should, at all events, be delivered from his hateful presence for some days at least; and I only prayed that accident might prolong the period of his stay from our neighbourhood for the natural run of his detested existence. Thus, when my mother wished me good night, I was certainly more consoled, and I listened to her receding steps till they reached the door of Isabel's apartment, which she entered, affectionately bent on a visit of like consolation; and, in spite of the events of the evening, fatigued alike in mind and body, I soon fell into a profound sleep.

The first sensation that stirred me in the morning, was one of painful recollection of the events of the preceding evening, and the soreness of my back and elbows reminded me of the bitterness of my fall. The next was a feeling of pleasure as the

thought occurred, that, at the worst, we still had a respite for some days; and, during that time, might resolve upon a plan for our future guidance in escaping the hateful and immediate doom which Master Mead seemed bent on fixing upon his daughter.

1

R

I arose with a lighter heart than I had any right to expect, and flinging my casement open, let in the balmy breath of morning, while, at the same time, a flood of golden light fell upon the floor from the unclouded beams of the newly-arisen sun. Every thing looked joyful-numberless swallows were basking in the morning beams on the eaves of the house, or chasing each other round it, with their sharp lively cry, answered by the martin as she chattered from her nest beneath; or by the squeaking of the swifts as they darted through the archway of the stables: while a large flock of rooks had assembled on some high elms near the ruins of the chapel, rejoicing and cawing over the thickly clustered nests, which had so lately given shelter to their now full-grown and emancipated young.

I felt the influence of the sunny prospect thus breaking on my view. At that age, the mind is ever apt to take its tone from surrounding objects, and I have fancied since, when time had rendered me less susceptible of outward impressions, that my spirits have either risen or fallen according to the existing state of the atmosphere. Be this as it may,

that morning, at least, they rose to even an un-
bounded excess,-
-so much so, that a Scotchman
would have said that I had been fay, or, on the
eve of death; perhaps the sudden transition from
gloom to gladness made me feel their rise the more,
and I could not help singing during the whole
time it took me to dress.

My toilet being completed, I left my room, and descended the stairs, three steps at a time, nearly upsetting Annette, whom I found opening the front door." Master Herbert, how rude you are!" was the objurgation I received for my clumsiness; to punish her, therefore, and in the height and exuberance of my spirits, I seized the pretty girl to give her a kiss, and as she was endeavouring to avoid me, with the words, " Master Herbert, I'll not allow it," who should come down stairs, in the very nick of time, but my mother. My offended parent began to apostrophize the misdeed with the monosyllable "oh!" but, tarrying to hear no more, I fled from the scene of my delinquency, and speedily found myself at the further end of the garden; determin

ing, in my own mind, that I would give my mother's nerves time to resume their wonted equilibrium before I ventured to return to breakfast. Passing on to the stables to look at Isabel's mare and my own galloway, I heard the voice of Ingram Watts chanting at the top of his lungs, one of the old ditties with which, as well as proverbs, he was so well stored.

"Lord Berkeley built a hall,
Puffen paste was the wall,
Black-pudding was the pin,

Let me come in, and I will come in.

A cowl, a cowl, a monkey's hood,

Give me a cup of strong ale for that is good;

If you give me a cup of small,

I'll dash the cup against the wall,

But if you give me a cup of the best,

I'll pray your soul may go to rest.”

"Well done, Ingram, thou art merry this morning, how fare the horses ?"

66

They be pretty tolerable, thank ye, zir, but Bessy be getting above herself, 'd'rabbet her, if she an't full of wonderment. I do wish as my young missus would take her a nation long ride, or we must find summat stronger nor a stall to hold her."

In truth we had neglected this exercise for some time, and it now struck me that we might make it the means of obtaining for us many opportunities of private consultation. Highly pleased with this idea, I forgot all passages with Annette, as well as my mother's justly aroused indignation; and hastening back to the house, entered the breakfast parlour, where the family were assembled My mother shook her head at me the moment I appeared, but said nothing; while my father tried to stifle a smile by applying his lips to a good jug of spiced ale, but failed, which procured for him the same mark of disapprobation; otherwise the meal passed off as usual.

At its conclusion, I proposed to Isabel a ride, and told her, in the hearing of my parents, that Ingram said it would do her mare good to take her a long journey; and the consent of the higher powers being obtained, we resolved to set off early, so as to have the day before us. The horses having arrived at the door, under many cautions. from my mother to be careful, we took our de