m the line of conduct her brother
had adopted, and which, in her apprehension, was so likely to engage him
in the broils that divided the good company at the Spring. Mowbray
listened to her explanation with an air of doubt, or rather incredulity,
sipped a cup of tea which had for some time been placed before him, and
at length replied, "Well, Clara, whether I am right or wrong in my
guess, it would be cruel to torment you any more, remembering what you
have just done for me. But do justice to your brother, and believe, that
when you have any thing to ask of him, an explicit declaration of your
wishes will answer your purpose much better than any ingenious oblique
attempts to influence me. Give up all thoughts of such, my dear
Clara--you are but a poor manoeuvrer, but were you the very Machiavel
of your sex, you should not turn the flank of John Mowbray."

He left the room as he spoke, and did not return, though his sister
twice called upon him. It is true that she uttered the word brother so
faintly, that perhaps the sound did not reach his ears.--"He is gone,"
she said, "and I have had no power to speak out! I am like the wretched
creatures, who, it is said, lie under a potent charm, that prevents them
alike from shedding tears and from confessing their crimes--Yes, there
is a spell on this unhappy heart, and either that must be dissolved, or
this must break."

FOOTNOTE:

[I-17] Bogle--in English, Goblin.

CHAPTER XII.

THE CHALLENGE.

A slight note I have about me, for the delivery of which you must
excuse me. It is an office which friendship calls upon me to do, and
no way offensive to you, as I desire nothing but right on both
sides.

_King and No King._

The intelligent reader may recollect, that Tyrrel departed from the Fox
Hotel on terms not altogether so friendly towards the company as those
under which he entered it. Indeed, it occurred to him, that he might
probably have heard something farther on the subject, though, amidst
matters of deeper and more anxious consideration, the idea only passed
hastily through his mind; and two days having gone over without any
message from Sir Bingo Binks, the whole affair glided entirely out of
his memory.

The truth was, that although never old woman took more trouble to
collect and blow up with her bellows the embers of her decayed fire,
than Captain MacTurk kindly underwent for the purpose of puffing into a
flame the dying sparkles of