was impossible -to say. - -The harvest season of the next year came and went, but the wandering -knight of the reaping-hook was heard of no more; and Mrs. Montgomery, -while her better judgment condemned the feeling, could not conceal -from herself, that she experienced a sensation of reprieve, on finding -that she was not immediately to be called upon to resign her little -charge. Poor Edmund had now become to her a kind of sacred pledge; -every thought and feeling that regarded him, was associated with the -memory of her dear departed child, who had taken so benevolent a -delight in protecting and cherishing the helpless being she had rescued -from misery, and almost certain death. Could the mourning mother then -leave undone any thing that that dear child, had she lived, would have -done? The absolute seclusion too, in which grief for the loss of her -daughter, induced Mrs. Montgomery to live, gave all that concerned this -object, of an interest thus connected with the feelings of the time, -an importance in her eyes, which, under any other circumstances, would -scarcely, perhaps, have been natural. - -Gradually, however, the prospect of discovering who Edmund's parents -were, faded almost entirely away; but the conviction that they must be -noble was, from the period of the receipt of the nurse's packet, firmly -fixed on the mind, both of his benefactress and of Mr. Jackson. The -style, indeed, of the letter itself, left no doubt of the veracity of -the writer; while the manners of him who had been the bearer of the -strange epistle, the conversation of the man and woman on the Keswick -road, nay, the very state in which the poor child was first found--were -all corroborating evidences. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - "Thy fame, like the growing tree of the vale, - Shall arise in its season, and thy deeds - Shine like those of thy fathers. But go not - Yet to the bloody strife; for thy young arm - scarce can draw the heavy sword of Artho, - Or lift Temora's spear." - - "The blue arms of the lovely boy - Invest him, as grey clouds the rising sun." - - -Lord L. remembered, and even experienced, something of a consolatory -feeling, in faithfully performing the promise which, within the first -happy year of his marriage, he had made to his beloved wife, and which -had seemed to give her so much pleasure: we mean that which respected -placing and advancing Edmund in the navy. His lordship accordingly -wrote from abroad to his friend, Lord Fitz Ullin, and Edmund, at the -age of twelve, was received into the naval college at Portsmouth. - -This was, no doubt, a very wise and proper arrangement; yet there -were those to whom it caused infinite grief: we speak of the twins, -who, though they had never been expressly told that Edmund was their -brother, had learned to love him as such; and whether they really -thought he was so, or never thought about the matter, were in the -habit, in all their little plays and pastimes, of calling him brother -Edmund, and fancying that nothing could be done without him. - -His vacations, however, were all spent at Lodore House, and were -joyful in proportion to the sorrows of parting. On the first of those -memorable occasions, Mrs. Montgomery absolutely wept over him; Frances -frolicked round him, as if obliged to exhaust herself by fatigue, to -moderate her transports; while little Julia stood silently, and with a -pensive expression, quite close to him; and when, after performing any -extraordinary new feat for the amusement of Frances, he would stoop, -and ask of his little favourite what he should do for her, she would -answer, with a glow of enthusiasm, "Stay always with me!" - -He generally brought some tasks home, which were to be learned before -his return to college. When he sat at these, Frances would fidget -round the table, in visible discontent--stop straight opposite to him, -put her head on one side, watch to meet his eye, and make him laugh; -failing in this, try to play alone; and finding this also dreadfully -stupid, return to the charge; while Julia would get on a part of -his chair, hold his hand and remain perfectly still, till the hand -was borrowed to turn over a leaf, when she would follow it with an -appealing look, which look, being repaid by a fond caress, she would -retake the hand, and sit again as motionless as before. At length, -poor Lady Frances, infected by the dullness of her companions, would -sometimes bring a chair on the other side, and insist on having the -other hand, which would reduce Edmund to the necessity of fastening his -book open on the table with another book; after which arrangement, we -must confess, that, however unjust the proceeding, and notwithstanding -the remonstrances of the injured party, it was always the hand which -Frances held, which was borrowed to turn over leaves, &c. &c. - -But there was something in little Julia's enthusiastic manner of -showing attachment, which won upon the affections in an extraordinary -degree, and made her almost unjustly the favourite; poor Frances, -considering her lively temper, loved brother Edmund full as well, in -her own way. - -Thus passed two years; and at fourteen, Edmund was appointed to the -same ship on board which Henry then happened to be. The vessel was -ready for sea, and going on a foreign station, on which it was to -remain for three years. Our hero, after joining, obtained a few days' -leave, that he might pay a farewell visit to Lodore. Arrived at the -last stage of his journey, he stopped at the little inn, and put on his -midshipman's dress, which he had brought with him, from a boyish wish -to surprise his two little sisters, as he called the twins, now about -seven years old. Accordingly, he entered the domestic circle fully -equipped, and produced, at least, as great a sensation as his beating -heart, while jumping out of the carriage, and hastening across the -lawn, had anticipated. - -As soon as the first clamorous joy of meeting, as well as the first -public examination of every part of his dress was over, Frances -possessed herself of his cocked-hat, dirk, and belt, and began arraying -herself in the spoils. While Mrs. Montgomery, drawing him near her -chair, began to question him as to how long he could now remain with -them, and when he thought he should be able to return. Little Julia -stood close at the other side of her grandmother, her eyes raised, and -passing from one countenance to the other, watching every word. When -Edmund answering, that he must leave them early in the morning, and -that it would be, at least, three years before he could hope to see -them again. - -"Three years!" exclaimed Julia, turning as red as crimson for one -moment, and the next as pale as death! Edmund took her on his knee, -kissed her little forehead, and remonstrated fondly. At length, showers -of tears came to her relief; and amid reiterated sobs, she articulated, -in broken accents, "No! I cannot bear the thoughts of summer coming -three times without Edmund! Oh! I'll hate summer, that I used to love -so much!" - -"But, Julia! my darling Julia!" said Edmund, "why should you hate -summer? You know, I must be far away in the winter also." - -"Then I must only hate winter too!" said Julia, as well as her -continued sobs would permit; "but you used to come back in the summer." - -Meanwhile, the little Lady Frances, quite unconscious of the tragic -scene, was standing before a large mirror, at the far end of the -room, contemplating her tiny form, surmounted by the cocked-hat, tried -on in all the varieties of fore and aft, athwart ships, &c. &c. Now, -perfectly satisfied with her own appearance, she advanced on tip-toe, -that her height, as well as her dress, might, as much as possible, -resemble Edmund's. But perceiving Julia's tears, and being informed of -their cause, she flung away hat and dirk, and threw herself into her -sister's arms, and joined in her sobs--with a violence proportioned to -the sudden transition of her feelings. Nothing could console the little -girls, and it being late in the evening, they were obliged to be sent -to bed; to which measure, after some demurring, and many last words, -they consented, for the purpose of being up very early, as they could -not think of an over-night farewell. Locked in each other's arms, and -planning to stay awake all night, lest they should not be called in -time, they cried themselves to sleep; and, alas! ere their eyes started -open in the morning, early as that was, the unconscious cheek of each -had received Edmund's parting kiss, and he was already some way on his -journey. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - "The billows lift their white heads above me!" - - -A few days more, and our hero's ship, the Glorious, was on the -high seas. It was night. Edmund had had the early watch--had been -relieved--had retired to his hammock--had fallen into a sound sleep, -and was dreaming of Lodore. Suddenly, his pleasing vision became -troubled. A thunder-storm arose; the loud peal rolled, and resounded -from mountain to mountain: the little girls shrieked. He started -awake! and found the scene indeed different; but the noises which -had occasioned his dream, real. The drum was beating to quarters; -signal-guns were firing; and all hands hastening on deck. He jumped out -of his hammock. The officers were all getting up; the men were casting -the great guns loose, knocking away the bulk-heads, and tumbling them, -as well as all the furniture of the cabins--trunks, tables, chairs, &c. -&c.--pell-mell together, down into the hold, with a tremendous clatter. -In short, the ship was clearing for action. She was also tacking -to close with the enemy, and her deck, in consequence, was greatly -crowded: blue lights burning, rockets going off, sails flapping, yards -swinging, ropes rattling, and the tramping of feet excessive; while -the voice of the officer giving orders was heard, from time to time, -resounding through all. The vessel they were approaching, carried two -stern-lights, indicating that a vice-admiral was on board. While all -eyes were fixed upon her, she drew near slowly, and on coming up, -opened at once all the ports of her three decks, displaying a blaze -of lights which, amid the surrounding darkness, had much grandeur of -effect, not only dazzling by its sudden brightness, but exhibiting, as -it were, in proud defiance, the strength of the broadside, which was -thus ready to salute a foe. The vessels now hailed each other, and lo! -proved to be both English! The supposed enemy was the Erina, Admiral -Lord Fitz Ullin, returning from Gibraltar. All hopes of fighting thus -at an end, both men and officers were, to use their own expression, -"confoundedly disappointed." - -They soon, however, had fighting enough; so much, that to give any -account of the various actions they were in, would, we fear, be -tedious; and, to those unacquainted with naval affairs, uninteresting; -we shall not, therefore, attempt it, but passing over about four years -of our hero's life, proceed at once to his return to Old England, -a fine, promising lad, of nineteen--a great favourite with all the -officers, and in high estimation with the captain, having already given -many proofs of spirit, and being always remarkable for regularity and -good conduct. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - "From ocean's mist, the white-sailed fleet arose! - First, a ridge of clouds it seemed; but brighter - Shone the sun--and the distant ships stood forth, - Their wet sides glittering in all his beams!" - - "Heavens! - Must I renounce honour, reputation?" - - -As the Glorious anchored in Cawsand Bay, in company with a numerous -fleet, the animated prospect which presented itself, especially in -its combined effect with the state of the atmosphere, uniting a -bright sunny glow with a fog, consequently, of a peculiar whiteness, -possessed a degree and style of beauty not easily imagined by any one -unaccustomed to harbour scenery. - -It was the noon of a frosty day: the sun which, as we have observed, -shone brightly, gave to the face of the waters the appearance of a -sheet of light. The heights around, and all other distant objects, -were covered with the smoky veil of white fog, already noticed, which -reduced them to shades of the neutral tint; while, on the side of -the nearest hill, the clumps of wood and undulations of ground were -plainly visible, and along its topmost line some scattered trees stood -curiously and beautifully traced against the pale, even mistiness of -all behind. In the bay, too, the nearest range of ships, with all the -varied and still varying forms of their floating canvass, (for almost -all the fleet at this time were employed in furling their sails,) every -mast, every cord, each figure standing beneath the picturesque canopy -of a sail-boat, or stretching to the oars of a row-boat, were all -strongly defined, and appeared, from contrast with the snowy whiteness -of the fog behind them, black as ebony; while the more distant vessels, -being deeper and deeper sunk in the shrouding atmosphere, were more -and more faintly shown, till the farthest seemed but one degree more -palpable than the mist itself. The wind, soon after the fleet anchored, -died away entirely, and all that had been activity and bustle, changed -to the most peculiar repose; as though the beautiful picture, once -completed, was left to delight posterity; for nothing now moved as -far as the eye could reach, except that, from time to time, a gleam -reflected from the flat, wet oar of some row-boat, plying between ship -and ship, shot, like a flash of summer lightning, across the still and -shadowy scene. - -During the anchoring of the fleet, one of the ships, by some -mischance, got aground, and all the others were ordered to send -boats immediately to her assistance. The task was laborious, and -much disorder occurred in the tiers of the stranded vessel, where -the sailors, taking advantage of the confusion which prevailed, had -broken into the spirit-room, and were regaling themselves with rum. -Towards evening, however, with the help of the tide, she was got off -the rocks, and the signal being given for the boats which had been -sent to her assistance to return alongside their respective ships, -Edmund and Henry, with their boats and crews, did not obey the signal -with their usual promptitude. Edmund, meanwhile, after going through -great exertion the whole day, was still on board the vessel so lately -got off, commanding his men in the most peremptory manner into his -boat, when Henry observing that he appeared heated and fatigued, and -thinking that, at such a time, a very little would overcome one not -accustomed to excess, drew towards him a second glass, (for he had -been drinking freely,) and filling both that and his own, said, "How -heated you are, Montgomery! you will kill yourself, if you don't take -something!" at the same time offering him one of the glasses. Edmund -answered instantly, and with indignation, that were it but water, and -were he expiring with fatigue, it should not, in such a place, and -at such a time, approach his lips! Henry stared at him, lifted the -glass to his head, and, with a laugh, swallowed its contents. Edmund -again remonstrated, and taking Henry, who was by this time very much -intoxicated, by the arm, endeavoured to draw him away. Henry staggered, -fell, dragged Edmund with him, and at the same time, seizing the -handle of a can of spirits, which stood on the cask, trailed it after -him, emptying its odoriferous contents on our hero's breast and face, -as he rolled with him on the floor. - -At this unfortunate moment, a lieutenant, sent in search of the boats -and midshipmen, which were missing, entered, and seeing both officers -on the deck drenched in rum, two glasses on the barrel-head beside -them, the spirit-can in their arms, and, apparently, the object of -contention, as they struggled together on the floor while their men -stood round them drinking, laughing, and swearing, he very naturally -drew most unfavourable conclusions. Edmund, as soon as he could -release himself from Henry's grasp, arose; but so much heated, and so -thoroughly ashamed of the situation in which he had been found, that he -looked quite confused. He attempted to speak, but was silenced, and -very harshly repulsed by the lieutenant to whom he addressed himself, -who told him, with an air of the utmost contempt, at the same time -holding a handkerchief to his nose, that while he smelt of spirits in -so disgusting a manner, it was impossible to listen to him. - -Our hero reddened with indignation, and repaired to his boat without -further attempt at explanation, not doubting, however, that he should -be able to justify himself ultimately. Henry was obliged to be carried -to his boat, and thus did all return to the ship. The necessary report -being made to Captain B., he was so much incensed, that he sent an -order for both young men to quit the ship in half an hour, directing -that, with their sea-chests beside them, they should be left on the -nearest beach, to find their way home as they might. - -Edmund begged to be heard. The captain refused, sending him word that -it was impossible for him to permit gentlemen to remain in his ship, -who had disgraced themselves by carousing among the common sailors. -There was then no longer a hope! He must get into the boat. He did -so; and, as they pushed off, another boat, in which sat a midshipman, -(a stranger to Edmund,) passed them, and then ran alongside the ship, -taking up the position they had just quitted. - -The sun, a moment before, had dropped below the horizon. Edmund folded -his arms, sighed, and resigned himself to his fate; then rested his -eyes almost unconsciously on the scene before him. The water in the -bay was still as a frozen lake, its face one sheet of cold transparent -light, marking, by contrast, the pitchy darkness which twilight had -already imparted to the hills that rose around it, and to every opaque -object laying or moving on its peaceful surface. Perpetual, though -imperceptibly wrought changes were each moment taking place in every -thing around. The clouds near the horizon breaking, the still illumined -western sky shed awhile a brilliant ray: the clouds closed again, and -left all darker than before. The trees on the western hill stood for a -few seconds strongly defined by the parting beam; then faded with the -fading light. Some of the larger vessels, more lately arrived than the -rest of the fleet, with majestic progress passed slowly to their places -of anchorage. Single-masted boats, (warned by the approach of evening,) -one by one drew smoothly towards the shore, changing, as they did so, -at each moment, the disposition of their sails; and, finally, taking -all down as they came to for the night under shelter of a projecting -point. Alongside the same point, numerous row-boats, having shipped -their oars as they drew near, fell silently; while the single figure -that had guided each, might shortly after be traced wandering homeward -along the extended beach. - -When the boat in which our hero sat had gone about twenty yards, they -were hailed from their own ship, and desired by the officer of the -watch to lay on their oars till further orders. Some time of anxious -suspense followed, during which the approaches of night were as rapid -as they were silent, and all objects were visibly shrouding themselves -in that mysterious gloom which imagination loves to people with shadowy -forms, when the flash of the evening gun was seen from the admiral's -ship, followed by a report which, with startling effect, broke upon -the universal stillness, then rolled along like distant thunder up -the harbour. As the last sound died away, they were hailed again, -ordered to come alongside, and Mr. Montgomery to come on board. Our -hero obeyed the order, and was not a little surprised, on reaching -the deck, to find all the ship's company assembled there. In a few -minutes, the captain and officers, preceded by lights, and accompanied -by the strange midshipman who had passed the boat on its first quitting -the ship, ascended the hatchway, and arranged themselves on the -quarter-deck. Edmund was ordered to draw near. He did so; when the -captain, addressing the stranger, in a tone which showed he wished to -be heard by all present, said, "Lord Ormond, will you have the goodness -to repeat, in the hearing of my officers and the whole ship's company, -the deposition you have made to me respecting Mr. Montgomery." - -The stranger, a mild-looking lad, about Edmund's own age, came forward -and said, that he had been in the tiers of the stranded vessel, calling -off his own men, when Mr. Montgomery came in to collect his; that his -attention had been fixed by that gentleman's very proper conduct, which -he here explained minutely, dwelling on our hero's effort to rescue -Henry; and his declaration, that were the beverage but water, he would -not, for example sake, suffer a glass to be seen approach his lips, -&c., till he came to where Edmund was pulled to the ground by the fall -of Henry. He then proceeded to say, that he himself was about to go to -his assistance, when, seeing the officer who came in search of both -young men enter, he had hurried to his own boat, it being late. - -Here the captain again spoke, saying, that as all had had reason -to believe Mr. Montgomery's conduct disgraceful, he had deemed it -necessary that all should be thus publicly informed of his innocence, -as well as made sensible of his, the captain's, sufficient reasons -for so sudden a change of measures towards him. He then turned to our -hero, and expressed himself as highly gratified, to find the favourable -opinion he had formed of his character thus justified. Captain B. here -renewed the order to have Mr. St. Aubin immediately sent a-shore. - -The stranger, Lord Ormond, who was the son of Admiral Lord Fitz-Ullin, -got himself presented to Mr. Montgomery; and Edmund, anxious to express -his gratitude, requested his new acquaintance to tell him by what -fortunate circumstance he had become his deliverer. - -"If any one deserves that title," answered Ormond, "it is my father. -I fear I was rather negligent in not remaining to assist you; but I -had been already detained much too late. In my own justification, I -described the scene I had just witnessed, and the consequent interest -I could not avoid taking in what was passing; when, happening to say -that the other gentleman called you Montgomery, my father repeated the -name, and, after considering for a moment, exclaimed, 'Why, that is -the name of Lord L.'s young friend! If it be the same, he must be in -the Glorious, Captain B., which came in this morning with the Cadiz -fleet.' I mentioned about what age you appeared to be; upon which my -father started up, saying, 'I could almost venture to affirm, that that -young man has got into a serious scrape! You had better, Ormond,' he -continued, 'go instantly on board the Glorious, present my compliments -to Captain B., and recount all you witnessed of the business.'" - -Before the young men parted, Ormond gave a message, of which he was the -bearer, inviting Mr. Montgomery to dine with Lord Fitz-Ullin on the -following day. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - - "A vision came in on the moon-beam." - - -Henry, left on the beach, with his chest beside him, slept heavily for -some hours. When he awoke it was night. He lay on the shingles. He -felt the fresh breath of the breeze, as, from time to time, it lifted -the hair on his fevered temples. He heard the dash of each billow as -it struck the shore, and the rattle of the loose stones, as each wave -retired again, down the extended sloping bank of smooth pebbles, on -which his head was pillowed. Thinking it all a dream, he remained for -some moments motionless; when, becoming more clearly awake, he sat up, -and passed his hand across his eyes, as it were to rectify their vision. - -The moon had risen over the expanse of waters before him. He gazed on -the sparkling of her myriad beams, mingling in fairy dance o'er all the -solitary waste, for not a sail or mast appeared. He looked on his right -hand, and on his left; here too all was loneliness! - -His ideas still bewildered, he rested his eyes on the pillar of light, -which the bright orb exactly opposite to him, and still near the -horizon, had flung across the whole ocean, planting its base at his -very feet. On a sudden this dazzling object became obscured, and he -beheld, standing over him, and intercepting its refulgence, the same -remarkable figure which, it may be remembered, Mr. Jackson had seen -walking with him, about eight years since, in the shrubbery at Lodore -House. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - - "The darts of death, - Are but hail to me, so oft they've bounded - From my shield!" - - "No boy's staff his spear!" - "No harmless beam - Of light, his sword." - - -The next day, according to appointment, Edmund went to dine on board -the Erina. Arriving rather early, he found Lord Fitz-Ullin alone in his -cabin, reading a newspaper. - -His lordship received our hero with the greatest cordiality, saying, -he was happy to have it in his power to show any mark of attention, -however trifling, to the young friend of Lord L.; "particularly," he -added, smiling, "as my office of patron is, I understand, to be quite a -sinecure, I am the more called upon to discover minor modes of proving -my friendship. You have already, I am informed, Mr. Montgomery," he -continued, "by your gallant conduct, so far cut your own way, that you -are to receive your commission immediately, without any interference -on my part. But, remember, my interest is only laid up for the first -occasion on which it may be required, when you shall command it in a -double proportion." - -Edmund was commencing a speech of thanks, but was prevented by Lord -Fitz-Ullin, who said, "By the bye, Ormond is going up to the next -examination, which will take place in a day or two. Had you not better -go with him? You can then pass, and be made, without any unnecessary -delays; and, if you have no objection to sail with me, we can have you -appointed to the Erina on your promotion." - -Edmund was delighted with this arrangement; and, as he smiled, and -made his grateful acknowledgments, and even when he had concluded, -he observed Lord Fitz-Ullin's eyes resting on his features with a -lingering expression of interest which surprised him, and therefore -made him look grave. For a moment or two Lord Fitz-Ullin continued to -gaze at him, as if waiting for something; and then, with an air of -disappointment, sat down, and resumed his newspaper. - -Ormond entering, and joining Edmund, the young people conversed with -animation, but apart, that they might not interrupt the admiral's -reading. Edmund, however, saw that the newspaper was little regarded, -and that Lord Fitz-Ullin's eyes were generally turned on his -countenance. He felt rather embarrassed by so strict a scrutiny, but -contrived to maintain the appearance of not noticing it, except that he -coloured a little. - -Lord Fitz-Ullin rose, came forward, and joining them, asked Edmund if -he thought Ormond like him. - -"I have scarcely ever seen a likeness so strong as that of Lord Ormond -to your lordship," answered Edmund. - -"Such is the general opinion," said Lord Fitz-Ullin; "but it is a -stationary likeness, consisting in feature. What a fascination there is -about that gleam of resemblance, found only in expression, which comes -and goes with a smile, particularly when the likeness is to one who has -been dear to us, and who no longer exists! We wait for it, we watch for -it! and, when it comes, it brings momentary sunshine to the heart, -and is gone again, with all the freshness of its charm entire, the eye -not having had time to satisfy itself with a full examination into its -nature or degree." - -Letters were at this moment brought in, and the admiral opened one, -which he excused himself for reading, saying, it was from Lady -Fitz-Ullin. The entrance of the rest of the company now diversified the -scene, and dinner soon followed. - -During the remainder of the day and evening, the intimacy between our -hero and his young friend, Oscar Ormond, such was Lord Ormond's name, -made rapid progress; and both the lads looked forward, with equal -pleasure, to the prospect of Edmund's being appointed to the Erina. - -There was an innocent openness about the manners of Oscar Ormond, -proceeding from perfectly harmless intentions, which, to one so young -as Edmund, and, himself of a disposition peculiarly frank, was very -attractive. In Oscar, however, this winning quality, never having -been cultivated into a virtue, had remained a mere instinct, and -was even in danger of degenerating into a weakness--we mean that of -idle egotism. While Edmund's native candour, equally, in the first -instance, springing from an honest consciousness of having no motive -to conceal a thought, had, during that earliest period of education, -so vitally important, been trained and sustained by the skilful hand -of Mr. Jackson; and, therefore, already was accompanied by undeviating -veracity on principle, and a consequent firmness of mind, worthy of -riper years. This gave our hero an ascendancy over his young friend, -which might be said to have commenced at their very first interview; -and which, in their after lives, frequently influenced the conduct of -both, though neither, perhaps, was conscious of its existence. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - - "Pleasant to the ear is the praise of kings; - But, Carril, forget not the lowly." - - -At this time there was no passing in any sea-port, but before three -captains. Oscar and Edmund, therefore, proceeded to town. The anxious -hour, big with the fate of many a middy, arrived. The friends, -accordingly, having already got through their first examination with -success, now wended their way to the great centre of naval hopes and -fears, to answer such final queries as it might be judged necessary to -put to them. Entering an ante-room, they approached a standing group -of youngsters, who, probably, had not much interest to smooth their -path, for their conversation chiefly turned on subjects of discontent. -One, whose name was Bullen, and who had once been a messmate of -Ormond's, seemed to be chief spokesman. He was growling at the -additional difficulty which, he asserted, there was now every day in -passing. "A young man might know it all well enough aboard," he said, -"but to have a parcel of old-wigs staring a fellow in the face, and -asking him puzzlers, why, it was enough to scatter the brains of any -one of common modesty!" - -"If that is all," said one of his companions, for middies are not -ceremonious, "there is no fear of you, Bullen: your modesty will never -stand in your way!" - -"I hope not," answered Bullen, "nor any thing else, if I can help it. -At any rate, I should be sorry to be quite so soft a one as Armstrong! -Only think," he continued, turning to Ormond, "only think of that -foolish fellow Armstrong! One of the old-wigs asked him (saw he was -soft, I suppose) the simplest question in the world, just to try him. -Well, old-wig stares him in the face, and looking devilish knowing, -says, 'Suppose yourself, Sir, in a gale of wind on a lee shore, the -ship in great danger of going on the rocks, when, the wind suddenly -shifting, you are taken all aback, what, Sir, would you do in this -critical juncture?' Instead of answering, 'Clap on sail, and put out to -sea,' poor Armstrong took it for granted he should not have been asked -the question if it were not a puzzler, and was so confounded, that -he looked like a fool, and had not a word to say, till the old-wigs -themselves were all obliged to laugh out." - -At this moment Bullen was sent for to attend the said old-wigs, as he -called them; and though he still tried to bluster, he coloured to the -very roots of his hair at the awful summons. On his return, however, he -came laughing and swaggering, and bolting into the midst of the still -standing group, he seized a button of Ormond's coat with one hand, and -of Edmund's with the other, and began to tell his story. - -"Have you passed? have you passed?" cried many voices. - -"Have I passed!" repeated Bullen. "There is no difficulty in passing." - -"I thought it was very difficult, a short time since," observed Ormond. - -"Well, well--so it may be to some: I found no difficulty, however. -But listen till I tell you the fun. They thought they had got another -Armstrong to deal with, I suppose; for one of the old fellows, looking -as wise as Solomon, and as pompous as the grand Mogul, turned his -eyes full on me, and began. I felt mine inclined to take a peep at my -shoe-buckles; but, mustering all my courage, I raised them, stared -straight in his face, clenched my teeth, drew my heels together, thus, -and stood firm. - -"'Well, Sir!' said old-wig, 'hitherto you have answered well.'--This -was encouraging. 'Now,' he continued, 'suppose yourself on a lee shore, -under a heavy press of sail, the wind blowing such a gale that, in -short, it is impossible to save the ship, what, Sir, would you do?' - -"'Why, let her go ashore and be d----d!' I replied. Then, thinking I -had been too rough, I added, with a bow, that I should never take the -liberty of saving a ship which his lordship judged it impossible to -save. He smiled, and said I had a fine bold spirit, just fit for a -brave British tar! So I sailed out of port with flying colours, but no -pennant, faith: I heard nothing of my commission. - -"After all," he continued, "what is the use of passing, when, if a -man has not the devil and all of Scotch interest, and all that stuff, -he don't know when he'll get made; but may, in all probability, be a -_youngster_ at _forty_! a middy in the cockpit, when he is as grey as -a badger! There's a fellow aboard of us now, who jumped over three -times,--no less,--to save boys who fell over the ship's side, and -couldn't swim; (he swims like a fish himself;) but he's not Scotch! -Well, the captain wrote word to the Admiralty; and what reward do -you think they gave him? Why, employed one of their sneaking under -_scratchatories_ to write an official line and a half, importing, that -'their lordships were pleased to approve of his conduct.'" - -"You may depend upon it," replied Ormond, to whom Bullen chiefly -addressed himself, "that his name is marked for promotion, as soon as a -convenient opportunity offers." - -"Convenient!" interrupted Bullen: "it would be devilish convenient to -me, I know, to be made just now." - -"And in the meantime," continued Ormond, "what can be more gratifying -than the approbation of the respectable heads of the department, under -which he serves his country?" - -"I think," said our hero, whose opinions, like himself, were young, and -therefore unsophisticated, "the lords of the admiralty do but justice -to the motives of British officers, when they deem approbation the -first of rewards! I mean, of course, in a public sense; considering -their lordships, in pronouncing that approbation, as the organs, not -only of government, but also of the nation, on naval affairs; of which -they are constituted the judges." - -"Besides," said Ormond, "you forget how many men, in the British navy, -have risen to the highest rank, without any interest whatever, entirely -in consequence of meritorious conduct." - -"That was long ago," replied Bullen sulkily. "But it's very easy for -you to talk! You, the son of Admiral Lord Fitz-Ullin; sure of whatever -you want, and want nothing neither! Aye, aye, that's the way of the -world! I wish you'd make your father get me my commission, I know!" - -The other young men looked at each other, and smiled. - -"Well," said Ormond, laughing; "do something very brilliant to deserve -it; and if the Admiralty give you approbation only, I pledge myself -you shall not want interest. Here is my friend, Montgomery," he added, -turning to Edmund, "saying not a word; and yet, so just a sense have -their lordships of his merits, that he has no use for interest, though -he possesses it in the greatest profusion." - -"Does he faith?" exclaimed Bullen, "I wish he'd give it to me, then!" - -Here all laughed out. And now Lord Ormond was summoned. He went; and, -in due time, returned with rather a conscious smile on his countenance. - -"Well!" cried Bullen. "Well!" echoed a dozen voices at once. "Well!" -repeated Ormond; but proceeded no further. - -Edmund began to question his amused-looking friend somewhat anxiously, -as to how matters stood; and whether there was really any difficulty, -to one who knew what he was about. - -"Why, to tell you the truth," said Ormond, laughing out at last, "the -only question they asked me, was--But I'll not tell you--guess!--all -guess!--I give you fifty guesses!" - -Every puzzler which had been conned by any of the party, was now -proposed and rejected, in turn; at first, with much of loud merriment; -subsiding, finally, however, into grave wonder; for unguessed riddles -are apt to grow dull. - -"I am sure I can guess no more," said Edmund at last. "Tell!" cried -one. "Tell!" cried another. "Can't you tell!" vociferated Bullen. - -"Well," said Ormond, "do you all give it up?" - -"Yes!" "Yes!" "We all give it up!" "We all give it up!" answered many -voices eagerly. And the circle drew itself closer round him. - -"Well, then," proceeded Ormond, "they asked me how"--and here he -hesitated and laughed again. - -"How what?" cried Bullen. "How what?" "How what?" "How what?" cried all. - -"How my father was!!!" concluded his lordship, trying to look grave. - -"No!" exclaimed every voice at once. - -"I told you how it would be with you," cried Bullen. - -"But you are not serious?" demanded Edmund. - -"But I am, faith!" answered his friend. - -"And they asked you nothing else?" pursued Edmund. - -"No," said Ormond--"but, yes, they did, by the bye; they asked me to -take a glass of wine, and a bit of cake." - -"And you passed?" demanded Bullen. - -"I did," replied Ormond. - -"And are to have your commission, I suppose?" - -His lordship answered in the affirmative. - -Our hero was now summoned. He met with a very flattering reception; -and, after a respectable examination, was informed, that his commission -should be made out immediately. He had also the satisfaction of -being expressly told, that he was thus early promoted, to mark their -lordship's approbation of his gallant and meritorious conduct, as -reported by Captain B. How different this from being turned out of the -ship in disgrace! thought Edmund. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - - "Behold! the red stars silently descend - High Cromla's head of clouds is grey." - - "Towards Temora's groves rolls the lofty car - Of Cormac." - - -We next find our hero, wrapped in a large boat cloak of blue camlet, -lined with scarlet plush, and seated on the top of a mail coach; which, -with more regard to expedition than to comfort, travels night and day -towards the north. His anticipations were all of unmixed delight. - -With what fixed attention would his darling Julia, and even the -restless Frances, listen to all he had to recount! - -How much gratified would both Mrs. Montgomery and Mr. Jackson be, -to find, that by endeavouring to follow their wise counsels, he had -obtained the approbation of those best entitled to judge of his -conduct. And this, to Edmund, was no trifling source of happiness. - -Then, what an important personage must his promotion render him in the -eyes of every one! What joy would Mrs. Smyth evince, on seeing him -return safe, and grown to be a man too! for such, at little more than -nineteen, he already thought himself. Even one glimpse of the gleeful -countenance of the old bargeman, who had the care of the pleasure-boat -on the lake, appeared in the far perspective of busy fancy. Or, -perhaps, this was a sort of vision; for it was one of the last things -he could remember to have seen pass in review before his mind's eye, -when, over night, he had begun to nod on his perilous throne. The hour -was early, the morning bright, when the mail set him down where the -road turns off to Lodore House. - -He almost ran the rest of the way, and quite breathless entered the -dear haven of all his wishes, not by the common approach, but, as had -ever been the custom of his childhood, by one of the glass doors which -open on the lawn. - -Breakfast was laid; the urn and hot rolls, evidently but just brought -in, were smoking on the table: yet, a general stillness prevailed, and -the room seemed without inhabitant. Edmund's heart, which had been -beating with violence, stopped suddenly: he drew a longer breath, and -felt even a kind of relief; for the intensity of expectation had arisen -to almost a painful height while he crossed the green and stepped over -the threshold. - -Advancing a few paces into the apartment he cast an eager look all -round; and, in a far window, descried his darling little Julia sitting -alone; her eyes fixed on a book--her lips moving, apparently learning -a task. She looked up, and, not quite recognising the intruder, the -first expression of her countenance was alarm. He spoke. Her colour -mounted till a universal glow spread itself over neck, face, and arms; -not from bashfulness, for she was not quite thirteen, therefore too -young for such a feeling; but from that extreme emotion peculiar to the -enthusiasm of her temper. - -Edmund forgot to throw off his boat-cloak, and enveloped the elastic -fairy form of his little favourite in its uncouth folds; while she -clung round his neck and sobbed for a considerable time before she -could speak to tell him how glad she was to see him, and how much she -loved him still--though he had staid such a long, long time away! - -Mrs. Montgomery, preceded by Frances performing pirouettes, now -entered. They had heard nothing of Edmund's arrival: the old lady, -therefore, was much overcome. She embraced him, and wept over him; -for his idea was ever associated in her feelings with that of her -lost child. Frances, after a momentary pause, sprung into his arms, -exclaiming, - -"It's brother Edmund! it's brother Edmund!" - -Our hero, meanwhile, swinging about in his boat-cloak, looked rather an -unwieldy monster amongst them. - -"My dear boy," said Mrs. Montgomery, "why don't you take off that great -frightful muffle? I want to see what you are like!" - -Edmund looked down at himself, laughed, and flung off the cloak, -declaring he had quite forgotten it. Mrs. Montgomery now contemplated, -with visible pleasure, his figure, become, from its height and -proportions, almost manly, without losing any of that air of elegance, -which, from childhood, had been animate grace of Edmund's: then, -pointing to an ottoman close beside her chair, she bade him sit down; -and, putting on her spectacles, for the shedding of many tears had -dimmed her sight, she kindly stroked back the hair from his forehead, -and examined his features. Julia stood close at her other side, -holding her other hand. Frances was off to publish the joyful tidings -to good Mrs. Smyth and the rest of the household; by singing at every -bound, "News! news! news!--Brother Edmund is come! brother Edmund is -come!--News! news! news!" - -After dropping a few large tears in silence, Mrs. Montgomery said, -mournfully, - -"My poor child was quite right. She always prophesied how handsome you -would be, when I used to say you were all eyes and eyelashes. Now, -I am sure, they are just in good proportion. She used to admire the -forehead, too; and the form of the mouth; and the sweetness of the -expression. Yes, yes! she was certainly right." - -And she looked at him as though he had been a picture, without the -slightest compassion for his blushes. - -Edmund, willing to turn the conversation from himself, said, - -"Pray, ma'am, is it not generally thought that Julia will be very -beautiful? Did you ever see any thing like the brilliancy of her -colour?" - -"Yes, it is very bright," said the old lady, "a sign of health, I hope." - -"And as to her smile," proceeded Edmund, "I have always thought it the -sweetest thing in nature! even in her nurse's arms I can remember being -delighted with it; when the darling used to stretch out its little -hands to come to me!" - -And he looked, as he spoke, into the full, uplifted, liquid eyes of -his little, listening favourite, with a thrill of tenderness, but too -prophetic of the future. - -"There! look how she blushes!" he continued, collecting the quantity of -fair hair which hung around her neck, and playfully strewing it again -over her shoulders. - -"I think her beautiful, of course, my dear," answered Mrs. Montgomery; -"but I am partial, you know: and so indeed are you. You began to love -her, I believe, on the very evening she was born! I shall never forget -how carefully you supported the baby's head on your little arm as you -sat on this very table, I think it was, and asked leave to kiss her." - -"And was my presumptuous request granted, ma'am?" asked Edmund, -laughing, and drawing little Julia kindly towards him, as though he -had some thought of repeating the presumption of which he spoke; but -she now began to twist her head away, blush, and look half angry: for -little girls of her age, though, as we before observed, too young to be -bashful, are very apt to be furiously modest. - -"Certainly, my dear," replied Mrs. Montgomery: "you were but six years -of age, you know, and poor Julia there, not an hour old at the time." - -Her voice here faltered, her tears began to flow again, and her head -shook a little; an infirmity she was able to suppress, except when -much moved. Julia, who knew the symptom well, stole her arms round -her grandmamma's neck, and tried all the little coaxing ways which -she had long found the most effectual on such occasions of mournful -recollection. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - - "What tho' - No chiefs were they; their hands were strong in fight: - They were our rock in danger; in triumph, - The mountain whence we spread our eagle wing!" - - -Let those who are fond of dramatizing their ideas, picture to -themselves the scene opening, and displaying the wardroom of the Erina; -its centre occupied by a long breakfast-table, at which a number of the -officers are already ranged. - -Our hero enters, and takes his seat among them for the first time, -having joined but the night before, just as the ship was getting under -way. - -Thus situated, he feels a very natural curiosity to observe what his -new messmates are like. He looks around him accordingly; and every face -being equally strange to him, he begins to amuse himself, by wondering -at the manifold and ingenious contrivances of nature, to make such -variety out of the old materials, of eyes, nose, and mouth. - -One gentleman sat eating an egg with great solemnity; his elongated -countenance, resembling one seen on the back of a table-spoon, held up -the long way; while his next neighbour smiled on a roll, with a face -that seemed reflected from the same part of the same utensil, turned -the cross way. The next, a portly gentleman, looked as though he had -stowed away, preparatory to the long voyage, good sea-store of claret -in his cheeks, nose, and double chin. The next to him, as spare as -Don Quixote, had a countenance the colour of a blanket; while the -hollow of his cheeks, which he had ingeniously endeavoured to fill, -by encouraging the growth of his whiskers, resembled excavations in -a disused quarry, where tangled brambles had long been permitted to -flourish undisturbed. One of the good-looking sat next; and the eye -that was going the circle of the table, found agreeable rest, for a -moment, on his oval countenance, adorned by a healthful complexion, -fine eyes, and chesnut-brown hair. Next to him appeared a bluff-looking -fellow; his face deeply pitted with the small-pox, and of a dark-red -colour, relieved only by the sooty black of beard, hair, eye-brows, -eye-lashes, eyes and whiskers. His neighbour had a merry face, of a -lighter and brighter red, with the exception of the forehead, which was -high, open, and brilliantly white, skirted by a thick forest of red -hair; while a vigorous growth of whiskers, of the same colour, stood on -each plump cheek, like underwood on the side of a hill. - -Nearest him, sat a tall gentleman, whom our hero, on a further -acquaintance, considered handsome; for he had a fine fresh skin and -colour, a well-set mouth, good teeth, a high nose, and large blue -eyes; but the rise on the nose was placed so much too high up, that -it gave a ludicrous air of mock pomp to the whole countenance; while -the eyes, peculiarly round, opened with that species of stare, which -looks as though the cravat were tied too tight; and the cheeks, that -seemed to have been plumped by practising the trumpet, wanting, alas! -the sheltering grace of whiskers, but too much resembled, save in their -hue, very large apple dumplings. - -After thus scanning the faces of so many good fellows, brave and -jovial, though not, at first sight, perfect beauties; our hero's -wandering eye arrived, at length, at a vacant seat, before which was -placed a plate, carefully covered. At this seat and plate, he observed -many of the party looking, from time to time, with various knowing -winks and smiles, accompanied by glances directed towards a door, -leading from one of the cabins. The said door opening shortly, admitted -a perfect personification of Sir John Falstaff. - -"Mr. Barns, our chaplain," whispered Edmund's neighbour. Our hero felt -uneasy: he saw, at a glance, that Barns was the butt of the mess; and -it was not accordant with his habits, to make a jest of the sacred -office, be it held by whom it might. - -Mr. Barns rolled towards his seat; placed himself upon it, and as he -settled in it, seemed to spread with his own weight. He made a sort of -grunt, intended for the morning salutation; then, stretching forward -his arms, a certain protuberance of chest and abdomen, not permitting -a nearer approach of the rest of the person to the table, he touched -lightly, with the fore-finger and thumb of both hands, the cover; when, -finding that he was in no danger of burning himself, he raised it. His -countenance had begun to fall a little on finding the cover cold; but -now, aghast, his under jaw hung on his double chin; while the tongue, -spread and slighted protruded, rested on the under-lip; for, lo!--the -plate contained but atmospheric air, and Mr. Barns was not used to feed -on the camelion. - -He clapped down the cover, which, during his first astonishment, he -had held suspended; and, leaning back in his chair, said, in a surly -tone;--"Come, come, gentlemen; this making a jest of your chaplain, and -that on Sunday morning too, is not very becoming, let me tell you! What -must this gentleman, who is a stranger, think of such behaviour? I am -very good-natured, sir, you must know," he added, looking towards our -hero, "and these gentlemen presume upon it." Edmund bowed assent. - -"I hope, Mr. Barns," said the claret-faced gentleman, by name -Warburton, "you mean to make your sermon to-day at least one minute the -shorter, for this extempore lecture. Ten minutes, you know--we never -listen after ten minutes; but promise, on the faith of a true divine, -that you will not this day exceed nine minutes, and you shall have -the real broil, that the steward is keeping hot without." Mr. Barns' -countenance became less severe, when he heard that there actually was a -real broil! - -"Nonsense! nonsense!" he said; "but, there, call for the broil, or it -will be too much done: a broil is not worth a farthing without the red -gravy in it!" - -The broil was called for accordingly. - -"You are a man of honour, Barns," continued Warburton; "remember the -conditions: the sermon is not to exceed nine minutes this morning, or -ten on any future occasion." - -"I don't know that I shall preach at all to-day," said Barns. - -"Not preach at all!" echoed the gentleman with the high nose, making -his eyes rounder than before. - -"But, why? but, why?" demanded various voices. - -"I don't think the day will suit," said Barns, taking his eye from the -door for a moment, to glance it at the windows. - -"You are always too timid of the weather, Mr. Barns," observed Mr. -Elliot, the long-faced gentleman: "a moderate sermon, such as Warburton -spoke of, no man can object to. Those things, in my opinion, should -not be entirely neglected, were it but for the sake of example to the -youngsters and ship's company." - -"Example!" repeated Barns; "that's all very proper ashore, sir; and no -man set a better example to his flock, when on terra firma, than I did; -but I have no idea of being made an example of myself, in the fullest -sense of the word, by having my pulpit blown over board, as might be -the case, were it erected on deck without due regard to the weather, -Mr. Elliot." - -"Nay, nay, Barns!" interrupted Warburton, "there can be no danger of -that, when you are in it!" - -"I don't sail without ballast, I grant you, sir. But here comes the -broil!" said Barns. - -The bluff gentleman, Mr. Thomson, asked the steward, as he entered, how -the day was on deck. - -"Very fine, sir." - -"Will it do for the pulpit?" asked Mr. Jones, the red-haired gentleman. - -"The pulpit is erected already, sir, by order of the captain," replied -the steward. - -"I thought," said Jones, aside, "this no preaching was too good news to -be true." - -"Why," asked Edmund, aside also, for Jones sat next to him, "is Mr. -Barns's preaching so very bad?" - -"No--yes--I don't know, faith!" answered Jones. - -"Have you never heard Mr. Barns, then?" again asked Edmund. - -"Oh, a thousand times!--That is--but you see, I never listen to -prosing: it's a bad sort of thing, I think. In short, I generally box -the compass, or something of the sort, to amuse myself. It's the best -way, in my opinion," he added, "never to think at all!" - -"There you are quite wrong, sir," observed Mr. Barns, catching the last -words as he wiped his mouth, having finished his broil; "for spiritual -food is as needful to the soul, as our common nutriment is to the body: -and inasmuch as that body thrives best, which is best nurtured, so will -that soul, which is best instructed!" - -"That argument, from Mr. Barns, is certainly conclusive," observed Mr. -White, the thin gentleman. - -"White," whispered Jones to Edmund, "thin as he is, eats more than -Barns does!" - -All now repaired on deck, where, it is reported, that Mr. Barns's -presentiment proved but too well-founded; for, that while he was -preaching, a most unexpected squall came on a sudden--took hold of the -ship--gave her one thorough shake--and laid her on her beam-ends; and, -that all being in confusion, the men in crowds running forward with the -ropes to shorten sail, &c. &c., it was some time before he, Mr. Barns, -was missed, and that when he was missed, while one talked of lowering -a boat down, and another ran to look over the ship's side, it was Mr. -Montgomery, who at length discovered him, feet uppermost, in the lee -scuppers, where the first reel of the vessel had tumbled him, with the -heavy cannonade slides, and what not else besides, heaped on top of him. - -Edmund very soon perceived, that this unbecoming levity of his -messmates on sacred subjects, had much of its origin in the character -of the admiral himself: for Lord Fitz-Ullin, though a man of so much -personal dignity, that in his own manners he never offended against -outward decorum, had, unfortunately, no settled principle on religious -subjects--no happy conviction, that moral obligations, with all -the thousand blessings that flow from them, have but one pure and -inexhaustible source, in that simple, practical religion, which the -universal Father gave his children to promote their happiness, temporal -as well as eternal; that religion which saith, "Do unto others, as you -would that they should do unto you;" that religion, which for every -possible duty, hath a plain, practicable precept, which if followed by -all, would realize the bliss of heaven even upon earth. - -But Lord Fitz-Ullin had been disgusted, by frequently, during a -considerable portion of very early life, being compelled to hear -the irrational railing of a fanatical preacher against good works. -The man might have meant right, but he knew not how to express -himself; and Lord Fitz-Ullin, unable to adopt his doctrine, such as -it met the ear, without further examination, rejected, or at least -thenceforward neglected, all religion. Something of this was felt, if -not seen, by those who looked up to the admiral, as to a man older -than themselves--a man at the head of the honourable profession to -which they had devoted themselves--and a man, as eminent in brilliancy -of courage and talent, as in rank, both hereditary and acquired. The -mischief done, therefore, bore proportion to the extensive influence -which those shining qualities and exalted circumstances bestowed on -their possessor. - -With respect to his lordship's choice of a chaplain, being blameably -indifferent on the subject, he had appointed Mr. Barns, on the -application of a friend, without any regard whatever to his fitness or -unfitness to fill the situation. Our hero, notwithstanding, found his -patron both a kind and most agreeable friend; and one, whose partiality -to him daily increased. Lord Fitz-Ullin had been, all his life, in -love with glory; in Edmund he recognized much of the same spirit, -accompanied, too, by all that romance and enthusiasm of youth, so -delightful to those, who, having retained such feelings longer than the -usual period, find little that is congenial in the minds of people of -their own age. - -"I wish, Montgomery," said the Earl, one day that Edmund dined with -his lordship, "I wish you could inspire Ormond by your example--he is -so indolent. I fear," he continued, "I have given him bad habits: he -has always, in fact, been sure of whatever he wished for, without the -slightest exertion on his own part." - -"Why, yes," said Ormond, playfully; "you know, sir, I am aware that I -shall be an admiral one of those days, without taking any trouble about -the matter." - -"Oscar," said his father, "remember, that though you may attain to rank -by interest, you can never obtain glory, but by deserving it!" - -"Have I not the glory of being your son, sir!" replied Oscar, smiling. - -"I have not even a name by inheritance!" thought Edmund; "I, therefore, -must endeavour to earn one." - -As intercourse continued, and friendship grew, Edmund saw in his young -friend daily evidences of a heart overflowing with every amiable and -generous sentiment; also, a high sense of honour--worldly honour, we -mean, which had been carefully inculcated by his father. - -Of any other standard of right, Oscar Ormond had little or no idea. The -predominant weakness of his character, was an idle degree of vanity -about his rank--the consequence of the early lessons of his nurse. This -uneducated and ill-judging woman, with whom he was too much left, used -carefully to give him his title from infancy, always telling him what -a grand thing it was for him to be a lord already, when there were so -many big men, who would never be lords! Yet, strange to say, Oscar was, -as we have seen, devoid of ambition in his profession, to the infinite -regret of his father; but he had got it into his head, that his own -hereditary rank was something much greater than any thing that could -be acquired, and also, that all future steps would come, as all past -ones had done--as mere matters of course. The natural consequences of -his exalted birth! - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - - "Doest thou not know me?" - - -A few days after the fleet under the command of Lord Fitz-Ullin had -arrived on its station, the Glorious, Edmund's old ship, joined, and -making the usual signal for a lieutenant from each vessel at anchor, -our hero, as officer from the Erina, went on board. While receiving the -salutations of his former friends, his attention, as well as theirs, -was arrested by the appearance of a boat, which was falling alongside, -and in which, if they could believe their own eyes, they beheld, in -the shape of a lieutenant, Mr. St. Aubin. - -Henry came on board. All his old messmates collecting round him, -demanded clamourously how he had got out of the scrape in which they -had left him. - -"Scrape!" repeated Henry, in a contemptuous tone. "The best thing that -ever happened to me; I might have been a poor devil of a middy, down -there in your confounded cockpit yet, but for it!" - -"Why, d-- it," said Walton, "if I thought they would make me a -post-captain for it, I would get drunk to night! but tell us how you -got made, man, after our throwing you out, like spare ballast, on that -rascally beach at Plymouth?" - -"Why," answered Henry, "I waited upon the first lord of the Admiralty, -and informed him that I should prefer being a lieutenant to remaining -a midshipman: upon which his lordship very politely gave me the -commission I now have the honour to hold." - -"Yier taste was sae vara uncommon, sir!" observed the Scot, "that his -lordship did na care te balk ye?" - -"Precisely so, sir," said Henry, with a bow. - -"But, joking apart, Henry," said Edmund, "do tell us how it happened." - -In fact, the friend Henry had met with at Plymouth, but whom he did not -name even to Edmund, had informed him that Lord L. was just returned to -England on business connected with his diplomacy, and was at that time -actually in London. Henry had set out that night for London, waited -on Lord L., and, without any mention of his being in disgrace, said -that his time being served, he had hastened to town to secure, if -possible, his promotion while his lordship was on the spot. Lord L., -accordingly, taking Henry with him, made his application in person. The -commission was granted so immediately, that the business was concluded -before Captain B.'s report, respecting Mr. St. Aubin's unofficer-like -conduct, had reached the Admiralty. Lord L., however, highly resented -the trick thus put upon him, and declared himself determined never -again to use any interest of his on Henry's behalf. And in this resolve -he persevered. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - - "Through the wide heaving of the strife, - Are the strides of Fingall, like some strong ship - Cutting through wintry seas. The dark tumbling - Of death, the gleams of broken steel, mingle - Round him; the waves of war part before him - And roll along the field." - - -Now followed that most brilliant era of our naval history, which -confirmed to the British flag its supremacy on the world of waters! -Lord Fitz-Ullin had the good fortune to command in some of the -greatest, and, in their results, the most glorious engagements of the -period: and, in each of these, Edmund distinguished himself. Lord -Fitz-Ullin consequently made such creditable mention of our hero's name -in every account he sent home, that, after being about two years in the -Erina, he was appointed to fill an Admiralty vacancy, as commander of -the Desdemona, a sloop-of-war, on the same station. - -Shortly after, another general, and to the English successful, -engagement took place. On this occasion the services of the vessel -commanded by our hero proved so important, that when the glorious -affair was drawing to a close, Lord Fitz-Ullin appointed Edmund to the -command of a post-ship, the Euphrasia, a very fine frigate which had -that day lost her captain. - -"The vacancy is one which I am entitled to fill," said his lordship, -as he signed dispatches in which the name of Captain Montgomery again -stood conspicuous: "and were this not the case," he continued, "I -could have no doubt of the Admiralty confirming such an officer. -Oscar," he then said, turning kindly to his son, "I am sorry to leave -you behind, my boy; but I cannot, even in a public point of view, pass -over merit so distinguished as Montgomery's: and, you know, Oscar, you -have never taken the trouble of doing more than the mere routine of -duty required. In short, I have never been able to make you fond of -the service. Yet you shall have the very next ship, though it is thus -I have ever spoiled you. I have made every step too easy," he added, -after a moment of silence. - -"I know it, sir," replied Oscar: "you have always been kind and -indulgent." Then turning to Edmund, and shaking hands with him, he -continued, "Montgomery well deserves his promotion, and I am the first -to give him joy of it." - -"Well, Oscar," said the earl, "you certainly have a good heart; and -that, after all, is, perhaps, the first of good qualities." - -In the next three years, every newspaper was emblazoned with the -brilliant deeds of the gallant Captain Montgomery! We need scarcely -add, that each such newspaper was, with proud enthusiasm, read aloud -by Mr. Jackson at Lodore House; and, by the quiet home circle there, -listened to with the liveliest interest. An immensity of prize-money -also had, from time to time, been shared by the fleet; and Edmund -having been one year a commander, and nearly two a post captain, -his proportion of the various sums so shared was very considerable, -amounting, in all, to upwards of fifteen thousand pounds. - -Henry, whose advancement had, as we have seen, received a check, -happened to be lieutenant in the Euphrasia, when our hero was appointed -her captain. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - - "Their eyes roll in search of the foe." - - -The Euphrasia was detached from the fleet, with instructions to cruise -in the Archipelago, and look out for, capture, sink, or otherwise -destroy, a formidable Turkish corsair, which had lately committed great -depredations. On making the little island of Patras, every speck which -the face of the water presented was accordingly examined with more than -usual eagerness. In a few hours the words, "A sail! a sail!" were heard -from aloft, and echoed throughout the ship. All hands were summoned, -and the vessel crouded with canvass. - -About six o'clock, it being then sun-set, they had approached near -enough to the stranger for Edmund, with the assistance of his glass, -to ascertain that she was a frigate of the largest description, -standing towards them under a press of sail. He gave orders accordingly -to clear for action; but the wind decreasing, and the night closing -in, they lost sight of the enemy for a considerable time. About nine -o'clock, however, they beheld much nearer, but imperfectly seen in -consequence of the darkness, a vessel evidently manoeuvering to gain -the weather-gauge of them. They soon found that she had failed in -this attempt; upon which they observed her stand off a little, and -show great indecision, making signals, burning blue lights, and, at -intervals, firing guns. About ten o'clock a flash, which preceded its -report longer than usual, was observed in a different direction; and, -immediately after, a second large sail was discovered bearing down, as -if to join the first. - -Edmund and his officers, having no doubt that this was the consort -of the ship with which they had been about to engage, held a short -consultation, as to the propriety of giving battle to so unequal a -force. It was, however, unanimously decided, that they should confide -in the superior courage and seamanship of British sailors, and commence -the attack forthwith. - -The plan to be pursued was, if possible, to separate the enemy, in such -a manner as to be subject to the fire of one only of their vessels at -a time; but this was very shortly discovered to be impracticable, for -at the moment the moon, which had lately risen, shining out from behind -a range of thick clouds, near the horizon, with sudden splendour, -the expanse of waters, the distance, nature, and movements of the -enemy--all, in short, which had been obscure or doubtful, was at once -presented to the view; and the two strangers were seen to close with -each other, and shorten sail, at the same time displaying their sable -flags and crescents. - -All this was clearly discernible with the naked eye from the deck -of the Euphrasia, and placed it beyond a doubt, that the vessels in -question were Algerine corsairs. - -Edmund gave orders to run his ship in between the two Turkish frigates, -that he might thus, if he must receive two broadsides, at least have -one for each in return. Having succeeded in gaining this position, and -being within pistol-shot of both ships, he opened his two broadsides -at once, with a fire so destructive, and so much better sustained than -that of the enemy, that, in less than an hour, one of the Turks had -lost her main and mizen masts, and the other, being much shattered -in the hull, put her helm up, for the purpose of boarding. Our hero, -perceiving this, had the guns on the quarter-deck loaded with grape -shot and musket balls, in place of the usual charge; and thus -prepared, waited, with perfect coolness, till the Musselmen, armed -with battle-axes and cymetars, and uttering hideous yells, had nearly -filled the lower rigging, into which they had leaped from that of their -own ship, and whence, in another second, they would have descended -in hordes on the forecastle and gangway, when, giving the signal, -the whole of the thus loaded ordnance was discharged full upon the -barbarians, and with such effect, that multitudes of bodies fell at -one and the same instant; while turbans rolled along, appearing, in -the partial light of the moon, like so many heads severed at the same -moment from so many trunks. Such as descended alive, were instantly -charged by the pikemen and marines; while the few who escaped, being -cut down, fell over the ship's side into the water, in attempting to -regain their own vessel. - -The Euphrasia herself, having by this time lost all her masts, and in -other particulars sustained much injury, the three ships ceased firing, -as if by general consent; the Turks making every effort their crippled -condition would permit, to get clear of the English frigate. - -Hostilities were now therefore suspended for some hours, which hours -were employed by our hero, in causing all hands to work with such -unexampled diligence in making temporary repairs, especially erecting -jury masts, that, in that short time, they had effected so much, as to -be again able to work the ship, and once more to attack the enemy. - -The two Turkish frigates lay at a little distance, like logs on the -face of the water; unable to move from the relative situations into -which they had drifted during the cessation of the battle, and too much -separated to afford each other any assistance. It was therefore with -as much dismay as astonishment, that they beheld the Euphrasia approach -one of them, take up a raking position within pistol shot of her, and -open a well-directed fire. This was but feebly answered by the Turks, -who, little expecting a renewal of the combat before daylight, were not -prepared to fire more than one or two of their stern chasers with any -effect. Stubborn, however, and desperate to the last, they continued to -fight with musketry, till their decks were heaped with dead and dying; -when, their captain, losing all hope of escape, snatched up a lighted -match, and brandishing it in a species of mad triumph, ran with it to -fire the magazine. At this point the frantic valour of this remnant of -a crew forsook them: they cut down their captain ere he could effect -his desperate purpose, cried for quarter, and struck their colours. - -Edmund now made sail towards the other frigate. She had already lost -the greater part of her crew, being the vessel which had boarded: she -could therefore make scarcely any resistance; and, seeing the fate of -her consort, she struck her colours, after firing but one or two guns. - -The object for which Edmund had been detached being thus happily -accomplished, he rejoined Lord Fitz-Ullin as quickly as possible, -taking with him his two disabled prizes; both, notwithstanding, -valuable frigates. He was received, as may well be imagined, with loud -cheers from the crews of all the vessels in the fleet. - -Thus did our hero, in less than five years from the date of his -last visit to his friends at Lodore, see himself, at the early age -of four-and-twenty, risen to the rank of post-captain, possessed of -prize-money to a large amount, and crowned with laurels so gallantly -won, as to render his name known and respected in every part of the -world to which a newspaper could find its way. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXI. - - "The feast is smoking wide." - - -"Here, Alice, bairn, here, tack it fray me; and mind ye, mack it light -and flecky, like to the leaves o' a reading buke," cried our old -friend, Mrs. Smyth; who stood up to her elbows in flour, and up to her -eyes in business, in the housekeeper's room at Lodore House; "and mind -ye dinna pit the raspberry in 'till the puffs be mair nor half baked; -or it 'ill be bubbling o'er, and spoiling the edges o' the pastry. -Bless me weel, sich a fuss! Ye mun mind a' the'e thing soon bairn. I'm -no used till them noo, and, indeed, I'm getting auld. Nell, woman! rin, -will ye, till the ice-hoose, there's a canny wife! and see if yon jelly -will turn oot yet. What will come o' me, if the jelly will no turn oot -affoor dinner-time! Maister Donald," said she, to the butler, who had -just entered, and who was a countryman of her own, being one of the old -Scotch establishment, "hoo cum ye on? As for my auld head, it's fairly -bothered: we are no used to such doings o' late years, Maister Donald!" - -"Vara true, Mrs. Smyth," said the butler, "it's thirteen years, I -believe, sin we have had to say, reg'lar coompany in this hoose." - -"Aye, thirteen years," rejoined Mrs. Smyth, "and some three or four -weeks, it is noo sin that awfu' neght, (and here she turned to Lady -Arandale's woman, who sat beside her,) when the hale country roond was -shining wi' bonfires and illuminations; for every ane at had a pane -o' glass, woman, pit a candle in't, till the bonny smooth lake yonder -fairly glittered! I mind it as weel, as it had been but yestereen--bit, -affoor the lights o' joy were put oot, him, for the birth o' whom they -were lighted, and her, wha gave him birth, baith lay dead! Aye, cauld -corses they were, afoor ever the embers o' the bonfires had ceased to -reek!" Here a few tears fell from the eyes of poor Mrs. Smyth; for the -present bustle had brought that which preceded the melancholy event to -which she alluded, fresh to her mind. - -"It was a sair blow, in truth!" said the butler; "and sairly did the -mistress take it to heart; and wha could blame her?" - -"It's time, however," replied Mrs. Smyth, "that the peur lasses, wha -were o'er young to ken ony thing about the loss o' their mither, -peur things, should see a little o' the warl, and ha'e some youthfu' -divartions. They are baith i' their eighteenth year noo," she added, -again addressing the stranger; "and if they dina ha'e their sport, peur -things, a wee while, afoor they git a gliff o' the ills o' this mortal -life, they'l set little count by dancing, and the like, by and bye! -Bit here comes Nell wi' the jelly! That's right--my mind's easy noo! -Come awa, will ye, Maister Donald, and look o'er the things wi' me: I's -feard for my life, at I shall forgit someot at's maist material." - - - - -CHAPTER XXXII. - - "Like sounds that are no more, past is Erin's - Strife; and Ingall is returned with his fame." - - -Lord Arandale, the eldest brother of Mrs. Montgomery; his lady; their -daughter, Lady Susan Morven; their son, Lord Morven; and a nephew, -Colonel Morven, had all come from Scotland, on a visit to their -relative, and a tour to the lakes. - -Mrs. Montgomery, in compliment to these friends, and also for the -purpose of affording some little society to her hitherto secluded -grand-daughters, had determined, though she never would herself go -out again, to see company at home, as before the death of Lady L. -In pursuance of this plan, a large and gay party was now assembled -in the drawing-room of Lodore House, awaiting the important summons -to that very dinner which we have just seen Mrs. Smyth so anxiously -preparing. There was also to be a dance in the evening, to which all -the neighbouring families for many miles round were invited. - -Julia, now about eighteen, according to the account given us in the -last chapter by Mrs. Smyth, was endeavouring, for the whim of the -thing, to learn from Lady Susan Morven, the Scotch pronunciation of the -words of "Auld Lang Syne," of which she was playing the accompaniment -on the harp; Mrs. Montgomery and Lady Arandale were seated on a sofa, -engaged in conversation; Lord Arandale was talking politics in a window -with Mr. Jackson; Frances, Lord Morven, and Colonel Morven, were -standing near the harp, laughing at Julia's attempts at Scotch; and the -rest, in various groupes, were exerting their patience, or their wit, -to pass away the time till dinner. - -"That is not right," said Lady Susan, "can't you say it as I do? We twa -ha'e climed aboot the hills." - -Julia recommenced accordingly; "We twa ha'e climed"---- The unfinished -sentence died away on her lips, her hands ceased to move on the -strings, she arose slowly from her seat, stood some seconds motionless -as a statue, her colour mounting gradually, then darted past Frances -and the gentlemen. They turned to look after her, and beheld her -standing in the centre of the room; her hand in that of an extremely -handsome young man, in a travelling dress. The stranger appeared to be -about four-and-twenty, but was strikingly like the picture of a lad, -some three or four years younger, which hung over the chimney-piece. - -In short, it was Edmund. The fleet had returned to England; the -Euphrasia wanted repairs, that must require some months for their -completion; and our hero had availed himself of the opportunity thus -afforded him of visiting Lodore House--setting out without even -delaying to write; and while the carriage in which he had arrived, was -driving round, he had entered the drawing-room, according to his old -custom, from the lawn, by one of the open glass doors. He had been -dazzled by the unexpected sight of a large company in rooms so long -devoted to mourning and quiet affections, while the first distinct -object which had fixed his eyes, (guided possibly by certain sweet -sounds,) was the glittering pillar of a harp, the chords of which, -were vibrating at the moment in harmony with the tones of a mellow, -yet almost infantine voice. A step more, and he beheld, seated at the -said harp ---- impossible!--it cannot be!--yet it must be, his darling -little Julia that was, but transformed from the child she had been -when he last saw her, into a seeming woman of perfect beauty, nay, -almost majesty; for Julia was not only tall of her age, but as fully -rounded as symmetry would permit. She was dressed too, preparatory to -the ball of the evening, in a much too fashionable full-dress (she -had not yet arrived at choosing for herself) sent from town by a -fashionable milliner, who wished to send also a long bill. - -It was this artificial costume, in fact, though Edmund was not aware of -its power, which had, at first sight, added years to Julia's apparent -age, and inspired our amazed hero with absolute awe of his former -playfellow. In the crayon drawing he had of both sisters in one frame, -(full-length, age thirteen,) they wore each a frock, without flounce or -tucker, and their fair hair loose on their shoulders. - -While lost in astonishment, he gazed, yet saw in the well-remembered -expression of the soft hazel eyes, so often raised to his in the -undisguised fondness of childhood; but it was indeed the same Julia; -a vivid recollection of their last meeting in that room, on that very -spot, and of the boat-cloak, in the folds of which he had then, without -hesitation, wrapped his little favourite, as he clasped her to his -heart, presented itself most inopportunely, to his imagination. Now the -very retrospect seemed presumption; yet the years that had intervened, -were to memory but as hours; while the pressure of the soft hand, which -kindly returned that of his, did not at all tend to the regulation of -his already confused ideas. Nor, indeed, had he any leisure whatever -afforded him for such an undertaking; for Frances, as soon as she -had turned and seen the cause of Julia's emotion, had flown towards -him; and Mrs. Montgomery, on hearing Frances' exclamation of--"Oh, -grandmamma, here's Edmund!" had called him to her; and Mr. Jackson, on -catching the same sounds, had left Lord Arandale and his politics, and -hastened to greet his young friend. In short, he was surrounded in a -moment, and overwhelmed with rejoicings, questionings, congratulations, -and, finally, introductions; being presented, in due form, to Lord and -Lady Arandale, and all the family party. - -The low growl of the gong, preceding its fearful bellowings, was now -heard; and Mrs. Montgomery reminded our hero, that the ten minutes it -usually sounded was all the time he would have to make his preparations -for dinner. He retired accordingly, and changed his travelling dress -for one more suitable to the occasion. - -On his return to the drawing-room, Julia was still engaged playing -Scotch airs, and learning the pronunciation of the words. Without -being conscious of the direction he gave his steps, he went as directly -towards her, as though he had been the bearer of a message which he -was about to deliver. He stopped short, however, when arrived within a -pace or two of the harp, where he remained standing. Julia continued -playing, but performed very badly; for she was wishing to speak to -Edmund in the kind manner that every recollection of her habitual -feelings towards him dictated. She had never, on any former occasion, -found the least difficulty in expressing those feelings. What an -awkward thing it is, she thought, to meet an old friend, after a long -absence, before so many strangers! - -She returned in a playful manner to the song of "Auld lang syne," for -the sake of the reference the words have to old times, and old friends; -but, when she looked up, very innocently, intending, as a sort of -friendly welcome, to enforce the application by a kind smile, and met -the eyes of Edmund fixed upon her, she looked down, blushed, felt an -undefined uneasiness as if she had done something wrong, and did not -venture to look up again; though she said to herself, "It is only -Edmund!" - -Edmund's gaze was so continued, that Mrs. Montgomery asked him if Julia -was much more grown than he expected. - -"Yes, ma'am--oh, no!" answered Edmund. "That is, I always thought--that -Julia--but--but"---- He coloured and stammered. - -"I always thought, myself, she would be tall," said Mrs. Montgomery; -"but you think her more grown than you could have supposed, perhaps?" - -"Yes--ma'am--yes--I do," he replied, glad to be spared the task of -translating himself. - -Dinner was at this moment announced; and, the next, Edmund heard -the words:--"Lady Julia L., allow me----" pronounced by Lord Morven, -who, at the same time, presented his arm to Julia. She accepted it, -and the couple fell into the rear of the battalion, marching towards -the dining-room. Edmund felt an odd sort of sensation, which he did -not wait to define, but, offering his arm to Frances, who was busy, -declaring that she wanted but half an inch of Julia's height; he -followed with her, and, on taking his seat at the table, between her -ladyship and Lady Susan Morven, found himself placed opposite to Julia -and Lord Morven. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIII. - - "Thou, fairer than the spirit of the hills, - And blooming as the bow of the shower, - With thy soft hair, floating round thy beauty - Thus, like the bright curling mist of Cona, - Hast thou no welcome for Fingall?" - - -The likeness between the twins had nearly disappeared. The uncommon -colour of the hair, indeed, blended of flaxen and light brown, with -the luxuriance of its growth, and the peculiar golden lustre received -by the curls when the light shone on them, was still the same in both -sisters. The fairness of the skin, too, was much the same; but the rest -will require separate portraits. - -Frances' colour was not quite so brilliant as her sister's; yet it was, -at once, lively and delicate, and came and went, in a slight degree, -at every movement. Her blue eyes sparkled, almost continually, with -unmixed delight. Her mouth was small, pretty, and peculiarly flexible, -every moment escaping from any attempt at gravity, into smiles and -laughs of various degrees, displaying the white, small, regular, pearly -teeth. Her figure was slight and light, to a sylph-like degree, and so -frequently seen in the active pursuit of some medium of pleasure, or -means of mirth, that had her picture been taken in any attitude that -did not indicate passing, that did not keep the beholder in constant -dread of its disappearance, it would not have been like. - -Julia's figure was perfectly formed, taller than her sister's, and, as -we have before observed, as fully rounded as symmetry would permit; her -neck and shoulders particularly fine. Her characteristic attitudes were -those of graceful quiescence; yet, when she did move, it was with a -freedom from effort, that preserved unbroken that dignity of carriage, -for which, young as she was, she was already remarkable. She had an -air too of quiet composure, equally beyond her years; though in this -Julia was, unintentionally, a hypocrite, her seeming stillness of -manner being the result of a conscious depth of enthusiastic feeling, -sedulously concealed by extreme timidity, yet so pre-occupying her -entire nature, that trifles had no power to excite, even in their -due proportion. Her colour, as well as Frances', came and went, but -seldomer, and on greater occasions; and then its rising was more -gradual, as if a silent effort to avoid the exposure of emotion had -delayed, though it could not prevent, the blush. Nay, from the moment -it did dawn on the cheek, it continued heightening, till it arrived -at a painful degree of intensity, and then was as slow in retiring. -Her mouth was perfectly formed, the lips fuller than her sister's, but -only sufficiently so, to give an additional luxuriance to her beauty; -while her smile had a witchery about it, that no man whatever could -behold with entire composure. Her nose was straight, her eyes hazel, -their habitual expression softness; but, when she listened to any -thing that interested her much, they assumed an eagerness of look, so -enthusiastic, so natural, that it was at such moments her character was -best understood. - -At the dinner table, around which we left our party placing themselves, -Edmund happened to be, as we have already noticed, seated facing -Julia and Lord Morven. Thus situated, our ill-starred hero felt a -fatal desire to watch the countenances and movements of his opposite -neighbours. He did so, as closely as politeness would permit. - -Lord Morven, in the course of conversation, observed (aside) to his -companion, that Captain Montgomery was a very handsome fellow; and then -talked (but still in an under tone, to avoid being heard by him who was -the subject of his remarks,) of how gallantly he, the said captain, -had behaved in his professional character; how highly he was esteemed -by Lord Fitz-Ullin, &c. - -A gradually spreading smile lit up every feature of Julia's, as she -listened. - -Edmund, it may be remembered, had long ago said, that he had always -thought Julia's smile the thing in all nature the most beautiful to -look on! He now thought so with more fervour than ever, but with less -pleasure; for he now envied Lord Morven, each of whose supposed soft -whispers seemed to be welcomed by the growing brightness of that smile, -and by the corresponding glow that grew with it on the cheek, where -sparkling dimples momentarily came, and went, and came again. And then, -without distinctly determining why, he suddenly began to think of the -vast disparity of birth, and consequent place in society, between -himself and Julia; while some busy fiends seemed to press on his notice -the exact suitability of Lord Morven's rank and circumstances, in -every particular. - -Julia made some observation to his lordship. - -Edmund's eyes rested on the motions of her lips while she spoke; and -(strange flight of fancy!) he, at this critical moment, called to -mind an ancient family legend, which asserted, that eighteen years -since he had actually kissed those lips--those very lips! Eighteen -years! nay, five years since, could he not himself perfectly remember -having, as a matter of course, on his arrival, kissed little Julia -most affectionately; while those white arms, which now dazzled his -sight across the table, had hung around his neck. He wondered if she -remembered it, and what she thought about it, if she did. He supposed -such a salutation would now be considered very strange--indeed quite -improper, quite impertinent, even had they not met before so large -a company. He wondered too, how little consequence he had attached -to the circumstance at the time, though he had always idolized her -as a child, from the enthusiastic fondness she had always shown for -him. Did any of that feeling still exist? How well he could remember -her insisting on sitting close beside him, with a hand of his in -both of hers, and her full eyes raised to his, to watch his every -look. Unlucky recollections! for, in efforts of the imagination to -identify the Julia so remembered, with the Julia now before him, he -nearly lost his dinner. He rejected and accepted, in the same breath, -whatever was offered him; allowed the plates that had each, for a -limited time, stood before him in due succession, to go away almost -untouched; and when rallied by Lord Arandale on his want of appetite, -and asked whether he had left his heart with some foreign fair one, -or eat luncheon, he replied, that he had made an excellent dinner. -When, however, convicted of having scarcely tasted any thing, by the -united testimony both of Frances and Lady Susan, who had hitherto only -suppressed their laughter, for fear of awaking him from his reverie, he -changed his ground of defence, said he was too much fatigued to eat, -and called for wine and water. - -Mrs. Montgomery feared he was ill. He declared he was perfectly well, -and helped himself largely from a fluted shape of jelly just set down -before him; the elegant form of which he thus cruelly defaced, without -the slightest consideration for all the anxiety it had cost good Mrs. -Smyth. - -On the gentlemen repairing to the drawing-room, Edmund, who entered -the apartment immediately after Lord Morven, saw his lordship go -forward and take up a lover-like position, leaning on the back of -Julia's chair. Frances and Lady Susan were at the pianoforte, singing -a duet. Our hero, who thought that under the circumstances he must not -approach Julia, as, after his so recent return, had else been natural, -possessed himself of a sort of neutral ground between the parties, -where he stood listening to, or intending to listen to, the music. His -attention, however, was much disturbed by observing the confidential -manner of Julia and Lord Morven, and the interest with which they -seemed to converse. He had certainly no intention of becoming a -listener; nor, for some time, did a single word alarm his sense of -honour by reaching his sense of hearing. - -At length, during a diminuendo passage in the singing, he distinctly -heard Lord Morven say, - -"We can spend a couple of years abroad while the building of our new -house is completing." - -And Julia's sweet voice reply, with perfect complacency, - -"That will be rather agreeable than otherwise." - -Edmund's heart beat to such an excess that he could scarcely breathe; -but he resolutely moved to a greater distance: the duet, too, having -just concluded, the final symphony began to thunder away, drowning all -other sounds, so that, for the present, he heard no more. - -When the music had ended, however, Frances sent him (for by that time -he was standing by the pianoforte) to request that Julia would sing. He -went towards her accordingly; but before he could draw her attention, -her head being turned back over her shoulder speaking to Lord Morven, -he was in a manner compelled to hear her say: - -"Remember, the promise I have given is only conditional; my father's -consent, of course, must be obtained, before I can be considered to -have formed an engagement of so serious a nature." - -Edmund, confounded, uncertain whether he ought to retreat or speak -immediately, stammered out her name. She looked round with a sort -of start, and blushed. He hastened to relieve her embarrassment by -delivering his message; but so confused were his own ideas, that he -could scarcely find words in which to make himself understood. When at -length he succeeded in doing so, Julia declined singing: her alleged -reason was, that dancing, she believed, was about to commence. Music, -at the same time, striking up in an adjoining apartment, the company, -in general, directed their steps towards the inspiring sounds. - -"She is going to marry him!" thought Edmund, as he moved unconsciously -in the same direction with those around him. - -He next began to think, would there be any use in asking Julia to -dance, and to fear that, of course, Lord Morven had already done so, -when he heard a stranger behind him say: - -"I suppose Lady Julia L. will commence the dancing with Lord -Borrowdale;" and at the same moment he saw a young man of very -fashionable appearance go towards Julia, and lead her to the head of -the room. He turned towards Frances, whom next to Julia he loved; but, -just as he reached her, she took the arm of Lord Morven, and moved on. -Edmund now gave up all thoughts of dancing, and stood with his arms -folded, watching every movement of Julia's. His thoughts adverted, with -strong emotion, to his boyish days, when he had ever found Lodore House -in quiet seclusion; when his return thither seemed to be considered -as an event; when neither of his little sisters, as he called them -then, seemed to have a thought, a wish, an amusement, or a happiness, -that was not found in his society. But the scene was changed; his -play-fellows were become women, were surrounded by men of their own -rank in life; while the affection, which he had hitherto freely -declared for them, and which he, who had no other friends, still fondly -felt for them, now seemed, even to himself, a sort of presumption. - -The sisters, with their respective partners, stood opposite couples. -Lord Borrowdale took Julia's hand, and, leading her forward, left her -beside Lord Morven, and returned to his place. Lord Morven took her -hand: Edmund thought lords very disagreeable sort of people. Lord -Morven proceeded to lead both sisters forward, then all three fell back -to the position they had left: and Lord Borrowdale, coming forward -alone, figured before them, laughing and talking carelessly; then -joining all hands round, led Julia back to her place, (Edmund thought,) -with an air of triumph that seemed to say, "this is my share;" at the -same time, his lordship, stooping towards her and whispering something, -she looked up and smiled as she replied. Edmund thought Lord Borrowdale -an insolent, conceited-looking puppy. Lord Morven then led Frances -forward, and, while leaving her on the further hand of Lord Borrowdale, -bent across and said something to Julia: she answered with another -smile, and Edmund came to the sage conclusion that exalted rank and -sounding titles were quite indispensable to happiness. - -"While I," he mentally continued, "have not even a name, but a borrowed -one, for the use of which I am indebted to the compassionate kindness -of her grandmother." - -Julia, at this moment, looked towards Edmund, and perceiving that he -seemed grave and was not dancing, she smiled, and made a signal with -her fan for him to approach. He was at her elbow in a moment, his heart -beating, and his hatred to lords considerably diminished. - -"Why are you not dancing, Edmund?" asked Julia. - -"You were engaged," he replied, "and so was Frances; and I, you know, -have been scarcely ashore since I was a boy, and am, therefore, quite a -stranger. But--the next dance--perhaps--you--" - -"Unfortunately," she replied, "I have just promised Lord Morven to -dance with him: and Frances too, I know, is engaged to Lord Borrowdale." - -"The deuce take those lords!" thought Edmund. - -"Unfortunately for me, certainly!" he replied aloud; the smile, with -which Julia's summons had lit up his features, fading quite away. - -"But Lady Susan," continued Julia, "perhaps she is not engaged: or, if -she is, grandmamma, I am sure, can get you a partner." - -"You, then, are engaged for the whole evening, I suppose?" said Edmund. - -"Oh, no! only for the next set." - -"Then, will you dance the one after with me?" - -"Certainly! and Frances the one after that. But I am so sorry," she -added, "that you have not been dancing all the time." - -At this instant, Lord Borrowdale snatched up her hand, as the music -indicated the moment, and led her forward again to perform some new -evolution of the dance. When the music ceased, Julia said something -to Lady Susan: and, on receiving her reply and smile, looked towards -Edmund, and telegraphed the smile with the yes it implied. Our hero was -accustomed in his own profession to understanding and obeying signals; -he, therefore, stepped forward, requested the honour of Lady Susan's -hand for the next set, and received a ready assent. - -The music now commenced a waltz tune, and Lord Morven immediately began -to wheel himself round and round, and holding up his arms in a circular -position, to approach Julia. - -"Just one round of the room!" he cried; "pray do!" - -Edmund's heart stopped beating to await her reply, while one foot was -unconsciously advanced at the moment, as if to avert the apprehended -catastrophe. Julia laughed at the many entreating attitudes Lord -Morven thought fit to assume, but shook her head, and answered, "No! -no!" on which his lordship seized his sister, Lady Susan, in his arms, -and whirled her round and round the room. - -"It would, I fear," said Lord Borrowdale, addressing our heroine, with -affected humility, "be too great presumption in me, after Morven's -discomfiture, to think of changing your ladyship's determination?" -Julia declined. "Morven," proceeded his lordship, "certainly has -no right to esteem himself quite irresistible, notwithstanding the -present favourable juncture of his stars. In a day or two, at farthest, -this gay monopolizer of all that is brightest and loveliest, must, I -understand, withdraw from Cupid's lists, and confess himself a mere -married man!" - -Edmund, though he heard not a word of what Frances was very kindly -saying to him about not having danced, yet heard every word of Lord -Borrowdale's speech. All the blood in his system seemed to rush to his -face, it suffused even his forehead, and mounted to the very roots of -his hair. "In a day or two! In a day or two!" he repeated to himself. -"So public, so ascertained a thing, that other men think themselves -at liberty to speak to her on the subject in this free and careless -manner!" - -Lady Susan, whirling over at the moment, almost fell against Edmund's -arm, on which, laughing at the reeling of her head, she rested a finger -to steady herself. Her ladyship was all fair, all soft, and without -much form; but, being young, she was by no means forbidding; and her -countenance exhibited such a ceaseless sunshine of smiles, and was so -much adorned by the undulating movement of its dimples, now deepening, -now spreading on rosy cheeks, or playing around ruby lips, that the -beholder had no leisure to observe its dumpling contour, or criticise -its want of feature. - -"How fond my brother is of being a beau!" observed Lady Susan to her -partner, as Julia and Lord Morven took their places opposite. - -"His lordship must resign that character shortly, I understand," said -Edmund, with effort. - -"In a day or two, I suppose," replied her ladyship. "You have observed, -I dare say, what an admirer he is of his cousin, Lady Julia?" - -"It is very apparent, certainly," replied Edmund. - -"There!" exclaimed her ladyship, "so I tell him! I don't know what his -wife will say to all this, when she comes!" - -"His wife!" exclaimed Edmund, unable to trust his ears. - -"She has no right to complain, to be sure!" continued Lady Susan, "for -she is an unconscionable flirt herself!" - -"His wife!" again reiterated Edmund. - -"Yes, his wife," she repeated. - -"So, then, Lord Morven is a married man!" said Edmund. - -"Is there any thing so very astonishing in that?" demanded her ladyship. - -"No--oh no," he stammered out. - -"Lady Morven is expected here in a few days,--that is, if she does not -disappoint, as usual," continued Lady Susan. - -"In a few days!" repeated Edmund. - -"Did you then think my brother so very disagreeable, or ugly, or what, -that he could not get a wife?" she asked, laughing. - -"Ugly! disagreeable!" repeated Edmund, glancing a complacent look at -Lord Morven, (for his own good-humour was fast returning,) "quite the -contrary; your brother is extremely handsome!" and he might have added, -"so is your ladyship," had he spoken all he thought: for Lady Susan's -smiling countenance, just then, appeared the most charming in the -world, Julia's only excepted, at which, from an involuntary impulse, he -at the instant stole a glance. He met her eyes--she smiled--a kind of -intoxication came over his spirits--he danced as if on air, and talked -an immensity. His partner thought him quite fascinating. When the dance -was over, Frances and several other ladies congratulated Lady Susan, -with much laughing, on her sudden conquest, telling her she had already -made quite another being of Captain Montgomery! Frances said she should -resign any claims she might have on the score of old acquaintanceship, -for she thought Edmund quite spoiled, he was grown so affected. - -He, for his part, had flown to avail himself of Julia's promise. He -had forgotten disparity of rank, want of fortune, mystery of birth, -everything, but that she was not going to be married to Lord Morven! He -could now feel only, that he was near to, dancing with, looking upon a -being altogether captivating; and experiencing, in so doing, a delight -he had never known before; while blending itself with, and lending an -additional interest to, the natural admiration of personal loveliness, -there was, as he gazed, an unexamined, yet endearing consciousness, -that this was indeed the self-same being, not only whom he had all -his life tenderly loved, but, still more, who had always shown the -strongest, the most enthusiastic affection for him. It was as a child, -certainly--but it was delightful to remember it! And as she sat at the -supper-table, trying with now downcast, now averted eyes, to laugh off -the blushes which Edmund's extravagant compliments on her growth and -improvement had called up; and that he, turning towards her, his arm -leaning on the table before her, forgetting all present but herself, -the moments flew in a delirium of absolute happiness, till all but the -thus engrossed couple having risen from their seats, they too were -reminded that it was time to move: and the gay scene closed for the -night. - - - - -CHAPTER XXXIV. - - "The bright vision lasted not." - - -When Edmund retired to rest, all his ideas were in such a state of -confusion, that sleep was absolutely out of the question. He found -it equally impossible to arrange his thoughts. All came and went in -a constant whirl, over which he seemed to have no controul. Yet, -at first, all were blissful: fond recollections again and again -presented themselves, of the endearing attachment which Julia had in -childhood evinced for him; and these again and again blended themselves -with intoxicating visions of her present loveliness, and while the -tenderness he had ever cherished for her, was all at once converted -into an overwhelming passion; so entirely was every reasoning faculty -subdued, that with no better foundation than these same recollections, -a delightful feeling, almost approaching a sense of mutual affection, -glowed at his heart, and unconsciously strengthened his own infatuation. - -When it so happens, that the same object which has engrossed the -tenderest affections of the child; and which, if we may be allowed the -expression, is, as it were, at home in the heart, associated with all -its best, its purest feelings, becomes also the first object to awaken -passion, the feeling, so produced, is as rare as the combination of -circumstances out of which it arises. This is _First Love_, indeed, -with all its own luxuriance of blossom, yet as deep-rooted as the ties -of kindred: how unlike the surface-sown plant, _Love at First Sight_. - -As, however, the delightful sensations derived from seeing and speaking -to Julia, from receiving her smiles, and listening to the sweet accents -of her voice; as these, we say, began to subside, other, and less -pleasing thoughts, like spectres, arose and crossed his imagination: -at first singly, and at a great distance, and causing only momentary -panics; afterwards, nearer and nearer; till, at length, they collected -around him, closed in upon him, awoke him from his dream of unfounded, -unjustifiable happiness, and compelled him to look on the realities of -his situation. - -"Though," said he to himself, "she is not to be, thank heaven!--cannot -be married to Lord Morven, I am not the less altogether unworthy of -her! It would not be the less of presumption, the less of ingratitude, -the less of baseness in me, to indulge for a moment in such a thought. -Though Lord Morven happens to be a married man, it is to some one of -rank and fortune equal to his, that Lord L. will think of uniting his -daughter. That Lord Borrowdale!--he is not married, and it was with -him she danced the first set--and they are neighbours too. But of what -avail is it for me to torture myself with conjectures?--it is enough -for me, that she can never, never--no, never be----" He paused--then -recommenced--"I must fly her presence! I must return to the wild waves -which have long been my home, and make them my home still! There I have -earned a sort of claim; elsewhere I have none! On no one spot of earth -can the wretched Edmund place the wanderer's foot, and say, 'This is my -native soil!'--and for a name----!" Here the painful thought pressed -upon him, that he had no actual right to any. He then remembered, -with a sigh, the many useless efforts which had been made to discover -his birth. Then a burning blush tingled on his cheek, as the sudden -thought struck him, and for the first time, that he might possibly be -the child of shame, and that therefore it was that no one would claim -him. He strove to shake off the idea; then, as if to drown an intruding -voice, which seemed to whisper that the suggestion was probable, he -thus continued:--"Wrapped in mystery, as every thing concerning me is, -I must, all my life, remain an isolated, a miserable being! A home -of joy--sweet domestic affections--all, in short, that renders life -desirable, is forbidden to me! Under what name dare I present myself -before heaven's holy altar? What appellation dare I offer to that woman -who would share my fortunes?" - -Engaged in reflections such as these, every delightful vision -vanished, the tumultuous beatings of each pulse subsided; and, under -the sobering, yet soporific influence of sadness, he at length -fell asleep--a long and tremulous sigh, as his eye-lids closed, -breaking, for the last time, the regulated breathing which nature was -endeavouring to establish. His dreams, however, by an extraordinary -contradiction, took their colour from his first feelings. Julia seemed -to be before him; to smile sweetly upon him; to raise her full eyes to -his. Their expression carried absolute conviction to his heart that he -was beloved: the impression was irresistible: he thought he declared -his own mad passion; he thought he saw her covered with blushes indeed, -but there was no reproof in her manner, and all his own scruples, -too, had somehow vanished! He thought he held her soft hand; (for he -remembered, particularly when he awoke, how soft it had felt;) she did -not withdraw it; nay, it seemed to return the pressure of his! Then -he thought, with all the strange and sudden inconsistency of dreams, -that he had actually been married to Julia for some time, though he -could not remember how or where the ceremony had taken place; yet he -saw her so distinctly that he was sure he was awake. Her appearance -was what it had been the evening before at the supper table; but her -manners, what they had used to be in childhood: the same endearing, -enthusiastic, unreserved affection; manifesting itself, with all the -happy confidence of mutual and habitual fondness. - -But the feelings such visions excited were not calm enough for -undisturbed repose: he heard the beating of his own heart, through his -sleep; he began to fear he was dreaming; he tried not to awake--but -it would not do: his eyes opened; he saw the sun shining through his -window-curtains; he started upright in his bed. A tide of contradictory -recollections poured in upon him; but, alas! where were those so full -of bliss?--They were in his dream!--they were not to be recalled; -yet, while he could contrive to discourage all thought, a vaguely -pleasing impression remained, as though something very delightful -had lately happened! He dressed mechanically; when, crossing his -apartment to step forth by a glass door, which opened on the lawn, -he caught a glimpse of Julia, turning into one of the walks of the -shrubbery. His heart began again to beat audibly, as it had done in -his dream; he stumbled against his valet, who stood offering him his -hat, and, going out without it, flew across the green to join her. -She, too, had had her reflections: she had reproached herself for -having treated Edmund quite like a stranger. "And without any fault -of his," said she to herself--for Julia was a great respecter of -justice, and, on the present occasion, fancied herself guided entirely -by its dictates. There was not one hour of her whole existence, (that -she could remember,) when Edmund had not shared with Frances her -sisterly affection; and he had not done any thing wrong, she argued -with herself--any thing unkind, any thing to forfeit any one's regard; -then would it not be very wrong, very unjust of her, if she did not -still love--that is to say, still consider him as her brother. Had -not grandmamma and Mr. Jackson always loved him as much as if he was -really so; and, of course, they did so still, and so ought Frances and -herself. - -Had she been aware how very complimentary to Edmund were the causes -which had unconsciously operated upon her manner, in producing the -unusual restraint of which she was so painfully conscious, she would -have acquitted herself of unkindness to an old friend, and want of -generous feeling towards the friendless; for we can venture to assert, -upon our own knowledge of her warm-hearted character, that had Edmund -not been tall or handsome; had his figure and carriage had no air, no -look of consequence, no dignity, no grace; had there been no expression -in his eyes, particularly when he looked at her; no glow on his -cheek, especially when he spoke to her; nothing at all dangerous in -his smile, or persuasive in the tones of his voice, particularly when -he spoke to her; had she never heard his gallant actions and high -character extolled; had she never known Mr. Jackson, as he laid down -the newspaper, exclaim, "There is true nobility for you! Pray what is -it that you titled people inherit from your ancestors, but the distant -reflection of some great exploit performed by some one of them, for -which he was ennobled! Then, is not that man, in whom the splendour -of noble deeds is self-existent, in whom it shines independent of -reflection, greater than any of you? And yet," would he add, with that -glaring inconsistency of which the wisest of us are often guilty, "I -have not a doubt that my Edmund, my boy, will yet prove the descendant -of a line of ancestry as exalted as his own merits, and I need say -no more!" Had nothing, we say, of all this been the case; on the -contrary, had all this been reversed--had Edmund been, as indeed he -might have been, and yet have been a very worthy personage, a little, -insignificant-looking, diminutive-faced, bandy-legged fellow, with -a grey freckled skin, light red hair, and green-gooseberry eyes, who -had never done any thing remarkable in his life, of whom nobody spoke, -whose entrance into a room created no sensation,--in this case, we -maintain that Julia would have felt, forcibly, his situation as the -protegé of her family; that she would have dreaded the thoughts of his -feeling himself little among so many great people; and that, therefore, -she would have shown him, particularly on his return home, the most -marked attention, and bestowed, too, with the utmost frankness. - -This morning, however, she had not yet seen him, to remind her of the -tall and awful hero he now appeared in her eyes; and she had been -studiously bringing to her recollection what he had been, when Frances -and herself used to vie with each other in declarations of how much -they loved him, and ask him, again and again, which he loved best; and -she well remembered (but, of course, as the nonsense of children) -that he used to tell her, when Frances would get tired of the subject, -and run away to play, that it was her he loved best; that she was his -favourite, his darling Julia! &c. &c. - -Finally, she came to the valiant resolve, to shake off the artificial -manner, made up of too much, perhaps sometimes, and, certainly, often -too little courtesy, which she felt she had had a part, at least, of -yesterday, and to be, what she had ever been, towards one, who had no -friends but those at Lodore House. "I don't mean," said she to herself, -"flying into his arms at meetings and partings, as I used to do, when I -was a foolish child;" and here she blushed, and felt astounded, at the -recollection; "but I mean to show him frank and unaffected kindness, -always the same." - -As she arrived at this sage conclusion, Edmund stood before her, -looking not the worse for the want of his hat, the careless -arrangement the breeze had thought fit to make of his hair, and the -heightened colour caused by running; to say nothing of a certain -beaming light, which thoughts, that lovers' lips dare not confess, -sometimes shed through lovers' eyes. In short, his dream had given -a most dangerous, delighted, bridegroom-like expression to his -countenance! - -On first seeing him Julia blushed, as though, in her late conference -with herself, she had been speaking, instead of only thinking, and -might have been overheard. In pursuance, however, of her resolve, she -extended towards him the open palm of welcome, as she bade him good -morning. - -When he felt her hand within his, soft as it had been in his dream; -when he saw her cheek glowing, and in her eyes, as she lifted them to -his, beheld the blended expression of kindness and timidity, called up -by the yet unsubdued current of such reflexions as had just passed -through her mind; he could not help thinking how like she, at that -moment, looked, to what she had appeared in the too delightful vision, -from which he had so lately and so unwillingly awakened. - -He was so much absorbed by this idea, that his eyes dwelt on her face, -till hers were bent on the ground: her blush, too, deepened. She wished -to speak, but felt there was something in his manner, which made it -impossible for her to keep her resolution of behaving with perfect -ease; both remained silent, and she withdrew her hand. - -Edmund, who had continued gazing, till aroused by this movement, now -felt that some apology was necessary. He stammered out one about -her being so much grown, and about trying to trace, in her present -appearance, the little favourite of his boyish days. "After the first -surprise is over," he added, encouraged by a gentle look, and playfully -lowering his tone, and smiling, as he drew her hand over his arm, and -walked slowly on, his head turned towards his companion--"after the -first surprise is over, of finding her, whom I can remember carrying -about in my arms through these very woods, become,--while I was so busy -ploughing the wide ocean, that I observed not the lapse of time,--a -full-grown, fashionable, awe-inspiring woman!--when this surprise is -over, I say, you will find that I shall learn to behave myself with all -due propriety, and not stare grownup young ladies out of countenance, -as if they were still children." - -Julia, remembering her resolution, seized this opening, and said, "I -hope, Edmund, I shall never prove so much the woman of fashion, as to -be capricious or unsisterly, in my manners or conduct. Perhaps you -think I have been so?" - -"You quite mistake my meaning, Julia," said Edmund. - -"But,"--she continued, hesitating, "I trust you will find that the -regard which Frances and I have felt for you, from our earliest -childhood, will prove, through life, an unshaken friendship!" - -This was valiantly said of Julia; and the speech took all the breath, -of which she was mistress, to bring it to so handsome a conclusion. - -"If your friendship," he replied, with sudden depression of manner, -"and that of your family were withdrawn, what would be left to the -desolate Edmund!" A short silence ensued. "Promise me, Julia," he -recommenced, taking again the hand that leaned on his arm, and -trembling as he reflected that he might yet lose all share in her -regard, if his rash passion should ever be discovered; "promise me, -that you never will, under any circumstances, withdraw your friendship -from me." - -Julia, after hesitating a little, said--"I may, I think, make that -promise, Edmund, for I am sure you never will deserve to lose it, -and--even--" She stopped as if uncertain whether or not she ought to -proceed. - -"Do not check that kind sentence, Julia!" he exclaimed, in a tone of -entreaty. "You were going to say, that you would still regard and pity -the unfortunate Edmund, even if he were in fault, and condemned by -strangers!" - -"Well, I am sure I would, Edmund," she replied, after a moment's pause; -"and so would Frances, and so would grandmamma," she added, eagerly, as -Edmund pressed the hand which leaned on his arm against his heart, to -express his gratitude. - -At this moment, Henry, who had been sent to call them in to breakfast, -came up. He curled his lip as he observed Edmund let go the hand of -Julia, and all three walked towards the house in silence. - -"That won't do, Captain Montgomery," whispered Henry, as they entered, -affecting a laugh. - -Edmund reddened, and turning on him with a frown, said, "I request, -sir, that you will spare yourself the trouble of thinking for me." - -Julia was a few steps in advance. - -"On the quarter-deck, sir," said Henry, with mock deference, "I bow to -your opinions; but here, I too must request the liberty of thinking for -myself, as well as feeling solicitude for a lady, towards whom I stand -somewhat, though not absolutely, I am happy to say, in the situation of -a brother, being one of her nearest male relatives." - -"Sir!" said Edmund, "till I request your confidence on the subject -of your solicitudes, I beg I may not be troubled with the recital of -them." - -This short scene passed while the various morning salutations -which Julia's appearance had called forth were going round the -breakfast-table, and, consequently, entirely escaped her notice. Lord -Borrowdale, starting up, on her first entrance, had given her his seat, -and found, or rather made room for himself beside her. - -Lady Susan, whom Frances had laughed into a belief that she had -achieved a first-sight conquest of Captain Montgomery, now made room -for Edmund near herself, and all the time of breakfast, simpered, -dimpled, laughed, and talked to him, while he thought only of how -he could, with most propriety, resent the insolence of Henry. Lord -Borrowdale composed and delivered elaborate compliments to Julia on -the roses she had collected during her morning ramble, directing, from -time to time, rather inquisitive, and not very well-satisfied glances, -towards the much too handsome companion of her walk. Lord Morven -mentioned to Mrs. Montgomery how much he wished Julia and Frances to -accompany Lady Morven and himself in the Italian trip they proposed -making, while their new house was finishing; and added, that Julia had -half-promised him, in case Lord L. gave his consent. Mrs. Montgomery -shook her head, and Edmund almost smiled to think how much unnecessary -misery this subject had caused him only the evening before. - -The smile, however, was but languid, for of what avail was it that -this source of uneasiness was removed; was not Lord Borrowdale's -admiration declared? and was it not probable that he would be approved -of by all her friends? Or, if Lord Borrowdale were not in existence, -he himself, at least, had no pretentions--worse than none! he was -peculiarly bound by honour, gratitude, every good feeling, not even to -stand the competition, had he the egregious vanity to hope that such -treachery could avail him. Henry's interference, indeed, he despised -as much as he resented; and had he been capable of doing wrong, from -a feeling of false pride, he would, from that moment, have paid Julia -pointed attention; but his own sense of right was too strong to permit -such a line of conduct. The impulse, indeed, was felt, but instantly -rejected; for now that reason, which his dream for a time had banished, -was restored, by seeing Julia join the circle of the proud, the gay, -the titled, (which was surely her natural sphere,) honour and duty -predominated even over passion. He still, however, resented the liberty -Henry had taken, and immediately after breakfast sought an interview -with him, which ended in that gentleman finding himself compelled to -make an ample apology, though with a very bad grace. - - -END OF VOL. I. - - - - -LONDON: - -IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. Inconsistent - spelling and hyphenation in the original document have been - preserved. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's First Love Vol. 1 of 3, by Margracia Loudon - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - -***** This file should be named 44018-8.txt or 44018-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/0/1/44018/ - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert Müller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: First Love Vol. 1 of 3 - -Author: Margracia Loudon - -Release Date: October 23, 2013 [EBook #44018] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - - - - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert Müller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44018 ***</div> <h1>FIRST LOVE.<br /> <span class="smaller">A NOVEL</span><br /> @@ -747,7 +708,7 @@ asked Frances eagerly.</p> thing out of doors again, while it wants a shelter.” Frances was delighted; caught up both her mother’s hands and kissed them, -and then the forehead of her protegé: nor did +and then the forehead of her protegé: nor did she leave him till he dropped asleep in a comfortable bed, with her hand in his to give him confidence.</p> @@ -1686,7 +1647,7 @@ might be just peeped at through one of these; musical instruments, freed from their cases, appeared through others, and through more might be discerned, sofas, book-stands, -work-tables, Turkey carpets, reposé chairs, Italian +work-tables, Turkey carpets, reposé chairs, Italian vases, bronze lamps, cut-glass lustres, hothouse plants, French beds, swing mirrors, &c.: while the intervention of silk and muslin dra<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span>peries, @@ -8116,7 +8077,7 @@ thing remarkable in his life, of whom nobody spoke, whose entrance into a room created no sensation,—in this case, we maintain that Julia would have felt, forcibly, his situation as the -protegé of her family; that she would have +protegé of her family; that she would have dreaded the thoughts of his feeling himself little among so many great people; and that, therefore, she would have shown him, particularly @@ -8381,386 +8342,6 @@ in the original document have been preserved. </p> </div> - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's First Love Vol. 1 of 3, by Margracia Loudon - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST LOVE VOL. 1 OF 3 *** - -***** This file should be named 44018-h.htm or 44018-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/0/1/44018/ - -Produced by Heather Clark, Norbert Müller and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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