ey
fell beneath my axe; and then I bethought me that a man was intended to
marry--I ought to marry; and if I married, where was I likely to be more
happy as a husband and a father than in America, engaged in tilling the
ground? I fancied myself in America, engaged in tilling the ground,
assisted by an enormous progeny. Well, why not marry, and go and till
the ground in America? I was young, and youth was the time to marry in,
and to labour in. I had the use of all my faculties; my eyes, it is
true, were rather dull from early study, and from writing the 'Life of
Joseph Sell'; but I could see tolerably well with them, and they were not
bleared. I felt my arms, and thighs, and teeth--they were strong and
sound enough; so now was the time to labour, to marry, eat strong flesh,
and beget strong children--the power of doing all this would pass away
with youth, which was terribly transitory. I bethought me that a time
would come when my eyes would be bleared, and perhaps, sightless; my arms
and thighs strengthless and sapless; when my teeth would shake in my
jaws, even supposing they did not drop out. No going a wooing then--no
labouring--no eating strong flesh, and begetting lusty children then; and
I bethought me how, when all this should be, I should bewail the days of
my youth as misspent, provided I had not in them founded for myself a
home, and begotten strong children to take care of me in the days when I
could not take care of myself; and thinking of these things, I became
sadder and sadder, and stared vacantly upon the fire till my eyes closed
in a doze."

So, before going to bed, he filled the kettle in case Isopel should
return during the night. He fell asleep and was dreaming hard and
hearing the sound of wheels in his dream "grating amidst sand and
gravel," when suddenly he awoke. "The next moment I was awake, and found
myself sitting up in my tent; there was a glimmer of light through the
canvas caused by the fire; a feeling of dread came over me, which was
perhaps natural, on starting suddenly from one's sleep in that wild lone
place; I half imagined that some one was nigh the tent; the idea made me
rather uncomfortable, and to dissipate it I lifted up the canvas of the
door and peeped out, and, lo! I had an indistinct view of a tall figure
standing by the tent. 'Who is that?' said I, whilst I felt my blood rush
to my heart. 'It is I,' said the voice of Isopel Berners; 'you little
expected me, I dare