he said, as, laying aside his weapon, he again threw himself on his bed. "Amen! my dearest brother," answered Edward; "but we must not provoke that heaven in our wantonness which we invoke in our misery.Be not angry with me, my dear brother-I know not why you have totally of late estranged yourself from me-It is true, I am neither so athletic in body, nor so alert in courage, as you have been from your infancy; yet, till lately, you have not absolutely cast off my society-Believe me, I have wept in secret, though I forbore to intrude myself on your privacy. The time has been when you held me not so cheap; and when, if I could not follow the game so closely, or mark it so truly as you, I could fill up our intervals of pastime with pleasant tales of the olden times, which I had read or heard, and which excited even your attention as we sate and ate our provision by some pleasant spring— but now I have, though I know not why, lost thy regard and affection. Nay, toss not thy arms about thee thus wildly," said the younger brother; -66 from thy strange dreams, I fear some touch of fever hath affected thy blood-let me draw closer around thee thy mantle." 66 Forbear," said Halbert-" your care is needless-your complaints are without reason-your fears on my account are in vain." Nay, but hear me, brother," said Edward. "Your speech in sleep, and now even your waking dreams, are of beings which belong not to this world or to our race-Our good Father Eustace says, that howbeit we may not do well to receive all idle tales of goblins and spectres, yet there is warrant from holy Scripture to believe, that the fiends haunt waste and solitary places; and that those who frequent such wildernesses alone, are the prey, or the sport of these wandering demons. And therefore, I pray thee, brother, let me go with you when you go next up the glen, where, as you well know, there be places of evil reputation—Thou carest not for my escort; but, Halbert, such dangers are more safely encountered by the wise in judgment, than by the bold in bosom ; and though I have small cause to boast of my own wisdom, yet I have that which ariseth from the written knowledge of elder times." There was a moment during this discourse, when Halbert had well nigh come to the resolution of disburthening his own breast, by entrusting Edward with all that weighed upon it. But when his brother reminded him that this was the morning of a high holiday, and that, setting aside all other business or pleasure, he ought to go to the Monastery and shrive himself before Father Eustace, who would that day occupy the confessional, pride stepped in and confirmed his wavering resolution. "I will not avow," he thought, "a tale so extraor dinary, that I may be considered as an impostor or something worse-I will not fly from this Englishman, whose arm and sword may be no better than my own. My fathers have faced his betters, were he as much distinguished in battle as he is by his quaint discourse." Pride, which has been said to save man, and woman too, from falling, has yet a stronger influence on the mind when it embraces the cause of passion, and seldom fails to render it victorious over conscience and reason. His mind once determined, though to the worser course, Halbert at length slept soundly, and was only awakened by the dawn of day. CHAPTER X. Indifferent, but indifferent-pshaw, he doth it not Old Play. WITH the first grey peep of dawn, Halbert Glendinning arose and hastened to dress himself, girded on his weapon, and took a cross-bow in his hand, as if his usual sport had been his sole object. He groped his way down the dark and winding stair-case, and undid, with as little noise as possible, the fastenings of the inner door, and of the exterior iron grate. At length he stood free in the court-yard, and looking up to the tower, saw a signal made with a handkerchief from the window. Nothing doubting that it was his antagonist, he paused expecting him. But it was Mary Avenel, who glided like a spirit from under the low and rugged portal. Halbert was much surprised, and felt, he knew not why, like one caught in the act of a meditated trespass. The presence of Mary Avenel had till that moment never given him pain. She spoke too in a tone where sorrow seemed to mingle with reproach, while she asked him with emphasis, "What he was about to do?" He shewed his cross-bow, and was about to express the pretext he had meditated, when Mary interrupted him. "Not so, Halbert-that evasion were unworthy of one whose word has hitherto been truth. You meditate not the destruction of the deer-your hand and heart are aimed at other game-you seek to do battle with this stranger." your "And wherefore should I quarrel with our guest?" answered Halbert, blushing deeply. "There are, indeed, many reasons why you should not," replied the maiden, "nor is there one of avail wherefore you should-yet, nevertheless, such a quarrel you are now searching after." "Why should you suppose so, Mary ?" said Halbert, endeavouring to hide his conscious purpose,"he is my mother's guest-he is protected by the Abbot and the community, who are our mastershe is of high degree also,-and wherefore should you think that I can, or dare, resent a hasty word, which he has perchance thrown out against me more from the wantonness of his wit, than the purpose of his heart?" "Alas!" answered the maiden, "the very ask |