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"It cannot be, Miss Wardour," said Lovel; "your life must be first secured the rope which bears your weight may”— "I will not listen to a reason so selfish?"

"But ye maun listen to it, my bonny lassie," said Ochiltree, "for a' our lives depend on it-besides, when ye get on the tap o' the heugh yonder, ye can gie them a round guess o' what's ganging on in this Patmos o' ours-and Sir Arthur's far by that, as I am thinking."

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Struck with the truth of this reasoning, she exclaimed, True, most true; I am ready and willing to undertake the first risk-What shall I say to our friends above?"

"Just to look that their tackle does not graze on the face o' the crag, and to let the chair down, and draw it up hoolly and fairly-we will halloo when we are ready."

With the sedulous attention of a parent to a child, Lovel bound Miss Wardour with his handkerchief, neckcloth, and the mendicant's leathern belt, to the back and arms of the chair, ascertaining accurately the security of each knot, while Ochiltree kept Sir Arthur quiet. "What are ye doing wi' my bairn? -What are ye doing?-She shall not be separated from me— Isabel, stay with me, I command you.'

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Lordsake, Sir Arthur, haud your tongue, and be thankful to God that there's wiser folk than you to manage this job,” cried the beggar, worn out by the unreasonable exclamations of the poor baronet.

"Farewell, my father," murmured Isabella-" farewell, my -my friends," and, shutting her eyes, as Edie's experience recommended, she gave the signal to Lovel, and he to those who were above. She rose, while the chair in which she sat was kept steady by the line which Lovel managed beneath.With a beating heart he watched the flutter of her white dress, until the vehicle was on a level with the brink of the precipice. Canny now, lads, canny now!" exclaimed old Mucklebackit, who acted as commodore; "swerve the yard a bit― Now there! there she sits safe on dry land!"

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A loud shout announced the successful experiment to her fellow-sufferers beneath, who replied with a ready and cheerful halloo. Monkbarns, in his ecstacy of joy, stripped his greatcoat to wrap up the young lady, and would have pulled off his coat and waistcoat for the same purpose, had he not been withheld by the cautious Caxon. "Haud a care o' us, your honor will be killed wi' the hoast-ye'll no get out o' your night-cowl this fortnight-and that will suit us unco ill.-Na, na, there's

the chariot down by, let twa o' the folk carry the young lady there."

"You're right," said the antiquary, re-adjusting the sleeves and collar of his coat; "you're right, Caxon; this is a naughty night to swim in.-Miss Wardour, let me convey you to the chariot."

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'Not for worlds till I see my father safe."

In a few distinct words, evincing how much her resolution had surmounted even the mortal fear of so agitating a hazard, she explained the nature of the situation beneath, and the wishes of Lovel and Ochiltree.

"Right, right, that's right too-I should like to see the son of Sir Gamelyn de Guardover on dry land myself—I have a notion he would sign the abjuration oath, and the Ragman-roll to boot, and acknowledge Queen Mary to be nothing better than she should be, to get alongside my bottle of old port that he ran away from, and left scarce begun.-But he's safe now, and here a' comes-( -(for the chair was again lowered, and Sir Arthur made fast in it, without much consciousness on his own part)-here a' comes-bowse away, my boys-canny wi' him -a pedigree of a hundred links is hanging on a ten-penny tow -the whole barony of Knockwinnock depends on three plies of hemp-respice finem, respice funem-look to your endlook to a rope's end.-Welcome, welcome, my good old friend, to firm land, though I cannot say to warm land or to dry land —a cord forever against fifty fathom of water, though not in the sense of the base proverb-a fico for the phrase-better sus. per funem, than sus. per coll."

While Oldbuck ran on in this way, Sir Arthur was safely wrapped in the close embraces of his daughter, who, assuming that authority which the circumstances demanded, ordered some of the assistants to convey him to the chariot, promising to follow in a few minutes. She lingered on the cliff, holding an old countryman's arm, to witness probably the safety of those whose dangers she had shared.

"What have we here?" said Oldbuck, as the vehicle once more ascended, "What patched and weather-beaten matter is this?" Then, as the torches illumined the rough face and grey hairs of old Ochiltree,--" What! is it thou?-come, old Mocker, I must needs be friends with thee-but who the devil makes up your party besides ?"

"Ane that's weel worth any twa o' us, Monkbarns-it's the young stranger lad they ca' Lovel-and he's behaved this bless

ed night as if he had three lives to rely on, and was willing to waste them a' rather than endanger ither folks-Ca' hooly, sirs, as ye wad win an auld man's blessing!-mind there's naebody below now to haud the gy-Hae a care o' the Cat's-lugcorner-bide weel aff Crummie's-horn!"

"Have a care indeed," echoed Oldbuck; "What! is it my rara avis-my black swan-my phoenix of companions in a post-chaise-take care of him, Mucklebackit."

"As muckle care as if he were a greybeard o' brandy; and I canna take mair if his hair were like John Harlowe's.-Yo ho, my hearts, bowse away with him!"

Lovel did in fact run a much greater risk than any of his precursors. His weight was not sufficient to render his ascent steady amid such a storm of wind, and he swung like an agitated pendulum, at the mortal risk of being dashed against the rocks. But he was young, bold, and active, and, with the assistance of the beggar's stout piked staff, which he had retained by advice of the proprietor, contrived to bear himself from the face of the precipice, and the yet more hazardous projecting cliffs which varied its surface. Tossed in empty space, like an idle and unsubstantial feather, with a motion that agitated the brain at once with fear and with dizziness, he retained his alertness of exertion and presence of mind; and it was not until he was safely grounded upon the summit of the cliff, that he felt temporary and giddy sickness. As he recovered from a sort

of half swoon, he cast his eyes eagerly around. The object which they would most willingly have sought was already in the act of vanishing. Her white garment was just discernible as she followed on the path which her father had taken. She had lingered till she saw the last of their company rescued from danger, and until she had been assured by the hoarse voice of Mucklebackit, that "the callant had come off wi' unbrizzed banes, and that he was but in a kind of dwam." But Lovel was not aware that she had expressed in his fate even this degree of interest, which, though nothing more than was due to a stranger who had assisted her in such an hour of peril, he would have gladly purchased by braving even more imminent danger than he had that evening been exposed to. The beggar she had already commanded to come to Knockwinnock that night. He made an excuse,-"Then to-morrow let me see you."

The old man promised to obey. Oldbuck thrust something into his hand-Ochiltree looked at it by the torch-light, and re

turned it." Na, na! I never tak gowd-besides, Monkbarns, ye wad maybe be rueing it the morn." Then turning to the group of fishermen and peasants,-"Now, sirs, wha will gie me a supper and some clean pease-strae ?"

"I," "and I," "and I," answered many a ready voice.

THE FRENCHMAN AND THE MONK.-JAMES.

The servant left us by the fire, while he proceeded to a door on the other side of the hall, which being opened, he announced our arrival and condition to some one within; describing our situation with a general enumeration of all the miseries of wet, and dirt, and fatigue, and hunger. In truth, as the man proceeded, I could not help feeling that I must present a most wretched and vagabond appearance indeed, and doubted much whether the master of the mansion, if he came forth to examine us in person, would permit such an ill-looking scoundrel as the servant pictured me, to remain a minute longer than necessary in his house.

There was a cheerful blaze of light, however, that issued forth through the open door from the inner chamber, which had something in it comfortably hospitable; and I soon had the satisfaction of finding that the good lackey's description of our state and appearance, had not received the slightest attention; for some one within who had been speaking when he entered, went on all the while; and the cessation of the servant's voice allowed me to hear the harangue the other was addressing to some third person.

The words " And truly, as I was saying, if there be any means of healing painful memories, you will find them in France, which is not only a garden of ever new delights, but is a garden which, in itself, contains a thousand fountains of consolation, of whose waters, with that exquisite liberality of feeling for which, above all the nations upon earth, the French -What is it François? Is the supper ready?"—these words at once convinced me that I should meet with an acquaintance in one of the guests, if not in the master of the dwelling.

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The servant told his story again, but with somewhat less minuteness; and I heard an immediate bustle within. stranger!".cried the same voice. "Lost his way! drenched in the rain! Show him in. Bon Dieu! why did you not

show him in? For the honor of France, which is, without any comparison, the most hospitable country in Europe, you should not have hesitated a moment on his admission. Show him in! show him in! Have something more added to the supper, and light a fire in the mirror chamber."

The servant now announced that Monsieur would be glad to see me, if I would walk forward into the cabinet beyond; and I accordingly presented myself in a moment to my worthy acquaintance, Monsieur de Vitray. He had prepared himself with somewhat of a theatrical attitude, to receive the belated traveler; and before he perceived who it was, he had taken two steps forward on the tip of his toe, and made two bows; the one distant and reserved, the other more familiar and courteous. But as I approached into the full light, and his memory came to his aid, he skipped forward at once, took me in his arms, and embracing me with the most overpowering demonstrations of regard, welcomed me to his chateau with, I believe, unfeigned joy.

My eyes now fell upon the person with whom he had been conversing; and, while I replied to my friend's civility, I had a full view of his companion, who sat with his glance fixed upon the fire, taking very little notice of what was passing around him.

He was apparently a Benedictine monk; and had doubtless been in former years a very handsome man, though there was nothing peculiarly striking in his features. His cowl was thrown back, and the shaved head, with its ring of grizzled black hair that fringed the tonsure, gave a very peculiar character to his countenance, which seemed lengthened and attenuated by the want of the garniture with which it is furnished by nature. His beard, on the contrary, had been suffered to grow very long; and though originally as black as ink, was now thickly mingled with white hairs. In complexion he was deadly pale, and would have looked almost like a statue, had not his heavy eyebrows overhung as bright and sparkling a pair of deep black eyes as ever flashed from a human countenance. He was evidently deep in thought when we came in, and remained without rising, with his glance fixed upon the fire, while his whole countenance assumed, from the very intensity of his gaze, a look of sternness, and almost ferocity, which the features did not seem calculated to convey.

Monsieur de Vitray, after having in vain attempted to call the Benedictine's attention to an introduction he endeavored to

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