he ascended the great stair-case, he beheld in
the centre of his hall the unhappy mother prostrate and writhing upon
the ground--read the pangs that were in her face--and the curse that
was in her eye, from that moment he turned away like one already
reached by her vengeance; and never again had thought--moved--talked--
slept--or dreamed--as they think--move--talk--sleep and dream that have
the blessedness of an untroubled conscience, and against whom no record
is filed in the courts of heaven on which are written the tears of the
afflicted or the crimes of the despairing."

FOOTNOTES TO "CHAPTER XVIII.":

[Footnote 1: Modesty forbids us to say _which_: but a truth is a truth:
and his favorite volume, we understand, was in "post 8vo."]

[Footnote 2: Winter's Tale.]

CHAPTER XIX.

_Penthea._ First his heart
Shall fall in cinders, scorch'd by your disdain,
Ere he will dare, poor man, to ope an eye
On these divine looks, but with low-bent thoughts
Accusing such presumption: as for words,
He dares not utter any but of service.
Yet this lost creature loves ye!
FORD. _The Broken Heart_--Act 3.

At this moment the bugle of the cavalry called the attention of Mr.
Williams and Bertram: they were mounting in some hurry, and leaving the
castle upon private intelligence just received by Sir Charles Davenant.
All that could be learned of the occasion which summoned them on duty
was--that some attack, supposed to be headed by Captain Nicholas, was
this evening meditated on a depot of horses designed for remounting one
troop of the dragoons: this depot had been recently formed in the
neighbourhood of Walladmor for the purpose of receiving horses
purchased at different fairs on the borders. But with what design
could Captain Nicholas attack it? No doubt to mount a party from some
one or more of the various smuggling vessels on the coast. "But with
what further end?" asked Bertram: "or why, being under so serious a
charge--and a high reward offered for his apprehension, does he still
linger in this neighbourhood?"

"I imagine," said Mr. Williams, "that the ordinary motives on which men
are careful of their lives are wanting to Captain Nicholas, and have
been for some time: and just at this moment his old feelings of
jealousy, or rather of anxiety and irritation, are perhaps revived by
t