hath a pleasant feature, and he, as all men say, is in human things unexceptionable,-yet-but I give you pain-in sooth, I will say no more unless you ask my sincere and unprejudiced advice, which you shall command, but which I will not press on you superfluously. Wend we to the borough together-the pleasant solitude of the forest may dispose us to open our hearts to each other." They did walk up to the little town in company, and, somewhat to Master Holdenough's surprise, the Colonel, though they talked on various subjects, did not request of him any ghostly advice on the subject of his love to his fair cousin, while, greatly beyond the expectation of the soldier, the clergyman kept his word, and, in his own phrase, was not so superfluous as to offer upon so delicate a point his unasked counsel. CHAPTER VI. Then are the harpies gone-Yet ere we perch Agamemnon. THE embassy of Wildrake had been successful, chiefly through the mediation of the Episcopal divine, whom we formerly found acting in the character of chaplain to the family, and whose voice had great influence on many accounts with its master. A little before high noon, Sir Henry Lee, with his small household, was again in unchallenged possession of their old apartments at the Lodge of Woodstock; and the combined exertions of Joceline Jolliffe, of Phoebe, and of old Joan, were employed in putting to rights what the late intruders had left in great disorder. Sir Henry Lee had, like all persons of qua lity of that period, a love of order amounting to precision, and felt, like a fine lady whose dress has been disordered in a crowd, insulted and humiliated by the rude confusion into which his household goods had been thrown, and impatient till his mansion had been purified from all marks of intrusion. In his anger he uttered more orders than the limited number of his domestics were likely to find time or hands to execute. villains have left such sulphureous steams behind them, too," said the old knight, "as if old Davie Leslie and the whole Scotch army had quartered among them." "The "It may be near as bad," said Joceline, "for for certain, it was the Devil came down bodily among them, and made them troop off." men say, "Then," said the knight, "is the Prince of Darkness a gentleman, as old Will Shakspeare says. He never interferes with those of his own coat, for the Lees have been here, father and son, these five hundred years, without disquiet; and no sooner came these misbegotten churls, than he plays his own part among them." "Well, one thing he and they have left us," said Jolliffe," which we may thank them for; and that is, such a well-filled larder and buttery as has been seldom seen in Woodstock Lodge this many a day;-carcases of mutton, large rounds of beef, barrels of confectioners' ware, pipes and runlets of sack, muscadine, ale, and what not. We shall have a royal time on't through half the winter; and Joan must get to salting and pickling presently." "Out, villain!" said the knight; " are we to feed on the fragment of such scum of the earth as these?-Cast them forth instantly!-Nay," checking himself," that were a sin; but give them to the poor, or see them sent to the owners. And, hark ye, I will none of their strong liquors-I would rather drink like a hermit all my life, than seem to pledge such scoundrels as these in their leavings, like a miserable drawer, who drains off the ends of the bottles after the guests have paid their reckoning, and gone off. -And, hark ye, I will taste no water from the cistern out of which these slaves have been serving themselves-fetch me down a pitcher from Rosamond's spring." Alice heard this injunction, and well guessing there was enough for the other members of the family to do, she quietly took a small pitcher, and flinging a cloak around her, walked out in person to procure Sir Henry the water which he desired. Meantime, Joceline said, with some hesitation, "that there was a man still remained, belonging to the party of these strangers, who was directing about the removal of some trunks and mails which belonged to the Commissioners, and who could receive his honour's commands about the provisions.” "Let him come hither."-(The dialogue was held in the hall.)" Why do you hesitate, and drumble in that manner ?” “Only, sir,” said Joceline, " only perhaps your honour might not wish to see him, being the same who, on the night before last-" He paused. "Sent my rapier a hawking through the firmament, thou would'st say ?-Why, when did I take spleen at a man for standing his ground against me?-Roundhead as he is, man, I like him the better of that, not the worse. I hunger |