nay richly, attired. The bride, whose features they could
distinctly see, seemed not more than sixteen years old, and extremely
beautiful. The bridegroom, for some seconds, moved rather with his
shoulder towards them, and his face averted; but his elegance of form
and step struck the sisters at once with the same apprehension. As he
turned his face suddenly, it was frightfully realized, and they saw, in
the gay bridegroom before them, Sir Philip Forester. His wife uttered an
imperfect exclamation, at the sound of which the whole scene stirred and
seemed to separate.

"I could compare it to nothing," said Lady Bothwell, while recounting
the wonderful tale, "but to the dispersion of the reflection offered
by a deep and calm pool, when a stone is suddenly cast into it, and
the shadows become dissipated and broken." The master pressed both the
ladies' hands severely, as if to remind them of their promise, and
of the danger which they incurred. The exclamation died away on Lady
Forester's tongue, without attaining perfect utterance, and the scene in
the glass, after the fluctuation of a minute, again resumed to the eye
its former appearance of a real scene, existing within the mirror, as if
represented in a picture, save that the figures were movable instead of
being stationary.

The representation of Sir Philip Forester, now distinctly visible
in form and feature, was seen to lead on towards the clergyman that
beautiful girl, who advanced at once with diffidence and with a species
of affectionate pride. In the meantime, and just as the clergyman had
arranged the bridal company before him, and seemed about to commence the
service, another group of persons, of whom two or three were officers,
entered the church. They moved, at first, forward, as though they came
to witness the bridal ceremony; but suddenly one of the officers, whose
back was towards the spectators, detached himself from his companions,
and rushed hastily towards the marriage party, when the whole of them
turned towards him, as if attracted by some exclamation which had
accompanied his advance. Suddenly the intruder drew his sword; the
bridegroom unsheathed his own, and made towards him; swords were also
drawn by other individuals, both of the marriage party and of those who
had last entered. They fell into a sort of confusion, the clergyman, and
some elder and graver persons, labouring apparently to keep the peace,
while the hotter spirits on both sides bra