 Volume one, Chapter seventeenth, of the antiquary. This labor box recording is in the public domain. The antiquary by Sir Walter Scott. Chapter seventeenth. Of seats they tell, where priests mid-tapers dim, breathe the warm prayer, tuned the midnight hymn, to scenes like these the fainting soul retired. Revenge and anger in these cells expired. By pity soothed, remorsed, lost half her fears, and softened pride dropped penitential tears. Crabs borough. The morning of Friday was as serene and beautiful as if no pleasure-party had been intended, and that is a rare event, whether in novel writing or real life. Lovell, who felt the genial influence of the weather, and rejoiced at the prospect of once more meeting with Miss Wardor, trotted forward to the place of rendezvous with better spirits than he had for some time enjoyed. His prospect seemed in many respects to open and brighten before him, and hope, although breaking like the morning sun through clouds and showers, appeared now about to illuminate the path before him. He was, as might have been expected, from the state of spirits, first at the place of meeting, and, as might also have been anticipated, his looks were so intently directed towards the road from Nockwinnett castles that he was only apprised of the arrival of the Monk Barnes Division by the G. Hupping of the Pistillion, as the post-jays slumbered up behind him. In this vehicle were pent up, first, the stately figure of Mr. Oldbuck himself, secondly, the scarce, less portly person of the Reverend, Mr. Blattergell, minister of Trockosi, the parish in which Monk Barnes and Nockwinnett were both situated. The Reverend gentleman was equipped in a buzz-wig, upon the top of which was an equilateral cock-tat. This was the paragon of the three, yet remaining wigs of the parish, which differed, as Monk Barnes used to remark, like the three degrees of comparison, Sir Arthur's ramleys being the positive, his own bob-wig the comparative, and the overwhelming grizzle of the worthy clergyman, figuring as the superlative. The superintendent of these antique garnitures, deeming or effecting to deem, that he could not well be absent on an occasion, which assembled all three together, had seated himself on the board behind the carriage, just to be in the way in case they wanted a touch, before the gentleman sat down to dinner. Between the two massive figures of Monk Barnes and the clergyman was stuck, by way of Bodkin, the slim form of marrying the tire, her aunt having preferred to visit the mans, and a social chat with Miss Becky Blattergall, to investigating the ruins of the priory of St. Ruth. As greetings passed between the members of the Monk Barnes party in Mr. Lovell, the Baronette's carriage, an open brooch, swept onward to the place of appointment, making, with its smoky bays, smart drivers, arms, blazed panels, and a brace of outriders, a strong contrast with the battered vehicle in broken-winded hacks, which had brought thither the antiquarian his followers. The principal seat of the carriage was occupied by Sir Arthur and his daughter. At the first glance which passed between Miss Wardor and Lovell, her color rose considerably, but she had apparently made up her mind to receive him as a friend, and only as such, and there was equal composure and courtesy in the motive for her reply to his fluttered salutation. Sir Arthur halted the brooch to shake his preserver kindly by the hand, and intimate the pleasure he had on this opportunity of returning him his personal thanks, then mentioned to him in a tone of slight introduction. Mr. Delster swivel, Mr. Lovell. Lovell took the necessary notice of the German adept, who occupied the front seat of the carriage, which is usually conferred upon dependents or inferiors. The ready grin and supple inclination, with which his salutation, though slight, was answered by the foreigner, increased the internal dislike which Lovell had already conceived towards him, and it was plain from the lower of the antiquary's shaggy eyebrow that he too looked with displeasure on this addition to the company. Little more than distant greeting passed among the members of the party until having rolled on for about three miles beyond the place at which they met. The carriages at length stopped at the sign of the four horseshoes, a small hedgen where Caxon humbly opened the door and let down the step of the hackchase, while the inmates of the brooch were by their more courtly attendance assisted to leave their equipage. Here renewed greetings passed, the young lady shook hands and Old Buck, completely in his element, placed himself as guide and cissorone at the head of the party, who were now to advance on foot towards the object of their curiosity. He took care to detain Lovell, close behind him, as the best listener of the party, and occasionally glanced, a word of explanation and instruction to Miss Wardor and Maryman Tyre, who followed next in order. The baronet and the clergyman he rather avoided, as he was aware of both of them conceived they understood such matters as well or better than he did, and doused her swivel, besides that he looked on him as a charlatan, was so nearly connected with his apprehended loss in the stock of the mining company that he could not abide the sight of him. These two latter satellites, therefore, attended upon the orb of Sir Arthur, to whom, moreover, as the most important person of the society, they were naturally induced to attach themselves. It frequently happens that the most beautiful points of Scottish scenery lie hidden in some sequestered delt, and that you may travel through the country in every direction without being aware of your vicinity to what is well worth seeing, unless intention or accident carry you to the very spot. This is particularly the case in the country around Fairport, which is, generally speaking, open, unenclosed and bare. But here and there the progress of rules or small rivers has formed dels, glens, or, as they are provincially termed, dens, on whose high and rocky banks, trees and shrubs of all kinds find a shelter, and grow with a luxuriant perfusion, which is the more gratifying as it forms an unexpected contrast with the general face of the country. This was eminently the case with the approach to the ruins of St. Ruth, which was for some time merely a sheep-track along the side of a steep and bare hill. By degrees, however, as this path descended and winded round the hillside, trees began to appear at first singly, stunted and blightened, with flocks of wool upon their trunks, and their roots hollowed out into recesses, in which the sheep loved to repose themselves, a sight much more gratifying to the eye of an enrier of the picturesque than to that of a planter or forester. By and by the trees formed groups, fringed on the edges and filled up in the middle, by thorns and hazel bushes, and at length these groups closed so much together, that although a broad glade opened here and there under their boughs, or a small patch of bog or heath, occurred which had refused nourishment to the sea which they sprinkled round, and consequently remained open and waste. The scene mined on the whole be termed decidedly woodland. The sides of the valley began to approach each other more closely. The rush of a brook was heard below, and between the intervals afforded by openings in the natural wood, its waters were seen hurling clear and rapid under the silvan canopy. Old Book now took upon himself the full authority of Cicero-ne, and anxiously directed the company not to go a foot-breath off the track, which he pointed out to them, if they wished to enjoy in full perfection what they came to see. You are happy in me for a guide, Miss Wardor, exclaimed the veteran, waving his hand and head in cadence as he repeated with emphasis. I know each lane and every alley-green dingle or bushy dell of this wild wood and every bosky bower from side to side. Reader's note, Milton's comas, and Reader's note, ah, deuce take it, that spray of a bramble has demolished all Caxon's labours and nearly canted my wig into the stream, so much for recitations, or depropo. Never mind, my dear sir, said Miss Wardor, you have your faithful attendant ready to repair such a disaster when it happens, and when you appear with it, as restored to its original splendour, I will carry on the quotation. So sinks the day-star in the ocean bed, and yet anon repairs his drooping head, and tricks his beams, and with new spangled oar, flames on the forehead. Reader's note, Lucidus, and Reader's note. Oh, enough, enough, answered Old Buck, I ought to have known what it was to give you advantage over me. But here is what will stop your career of satire, for you are an admirer of nature, I know. In fact, when they had followed him through a breach in a low, ancient and ruinous wall, they came suddenly upon a scene equally unexpected and interesting. They stood pretty high upon the side of the glen, which had suddenly opened into a sort of amphitheater, to give room for a pure and profound lake of a few acres extent, and a space of lowly ground around it. The banks then arose everywhere steeply, and in some places were varied by rocks, and others, covered with the cobs, which run up, feathering their sides lightly and irregularly, and breaking the uniformity of the green pasture ground. Beneath the lake discharged itself into the huddling and tumultuous brook, which had been their companion since they had entered the glen. At the point at which it issued from its parent lake stood the ruins which they had come to visit. They were not of great extent, but the singular beauty, as well as the wild and sequestered character of the spot on which they were situated, gave them an interest and importance superior to that which attaches itself to architectural remains of greater consequence, but placed near to ordinary houses and possessing less romantic accompaniments. The eastern window of the church remained entire with all its ornaments and tracery work, and the sides upheld by flying buttresses, whose airy support, detached from the wall against which they were placed, and ornamented with pinnacles and carved work, gave a variety and lightness to the building. The roof and western end of the church were completely ruinous, but the ladder appeared to have made one side of the square, of which the ruins of the conventional buildings formed other two, and the gardens of fourth. The side of these buildings which overhung the brook was partly founded on the steep and precipitous rock, for the place had been occasionally turned to military purposes, and had been taken with great slaughter during Montrose's wars. The ground formerly occupied by the garden was still marked by a few orchard trees. At a great distance from the buildings were detached oaks and alms and chestnuts growing singly, which had attained great size. The rest of the space between the ruins and the hill was a close-crop sworn, which the daily pasture of the sheep kept in much finer order than if it had been subjected to the scythe and broom. The whole scene had a repose, which was still and affecting without being monotonous. The dark deep basin in which the clear blue lake reposed, reflecting the water lilies which grew on its surface, and the trees which here and there, through their arms from the banks, was finally contrasted with the haste and tumble of the brook which broke away from the outlet, as if escaping from confinement and hurried down the glen, wheeling round the base of the rock on which the ruins were situated, and brawling in foam and fury with every shelf and stone which obstructed its passage. A similar contrast was seen between the level-green meadow in which the ruins were situated and the large timber-trees which were scattered over it, compared with the precipitous banks which arose at a short distance around, partly fringe with light and feathery underwood, partly rising in steeps clothed with purple heath, and partly more abruptly elevated into fronts of gray rock, checkered with lichen, and with those hardy plants which find root even in the most arid crevices of the crags. There was the retreat of learning in the days of darkness, Mr. Lovell, said Old Buck, around whom the company had now grouped themselves while they admired the unexpected opening of a prospect so romantic. There reposed the sages, who were a weary of the world, and devoted either to that which was to come, or to the service of the generations who should follow them in this. I will show you presently the library. See that stretch of wall with square-shafted windows, there it existed, stored as an old manuscript, in my possession, assures me, with five thousand volumes. And here I might well take up the lamentation of the learned Leland, who regretting the downfall of the conventional libraries, exclaims, like Rachel weeping for her children, that if the papal laws decrees, decredals, clementines, and other such drugs of the devil, yay, if Hatesburg's sophisms, porphyry's universals, Aristotle's logic, and Dunce's divinity, with other such lousy, leisure domains, begon your pardon in this wardour, and fruits of the bottomless pit, had leaped out of our libraries for the accommodation of grocers, candle-makers, soap-sellers, and other worldly occupiers. We might have been therewith contented, but to put our ancient chronicles, our noble histories, our learned commentaries, and national monuments, to such offices of contempt and subjection, has greatly degraded our nation, and showed ourselves dishonored in the eyes of posterity to the opma stretch of time. O negligence most unfriendly to our land. And, O John Knox, said the baronet, through whose influence, and under whose auspices, the patriotic task, was accomplished. The antiquary, somewhat in the situation of a woodcock, caught in his own spring, turned short round and coughed, to excuse a slight blush as he mustered his answer, as to the apostle of the Scottish Reformation. But Miss Wardour broke in to interrupt a conversation so dangerous. Pray, who was the author you quoted, Mr. Oldbuck? The learned Leland, Miss Wardour, who lost his senses on witnessing the destruction of the conventional libraries in England. Now, I think, replied the young lady, his misfortune may have saved the rationality of some modern antiquaries, which would certainly have been drowned if so vast a lake of learning had not been diminished by draining. Well, thank heaven, there is no danger now. They have hardly left us a spoonful in which to perform the dire feat. So saying, Mr. Oldbuck led the way down the bank, by a steep but secure path, which soon placed them on the verdant meadow where the ruin stood. There they lived, continued the antiquary, with not to do but to spend their time in investigating points of remote antiquity, transcribing manuscripts and composing new works for the information of posterity, and, added the Baronet, in exercising the rites of devotion with the pomp and ceremonial worthy of the office of the priesthood. And if Sir Arthur's excellence will permit, said the German, with a low bow, the monks might also, their very curious experiment in their laboratories, both in chemistry and magia naturalis. I think, said the clergyman, they would have enough to do in collecting the tines of parsnage and vicarage of three good parishes. And all, added Miss Wardour, nodding to the antiquary without interruption from womankind. True, my fair foe, said Oldbuck, this was a paradise where no eave was admitted, and we may wonder, the rather, by what chance the good fathers came to lose it. With such criticisms on the occupations of those by whom the ruins had been formerly possessed, they wandered for some time from one moss-grown shrine to another under the guidance of Oldbuck, who explained with much plausibility the ground plan of the edifice, and read and expounded to the company the various mouldering inscriptions which yet were to be traced upon the tombs of the dead or under the vacant niches of the saint in images. What is the reason, at length, Miss Wardour asked the antiquary, why tradition has preserved us such meager accounts of the inmates stately edifices, raised with such expensive labour and taste, and whose owners, more in their times, personages of such awful power and importance. The meanest tower of a free-booting baron or squire, who lived by his lance and broadsword, is consecrated by its appropriate legend, and the shepherd will tell you with accuracy the names and feats of its inhabitants. But as a countryman concerning these beautiful and extensive remains, these towers, these arches and buttresses, and shafted windows, reared at such cost, three words fill up his answer, they were made up by the monk's long sign. The question was somewhat puzzling, Sir Arthur looked upward, as if hoping to be inspired with an answer. Oldbuck shoved back his wig. The clergyman was of opinion that his parishioners were too deeply impressed with the true Presbyterian doctrine to preserve any records concerning the papistical cumbers of the land. Offshoots as they were of the great overshadowing tree of iniquity, whose roots are in the bowels of the seven hills of abomination. Lovell thought the question was best resolved by considering what are the events which leave the deepest impression on the minds of the common people. These, he contended, were not such as resemble the gradual progress of a fertilizing river, but the headlong and precipitous fury of some pretentious flood. The eras by which the vulgar compute time have always referenced to some period of fear and tribulation, and they date by a tempest, an earthquake, or a burst of civil commotion. When such are the facts most alive in the memory of the common people, we cannot wonder, he concluded, that the ferocious warriors remembered, and the peaceful abits are abandoned to forgetfulness and oblivion. If you please, gentlemen and ladies, an asking pardon of Sir Arthur and Miss Wardor, and this worthy clergymanch, and my good friend Master Oldamuck, who is my countrymanch, and of good young Mr. Lovell also, I think it is all owing to the hand of glory. The hand of what? exclaimed Old Buck. The hand of glory, my good Master Oldamuck, which is a very great and terrible secrets, which Domonch used to conceal their treasures when they were driven from their cloisters by what you call the reform. I, indeed, tell us about that, Old Buck, for these are secrets worth knowing. Why, my good Master Oldamuck, you only laugh at me. But the hand of glory is very well known into countries where your worthy progenitors did live. And it is hand cut off from a dead man, as has been hanged for murder, and dried very nice into smoke of juniper wood. And if you put a little of what you call you weed your juniper, it will not be any better. That is, it will not be no worse. Then you do take something of the fattish, of the bear, and of the badger, and of the great eber, as you call the grand boar, and of the little sucking child, as he has not been christened. For that is very essentials. And you do make a candle, and it put it into the hand of glory at the proper hour and minute, with the proper sheremonish, and he who shekesh for treasureth shall never find none at all. I dare take my corporal oath of that conclusion, said the antiquary, and was it the custom, Mr. Dostor Swivel, in Westphalia, to make use of this elegant candelabrum? Always, Mr. Oldamuck, when you did not want nobody to talk of nothing you washed doing about, and the monkish always did this when they did hide their church plates, and their great chalices, and rings, with very precious stones and jewels. But notwithstanding, unites of the rosy cross have means, no doubt, of breaking this spell, and discovering what the poor monks have put themselves to so much trouble to conceal. Ah, good Mr. Oldamuck, replied the adapt, shaking his head mysteriously. You was very hard to believe, but if you had seen the great huge pieces of the plates so massive, Sir Arthur, so fine fashion, Miss Wardour, and the silver cross, that would define, that was Schoepfer and my own self. For the air fry-graph, as you call the Baron von Blunderhaus, I do believe you would have believed Seen is believing, indeed. But what was your art? What was your mystery, Mr. Duster Swivel? Ah, Mr. Oldamuck, that is my little secret, my good Sir. You self forgive me that I not tell that, but I will tell you, there are various ways, yes indeed, there is the dream that you dream three times, that is a very good way. I am glad of that, said Oldamuck. I am a friend, with a cyclance to level, who is peculiarly favored by the visits of Queen Mab. Then there is the sympathies and the antipathies and the strange properties and virtues natural of diverse herb and of the little divining rod. I would gladly rather see some of these wonders than hear of them, said Miss Wardour. Ah, but my much honoured young lady, this is not the time or the way to do great wonder of finding out the church's plate and treasure, but to oblige you and Sir Arthur, my patron, and the Reverend Kurji Mans, and good Mr. Oldamuck and young Mr. Loffel, who is a very good young gentleman also, I will show you that it is possible, a very possible, to discover the spring of water and the little fountain hidden in the ground without any matak or spade, or dig it all. Hmm, quote the antiquary. I have heard of that conundrum. That will be no very productive art in our country. You should carry that property to Spain or Portugal and turn it to good account. Ha, my good Master Oldamuck. There is the Inquisition and the Outa Defe. They would burn me. Who am but a simple philosopher for one great conjurer? They would cast away their coals then, said Oldamuck, but continued he in a whisper to Loffel. Were they to pillory him for one of the most impudent rascals that ever wagged a tongue, they would square the punishment more accurately with his desserts. But let us see, I think he is about to show us some of his legere demand. In truth, the German was now not to a little cop's thicket at some distance from the ruins, where he affected visibly to search for such a wand as would suit the purpose of his mystery. And after cutting and examining and rejecting several, he at length provided himself with a small twig of hazel terminating in a forked end, which he pronounced to possess the virtue proper for the experiment that he was about to exhibit. Holding the forked ends of the wand, each between a finger and thumb, and thus keeping the rod upright, he receded to pace the ruined aisles and cloisters, followed by the rest of the company in admiring procession. I believe there was no waters here, said the adept, when he had made the round of several of the buildings without receiving any of those indications which he pretended to expect. I believe those scotch munch did find a water too cool for the climate and always drank the good comfortable rye wine. But ah, oh, see there! Accordingly, the assistants observed the rod to turn in his fingers, although he pretended to hold it very tight. There's water here about, sure enough. And turning this way and that way, as the agitation of the divining rod seemed to increase or diminish, he at length advanced into the midst of a vacant and ruthless enclosure, which had been the kitchen of the priory. When the rod twisted itself so as to point almost straight downwards, here is the place, said the adept, and if you do not find a water here, I will give you all leave to call me an impudent nave. I shall take that license, whispered the antiquaried level, whether the waters discovered or no. A servant who had come up with a basket of cold refreshments was now dispatched to a neighboring forester's hut for aromatic and pickaxe. The loose stones and rubbish being removed from the spot indicated by the German, they soon came to the sides of a regularly built well, and when a few feet of rubbish were cleared out by the assistants of the forester and his sons, the water began to rise rapidly to the delight of the philosopher, the astonishment of the ladies, Mr. Blattergau and Sir Arthur, the surprise of Lovell and the confusion of the incredulous antiquary. He did not fail, however, to enter his protest in Lovell's ear against the miracle. This is a mere trick, he said. The brass-gull had made himself sure of the existence of this old well by some means or other before he played off this mystical piece of jugglery. Mark what he talks of next. I am much mistaken if this is not intended as a prelude to some more serious fraud. See how the brass-gull assumes consequence and plumes himself upon the credit of his success, and how poor Sir Arthur takes in the tide of nonsense, which he is delivering to him as principles of occult science. You do see, my good patron, you do see, my good ladies, you do see worthy Dr. Blattergau. And even Mr. Lovell and Mr. Oldmug may see, if they do will to see, how art has no enemy at all, but ignorance. Look at this little slip of hazelnuts. It is fit for nothing at all, but to whip the little child. I would choose a cat in nine tails for your occasions, whispered Oldmug apart. And you put it in the hands of a philosopher. Puff! It makes to grand discovery. But this is nothing, Sir Arthur. Nothing at all worthy, Dr. Blattergau. Nothing at all, ladies. Nothing at all, young Mr. Lovell, and good Mr. Oldmug. To what art can do? Ah, if there was any man that had the spirit and the courage. I would show him better things than the whale of water. I would show him. And the little money would be necessary also. Would it not? Said the antiquary. Bah! One tribal. Not worth talking about. Might be necessary. Answered the adept. I thought as much. Rejoined the antiquary, dryly. And I in the meanwhile, without my defining rod, will show you an excellent venison pasty, and a bottle of London, particular Madeira. And I think that will match all that Mr. Dalster's swivel's art is like to exhibit. The feast was spread. One day, Super Weready, as Oldmug expressed himself, under a huge old tree called the Pire's Oak. And the company, sitting down around it, did ample honour to the contents of the basket. End Chapter 17. Volume 1. Chapter 18. Of the Antiquary. This labour box recording is in the public domain. The Antiquary by Sir Walter Scott. Chapter 18. As when a griffin, through the wilderness, with winged course, were Hill and Mori Dale, pursues the Aramaspean, who by staff had from his wakeful custody perloined the guarded gold, so eagerly the fiend. Paradise Lost. When their collation was ended, Sir Arthur resumed the account of the mysteries of the Divining Rod, the subject on which he had formerly conversed with Dauster Swivel. My friend Mr. Oldbuck will now be prepared, Mr. Dauster Swivel, to listen with more respect to the stories you have told us of the late discoveries in Germany by the brethren of your association. Ah, Sir Arthur, that was not a thing to speak to those gentlemen's, because it is want of credulity. What you call faith lies. At least, however, let my daughter read the narrative she has taken down of the story of Martin Waldeck. Ah, that was very true story, but Miss Wardour, she is so sly and so witty that she has made it just like one romance, as well as Gerta or Violand, could have done it, by my unhonest wart. To say the truth, answered Miss Wardour, the romantic predominated in the legend so much above the probable that it was impossible for a lover of fairyland like me to avoid lending a few touches to make it perfect in its kind. But here it is, and if you do not incline to leave this shade till the heat of the day is somewhat declined, and will have sympathy with my bad composition, perhaps Sir Arthur or Mr. Oldbuck will read it to us. Not I, said Sir Arthur, I was never fond of reading loud. Nor I, said Oldbuck, for I forgot my spectacles. But here is Lovell, with sharp eyes and a good voice. For Mr. Blattergall I know never reads anything lest he should be suspected of reading his sermons. The task was therefore imposed upon Lovell, who received with some trepidation as Miss Wardour delivered with a little embarrassment a paper containing the lines traced by that fair hand, the possession of which he coveted as the highest blessing the earth could offer to him. But there was a necessity of suppressing his emotions, and after glancing over the manuscript as if to become acquainted with the character, he collected himself and read the company the following tale The Fortunes of Martin Waldeck The Solitudes of the Harse Forest in Germany, but especially the mountains called Blocksberg or rather, Brockenberg are the chosen scenes for tales of witches, demons and apparitions. Readers note the outline of this story is taken from the German, though the author is at present unable to say in which of the various collections of the popular legends in that language their original is to be found. End Readers note The occupation of the inhabitants who are either minors or foresters is of a kind that renders them peculiarly prone to superstition and the natural phenomena which they witness in pursuit of their solitary or subterranean profession are often set down by them to the interference of goblins or the power of magic. Among the various legends current in that wild country there is a favorite one which supposes the harse to be haunted by a sort of tutelor demon in the shape of a wild man of huge stature his head wreathed with oak leaves and his middle synched with the same burying in his hand a pine torn up by the roots. It is certain that many persons profess to have seen such a form traversing with huge strides in a line parallel to their own course the opposite ridge of a mountain when divided from it by a narrow glen and indeed the fact of the apparition is so generally admitted that modern skepticism has only found refuge by ascribing it to optical deception. Readers note the shadow of the person who sees the phantom being reflected upon a cloud of mist like the image of the magic lantern upon a white sheet is supposed to have formed the apparition and Readers note in elder times the inner course of the demon with the inhabitants was more familiar and according to the traditions of the harse he was want with the Caprice usually ascribed to these earth-born powers to interfere with the affairs of mortals sometimes for their wheel sometimes for their woe but it was observed that even his gifts often turned out in the long run fatal to those on whom they were bestowed and it was no uncommon thing for the pastors in their care of their flocks to compose long sermons the burden were of was a warning against having any inner course direct or indirect with the harse demon the fortunes of Martin Waldeck have been often quoted by the aged to their giddy children when they were heard to scoff at a danger which appeared visionary a travelling Capuchin had possessed himself of the pulpit of the Thatch church at a little hamlet called Morganbroot lying in the harse district from which he declaimed against the wickedness of the inhabitants their communication with fiends witches and fairies and in particular with the woodland goblin of the harse the doctrines of Luther had already begun to spread among the peasantry for the incident is placed under the reign of Charles V and they laughed to score in the zeal with which the venerable man insisted upon his topic at length as his vehemence increased with opposition so their opposition rose in proportion to his vehemence the inhabitants did not like to hear in a custom quiet demon who had inhabited Bruckenberg for so many ages summarily confounded with Ball Peor Ashtaroth and Beelzebub himself and condemned without reprieve to the bottomless toffet the apprehensions that the spirit might avenge himself on them for listening to such and a liberal sentence add into their national interest in his behalf a travelling friar they said that is here today and away tomorrow may say what he pleases but it is we the ancient and constant inhabitants of the country that are left at the mercy of the insulted demon and must of course pay for all under the irritation occasioned by these reflections the peasants from injurious language but took themselves to stones and having pebbled the priest pretty handsomely they drove him out of the parish to preach against demons elsewhere three young men who had been present and assisting on this occasion were upon the return to the hut where they carried on the laborious and mean occupation of preparing charcoal for the smelting furnaces on the way their conversation naturally turned upon the demon of the hearse and the doctrine of the capuchin Max and George Waldeck the two elder brothers although they allowed the language of the capuchin to have been indiscreet and worthy of censure as presuming to determine upon the precise character in a boat of the spirit yet contended it was dangerous in the highest degree to accept of his gifts or hold any communication with him he was powerful they allowed but wayward and capricious and those who had intercourse with him seldom came to a good end did he not give the brave knight Eckbard of Robinwald that famous black steed by means of which he vanquished all the champions at the great tournament at Bremen and did not the same steed afterwards precipitate itself with its rider into an abyss so steep and fearful that neither horse nor man were ever seen more had he not given to Dame Gertrude Troden a curious spell for making butter come and was she not burnt for a witch by the grand criminal judge of the electorate because she availed herself of his gift but these and many other instances which they quote in of mischance and ill luck ultimately attending on the apparent benefits conferred by the harsh spirit failed to make any impression upon Martin Waldeck the youngest of the brothers Martin was youthful rash and impetuous excelling in all the exercises which distinguish a mountaineer and brave and undaunted from his familiar intercourse with the dangers that attend them he laughed at the timidity of his brothers tell me not of such folly he said the demon is a good demon he lives among us as if he were a peasant and he who loves the harsh forest and its wild scenes cannot be indifferent to the fate of the hearty children of the soil but if the demon were as malicious as you would make him how should he derive power over mortals who barely avail themselves of his gifts without binding themselves to submit to his pleasure when you carry your charcoal to the furnace when you carry your charcoal to the furnace is not the money as good that is paid to you by blaspheming blaze the old reprobate overseer as if you got it from the pastor himself it is not the goblin's gifts which can endanger you then but it is the use you shall make of them that you must account for and were the demon to appear to me at this moment and indicate to me a gold or silver mine I would begin to dig away even before his back returned and I would consider myself as under protection of a much greater than he while I made a good use of the wealth he pointed out to me to this the elder brother replied that wealth ill won was seldom well spent while martin presumptuously declared that the possession of all the treasures of the hearts would not make the slightest alteration on his habits morals or character his brother entreated martin to talk less wildly upon the subject and with some difficulty contrived to withdraw his attention by calling it to the consideration of the approaching bore chase this talk brought them to their hut a wretched wigwam situated upon one side of a wild narrow and romantic dell in the recesses of the brokenburg they released their sister from attending upon the operation of charring the wood which requires constant attention and divided among themselves the duty of watching it by night according to their custom one always waking while his brother slept max wall deck the eldest watched during the first two hours of the night and was considerably alarmed by observing upon the opposite bank of the glen or valley by some figures that appeared to wheel around it with antique gestures max at first of calling up his brothers but recollecting the daring character of the youngest and finding it impossible to wake the elder without also disturbing martin conceiving also what he saw to be an illusion of the demon sent perhaps inconsequence of the venturous expressions used by martin on the preceding evening he thought it best to but take himself to the safeguard of such prayers as he could murmur over and to watch in great terror and annoyance this strange and alarming apparition after blazing for some time the fire faded gradually away into darkness and the rest of max's watch was only disturbed by the remembrance of its terrors george now occupied the place of max in order to rest the phenomenon of a huge blazing fire upon the opposite bank of the glen again presented itself to the eye of the watchman it was surrounded as before by figures which distinguished by their opaque forms being between the spectator and the red glaring light moved and fluctuated around around it as if engaged in some mystical ceremony george though equally cautious was of a bolder character than his elder brother he resolved to examine more nearly the object of his wonder and accordingly after crossing the rivulet which divided the glen he climbed up the opposite bank and approached within an arrow's flight of the fire which blazed apparently with the same fury as when he first witnessed it the appearance of the assistance who surrounded it resembled those phantoms which are seen in a troubled dream and at once confirm the idea he had entertained from the first that they did not belong to the human world amongst these strange unearthly forms george walldeck distinguished that of a giant overgrown with hair holding an uprooted fern in his hand with which from time to time he seemed to stir the blazing fire and having no other clothing than a wreath of oak leafs around his forehead and loins george's heart sunk within him at recognizing the well-known apparition of the heart's steemen as he had been often described to him by the ancient shepherds and hutsmen who had seen his form traversing the mountains he turned and was about to fly but upon second thoughts blaming his own cowardice he recited mentally the verse of the psalmist all good angels praise the lord which is in that country supposed powerful as an exorcism and turned himself once more towards the place where he had seen the fire but it was no longer visible the pale moon alone enlightened the side of the valley and went george with trembling steps a moist brow and hair bristling upright under his colviers cap came to the spot on which the fire had been so lately visible marked as it was by a scathed oak tree there appeared not on the heath the slightest vestiges of what he had seen the moss and wildflowers were unscorched and the branches of the oak tree which had so lately appeared enveloped in reeds of flame and smoke were moist with the deuce of midnight george returned to his hut with trembling steps and, like his elder brother resolved to say nothing of what he had seen lest he should awake in martin that daring curiosity which he almost deemed to be allied with impiety it was now martin's turn to watch the householdcock had given his first summons and the night was one I spent upon examining the state of the furnace in which the wood was deposited in order to its being coked or charred he was surprised to find that the fire had not been sufficiently maintained for in his excursion and its consequences george had forgot the principal object of his watch martin's first thought was to call up the slumberers but observing that both his brothers slept unwantedly deep and heavily he respected their repose and set himself to supply the furnace with fuel without requiring their aid what he heaped upon it was apparently damp and unfit for the purpose for the fire seemed rather to decay than revive martin next went to collect some boughs from a stack which had been carefully cut and dried for this purpose but when he returned he found the fire totally extinguished this was a serious evil and threatened them with loss of their trade for more than one day the vexed and mortified watchman set about to strike a light in order to rekindle the fire but the tinder was moist and his labor proved in this respect also ineffectual he was now about to call up his brothers for circumstances seemed to be pressing when flashes of light glimmered not only through the window but through every crevice of the rudely built hut seemed to behold the same apparition which had before alarmed the successive watches of his brethren his first idea was that the moeller houses their rivals in trade and with whom they had had many quarrels might have encroached upon their bounds for the purpose of pirating their wood and he resolved to awake his brothers and be revenged on them for their audacity but a short reflection and observation on the gestures and the manner of those who seemed to work in the fire induced him to dismiss this belief and although rather skeptical in such matters to conclude that what he saw was a supernatural phenomenon but be they men or fiends said the undaunted forester that busy themselves yonder with such fantastical rites and gestures I will go and demand a light to rekindle our furnace he relinquished at the same time the idea of awaking his brethren there was a belief that such adventures as he was about to undertake were accessible only to one person at a time he feared also that his brothers in their scrupulous timidity might interfere to prevent his pursuing the investigation he had resolved to commence and therefore snatching his boar spear from the wall the undaunted Martin wall-deck set forth on the adventure alone with the same success as the brother George but with courage far superior Martin crossed the brook, ascended the hill and approached so near the ghostly assembly that he could recognize in the presiding figure the attributes of the heart's demon a cold shuddering assailed him for the first time in his life but the recollection that he had at a distance, dared and even courted the intercourse which was now about to take place confirmed his staggering courage and pride supplying what he wanted in resolution he advanced with tolerable firmness towards the fire the figures which surrounded it appearing still more wild fantastical and supernatural the more near he approached to the assembly he was received with a loud shout and scored in an unnatural laughter which to his stun ears seemed more alarming than a combination of the most dismal and melancholy sounds that could be imagined who art thou? said the giant compressing his savage and exaggerated features into a sort of forced gravity while they were occasionally agitated by the convulsion of the laughter which he seemed to suppress Martin wall-deck, the forester answered the heart of youth and who are you? the king of the waste and of the mine answered the specter and why has thou dared to encroach on my mysteries? I came in search of light to rincendle my fire answered Martin heartily and then resolutely asked in his return what mysteries are those that you celebrate here? we celebrate the wedding of Hermes with the black dragon but take thy fire that thou came is to seek and be gone no mortal may look upon us and live the peasant struck his spear-point into a large piece of blazing wood which he heaved up with some difficulty and then turned round to regain his hut the shouts of laughter being renewed behind him with trouble-violence and far down the narrow valley when Martin returned to the hut his first care however much astonished with what he had seen was to dispose the kindled coal among the fuel so his might best light the fire of his furnace but after many efforts and all exertions of bellows and fire-prong the coal he had brought from the demon's fire became totally extinct without kindling any of the others he turned about and observed the fire still blazing on the hill although those who had been busyed around it had disappeared as he conceived this vector had been justing with him he gave way to the natural hardy-hood of his temper and determining to see the adventure to an end resumed the road to the fire from which unopposed by the demon he brought off in the same manner a blazing piece of charcoal without being able to succeed in lighting this fire impunity having increased his rashness he resolved upon a third experiment and was as successful as before in reaching the fire but when he had again appropriated a piece of burning coal and had turned it apart he heard the harsh and supernatural voice which had before accosted him pronounced these words dare not return hither the attempt to kindle the fire with this last coal having proved as ineffectual as on the former occasions Martin relinquished the hopeless attempt and flung himself on his bed of leaves resolving to delay till the next morning the communication of his supernatural adventure to his brothers he was awakened from a heavy sleep into which he had sunk from fatigue of body and agitation of mind by loud exclamations of surprise and joy his brothers, astonished at finding the fire extinguished when they awoke had proceeded to arrange the fuel in order to renew it when they found in the ashes three huge metallic masses which their skill for most of the peasants in the hearts are a practical mineralogist immediately ascertained to be pure gold it was some damp upon their joyful congratulations when they learned from Martin the mode in which he had obtained this treasure to which their own experience of the nocturnal vision induced them to give full credit but they were unable to resist the temptation of sharing in their brothers wealth taking now upon him as head of the house Martin Waldeck bought lands and forests built a castle obtained a patent of nobility and greatly to the indignation of the ancient aristocracy of the neighborhood was invested with all the privileges of a man of family his courage in public war as well as in private feuds together with the number of retainers whom he kept in pay sustained him for some time against the odium which was excited by his sudden elevation and the arrogance of his pretensions and now it was seen in the instance of Martin Waldeck as it has been in that of many others how little morals can foresee the effect of sudden prosperity on their own disposition the evil propensities in his nature which poverty attract and repressed ripened and bore their unhallowed fruit under the influence of temptation and the means of indulgence as deep calls as deep calls unto deep one bad passion awakened another the fiend of avarice invoked that of pride and pride was to be supported by cruelty and oppression Waldeck's character always bold and daring but rendered harsh and assuming by prosperity soon made him odious not to the nobles only but likewise to the lower ranks who saw with double dislike the oppressive rights of the feudal nobility of the empire so remorselessly exercised by one who had risen from the very drugs of the people his adventure although carefully concealed began likewise to be whispered abroad and the clergy already stigmatized as a wizard and accomplice of fiends the wretch who having acquired so huge a treasure and so strange a manner had not sought to sanctify it by dedicating a considerable portion to the use of the church surrounded by enemies public and private tormented by a thousand feuds and threatened by the church with excommunication Martin Waldeck or as we must now call him the Baron von Waldeck often regretted bitterly the labors and sports of his unenviied poverty but his courage failed him not under all these difficulties and seemed rather to augment in proportion to the danger which darkened around him until an accident precipitated his fall a proclamation by the reigning Duke of Brunswick had invited to a solemn tournament all German nobles of free and honorable descent and Martin Waldeck splendidly armed accompanied by his two brothers and a gallantly equipped retinue had the arrogance to appear among the chivalry of the province and demand permission to enter the list this was considered as filling up the measure of his presumption a thousand voices exclaimed we will have no cinder sifter mingle in our games of chivalry irritated to frenzy Martin drew his sword and hewed down the herald who in compliance with the general outcry opposed his entry into the list a hundred swords were ensheed to avenge what was in those days regarded as a crime only inferior to sacrilege or regicide Waldeck after defending himself like a lion was seized tried on the spot by the judges of the list and condemned as the appropriate punishment for breaking the peace of his sovereign and violating the sacred person to have his right hand struck from his body to be ignominiously deprived of the honor of nobility of which he was unworthy and to be expelled from the city when he had been stripped of his arms and sustained the mutilation imposed by the severe sentence the unhappy victim of ambition was abandoned to the rabble who followed him with threats and outcries leveled alternately against the necromancer and oppressor which at length ended in violence his brothers, for his retinue were fled and dispersed at length succeeded in rescuing him from the hands of the populace when satiated with cruelty they had left him half dead through loss of blood and through the outrages he had sustained they were not permitted such was the ingenious cruelty of their enemies to make use of any other means of removing him accepting such a collier's cart as they had themselves formally used in which they deposited their brother on a truss of straw scarcely expecting to reach any place of shelter their death should release him from his misery when the wall decks journeying in this miserable manner had approached the verge of their native country between two mountains they perceived a figure advancing towards them which at first sight seemed to be an aged man but as he approached his limbs and stature increased the cloak fell from his shoulders his pilgrim staff was changed into an uprooted pine tree and the gigantic figure of the heart's demon passed before them in his terrors when he came opposite to the cart which contained the miserable wall deck his huge features dilated into a grin of unutterable contempt and malignity as he asked to suffer I'll like you the fire my coals have kindled the power of motion which terror suspended in his two brothers seemed to be restored to Martin by the energy of his courage he raised himself on the cart bent his brows and clenching his fist in his specter with a ghastly look of hate and defiance the goblin vanished with his usual tremendous and explosive laugh and left wall deck exhausted with this effort of expiring nature the terrified brethren turned their vehicle toward the towers of a convent which arose in a wood of pine trees beside the road they were terribly received by a barefooted and long-bearded capuchin and Martin survived only to complete the first confession he had made since the day of his sudden prosperity and to receive absolution from the very priest whom precisely on that day, three years he had assisted to pelt out of the hamlet of Morganbroot the three years of precarious prosperity were supposed to have a mysterious correspondence with the number of his visits to the spectral fire upon the hill the body of Martin wall deck was interred in the convent where he expired in which his brothers, having assumed the habit of the order, lived and died in the performance of acts of charity and devotion his lands to which no one asserted any claim lay waste until they were re-assumed by the emperor as a lapsed thief and the ruins of the castle which wall deck had called by his own name by the miner and forester as haunted by evil spirits thus were the miseries attendant upon wealth hastily attained and ill-employed exemplified in the fortunes of Martin wall deck End Chapter 18 Volume 1 Chapter 19 of The Antiquary This LibriVox recording is in the public domain The Antiquary by Sir Walter Scott Chapter 19 Here has been such a stormy encounter betwixt my cousin captain and the soldier about I know not what nothing, indeed competitions, degrees and comparatives of soldiership a fair quarrel The attentive audience gave the fair transcriber of the foregoing legend the thanks which politeness required Old Buck alone curled up his nose and observed that Miss Wardour's skill was something like that of the alchemist for she had contrived to extract a sound and valuable moral out of a very trumpery and ridiculous legend It is the fashion, as I am given understand, to admire those extravagant fictions, for me I bear an English heart unused at ghosts and rattling bones to start Under your favour my good Mr. Oldenburg said the German Miss Wardour has turned to story as she does everything as she touches very pretty indeed but all the history of de Hars-Golden and how he walks among desolate mountains with a great fir tree for his walking cane and with the great green bush around his head and his waist that is as true as I am an honest man there is no disputing any proposition so well guaranteed answer the antiquary dryly but at this moment the approach of a stranger cut short the conversation the newcomer was a handsome young man about five and twenty in a military undress and bearing in his look and manner a good deal of the martial profession nay, perhaps a little more than is quite consistent with the ease of a man of perfect good breeding in whom no professional habit ought to predominate he was at once greeted by the greater part of the company my dear Hector said Miss Mentire as she rose to take his hand Hector, son of Priam once come as thou said the antiquary from fives my liege answered the young soldier and continued when he had politely saluted the rest of the company and particularly Sir Arthur and his daughter I learned from one of the servants as I rode towards Monk Barnes to pay my respects to you that I should find the present company in this place and I will only embrace the opportunity to pay my respects to so many of my friends at once and to a new one also my trusty Trojan said old luck Mr. Lovell, this is my nephew Captain Mentire Hector, I recommend Mr. Lovell to your acquaintance the young soldier fixed his keen eye upon Lovell and paid his compliment with more reserved and cordiality and as our acquaintance thought his coldness almost supercilious he was equally frigid and haughty in making the necessary return to it and thus a prejudice seemed to arise between them at the very commencement of their acquaintance the observations which Lovell made during the remainder of this pleasure party did not intend to reconcile him with this addition to their society Captain Mentire, with a gallantry to be expected from his age and profession, attached himself to the service of Miss Wardour and offered her on every possible opportunity those marks of attention which Lovell would have given the world to a friend and was only deterred from offering by the fear for displeasure with forlorn dejection at one moment and with irritated susceptibility at another he saw this handsome young soldier assume and exercise all the privileges of a cavaller servente he handed Miss Wardour's gloves, he assisted her in putting on her shawl he attached himself to her in the walks had a hand ready to remove every impediment in her path and armed to support her where it was rugged or difficult his conversation was addressed chiefly to her and where circumstances permitted it was exclusively so all this Lovell knew might be only that sort of egotistical gallantry which induces some young men of the present day to give themselves the air of engrossing the attention of the prettiest women in company as if the others weren't worthy of their notice but he thought he observed in the conduct of Captain Mintire something of marked and peculiar tenderness which was calculated to alarm the jealousy of a lover Miss Wardour also received his attentions and although his candor allowed they were of a kind which could not be repelled without some strain of affectation yet it galled him to the heart to witness so the heart burning which these reflections occasioned proved very indifferent seasoning to the dry antiquarian discussions with which Old Buck who continued to demand his particular attention was unremittingly persecuting him and he underwent with fits of impatience that amounted almost to loathing a course of lectures upon monastic architecture from the massive Saxon to the Florid Gothic and from that to the mixed and composite architecture of James the first time when according to Old Buck all orders were confounded and columns of various descriptions arose side by side or were piled above each other as if symmetry had been forgotten and the elemental principles of art resolved into their primitive confusion what can be more cutting to the heart than the side of evils, said Old Buck in rapture's enthusiasm which we are compelled to behold while we do not possess the power of remedying them level answered by an involuntary groan I see my dear young friend and most congenial spirit that you feel these enormities almost as much as I do have you ever approached them or met them without longing to tear to deface what is so dishonorable dishonorable at good level in what respect dishonorable I mean disgraceful to the arts where how upon the portico for example of the schools of Oxford where at immense expense the barbarous, fantastic and ignorant architect has chosen to represent the whole five orders of architecture on the front of one building by such attacks as these Old Buck, unconscious of the torture he was giving, compelled level to give him a share of his attention as a skillful angler by means of his line maintains an influence over the most frantic movements of his agonized prey they were now in their return to the spot where they had left the carriages and it is inconceivable how often in the course of that short walk level exhausted by the unceasing prosing of his worthy companion mentally bestowed on the devil or anyone else that would have rid him of hearing more of them all the orders and disorders of architecture which had been invented or combined from the building of Solomon's temple downwards a slight incident occurred however which sprinkled a little patience on the heat of his dis-temperature Miss Wardour and her self-elected night companion rather preceded the others in the narrow path when the young lady apparently became desirous to unite herself with the rest of the party and to break off her tete-a-tete with the young officer fairly made a pause until Mr. Old Buck came up I wish to ask you a question Mr. Old Buck concerning the date of these interesting ruins it would be doing injustice to Miss Wardour's Savoie Faire to suppose she was not aware that such a question would lead to an answer of no limited length the antiquary starting like a war-horse at the trumpet sound plunged at once into the various arguments for and against the date of 1273 which had been assigned to the Priory of St. Ruth by a late publication on Scottish architectural antiquities he raked up the names of all the priors who would rule the institution of the nobles who had bestowed lands upon it and of the monarchs who had slept their last sleep among its ruthless courts as a train which takes fire is sure to light another if there be such in the vicinity the baronet catching at the name of one of his ancestors which occurred in Old Buck's Disquisition upon an account of his wars his conquests and his trophies and where the Dr. Blattergau was induced from the mention of a grant of lands whom Decimis incluses Tom Wecariis Quam Garbalibus at Nunquan Antea Separatis to enter into a long explanation concerning the interpretation given by the teened court in the consideration of such a clause which had occurred in a process for localing his last augmentation of stipend the orators like three racers each pressed forward to the goal without much regarding how each crossed and jostled his competitors Mr. Old Buck harangued the baronet declaimed Mr. Blattergau prosed and laid down the law while the Latin forms of feudal grants were mingled with a jargon of blazingry and the yet more barbarous phraseology of the teened court of Scotland he was exclaimed Old Buck speaking of the prior adhemar indeed an exemplary prelate and from his strictness of morals rigid execution of penance joined to the charitable disposition of his mind and the infirmities endured by great age and aesthetic habits here he chanced to cough in Sir Arthur Burston or rather continued was called popularly hell and harness he carried a shield goals with a sable-fess which we have since disused and was slain in the battle of vernoil in France after killing six of the English with his own in that prolonged steady prosing tone which however overpowered at first by the vehemence of competition promised in the long run to obtain the ascendancy in this strife of narrators to create a certification having gone out and parties being held as confessed the proof seemed to be held as concluded when their lawyer moved to have it opened up on the allegation that they had witnesses to bring forward that they had been in the habit of carrying the used to lamb on the teen-free land which was a mere evasion for but here the Baronet and Mr. Oldbuck having recovered their wind and continued their respective harangues the three strands of the conversation to speak the language of rope work were again twined together into one distinguishable string of confusion yet however uninteresting this piebald jargon might seem it was obviously Ms. Wardor's purpose to give it her attention in preference to yielding Captain Mentire an opportunity of renewing their private conversation so that after waiting for a little time with displeasure ill-concealed by his haughty features he left her to enjoy her bad taste and taking his sister by the arm detained her a little behind the rest of the party so I find Mary that your neighbor has neither become more lively nor less learned during my absence we lack your patience and wisdom to instruct us Hector thank you my dear sister but you have got a wiser if not so lively in addition to your society than your unworthy brother pray pray who is this Mr. Lovell whom our old uncle has at once placed so high in his good graces he does not used to be so accessible to strangers Mr. Lovell Hector is a very gentleman like young man I that is to say he bows when he comes into a room and wears a coat that is whole with the elbows no brother it says a great deal more it says that his manners in discourse express the feelings and education of the higher class but I desire to know what is his birth and his rank in society and what is his title to be in the circle in which I find him domesticated if you mean how he comes to visit at Monk Barnes you must ask my uncle who will probably reply that he invites to his own house such company as he pleases and if you mean to ask Sir Arthur you must know that Mr. Lovell rendered Miss Wardaur and him a service of the most important kind what that romantic story is true then and pray does the valorous knight aspire as is befitting on such occasions to the hand of the young lady whom he redeemed from peril it is quite in the rule of romance I am aware and I did think that she was uncommonly dry to me as we walked together and seemed from time to time as if she watched whether she was not giving a fence to her gallant cavalier dear Hector said his sister if you really continue to nourish any affection for Miss Wardaur if Mary what an if was there I own I consider your perseverance as hopeless and why hopeless my sage sister asked Captain Mentire Miss Wardaur in the state of her father's affairs cannot pretend much fortune and as to family I trust that of Mentire is not inferior but Hector continued his sister Sir Arthur always considers us as members of the Monk Barnes family Sir Arthur may consider what he pleases answer the Highlander scornfully but anyone with common sense will consider that the wife takes rank from the husband and that my father's pedigree of 15 unblemished descents must have ennobled my mother if her veins had been filled with printer's ink for God's sake Hector reply to his anxious sister take care of yourself a single expression of that kind repeated to my uncle by an indiscreet or interested eavesdropper would lose you a favor forever and destroy all chance of you succeeding to his estate be it so answered the heathless young man I am one of a profession which the world has never been able to do without and will far less endure to want for half a century to come and my good old uncle may attack his good estate and his plebeian name to your apron string if he pleases Mary you may wed this new favorite of his if you please and you may both of you live quiet, peaceable while regulated lives if it pleases heaven my part is taken off on a no man for an inheritance which should be mine by birth Miss Mentire laid her hand on her brother's arm and entreated him to suppress his vehemence who she said injures or seeks to injure you but your own hasty temper what dangers are you defying but those you have yourself conjured up our uncle is hitherto but all that is kind and paternal in his conduct has and why should you suppose he will in future be otherwise than when he has ever been since we were left his orphans to his care he is an excellent old gentleman I must own, replied Mentire and I am enraged at myself when I chance to offend him but then his eternal harangues upon topics not worth the spark of a flint his investigations about in the littered pots and pans and tobacco stoppers past service all these things put me out of patience I have something of hot spur in me sister I must confess too much too much my dear brother into how many risks and forgive me for saying some of them little creditable has this absolute and violent temper let you do not let such clouds darken the time you are now to pass in our neighbourhood but let our old benefactor see his kinsmen as he is generous kind and lively without being rude, headstrong and impetuous well, answered Captain Mentire I am schooled good manners, be my speed I'll do the civil thing by your new friend I'll have some talk with this Mr. Level with this determination in which he was for the time perfectly sincere he joined the party who were walking before them the trouble of disquisition was by this time ended and Sir Arthur was speaking on the subject of foreign news and the political and military situation of the country upon which every man thinks himself qualified to give him an opinion an action of the preceding year having come upon the tapas level, accidentally mingling in the conversation made some assertion concerning it of the accuracy of which Captain Mentire seemed not to be convinced although his doubts were politely expressed you must confess yourself in the wrong here, Hector said as uncle although I know no man less willing to give up an argument but you were in England at the time and Mr. Level was probably concerned in the affair I am speaking to a military man then said Mentire may inquire to what regiment Mr. Level belongs Mr. Level gave him the number of the regiment it happens strangely that we should never have met before Mr. Level I know your regiment very well and have served along with them while Blush crossed Level's countenance I have not lately been with my regiment he replied I served the last campaign upon the staff of General Sir indeed that is more wonderful than the other circumstance for although I did not serve with General Sir yet I had an opportunity of knowing the names of the officers who held situations in his family and I cannot recollect that of Level at this observation Level again blushed so deeply as to attract the attention of the whole company while a scornful laugh seemed to indicate Captain Mentire's triumph there is something strange in this settled back to himself but I will not readily give up my phoenix of post-chase companions all his actions, language and bearing are those of a gentleman Level in the meanwhile had taken out his pocketbook and selecting the letter from which he took off the envelope he handed it to Mentire you know the general's hand in all probability I ought not to show these exaggerated expressions of his regard and esteem for me the letter contained a very handsome compliment from the officer in question for some military service lately performed Captain Mentire his eye over it could not deny that it was written in the general's hand but dryly observed as he returned it that the address was wanting the address Captain Mentire answered Level in the same tone shall be at your service whenever you choose to inquire after it I certainly shall not fail to do so rejoin the soldier come come exclaimed Old Buck what is the meaning of all this have we got hiring here we'll have no swaggering youngsters are you coming from the wars abroad to stir up domestic strife in our peaceful land are you like bulldog puppies for sooth that when the bull poor fellow is removed from the ring fall to brawl among themselves worry each other and bite on his folk shins that are standing by Sir Arthur trusted he said the young gentleman would not so far forget themselves as to grow warm upon such a trifling subject as the back of a letter but the disputants disclaimed any such intention and with high color and flashing eyes protested they were never so cool in their lives but a novice stamp was cast over the party they talked in future too much by the rule to be sociable and Lovell conceiving himself the object of cold and suspicious looks from the rest of the company and sensible of that his indirect replies had given them permission to entertain strange opinions respecting him made a gallant determination to sacrifice the pleasure he had proposed in spending the day at Nock Winnick he affected therefore to complain of a violent headache occasioned by the hue of the day to which he had not been exposed since his illness and made a formal apology to Sir Arthur who, listening more to recent suspicion than to the gratitude you do for former services did not press him to keep his engagement more than good breathing exactly demanded when Lovell took leave of the ladies Miss Wardour's manner seemed more anxious than he had hitherto remarked it she indicated by a glance of her eye towards Captain Mentire perceptible only by Lovell the subject of her alarm and hoped in a voice greatly under her usual tone it was not a less pleasant engagement which deprived them of the pleasure of Mr. Lovell's company no engagement had intervened he assured her it was only the return of a complaint for some time occasionally attacked the best remedy in such a case is Prudence and I every friend of Mr. Lovell's will expect him to employ it Lovell bowed low in color deeply and Miss Wardour as if she felt that she had said too much turned and got into the carriage Lovell had next apart with Old Buck who during this interval had with Caxon's assistance been arranging his disordered periwig and brushing his coat which exhibited some marks of the rude path they had traversed what man said Old Buck you're not going to leave us on account of that foolish hector's indiscreet curiosity and vehemence why he is a thoughtless boy a spoiled child from the time he was in the nurse's arm he threw his coral and bells at my head for refusing using him a bit of sugar and you have too much sense to mind such a shrewish boy Aikwa Sarara Mentum is the motto of our friend Horace all school hector by and by and put it all to rights but Lovell persisted in his design for returning to Fairport the antiquary then assumed a graver tone take heed young man to your present feelings I have been giving you for useful and valuable purposes and should be reserved to illustrate the literature of your country when you're not called upon to expose it in her defense or in the rescue of the innocent private war a practice unknown to the civilized ancients is of all the absurdities introduced by the gothic tribes the most gross, impious and cruel and I will show you the treaties upon the Dwello which I composed when the town clerk improvised Muckawam chose to assume the privileges of gentlemen and challenge each other I thought of printing my essay which is signed pacific hot tour but there was no need as the matter was taken up by the town council of the borough but I assure you my dear sir there is nothing between captain Mantire and me that can render such respectable interference necessary see it be so for otherwise I will stand second to both parties so saying the old gentleman got into the chaise close to which Miss Mantire had detained her brother upon the same principle that the owner of a quarrelsome dog keeps him by his side to prevent his fascinating upon another but Hector contrived to give her precaution the slip for as he was on horseback he lingered behind the carriages until they had fairly turned the corner in the road to Noquinik and then wheeling his horse's head round gave him the spur in the opposite direction a very few minutes brought him up with love who perhaps anticipating his intention had not put his horse beyond a slow walk when the clatter of hooves behind him announced Captain Mantire the young soldier his natural heat of temper exasperated by the rapidity of motion rained his horse up suddenly and violently by level sign and touching his hat slightly inquired in a very haughty tone of voice what am I not understand sir by your telling me that your address was at my service simply sir replied level that my name is level and that my residence is for the present Fairport as you will see by this card and this is all the information you are disposed to give me I see no right you have to require more I find you sir in company with my sister said the young soldier and I have a right to know who is admitted into Miss Mantire society I shall take the liberty of disputing that right replied level with a manner as haughty as that of the young soldier you find me in society who are satisfied with the degree of information on my affairs which I have thought proper to communicate and you a mere stranger have no right to inquire further Mr. level if you served as you say you have if interrupt a level if I have served as I say I have yes sir such is my expression if you have so served you must know that you owe me satisfaction either in one way or other if that be your opinion I shall be proud to give it to you Captain Mantire in the way in which the word is generally used among gentlemen very well sir rejoined Hector and turned his horse round galloped off to overtake his party his absence had already alarmed them having stopped the carriage had her neck stretched out of the window to see where he was what is the matter with you now said the antiquary riding to and fro as your neck were upon the wager why do you not keep up with the carriage I forgot my gloves sir said Hector forgot your glove I presume you meant to say you went to throw it down but I will take order with you my young gentleman you shall return with me this night to Mach Barns so saying keep it the pistolion go on end chapter 19