unmoved, to the clank
of Megaera's scourge, and to the wail of a million spirits in torment.
Her beauty is more magnificent than ever, but it is tinged with the
austere and dreary majesty that befits the consort of the King of Hell.
Ah, woeful mother! desist from intercession, and dry those unavailing
tears: it is too late now to tempt her to follow you, even if Hades will
let its empress depart for a season: the pure, natural fruits of your
upper earth have lost all savor for the lips that once have tasted the
fatal pomegranate.

Mr. Fullarton and his family completed the party, which was confined to
the Molyneux's set. The chaplain was strangely nervous, fussy, and
important: it seemed as if the possession of some weighty secret that he
was eager, yet afraid to divulge, had disturbed his phlegmatic
complacency. He took the first opportunity of beseeching Miss Tresilyan
to be allowed to act as her escort: it was customary on all these
expeditions that each dame and demoiselle, besides the professional
muleteer, should be attended by at least one "dismounted skirmisher."
Cecil was rather puzzled by the petition, and by the earnest way in
which it was preferred; but she was too happy to deny any body any thing
just then; besides which she felt conscious of having visited her pastor
of late with a certain amount of neglect, not to say contumely. So she
consented, graciously; but the sidelong glance at Keene, asking for his
sympathy, did not escape her reverend cavalier.

It was evident that Mr. Fullarton had something on his mind that he
intended to impart to his companion; but it was equally clear that he
did not see his way to the confidence. The path turned abruptly across
the line of hills; and while he was hesitating and looking about for a
fair opening, it got so steep and rugged that it soon left him no breath
for the disclosure. Before they had gone half a league the divine was
decidedly in difficulties; he rolled hither and thither, panting
painfully, like one who has already endured all the burden and heat of
the day. Still he clung obstinately to Cecil's bridle-rein, rather
assisted than assisting, till they reached a point where the road
resembled greatly a flight of garret stairs, without any regularity in
the steps thereof. The mule and its leader stumbled together; the former
recovered itself cleverly after the fashion of its kind; but such a
_tour de force_ far exceeded the exhausted energies of the pursy