be here.' I told him, as
well as I was able, that I, too, should be glad to leave the place;
whereupon, after collecting my things, he harnessed my pony, and, with
the assistance of the woman, he contrived to place me in the cart; he
then gave me a draught out of a small phial, and we set forward at a slow
pace, the man walking by the side of the cart in which I lay. It is
probable that the draught consisted of a strong opiate, for after
swallowing it I fell into a deep slumber; on my awaking, I found that the
shadows of night had enveloped the earth--we were still moving on.
Shortly, however, after descending a declivity, we turned into a lane, at
the entrance of which was a gate. This lane conducted to a meadow,
through the middle of which ran a small brook; it stood between two
rising grounds; that on the left, which was on the farther side of the
water, was covered with wood, whilst the one on the right, which was not
so high, was crowned with the white walls of what appeared to be a
farmhouse.

Advancing along the meadow, we presently came to a place where grew three
immense oaks, almost on the side of the brook, over which they flung
their arms, so as to shade it as with a canopy; the ground beneath was
bare of grass, and nearly as hard and smooth as the floor of a barn.
Having led his own cart on one side of the midmost tree, and my own on
the other, the stranger said to me, 'This is the spot where my wife and
myself generally tarry in the summer season, when we come into these
parts. We are about to pass the night here. I suppose you will have no
objection to do the same? Indeed, I do not see what else you could do
under present circumstances.' After receiving my answer, in which I, of
course, expressed my readiness to assent to his proposal, he proceeded to
unharness his horse, and, feeling myself much better, I got down, and
began to make the necessary preparations for passing the night beneath
the oak.

Whilst thus engaged, I felt myself touched on the shoulder, and, looking
round, perceived the woman, whom the stranger called Winifred, standing
close to me. The moon was shining brightly upon her, and I observed that
she was very good-looking, with a composed yet cheerful expression of
countenance; her dress was plain and primitive, very much resembling that
of a Quaker. She held a straw bonnet in her hand. 'I am glad to see
thee moving about, young man,' said she, in a soft, placid tone; 'I could