ece; who was now an object of sufficient interest from
the disclosures of the preceding night, even though she had been less
attractive in her person.

Sorrow in Miss Walladmor wore its most touching shape: as yet it had
made no ravages in her beauty; and, if it had laid a hand of gentle
violence upon her health, it had as yet cropped only the luxuriance of
her youthful charms. It was clear to every eye that Miss Walladmor was
not one of those persons who surrender themselves unresisting victims
to dejection, and sink without a struggle into premature
valetudinarians. Somewhat indeed her early acquaintance with grief had
dimmed the lustre of her fine blue eyes; and had given a pensive
timidity to her manner. But, if her eye were less bright, it was still
full of spirit and intelligence: and, if the roses were stolen from her
cheek, her paleness was rather the paleness of thought than of
constitutional languor; or to express it in the exquisite lines of a
modern poet, if she wore 'a pale face' it was however a pale face

'--------that seem'd undoubtedly
As if a blooming face it ought to be:'

and her whole person and deportment expressed that naturally she was of
redundant health and gaiety, but suffering under the shocks of a trial
to which she had been summoned too early for her youthful fortitude.

Having mounted on horseback only at the entrance of Machynleth, Miss
Walladmor did not wear a riding-habit; but had gratified her uncle by
assuming the plain white morning dress, white ribbons, and cap, which
ancient custom had consecrated to the occasion; adding only, in
consideration of the frosty day, an ermine tippet. The horse she rode
was a white palfrey of the beautiful breed so much valued by Charles
I.; and in fact traced its pedigre from the famous _White Rose_ which
had been presented by the sister of that prince [the Electress
Palatine] to an ancestor of Sir Morgan's, who had attended her to
Heidelberg. At the moment of passing the inn,--one of the doves, which
Miss Walladmor had been in the habit of feeding, quitted the hand of
the young bearer behind, and perched upon the shoulder of her mistress;
making up a picture of innocent beauty somewhat fanciful and allegoric,
but not on that account the less fitted to harmonize with the antique
pageantries of this heraldic solemnity.

Such were the two central and presiding figures: every eye strained
after them, and all that followed was unnoticed: th