.j 32 V'af;M2,oA7roi
a
,I 2 EV°
00
To
OF THE
THOUSA;SD sovEcps Or THE
SUSI.p./lAYSNA.
TIT c RLSB 8011A.3.
;idn'ausCowper sing his Ouse . ._
Aligns his flowery. winding Apr, • ,
,tt;,oantain stream,., my humble muse
poet- 7 thou its care • •
tho' m! strain may fleet away ;
I t tads upon the passing tide, t.
!ink unnoticed irr that sea, ,
,e r e nobler songs alone may ride; -
grains will flow rejoicingly—
Lethean power con smother thee. •
winter; but hts icy chain E
:tioserw;t l from the rock; the tree, -
!gh s horn' , in smiles revives again.
d spreads its arms imploringly,—_
ms that summer has looked down ,
.ou the earth, to see if all
t had 'scaped the reckless frown •
Winter. and destroying Fall;
, Wyalusing, bourtdest gay„.
lting in the joyous day. ,
crusts that lately marred thy course
e sin ppm the human.soul,
touched by heaven's effective force, _
't, and thou merest to t by goal,—
with the joy the freed soul knows,
:as from thy glittering chains dost bound,
gladly as thy flows, •
:it life and hope on all around—
hm thy breast. a holy prayer
cpon the balmy air.
o'er yon hills in " sylvan war,"
chopper's echoing axe I hear,
mall saw mill front Dear, _
..sing plays upon my ear
lo.jay chirps upon the tree, '
there the agile squirrel leaps,
dimming proud, the "grey goose" see,
ablitig and diving in thy deeps,—
there's life ! tho' summer's gone ;
.stream we'are not quite alone.
. .
' bark!—the hunter and his bounds— .
stirs yon thicket?—'tis a-fawn :
k i s in thy *dividing bounds,
!aces, fear driven leaves the lawn, .
slid! , seeks in yon beech shade-=
e reent/is lost—the h'untriten:rave,.
are they shall, e'er bard shall aid
guide them. Noble creek, to save,
• maalerous sport and tyrant, blow,
aouldst have all as free as thou.
gfory wreathes the taountairt ridge;
ifis tireless traveller sinks behind—
' upon a rustic bridge;
gaze below with pensive mind . ;
en-gilt clouds clear on thy bed
ected from their heaveidy 'dome,
distant objects near me spread,
me of my distant home;
fancy, of affection born, •
dorms the clouds to those I motet.
my heart is as thy stream, '
tfierals those clouds reflecting there
ith, while bound to thy bed they ° Seem,
I well over thee in midnight air,'
• 13111 TOT of thy bosom, bright
•ekeioniPdges the glowing gaze,
dad s bent o'er one as tile light
.nd dark clouds o'er thy glassy face
' looks more beauteous on me come, :
led. kora that heaven---home.
cream ! thy source is tmong the hills
mountains, clasping rocl: and tree,. •
feet deer roves, and wild bird-fills
calwart sides with nature's glee : •
s thou boupdest by my sidlv
•
th eagle speed and majesty,
Proud stream, thou didst imbibe
. spirit song r of liberty • ' [roam;
• aumg those heights. where thou 'didst
fre edom's cradle,and her home.
. 32 1 forever tlowthy tides !
smdes are cheering herb and tree ;
?Yin grass upon thy sides -
a iu
•
bowed head and blesses thee,—
be thy course! the ocean wide •
chsrms7--there spread, dlffuse
g?int sad thy mountain pride, '
distant lands where slavery sues •
• chains, and bid him drink
*ears free, and rt,ve l ettch
of the mountains, fare thee Well
dams sue fr , ;in'thy,,acene ; •
l';aZ, ere spring's enchanting spell,
' h thee thy glorions . garfa . of green, -
hips, hills, by other streams, • - I ,
I w andering (get With grief may preaal
e ßill:iurn% our thought's• bright beams,
43 te thy blootriing loveliness ; • '
throtigh . life, twin streams shall share,
e will make sweet music there.
ft .
Shoolioi, Eitraordinarif
P ‘ l," cried Al, with joyful look,
~.° 'try Mu fat ducks my dear.
'Pea lad said, " yOu have no right
4° 9. dusk but me while here."
WM
The.Battrofy.the Fot,'4'..
, 4
" Wherefore' this halt, ~„ Diekro ?" said
,
Don Matthias de Castro, thru- ting : his - 1
head frem_the window of a me, ill
contrived leathern - vehicle, t e hind
most of three aiinilarly constru ted con
veyances, which attended by' couple
of dozen horsemen; armed to tie teeth,
had just: at that ~incrinent • come to ; a
stand still - in a mountain pas of the
Pyrenees. Wherefore hid g here,
.and be—to them; Diego ?" _ ried the
irascible Hidalgo. • ~ Rideto -r toe front,
sirrah, and order the headmost carriage
to push forward as quickly as possible.
We're in the
the
'part of- his ugly
road ; and the Seven and forty, "as thou
i l
well knowest, infest the neighborhood.
Spur on, sir. This len° place to be
caught napping in." -
I
4. will so," said theattendant, spur
ring and lashingis horse amongst the
press ; for the ro cl being sandy, with
high rocks cin eilier .hand, the horse
man And vehicles, from, the a xiety of
the rear to get vehicles,
becorne
d
somewhat confused and jam ed toge
,
ther.—Out of the way ther I" cried
Diego, clearthe road, and let me to the
, front meal- , Get on there cant you-?
What hinders us,? Forward, I say !
The general's angry at this all."
The beautiful Elvira de , lendoza,
leaning lltck in the vehicle "n which
she was'seated beside her gu rdian, the
,beforesaid DoniMatthias de astrci, hid
her peerless features' in her handsras
the vivid flashes, of the forkea lightning
darted through the front, windows of
1 the vehicle they - weit passengers in,
and displayed-the rocks, precipices and
hanging woods they were urrounded l
by, brightlras though ', for th nioment,
s
a hundred flambeaux bad suddenly
flashed through the, forest seene.
" Get on, sirsk" roaredtth incensed
noble, once more thrusting hi impatient
;
head froitithe Window. D , sir!
move'on ! Drive over thoSe men in
front, , coachman, if they do n % choose
to move out of the way ! Fire and fu
ry ! why don't you mov4 on, you
scoundrels ?"
"May it please• your lord
the serving-man, - Diego, trot
where he - was now jammed
the press; .. we can't.stir a
front. The pass is _tchoked,
the narrowest part; a largel
'broken-down carts and tura
fore u&ind the men are disk
remove the- obstruction.
too, 'is so - dark, Seignior, t at, but for
the lightning, we shout , not have
found out what opposed out progress:"
~L et . them not dismount !" roared
Don Mathias. "Bid thetiti stand to
their arms: we phall be attacked here.
I thought how it would be l Here let
me out this instant !"
So saying, the Hidalgo seized a pis ,
10 from'his waist-belt, kicked open the
door of the carriage, jumped into the
road, and, plucking forth his toledo,
made for the tiont,of the cavalcade.,
", Halloo there !.!! roared voice loud
er than the thunder-clap,-- alVm there !
Who dares remove our b ggage, and
disturb our bivouac? Shoo them, Mat
te° ! fire men, upon the Se undrels-!
Cbar-r-ge !"
No sooner had the words rang out
from arnongst the carts - and waggons
which obstructed the ad%ance of the
travelers, than, from fro t, and rear.
and flank, the carriages and escort
were assailed. Forty-s yen' bullets
whistled / amongst the bele ed travelers,
forty-seven swords - leape 1 . from their
.ii.
scabbards into the air, and 'forty-seven
ruffians,-clad in back, bre st, and head
piece, dashed upon the- a righted and
helpleie party. .
A short, rapid, and mu, derousrcom
bat instantly.' ensued. ' he horses of
the - vehicles, were slaughte ed like cattle.
in the shanibles ; the driv is and foot
men were cut down and hUried beneath
the wheel's; the escort, unable to make
much resistance, were 'dragged 'from
their horses, "and dealt with to a than ;
the male passengers within the carriages
were killed ,almost before they could
set, foot upon the ground; and Don
Matthias de Castro, a -general in -the
i l
Spanish service, after fig 'lung foi'full
five 'minutes like an
.in mated tiger.
died amidst the hoofs-of he horses 'of
his own Serving-men. i f
Almost before the co
over, the female passenge
vehicles_wpre, dragged,
their seats, and became tl
banditti.' 'A ferocious ru f .
proportions of an Aberde
a beard like,. a coppice JD
hadd-possession of the,radi
and unmatchable Ewa d i
she, for .whosits slightest . q
cavaliers in , ; Madrid- weii
now the hopeless and insei
'.l' Regardless or Deint*Wientifront an?, QuetrierGo.i. , Pciwr*l
UME21:).149 DaUDYC:72l3:obtz'uz 7 9 IPA* LataPa g'09.22.0440!
keveg,
of Roderigo Rafisdalltano—a heir-eyed,
broad shouldered villiati—the lieutenant
of the band of the Forty-seven., .
Torches now also flashed from
clefts and. crevices of therocks, which
immediately overhung that part of the,
rnad,where, this onslaught had taken
. place,. 'and in a few minutes more the
vehicles were sacked, and, aS_ it were.
altnoSt ffiined inside out. -Trunks. and
packages were strewed about; riCliap
parel torn from them, jewels and gold
sparkled in the sand, and in fact, a scene
ensued which only the peUcil of a Sal
vator could have done justice to. Qf
the passengers, and escort attendant up
on' the three carriage's, which had a few
minutes before entered the mountain
pasS, , not one, except some halfa dozen
hapless females, „remained living to
tell tie tale; whilst the lurid " glare of
the flaming branches of pine, carried
by some ten or 'a dozen miscreants,
who . had till maw lain in umbush, flash-,
ed from the steel hauberks of theircom
lades, displaYing their savage visages,
in contrast to the grim and death-stamp
.ed features of the victims .whom' they
had butchered and who, almost heaped
together, lay bleeding *amidst their
wounded steeds and overthrown. vehi
cles. ,
The captain of the banditti was the
only one of bis party who remained in
active whilst the band was engaged in
Sitting on his ' horse, a little
aloof from the scene, he watched for a rl
few minutes their proceedings. After,
wiping ills 'trenchant blade' upon the'i'
leather sleeve of his doublet, he slieath-!
edthe iveapqn, an d, moving up to the'
the spot where 'his -lieutenant. Was at:
that moment engaged in conveying the'
inanimate form of the Lady ElVira from
her_carriage, 'he bade him, in a stern
voice; call tiff some of the men from
plunder, aud hringr, the captured females
instantly before-him. .
Roderigo, Who had just began to eye
the lovely creaturCin his arms with
the wonder of a savage who sees beau
ty for the first time. upon this order,
placed her upon the ground beside him,
and grasping - his bugle, wound half, a
dezcn notes - upon it, as a sort of call
f4reertain of the band to rally around
him.
hip," said
the piece
up amidst
peg to the
,up here in
number of
'rils are be.
°unfit - T. to
The night,
take charge of your prtze for
you, comrade," -said
. a man, stepping
Up close beside him, and extinguishina
with hisloot the torch which .Ittiderigo
had thrown to the ground, when he had
placed Elvira upon the hank.—ell take
char g e of your prize, whilst you attend
to the captain's order; leave her with
me here for a moment.
"Not so," returned the lieutenant
gruffly ;. mind your ownatfairs. Slie"s
mine—l'll not quit' her#* What devil
made you put out the light? Attend
me . to..the try-sting tree."
So saying, he turned, and stooped to
raise and bear off his victim; but a
deadly thrust met hini as be'did so, and
the blow taking effect i his bull •neck,
just above the euirass,.he fell dead with
out a groan. .
In another moment the lady Was seiz-.
ed - in the Powerful arms of-this new as
sailant, thrown across asteedlike a sack,
of flour, and silently. and quickly con
veyed into the thickest part of the for,
est. •
This transfer of the bemitiful Elvira
had been so quickly made. arid the-ban- .
din" Were so billy occupied withlhe,
business in hand, that he who had, thus
obi:tined:possession of the greatest priZe
had sorne little time for a fair start, be
'fore the incident- became known, and
he accordingly made the best use - of it-
Lehding his horse -into a' gorge in.tbe
mountain, along.which a rivulet formed
its pebbly, bed, and iu whose inurtnur
the hoof-tread . of the steed was drown-,
ed, he pushed onwitla cautjon and•des
.patch. After hnrying onwards .
some few liundred'paces, his further
progress . was stayed by coining to the
end of, the gorge; a huge flat .rock
ing, like qlvall , of alabaster before him,
,from,-whose high top the waters deity--
ed ; whilst themarrow passages on Mih- .
er hand were so. precipitous and over
grown, with 'brushwood, that cumbered .
.With the inaniiriateferm of the lady, it
Was extreinely' hazardous to adventure',
down. Pausing Mr . . an
, instant to lis
ten, he found that his: exploit was de
tected. . and that several of the band
were dispersed in pursuit - . He heard
-plainly . the rapid ;Approach of-.horse
men up the path .heihad, :jest-
. traversed.
Dismounting., the lady, , -he . turned :his
, horse's
.head inte opening on the
right;. *AMOY -With
his rapier, the _steed , plunged into
_tlie, ravine; .liethen took . the weapon
bettieen te'eth, .'anddeicen4ing
into little basin' the
cascade- , iminediately:Toshed
through the-torrent; and entered aimalL
fusion was
..e:of the three
fainting frern
p prey of the
i an, with the
i •
, n, porter,-and
fignehwood,
1 ‘
'lance ail the
•dying,; was
nitible captive
•
cavern; or. grotto Yon .the - other side,
a place so
.effectually concealed by the
falling
,stream and requiring so much
resolution" to reach it, that unless same,:
fortuitous aedident had discovered it, no
one , would possibly conjecture its exis= l
tence'.
'. When the lady. awoke to coscions.'
ness, the situation in which`-She was E l
placed was sufficiently startling. .and'
alarming.' 'She found herself feclining
upon the-hard floor of a tapacious cat-'I.
ern, amidst the roar of waters, which'
falling over ; its entrance; threw their
spray over her damask cheek.
..4 small
lamp hung . in a recess at the further end,
and at the entrance stood 'a tall figure
his drawn rapier being grasped in one
hand.. anti v a petronelin the other..
Hastily 'partinglthe long tresses from
before her eyes, as recollections of the
horrid slaughter she had so recently
Witnessethflashed across her brain, she
, coral - audio gaze upon-the dark form
before her, and which stood with its
back towards her: without being, able
to find' words to utters single sentence.
After - a while,.the fixed Sentinel-at the
cavern's: mouth, slimily and quietly
quitting his guard, turned round and
approached her; and ElVira, casting
herself at his s, feet, and ' clasping his
knees, besought his pity and. protection
in accents of despair and horror. The'
-stranger -was a 'tall, stately and noble
looking man ; so much the Lady Elvi
ra discovered by the feeble glimmer. of
.the lamp which' hung in the recess of
the grotto the moment he turned tow
ards her.i He stooped, and, raising her
from the ground, addressed her in words
of Comf;rt and re-assurance. lf, as
she surmised; he, was the captain of the
robbers,' he at least showed symptoms
,of some nurture, and there was a•grace
and dign4y .in his- - deportment which
bespoke' him/descended ',from • a better
and more honorable station.
" Be of good' comfort, madam," he
said ; .4 , 1 trust that' the immediate dan
ger has . paised. You have been for*
nate in having escaped. the clutches of
the Forty-seven,--a horde.of the most
infernal miscreants that ever infested :
the Pyrenees !"
Merciful heaven !", cried Elvira;
" then,l am not in' the power of that:
dreadful band ?" • .
•" You are not,lady,7 tie returned.---
My presence near the scene of
,your
disaster enabled pie to render yen the
service I have done in rescuing you."
" To whom am I indebted for so dar
ing and so humane an act ?" eagerly
inquired the lady: ,"Oh ! tell me your
name, gallaht stranger, that I may ever
rymember it in my cirisans."
Ask it not,, madam," said he, , . lest
you return, the trifling seri* I
,have
been so fortunate As to render ; you,
giving ine a pang sharp, as the , Stiiette of
the bravo from whoSe power I even now
snatched you. lam nameless,madarn,
'but riot homeless. I have a refuge .not
far from this place, w,here, Heaven will
ing, Iwill convey you in'safety.
fice it, I am no robber, but al - night of
Alcontra"; and . my- vow enjoins' me to:
the assistance and protection of beauty
in distress. CircumstanceS . ltaKe niade
me nail
. up : my, gates' . forever..fret - a Abe.
World ; but.. yonr, hapless 'condition
must absidve froMbrealtingthrOugh
a .resolutioti I' had l'formed'i to:
with manhind no more. 1
And my guardian, and : our atten-:
dance ?" said givira i covering her face
with her hands,' Have eorupait: ,
ion in my •escape . •
• They are. past help, ledY,' l !flere
-
turned. "We musttpot think.Oftherric
since we need 411 our ; energies toavoid,
the pe'rfls,,Which still surroned : ns,,arid;
reach the refuge which I 44:‘,0 . retiiatts:'
'Tie not ,often,. nay,4 helinve : this to - he
the, first time, that., the, k•erty-seven,
have ventured . inn! part. - of' our
mountains; ,and it would
.. .I::e' ; '‘vbit . for .
tie to remain in Cotic6althetit' herei till
morning dawns but I fear.the , stream
is becoming -,morestvolleri by the pre-,
sent stored...in which case ti e,rnttiht.be
imprisoned, and, perhaps'. StarVed
death: :in then; it
would impoesible.,to,pass.nitt,witl27',
out being heaten down and tilletirithe . ,
- attempt." ' • •
•• So Elaying:Abe cavelier..; . orice 'more:
bade - her hPrit . .nn fent- of!his,fidelity:;, ,
and saying: that it,would
for him to reconnoitre before he
remove , froin conceal - Mint,:
pursue their :journey; .:I*prepAred:lii
leave.ttle
" Shop r. not retetl::j.e:4l4o. 'Peurc.
lfidy;, ' ittid . he; ''"'reinairi'ltete'ne len;
get., but 'follO4
through the waterfall, 11t1"egain.:1,40.40-
p.oshe hank; . "!fiii": -. 4214. concept your,: ]
Self in' the..:raiiini'nfintiidtitVetittitir
couple Of:Miles; and'.thoz-ivirbedel;be;:,
will,behold . the turrets
; give , this Icikett:Olay,
the sentinel whit' c6l
ivwill be - admitted.
'rn hither in a quarter.ol
old Unit this is yourlui-.
fore you, you
of my chateau
signet ring) ti
lenges, and y
Pve, I tvill re
an hour. -$h
.
ly chance." ' - . .
. Then leapi g through the lorrent,llie
e.
left the lady a one in the cavern:_ For
the first few . tibutei after Elvira Was
left in solitud in fits - strange .refuge;
she felt inelin d i to follow the example'
of the mysteri us'stranger,.and eqea
-40; to.esdapti- both J . rarn him and The
sort of grave in which she was entonib-,
ed, by rushi g through the waterfall .
which thus se -rned to shut her out from.
t h e worh!.. one 'moment - she gazed
with hOrror at The roaring -cascade,
Which, in Alt. • darkness'. visible Of the
flickerthg.la
,‘ p, looked black-a.4* ink;
and the _nes she reflected - uplift the
doubtful cha j . actor of him whoprofessed!
himself her ; fprotector. I What if, 'after .
all, he stunt d prove a member of the:
banditti, who had thus conveyed:her to
his lurking place for ' his own sinister
ends? The thought was dreadful !
She/doubted . whether she, possessed
strength to struggle through the torrent,*
and 'Paused as She was about to make.
the attempt. .Then, again, the, frank
and noble baring.of her champion imit
his.apparent devotion in thus venturing
from the ca' ern in, her cause,,re-assur
ed her, and she resolved . to. obey his
instructions and bide the hour and the
event. . i i, • .
( 1 )
"Wet and hivering with the damp air
of her prisp -hotise,_she wrapped her
in tit embroidered cloak which,
the strangetr had placed upon her on
their first entranee, and seating herself
on the rock. patiently awaited 'his
coming, an' before niany minutes bad
passed ''he leaped breathless to her
side. ,
. 66 Quick, lady !" said he,; " there is
no tithe nor to lose.. We . have. no foe
to ercountT m nut' path ; but the wa
ters ai.e 'Mt the increase,'and . that which
was even ow Our:safety, will in : a short
time; prove our.greatest danger."
• With di, se words,;•hiseized her in
•lilsarms,-' nd once " more darting thro'.
•the filling' tream. they stood the ne'xt'
1 ,
moment -"n safety in-the glen.;- Their
sittingsheronhex' feet; he took her hand,
4.
and lett . he ; down the . ravine. ' • . •
..
' . The tw miles he had mentioned to
•her, in the rOcky,and overgrown path'
they pursned,Were es much as fen 'in
any ordinary .road,-ind '-lrequently the
stranger itvas compelled to carry his
.
companiotimver the _dangerous ground.
With the calmness of a stoic,, however,,
and the trite duty.of a loyal knight, the
stranger j(ierfortned • his task ,t - and 'at
len'lll halting in - the forest, he pointed
1
ton solitary = light before them,' and
the red hiS wearied fellow.traveler with
.the kiews,that,their haven was inAght..
Elv)re now.-found herself , under - the
walls of r . lone.:and 'Melancholy look
ing lEMilditig.‘sitnitid in the depth of
. , .. . v ,
the forest. ~,- 4 , '', ' . ':
.' . 116 sfer - in-had..nearly passed away,
rand as theclondt . rollek beneath the,
minnt . ,.thelhattlement.s showed black as
thel thiekTtiondi around them. The
night breeze
_sighed drearily-"as 'the".
..63 1 4ageri:'Pattsing before this
..ominons
Ipoli:itag... place, ~ glanced, cautiously.
around !flits, whilst the wolf howling in
"the forcit tilrai answered by Abe .owl6t .
in. the torer..'- - ; I•seemed.• in short, the.
very situalicin for the strong hold. 'of a
robber bantl4_ and,, accordingly, the'la-_
. 4y:was•orpe mere. seized with feelings
feelings
• litidderett While. she- gazed :upon the
• dark building - - before- -her, and. ahribst.
'titehcled:Ali,lteir.-. her : conductor propose.
to her to enter its ' walls. - There, Was.,
:Something, singuliwtY, cold and Stern,.
tort;licfbis'ilintiner,sincciohey had left
;01044* ;of the ; caverh.: ; 4 e „had ;
: scarcely - ,Tadiltes . se . tl:riv,ord.tO, her as he .
litidied,•:nOW:iftl ; and, although, it ':is
, trVeiliatle 'hid aided hee; l. and: giien .
"eVerkassistance along - the:difficult:patli
:titer bid : traversed, still his,wianner 441
‘. 'Nett rather that .of a, gnard•te reapttve,,
I.tlian-of,tin attendant, escort-of a damsel
~ iii•iiiiities. • :- ITOwa.vei:', 'there was nevi .
. I tiir theme l in the matter ; ' • she felt •,that
she ' ‘ iitii4{ . -Fitibrace"..the!fate-ofthe 'hour,
ibe..it for.vod. or evil t, she was in the
piavver'Of her 46'6106'0,0 . , 'and to heaven.
:ilititemmitted het fittnre.fate. -• i :."..1 .
After patiiing foie fen , ' moments; the
;os:eller took , his bugle .in hand, and
,wound faint and' long drawn. Math
:thereon . : ;it teas instantly replia
1 :a 'ilia ctict.frnm - tilititin the vallti; . . ! - -
I -A- Ow minutes inore. , atiell the Cleat and
,elbtter_Of arms resounded through The;
flashed' from! its loop,
`l{4l towers; a 'sentinel ,4allenied
obi fire ~b s te~iouse .' tfie'dravi bridge
44 lqiiere'd; and ialtinir 'his , coin pan.
I I -) CP
iiorOy the hand, the Mysterious caysli9r:
tue- zoc, (16 licoqopactua: at,..gtcah
Eli
MI
entered his ominous .looking dwelling
obierxed, that they passed'
through . • olerably strong- beefy 'of 'men .
atarme,-- who stood enranked • within.
;the first bidet., and who did' the hon
or's to her 'conduntor pretty mach in
the same style that the turned out guard
of 4 - garrison in Lt ie present. day pre,
sents arms td .the commandant. A
sort of Major-domo also met• :then,*
within the court yard,: and. ushering
therdiritolhe hall of the building, bow,
ed, and. withdrew. - .The hall of the,
castle, 4 or chateau, ,to which the lady ..
now found herself .introduced, of
ample ditnensions; and (for that rude
age) displayed a considerable share of
comfort, as 'Well .as feudal state. An '
ample fire glowed . Upon the • hearth ; a
massive table stood before it; and wine
together with more solid refreshments.
seemed as though'. they had prepared
for:expected guests, Banners of an
ancestral chivralry, also floated. froth
the roof on each 'side ; suits . of armor
‘ 4 hung unscourid by the wall," whilst
arms of 'Various denoininations also
festooned and ornamented the ap'artnient
numerous enough to furnish forth an'
infantry regiment of modern times.
The cavalier, regiment ,
his high crown
ed beaver, formerly welcomed his love
ly guest to his' strong hold.
"It gives me pleasure, madam," said
in your favor to break through a
firm resolve, never to taste the pleasures
of the world, or open my gates in the
way of hospitality again. The peculiar.
circumstances of your situation, however
absolie me'from my, oath, and all I pos
sess ik this•wild domain is ,at your. ser
vice. I must however, promise to you,
_that the same circumstances which have
made me a recluse here will- alio impri
son yen within these walls loran indefi
nite-period, since the dangers with which
I am at present surrounded will not per
mit of my offering you the protection of
my own escort or suffer me to parrwith
any of my retinue. .Suffice it whilst be
neath this roof tbat'yoor comfort shall
be cared for, and all.your wants supplied. "'
In saying. this, the cavalier.proceeded
`to offer the Lady Elvini the refreshnient's;
of which she steed in some need:; and,
summoning an •attendant,, desired, that
the evening.ineal should be instantly ser-,
ved; whilst a chamber was being prepar
ed for her. Hot and savory viands were
accordingly brought in, as an addition - to ,
the supper, by a train of serving men, at,
one end of the hall ; whilst from 'the
door at the other extremity Aim& what
the lady first termed a funeral proces.sioti :
since it consisted of some half:a dozen fe-.
males elail in sable suits, and veiled from,
lieQd to foot. ,
They advanced to the table arid requin
ed stationary, as if waiting for leave to
sit down and partake of- the4epast pre-:
pared. -
The cavalier, whose browhad grown,
black
,as midnight as soon as he became,
aware .of this accession to the party; was
ahouttocinvite the Lady Elvin' tei a seat:
when the-loud and'repeated blast of a
bugle without the walls suddenly arrest
ed his attention. :Making a , sign to the .
attendant steivart, that funetinnaly . ,left
,the apartment, in:order' to •• ascertain the
meaning of
,suc'h summons,' and quickly
returning; announced• that tWo - Strangers,.
who had, apparently. been attacked by
some of the Forty-seven, and Who'Were
moreover, belated' and bewildered in the`
inountains, craved adinittanceand harbor
,rage within the NV ails. -elite; some slight.
struggle, apparently between his firm re-,
solve and his hospitality,thVitern :Cava-,
aave'Orders to have them condicted
to his presence.- . '-•;•
Thenew accession to the party,"con.
'sistedns had been mentioned, of two cal
valiers 'and both were as, far frOm the
common run of chance waYfarers as it
%ids' possible to 'conceive: Both were
clad in rich traveling • suits, such .:as the.
wealthy, utereliant,,or the-noble'
, of .ihat period might be suppnsed to tra-
Vel in. Their equipage, however, shotit-'
'ell both 'tokens of . a recent fraY;'-fiti
for and a toilsome journey.. They,ati 7
yanced. into the room, with all that bear r ,,,
ing and dignity which belong to men ac-,
cu mingle with, the nnblei of
'the land: .and the first 3vurds•therspoke
of apology for their neessary.intrusion,,,
proclaidedbY, their accent drat 'they were '
The. taller, and more bulky bf thel
two. ,- -seelned tó assume
though'; not -the,,; least superiority: o .. Ver
his,rooro quiet and, dignified companion
about whom "there ii;as,:indeetl,
once -and bearing w hreh • •elaimed
respect and hliniage-at the' first glance:.
and accoidlitglY;24is mere free:and , as
-0On:14g Cconiratle was unregarded-in
preseriee i. aild the attention-'tt the host'
instantly beitnwerr"upon Ihnl Younger
and Anieter "of the: new. Omer.,
[CONCLUDED 07 . N ., rotarrn "soma
II
woo r 46640.