months together, a multitude of naked
children, orphaned and captive by the sword, to and from the troughs at
which they fed like pigs, amidst the laughter of the lord of the castle
and his guests; while he who passed down them to the dungeon beyond,
had little chance of ever retracing his steps upward to the light.

Annie told the keeper that there was a gentleman shut into the castle,
and then ran a mile and a half to Tibbie's cottage, without stopping.
But she did not say a word to Tibbie about her adventure.

CHAPTER LIII.

A spirit of prophecy, whether from the Lord or not, was abroad this
summer among the clergy of Glamerton, of all persuasions. Nor was its
influences confined to Glamerton or the clergy. The neighbourhood and
the laity had their share. Those who read their Bibles, of whom there
were many in that region, took to reading the prophecies, all the
prophecies, and scarcely anything but the prophecies. Upon these every
man, either for himself or following in the track of his spiritual
instructor, exercised his individual powers of interpretation, whose
fecundity did not altogether depend upon the amount of historical
knowledge. But whatever was known, whether about ancient Assyria or
modern Tahiti, found its theoretic place. Of course the Church of Rome
had her due share of the application from all parties; but neither the
Church of England, the Church of Scotland, nor either of the dissenting
sects, went without its portion freely dealt, each of the last finding
something that applied to all the rest. There were some, however, who
cared less for such modes, and, themselves given to a daily fight with
antichrist in their own hearts, sought--for they too read the
prophecies--to fix their reference on certain sins, and certain persons
classed according to these their sins. With a burning desire for the
safety of their neighbours, they took upon them the strongest words of
rebuke and condemnation, so that one might have thought they were
revelling in the idea of the vengeance at hand, instead of striving for
the rescue of their neighbours from the wrath to come. Among these were
Thomas Crann and his minister, Mr Turnbull. To them Glamerton was the
centre of creation, providence, and revelation. Every warning finger in
The Book pointed to it; every burst of indignation from the labouring
bosom of holy prophet was addressed to its sinners. And what the
ministers spoke to classes from the pulpit,