as if to
watch for the descent of the rapacious bird.

Leaving the child, we turn to Sir Thomas, who on that morning, as was
his wont, together with his dame, awoke betimes, but he was sooner astir
and more anxious and bustling than usual. Their custom was, awaking with
the sun, to begin the day with a quiet stroll about the grounds; and on
this eventful morning their walk chanced happily towards the eagle's
nest. Being something farther and more out of their common track, it was
noticed good-humouredly by the lady, who seemed to possess a more than
ordinary portion of hilarity on the occasion. Evidently under some
exciting influence, their walk was unconsciously protracted.

In a gloomy dell, not far from the eyrie, Sir Thomas stood still, in the
attitude of listening. The lady, too, was silent and alarmed, but no
intimation of danger was visible. Her own senses, though, seemed to
gather acuteness,--a circumstance by no means rare in the vicinity of an
unusually timid and listening companion, who braces our perceptions to
the tension of his own. Soon, however, the short and feeble cry of the
babe was heard, when the knight sprang forward, feigning great
astonishment at the discovery. Evidently dropped from the talons of the
bird, it was looked upon as a special gift of Providence, a deposit
direct from the skies; to have rejected which would have been a heinous
offence, and an unlawful contravention of the designs of the Giver.
Accordingly, the infant was taken home and carefully nursed, being
baptized by the name of Oskatell.

The good lady became surprisingly enamoured of the little foundling,
believing his adoption was dictated by the will of Heaven; and to this
decision its father readily acceded. Sir Thomas, to give the greater
sanction to this supposed miracle, as well as to remove all suspicion of
fraud from the prying eyes of a censorious world, assumed for his crest
an eagle on the wing, proper, looking round as though for something she
had lost.

The child grew in years and stature, being liberally furnished in all
things according with the dignity he was destined to receive. Sir Thomas
purposed the sharing of his wealth equally between his children, a
measure which had the entire concurrence of Lady de Lathom. Though
younger by some years, Oskatell was generally considered by the world as
the future husband of Isabella; but Sir Thomas, aware of danger on this
head, early impressed them with some notion