The Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Years Ago, Volume II., by Charles Kingsley

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Title: Two Years Ago, Volume II.

Author: Charles Kingsley

Release Date: February 8, 2004 [EBook #10995]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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TWO YEARS AGO

[Illustration]

TWO YEARS AGO

BY
CHARLES KINGSLEY

IN TWO VOLS.--VOL. II

1901

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAP

XV THE CRUISE OF THE WATERWITCH
XVI COME AT LAST
XVII BAALZEBUB'S BANQUET
XVIII THE BLACK HOUND
XIX BEDDGELERT
XX BOTH SIDES OF THE MOON AT ONCE
XXI NATURE'S MELODRAMA
XXII FOND, YET NOT FOOLISH
XXIII THE BROAD STONE OF HONOUR
XXIV THE THIRTIETH OF SEPTEMBER
XXV THE BANKER AND HIS DAUGHTER
XXVI TOO LATE
XXVII A RECENT EXPLOSION IN AN ANCIENT CRATER
XXVIII LAST CHRISTMAS EVE

TWO YEARS AGO.

CHAPTER XV.

THE CRUISE OF THE WATERWITCH.

The middle of August is come at last; and with it the solemn day on
which Frederick Viscount Scoutbush may be expected to revisit the home
of his ancestors. Elsley has gradually made up his mind to the
inevitable, with a stately sulkiness: and comforts himself, as the time
draws near, with the thought that, after all, his brother-in-law is not
a very formidable personage.

But to the population of Aberalva in general, the coming event is one of
awful jubilation. The shipping is all decked with flags; all the Sunday
clothes have been looked out, and many a yard of new ribbon and pound of
bad powder bought; there have been arrangements for a procession, which
could not be got up; for a speech which nobody would undertake to
pronounce; and, lastly, for a dinner, about which last there was no
hanging back. Yea, also, they have hired from Carcarrow Church-town,
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music; for Frank has put
down the old choir band at Aberalva,--another of his mistakes,--and
there is but one fiddle and a clarionet now left in all the town. So the
said town waits all the day on tiptoe, ready to worship, till out of the
soft brown haze the