dinner, with all its tedium of restraint and formality; but there was too much effort to accomplish this, the business and end of their life: they had little idea of aught beyond it. How different-aye, wearisomely different did the evenings now passed at Thistlebank appear to those passed at Glenbenrough how different the fresh bloom of the Mac Neil's welcoming home the tired sportsman, and the bright beaming faces which came smiling out to applaud the trophies of his sport, from that sickly smile of languid interest now awarded at the dinner table by the fashionable young ladies here. The easy yet piquant converse of the circle at Glenbenrough was exchanged for the inanity of echoed opera and town gossip, and the weary affairs of public life coming round daily, stale and stagnant because feebly spoken of; the weightiest matter being mentioned with a silly lisp, or listened to with a vacant stare. There was no originality in any one of the young ladies of Thistlebank; only from Lady Ida: let her speak, and statesmen might listen. Her voice was low, but it thrilled in the ear of a man of talent, as with native ease she grasped a subject vigorously, and presented it in a new point of view. Normal Arduashien was very misanthropical at Thistlebank: he disliked going there at any time; but he did not rebel on this occasion, as his father had already partly yielded to his desire of going abroad, and he wished to do everything in the meantime likely to please him, so as to ensure his assent. He was out all day long; and in the evenings he sat down in some remote corner of the luxurious drawing-room, and there amused himself with a quiet scrutiny of the company. Lady Ida came in for a great share of observation, and Marchmoram was always under Normal's surveillance: they were thrown together one day out of doors, and a sympathy then arose between them, unexpressed on one side, unknown on the other. The gentlemen of the party had gone deer-stalking: the deer were to be driven from Roua Forest towards the passes of Craig Corloo; and to the heights of the latter rocky range Normal went, accompanied by Ewen Mackenzie. The pass which ran beneath was very steep and narrow, and some of the sportsmen were posted in its recesses; but Normal, knowing the ground better, preferred taking his chance from the height above, and firing, at longer range, downwards. They might have lain for an hour there, without having much hope of coming deer, and Normal had stretched himself lazily back, when his upward gaze caught sudden sight of very different game. Sailing loftily, obscuring the light of the bright blue sky above him, appeared a splendid golden eagle, which, with drooping, heavy flight, alighted on a rocky point not twenty paces from where he lay; so close, indeed, that the flashing of its wild bright eye, as it glanced majestically around, was distinctly visible: it glanced but once around; then, in fearless security, and all unaware of man's vicinity, it began to plume its feathers. At the same moment Normal's attention was disagreeably distracted by a muttered oath from Ewen; and, looking downwards, he saw the cause: a sportsman, with shouldered gun, advancing along the pass. He recognized Mr. Marchmoram, who thus unfairly (though perhaps in ignorance of Normal's proximity (had changed his own station, and took a position on the pass right beneath where Normal lay: a sharp turn, round which the advancing deer must come, precluded all rivalry now; for now Normal could not fire from above without imminent danger to Marchmoram, who was posted beneath. Something very like an answering oath to Ewen's escaped from Normal's lips, as he whispered keenly, "I shall lose my shot!" "Chance it! chance it!" Ewen muttered eagerly. "Are you mad?" Normal retorted angrily. "No, not though I never shot a deer again!" Ewen leant over the ledge himself and looked down on Marchmoram's figure beneath, with the angry glare of an ambushed tiger. The deer were coming, when Ewen's foot or elbow became suddenly entangled; the click of a trigger was heard, the upward toss of a hand was seen, and the rifle lay discharged at their feet, but guiltless of death or injury to any one. "Good God be thanked! Ewen, how did it go off? There has nearly been murder!" Normal ejaculated, springing to his feet. "I suppose I made it go off; or, maybe, you pushed it yoursel' it was only on half-cock," Ewen muttered sullenly. His face was lividly pale, and his hands shook nervously: he gave a faint grin, as he said, "It's spoiled his sport, whatever." The distant echo of the report had scarcely ceased, and the smoke cleared off, when an angry masculine voice came shouting from beneath. Marchmoram stood out in Normal's sight, and in a loud, incensed tone demanded who had fired the shot. "It was my gillie, Ewen Mackenzie, by accident; and I regret it much," Normal shouted in answer. 66 Why take a stupid, ignorant fellow like that, to spoil sport, and run the risk of accident? A man is bound to have a suitable servant with him," Marchmoram replied, still angrily: "had I got him here, I'd have horsewhipped him." "Silence! be quiet, Ewen!" Normal said, as he saw the hot blood mount to the Highlander's pallid face; "he has every cause to be angry." Normal brought home a magnificent golden eagle that night: he tracked and shot the bird he had so generously sacrificed to Marchmoram's chance of the deer in the morning. Lady Ida Beauregard expressed a flattering wish to see the unusual trophy, and she went out to the hall and looked at it admiringly, with haughty grace. She said to Normal that evening, also, when Marchmoram was not very far off, "I have a favour to ask of you, Mr. Mac Alastair? I observed a fine eagle plume in your bonnet that day when we met: I should like to have it." Normal bowed low, and slightly blushing, left the room, and returned with the feather. "I shall keep it as a remembrance of a very serious day in my life. I suppose that, had you not been so providentially near me, there was no other hope of succour from that madman. In what direction had you come-from beneath the gorge?" 66 No, I had taken an upper path, Lady Ida; but one as desolate as yours: I passed but one other human being ere I reached you." "A man ? she asked, with a bland, inquiring smile. "Yes; and an active, agile man, too. I met your cousin's Italian valet ascending from the gorge shortly before I came up to you." "Is he my cousin's valet? Good God!" mentally ejaculated Lady Ida, and her eyes assumed a strange expression: she put her hand to her brow, then said, with a forced smile,. "I must really not speak of this adventure: it excites me yet. I am afraid an Italian valet would not have had the presence of mind and courage of a Highland gentleman," she continued, with a slight bend of her head. "By-the-by, I must read a letter just received from Basil; I am anxious to hear his plans:" and she left the room. This letter told Lady Ida that Harold had altered his previously arranged plan, and now intended going south, direct from Dreumah; merely resting a night at Glenbenrough, a place he must tell her about by-and-by; and that, as he hoped the duke would consider Britton the best change of air on quitting Scotland, they would likely soon meet in old Yorkshire again, for he was now on his way home to Harold's Hall. Lady Ida frowned, and read the note again. After dinner, she took up a book and reclined with it upon a sofa near the fire; holding a fan before her eyes, to let it be inferred that she did not wish to be disturbed. Mr. Marchmoram was standing very near to Lady Ida, who still sat on the sofa with the book in her hand; for she seldom moved from one seat all the evening. Miss Rankin was now sitting by her, and Lady Ida said, sotto voce, "By-the-by, do you know the name of a pretty girl in white, with flowing golden hair, at the Couchfern ball? She was so graceful and aërial, she might have personated Miranda or Ondine." "Oh, that was the second Miss Mac Neil of Glenbenrough," Miss Rankin replied. "I thought I had told you her name at the ball. We know them very slightly." "There was something mystic in the peculiar blue of her eyes. I could not help noticing them, as I happened to find them very frequently fixed on myself. Is Glenbenrough a very wild place?" "You must really ask Mr. Marchmoram," Miss Rankin said; "he has been there so much this autumn." "Ah!" exclaimed Lady Ida, with a slight look of surprise: then turning to Marchmoram with her cold, haughty voice, she asked, "Is Glenbenrough a very wild place ?-suited to the second sight and prophetic mysteries, Mr. Marchmoram ?" "I dare say it is, Lady Ida," he replied in a low tone; is a very enjoyable place, and very beautiful." it "You liked being there! remarked Lady Ida, with a curious smile on her thin lip. "You were in the midst of youth, of free and unfettered spirits!" There was the slightest tinge of satire in her ladyship's tone. "Yes, free and unfettered: the scenery there is conducive to that." The approach of others of the company, as a move was made for a general withdrawal, interrupted the conversation at this point. 216 CHAPTER XVIII. LOVERS' ADIEUX. "He passed the court gate, and he sped the tower grate, "I hae naebody now, I hae naebody now Wi' light locks waving o'er her brow There's naebody kens, there's naebody kens- This sharp degree o' agonie, For the loss o' their earthly love." "Oh! think nae ye my heart was wae. THE ladies were still lingering in the hall, or slowly mounting the broad flight of stairs to their rooms, when Marchmoram hurried through; neither looking at, nor listening to, anything around him, he hastened through a long side corridor, and entered his own room; then shutting the door, and locking it, lest his valet should come to disturb him, with quick and perturbed steps he paced up and down the apartment. Marchmoram's nature was one of those that, like some deep seas and lakes we know of, suddenly arouse and lash their waves in wild, dreadful play, with little visible cause. His nature was of dangerous excitability; but with a stern governing will, he held a strong curb upon himself. His passions might rage at will within; but they should show no semblance without: he could prevent that, at least. The time was come to let them loose just now their warfare was beginning, and he must give them room, or they would rend the walls of their prison. A strange fire burned in his kindling eyes, as he paced up and down the room in a paroxysm of excitement, his lip quivering, his strong hands clenched, and words pouring out with frenzied vehe mence. "It is within my grasp-within my grasp now: the determination-the vow of years! I know it! I feel it! My power has served me well. The glorious conquest is in my grasp! Shall I now turn to the dalliance of love? were that well done? no! no! I must play out my game: the stake is risked, and the die is cast. Oh! Esmé! Esmé, mine! feel |