some time revolving in my mind the passages of the day, and had just begun to sink into the arms of sleep, when I was suddenly awakened by the loud cracking of the floor of my apartment; not here and there, but board after board in rotation, just as they had been heard to do when my step passed over them in crossing the room. * I sat up in bed and listened for the fall of a foot, but all had relapsed again into an oppressive silence; I ventured to say, "who's there?" but met with no reply; and again buried my eyes, head, and ears, in the depth of my pillow, where all sense of recollection soon after left me, and I slept as soundly as was my wont in my own little room at Aust. * On change of weather, the old oak floors crack in the most extraordinary and startling manner, generally at intervals, but sometimes board by board, as you would strike a chord on the harp.-ED. CHAPTER IV. "Whereas your Oxford books but only rules do give, "And let this noble family be assured, that their own true history in their own meridian, erected upon the frame of example and caution, will be more forcible than a thousand fictions, spending their readings upon impossibilities and viewes of castles in the aire."-Smith's MSS. apud Castro de Berkeley. AT a very early hour in the morning I was awakened by the well-known voice of my father, and, sitting up in bed and rubbing my eyes, could scarcely reconcile his familiar appearance with the strange objects that otherwise pressed themselves on my attention. Was I only recovering from some nocturnal delusion, or was I, in fact, a guest at the castle? A moment's pause brought me to my senses, and by the time that my father had seated himself on the edge of my bed, my self-possession returned. He now informed me that, early as it was, he had seen Isabel, and found her nerves were so much shaken, and the bruises she had received so much more severe than was at first supposed, that her immediate removal was absolutely forbidden by the attending leech, and loudly protested against by Mistress Shipward; therefore she was to remain, as well as myself, for some days at the castle. Further he informed me, that he was obliged to set off for London immediately, on urgent business of Lord Berkeley's; when, as the hour was so early, Sir Maurice had kindly undertaken to present all assurances of duty and respect to the peer, and arrange any other matters. Wishing me Wishing me good bye, with many cautions to mind how I conducted myself, he then withdrew, and again left me to the silence of my chamber. Here, then, was a delightful situation; all that I had ever desired seemed about to be realized, and I looked upon myself as attached to serve under the very banner I could hear rattling its cordage in the morning breeze, and flapping a sort of accompaniement to the merry the notes of the starlings which were perched upon battlements. My heart grew much too light to let me lie in bed any longer, and, dressing myself in haste, I hurried down to the court-yard, where all was bustle and gaiety. On one side were numbers of men, leading forth or dressing their horses; on the other, several were busied with dogs of different kinds, and I was nearly thrown down by two or three large grey-hounds, who came racing past me in delight at being freed from their kennel, gambolling beneath the observant eye of their superintendent, who was selecting those which he might report as fit for work, should their services be required in the field. Forcing his way with great pomp through the throng of retainers who were thus emplowed, or otherwise cleaning their arms and armour, I then also perceived old Master Walter Wingfield, the chief falconer, in a richly-laced dress; and bearing on a frame, slung from his shoulders, a cast of hawks, whose training had not yet been completed; at that hour, the castle-courts and environs seemed to me one confused preparation for the chase or war. After amusing myself in this species of observation for some time, I found my way to the great hall, and there breakfasted on a most sufficient venison pasty, washed down with an excellent draught of ale, which I found placed upon the dais, to meet the appetite of any honoured guest, however early thus commenced the first day of the long series of years, during which it was my fate to be in close connexion with this family. : I had hardly finished my breakfast, when Sir Maurice and his younger brother, with Sir John Guise and Master Kingscote, made their appearance; as the two latter were bound, the one for Gloucester, and the other for the hills, it was resolved that a hawking-party should be made for the open grounds in the neighbourhood of Slimbridge; so that they might have some diversion on their road, without taking even Master Kingscote any considerable distance out of his way. Having obtained the sanction of our host, we soon |