ivel turned instinctively, and beheld, to his utter
astonishment, a tall dark figure standing close behind him. The
apparition gave him no time to proceed by exorcism or otherwise, but
having instantly recourse to the voie de fait, took measure of the
adept's shoulders three or four times with blows so substantial, that he
fell under the weight of them, and remained senseless for some minutes
between fear and stupefaction. When he came to himself, he was alone in
the ruined chancel, lying upon the soft and damp earth which had been
thrown out of Misticot's grave. He raised himself with a confused
sensation of anger, pain, and terror, and it was not until he had sat
upright for some minutes, that he could arrange his ideas sufficiently
to recollect how he came there, or with what purpose. As his
recollection returned, he could have little doubt that the bait held out
to him by Ochiltree, to bring him to that solitary spot, the sarcasms by
which he had provoked him into a quarrel, and the ready assistance which
he had at hand for terminating it in the manner in which it had ended,
were all parts of a concerted plan to bring disgrace and damage on
Herman Dousterswivel. He could hardly suppose that he was indebted for
the fatigue, anxiety, and beating which he had undergone, purely to the
malice of Edie Ochiltree singly, but concluded that the mendicant had
acted a part assigned to him by some person of greater importance. His
suspicions hesitated between Oldbuck and Sir Arthur Wardour. The former
had been at no pains to conceal a marked dislike of him--but the latter
he had deeply injured; and although he judged that Sir Arthur did not
know the extent of his wrongs towards him, yet it was easy to suppose
he had gathered enough of the truth to make him desirous of revenge.
Ochiltree had alluded to at least one circumstance which the adept had
every reason to suppose was private between Sir Arthur and himself,
and therefore must have been learned from the former. The language of
Oldbuck also intimated a conviction of his knavery, which Sir Arthur
heard without making any animated defence. Lastly, the way in which
Dousterswivel supposed the Baronet to have exercised his revenge, was
not inconsistent with the practice of other countries with which the
adept was better acquainted than with those of North Britain. With him,
as with many bad men, to suspect an injury, and to nourish the purpose
of revenge, was one and the same move