e animal preponderating over the intellectual in his
organization, and his slow, solemn talk--always about himself--showed
the importance he attached to the slightest incident that had occurred
to so distinguished an individual. Not that Mr Gillingham Howard, as
we remarked before, limited his narratives merely to what had actually
occurred--they diffused themselves over every circumstance that had
happened to any one else, and might by any possibility have happened
to him. By this means he had an extraordinary fund of conversational
anecdote; for whatever story he heard, or adventure he read, he
immediately appropriated to himself; and thought nothing of killing
his eight hundred ducks at one shot with Munchausen, or finding out
false concords in a Greek play with the Bishop of London. His aunt was
so used to hear his marvellous tales, that we must in charity suppose
she believed some of them to be true; and in that persuasion she was
called upon on all occasions to bear witness to the facts. She
testified accordingly, with the most perfect readiness, to all his
achievements in the rows at Oxford; his suggestions to the other
magistrates, that were always approved; his courage in every danger;
his mastery in every game, and his skill in every science. She was a
little, vulgar-looking woman, with small cunning eyes, and a very
round face, glistening and shining with its absurd obesity; and in
shape and complexion bearing a close resemblance to a sun-flower stuck
into a Dutch cheese. The awe with which she regarded her nephew arose
partly from his size, but principally from the aristocratic loftiness
of his birth--being the third in descent from the original founder of
the family, while nothing stood between her and the tallow vat except
the six years during which her father had enacted the country squire.
What could be more appalling to these unhappy beings than the
threatened visit, and long-delayed vengeance of the implacable Thomas
Roe? In the mean time, Miss Arabel had only a confused notion of the
meaning of all the threats and messages, the mere report of which
wrought such anguish in the paternal breast. Her thoughts dwelt more
constantly on the interview she had had with the mysterious stranger;
and the speech he had made about the treasure he had heard of in
Surbridge Hall, came every moment to her mind. It was so pretty a
speech; and he looked so full of admiration when he said it! Was there
no way of getting h