gentleman with whom they had parted only that
morning. On what special business he was now in Ireland there was no
necessity that he should speak; but being here he had brought him hither
to present him to his daughter, and found that the impression she had
made was quite what was desirable.

"You, you know, dear Alice, are promised to a conventual life. Had it
been otherwise--"

He hesitated for a moment.

"You are right, dear father," she said, kissing his hand, "I _am_ so
promised, and no earthly tie or allurement has power to draw me from
that holy engagement."

"Well," he said, returning her caress, "I do not mean to urge you upon
that point. It must not, however, be until Una's marriage has taken
place. That cannot be, for many good reasons, sooner than this time
twelve months; we shall then exchange this strange and barbarous abode
for Paris, where are many eligible convents, in which are entertained as
sisters some of the noblest ladies of France; and there, too, in Una's
marriage will be continued, though not the name, at all events the
blood, the lineage, and the title which, so sure as justice ultimately
governs the course of human events, will be again established, powerful
and honoured in this country, the scene of their ancient glory and
transitory misfortunes. Meanwhile, we must not mention this engagement
to Una. Here she runs no risk of being sought or won; but the mere
knowledge that her hand was absolutely pledged, might excite a
capricious opposition and repining such as neither I nor you would like
to see; therefore be secret."

The same evening he took Alice with him for a ramble round the castle
wall, while they talked of grave matters, and he as usual allowed her a
dim and doubtful view of some of those cloud-built castles in which he
habitually dwelt, and among which his jaded hopes revived.

They were walking upon a pleasant short sward of darkest green, on one
side overhung by the gray castle walls, and on the other by the forest
trees that here and there closely approached it, when precisely as they
turned the angle of the Bell Tower, they were encountered by a person
walking directly towards them. The sight of a stranger, with the
exception of the one visitor introduced by her father, was in this place
so absolutely unprecedented, that Alice was amazed and affrighted to
such a degree that for a moment she stood stock-still.

But there was more in this apparition to excite unpleasant