up the party at an early and
decorous hour, so that they left the Castle long before their rivals,
the Cavaliers, had reached the springtide of their merriment; an
arrangement which afforded the greatest satisfaction to the lady, who
dreaded the consequences which might not improbably have taken place,
had both parties met at the same period and point of retreat.

It was near midnight ere the greater part of the Cavaliers, meaning such
as were able to effect their departure without assistance, withdrew to
the village of Martindale Moultrassie, with the benefit of the broad
moon to prevent the chance of accidents. Their shouts, and the burden of
their roaring chorus of--

"The King shall enjoy his own again!"

were heard with no small pleasure by the lady, heartily glad that
the riot of the day was over without the occurrence of any unpleasing
accident. The rejoicing was not, however, entirely ended; for the
elevated Cavaliers, finding some of the villagers still on foot around a
bonfire on the street, struck merrily in with them--sent to Roger Raine
of the Peveril Arms, the loyal publican whom we have already mentioned,
for two tubs of merry stingo (as it was termed), and lent their own
powerful assistance at the _dusting_ it off to the health of the King
and the loyal General Monk. Their shouts for a long time disturbed, and
even alarmed, the little village; but no enthusiasm is able to
withstand for ever the natural consequences of late hours, and potations
pottle-deep. The tumult of the exulting Royalists at last sunk into
silence, and the moon and the owl were left in undisturbed sovereignty
over the old tower of the village church, which, rising white above a
circle of knotty oaks, was tenanted by the bird, and silvered by the
planet.

CHAPTER V

'Twas when they raised, 'mid sap and siege,
The banners of their rightful liege,
At their she-captain's call,
Who, miracle of womankind!
Lent mettle to the meanest hind
That mann'd her castle wall.
--WILLIAM S. ROSE.

On the morning succeeding the feast, the Lady Peveril, fatigued with the
exertions and the apprehensions of the former day, kept her apartment
for two or three hours later than her own active habits, and the
matutinal custom of the time, rendered usual. Meanwhile, Mistress
Ellesmere, a person of great trust in the family