ord; and he performs it by rivetting our chains beyond hope of
liberation."

"While life endures," returned Barton, "hope and fear successively
eclipse each other. Yet a wise man should remember both are casualties,
which may give colour to his future fortunes. We must allow the enraged
lion to chafe, but lest his roarings should terrify these tender lambs,
and drive them out among beasts of prey, an old watch-dog will crouch
beside them, and assuage their alarms. I fancy, pretty maids, you never
were in company with a real round-head before; come, tell me truly, is
he as terrible a creature as your fears pictured."

"I am half inclined to think you do not mean to injure us," said Isabel.

"Beware," cried Eustace, lifting up his finger; "remember your past
confidence."

"But this is an old gentleman," resumed Isabel, and pressed Barton's
offered hand between both hers; "perhaps he is a father, and feels for
two terrified girls, who never were among strangers before. Or,
perhaps," returning the benevolent smile of Barton with one of playful
archness, "he may find us such a troublesome charge, that he will be
glad to get rid of us before we reach London."

"My pretty Eve," returned Barton; "I am proof to temptation. What I have
undertaken to do I will perform."

"Yet possibly," said she, "you would just allow me to speak once more to
that officer, your pupil. I only wish to remind him of his past
promises."

"Rather," replied Barton, "to move him to make more, or perchance make
him your prisoner. No, fair lady, I see too much of your puissance, to
trust my noble pupil in your presence. Yet I would have you think as
well of him as the cloudy aspect of present appearances will admit, for
man oweth man candour; it is the current coin of social life, and they
who do not traffic with it, must not expect a supply for their own
wants."

Eustace fretted at this _badinage_, and thought Barton a miserable
jester. He caught at the epithet "Noble," and asked if any one, lawfully
entitled to it, would be so degenerate as to rebel against his King.

"I am one of those stern teachers," said Barton, "who see nobility only
in virtuous actions and high attainments, but even in your sense of the
word, my pupil has a right to the name, being lineally descended from
those mighty Barons, who in early times enforced Kings to yield, and
gave us the right we now enjoy of sitting under our own vine and eating
the fruit of our own fig-tr