along
her course unaltered, the humble craft, in the same sea, must tack,
and beat, and watch for every casualty of the gale to gain her port in
safety. These are the trials of the poor, but proud man. It is not the
want of liveried lacqueys, of plate, of equipage, and all the glittering
emblems of wealth, that smite his heart, and break his spirit. It is the
petty subterfuge he is reduced to, that galls him--it is the sense of
struggle between his circumstances and his conscience--between what he
does, and what he feels.

It is true, Kate knew not these things, but yet she had before her the
results of them too palpably to be mistaken. Sir Archibald was the
only one on whom reverse of fortune had not brought carelessness and
coarseness of manner. He seemed, both in dress and demeanour, little
changed from what she remembered him years before; nor had time,
apparently, fallen on him with heavier impress in other respects. What
was Herbert like? was the question ever rising to her mind, but with
little hope that the answer would prove satisfactory.

While Kate O'Donoghue was thus pondering over the characters of those
with whom she was now to live, they, on the other hand, were exerting
themselves to the utmost to restore some semblance of its ancient
comfort to the long-neglected dwelling. A blazing fire of bog deal was
lighted in the old hall, whose mellow glare glanced along the dark oak
wainscot, and threw a rich glow along the corridor itself, to the very
door of the tower. In the great chamber, where they sat, many articles
of furniture, long disused and half forgotten, were now collected,
giving, even by their number, a look of increased comfort to the
roomy apartment. Nor were such articles of ornament as they possessed
forgotten. The few pictures which had escaped the wreck of damp and time
were placed upon the walls, and a small miniature of Kate, as a child--a
poor performance enough--was hung up over the chimney, as it were
to honour her, whose presence these humble preparations were made
to celebrate. Sir Archy, too, as eager in these arrangements as Mark
himself, had brought several books and illustrated volumes from his
chamber to scatter upon the tables; while, as if for a shrine for the
deity of the place, a little table of most elaborate marquetrie, and
a richly-carved chair beside the fire, designated the place Kate was to
occupy as her own, and to mark which, he had culled the very gems of his
coll