garden of beauty", over, his spirits sank. He could not act the unconscious tourist ag

a degree, that Miss Charity Etherage, after he had gone away, canvassed the matter very earn

ty of remaining for another Sunday, on the chance of again seeing the Malory ladies in church. Lifting up his eyes, in his meditation, he saw a cutter less than a mile away, making swiftly for the pierhead, stooping to the bre

dropped anchor close to the pier stair, and Cleve Ve

m so glad I've found you. I've to meet a friend at the Verney Arms, but our talk won't

ey told

t's the name?"

the Etherages don't know. I asked Castle Edwa

the servant, who turne

out. I was going," i

ade him a present; he'd have

n't as

ave learned all about her long ago. It's nothing to me; but if you find out her name, I know two or three fello

that groom, that servant, that Malory man," exclaimed Tom Sedley very ea

no fellow like that can resist a pound; and if you tell me the name, I'll make you out all the rest, I

e was not at the Chancery; only a letter, to say that "most unhappily" that morning, Clay Rectory was to undergo an inspection by a C

ul - always pottering over their clerical drill and pipe-clay," said Cleve, who, when an ide

inted, and joined Sedl

, side by side, and found themselves saunt

- what about the man? Di

a sort of way drunk - worse than drunk - systematically foolish," said honest Sedley, phi

t what di

the greatest ass on earth, and I think he's the ugliest brute I ever saw, and the most uncivil; and, by Jove, if I stay here much

eve. "I think if I were so much gone about a girl as you are, and on such easy terms with t

she'll never even see me; and it's much better so, for nothing can possibly come of it, but pain to me, and fun to every one else. The late

ch a case, absence. If the cards won't answer, try the dice, if they won't do, try the balls. I'm afraid this is a bad venture; put your heart to sea in a sieve! No, Tom, that precious freightage is for a more substantial craft. I suppose you have seen your last of the young lady, and it would be a barren fib of friendship to s

, though you're half j

mind to go up myself and have a p

at pur

ogy," sa

ccurred this morning, by Jove, I'

pose, in passing by. The Queen's highway,

ng in a mood to resist, walked on toward the ench

side of Malory to the farmyard gate, nailed on its pier, on a square bit

TI

to any but servants or o

g within the walls will be

ember,

Sedley flushed crimson to the very roots of his hair, and Cleve Verney was seized with a fit of

ble refectory, and seek comfort elsewhere. By Jove! a pretty row you must have made up there this

in, and looking as, I hope, any gentleman might, at that stupid old barn, this morning, could not possibly be the cause of th

ian. He refused Cleve's invitation to Ware. He made up his mind to return to London in the mor

e open window at their wine, and the moon got up and silvered the distant peaks of shadowy mou

at he must go. They parted, therefore, excellent friends, for Sedley had no suspici

aid he; and round went the cutter, leaning with the breeze, and hissing and snorting through t

g swiftly backward on the left, close under the shapeless blackness of the hill, that rises precipitously from the sea, and over which lies the path from the t

when, on a sudden, the man looking out at the bows shouted "Starboard;" but before the boat had time to feel the helm, the end of the cutter's boom struck

st, I think," said

our lights?" shouted

erboard?"

ure? Mr. Cleve Verney, from Wa

ws, do you know?" as

e Christmass

"And the other's the ol

nk 'twill be

at, with a message from Cleve, inviting the old gentleman on

of Styx. A dense screen of cloud had entirely hid the moon; and though so near, Cleve could not see the old man of Malory, about whom he was curious, with a strange and even tender sort of curiosity, which,