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do you, for you only can, do you reconcile me to exile and inaction, and give happiness to one, who, for your sake is willing to resign honour."

"It can not-it can not be," said Alice, faultering as she uttered her negative. "And yet," she said, "how many in my place-left alone and unprotected, as I am-But I must not-I must not for your sake, Julian, I must not.”

"Say not for my sake you must not, Alice," said Peveril, eagerly; "this is adding insult to cruelty. If you will do aught for my sake, you will say yes; or you will suffer this dear head to droop on my shoulder-the slightest sign-the moving of an eye-lid, shall signify consent. All shall be prepared within an hour, within another, the priest shall unite us; and within a third, we leave the isle behind us, and seek our fortunes on the continent." But while he spoke, in joyful anticipation of the consent which he implored; Alice found means to collect together her resolution, which, staggered by the eagerness of her lover, the impulse of her own affection, and the singularity of her situation, seeming, in her case to justify what would have been most blameable in another,—had more than half abandoned her.

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The result of a moment's deliberation was fatal to Julian's proposal. She extricated herself from the arm which had pressed her to his side-arose, and repelling his attempts to approach or detain her, said, with a simplicity not unmingled with dignity, Julian, I always knew I risked much in inviting you to this meeting; but I did not guess that I could have been so cruel both to you and to myself, as to suffer you to discover what you have to-day seen too plainly-that I love you better than you love me. But since you do know it, I will show you that Alice's love is disinterested-She will not bring an ignoble name into your ancient

house. If hereafter in your line there should arise some who may think the claims of the hierarchy too exorbitant, the powers of the crown too extensive, men shall not say these ideas were derived from Alice Bridgenorth, their whig grand-dame."

"Can you speak thus, Alice?" said her lover. "Can you use such expressions? and are you not sensible that they show plainly it is your own pride, not regard for me, that makes you resist the happiness of both?”

"Not so, Julian; not so," answered Alice, with tears in her eyes; "it is the command of duty to us both of duty, which we can not transgress without risking our happiness here and hereafter. Think what I, the cause of all, should feel, when your father frowns, your mother weeps, your noble friends stand aloof, and you, even you yourself, shall have made the painful discovery, that you have incurred the contempt and resentment of all to satisfy a boyish passion; and that the poor beauty, once sufficient to mislead you, was gradually declining under the influence of grief and vexation. This I will not risk. I see distinctly it is best we should here break off and part; and I thank God who gives me light enough to perceive, and strength enough to withstand, your folly as well as my own. Farewell, then, Julian; but first take the solemn advice which I called you hither to impart to you:-Shun my father-you can not walk in his paths and be true to gratitude and to honour. What he doeth from pure and honourable motives, you can not aid him in, except upon the suggestion of a silly and interested passion, at variance with all the engagehave formed at coming into life.” “Once more, Alice," answered Julian, "I understand you not. If a course of action is good, it needs no vindication from the actor's motives→→→→ if bad, it can derive none."

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"You can not blind me with your sophistry, Julian," replied Alice Bridgenorth, "any more than you can overpower me with your passion. Had the patriarch destined his son to death upon any less ground than faith and humble obedience to a divine commandment, he had meditated a murder, and not a sacrifice. In our late bloody and lamentable wars, how many drew swords on either side, from the purest and most honourable motives? How many from the culpable suggestions of ambition, self-seeking, and love of plunder? Yet while they marched in the same ranks, and spurred their horses at the same trumpet-sound, the memory of the former are dear to us as patriots or loyalists that of those who acted on mean or unworthy promptings, is either execrated or forgotten. Once more, I warn you, avoid my father-leave this island, which will be soon agitated by strange incidents-while you stay, be on your guard-distrust every thing-be jealous of every one, even of those to whom it may seem almost impossible, from circumstances, to attach a shadow of suspicion-trust not the very stones of the most secret apartment in Holm-Peel, for that which hath wings shall carry the matter."

Here Alice broke off suddenly, and with a faint shriek; for, stepping from behind the stunted copse which had concealed him, her father stood unexpectedly before them.

The reader can not have forgotten that this was the second time in which the stolen interviews of the lovers had been interrupted by the unexpected apparition of Major Bridgenorth. On this second occasion his countenance exhibited anger mixed with solemnity, like that of the spirit to a ghostseer, whom he upbraids with having neglected a charge imposed at their first meeting. Even his anger, however, produced no more violent emotion

than a cold sternness of manner in his speech and action. "I thank you, Alice," he said to his daughter, "for the pains you have taken to traverse my designs towards this young man, and towards yourself. I thank you for the hints you have thrown out before my appearance, the suddenness of which alone has prevented you from carrying your confidence to a pitch which would have placed my life and that of others at the discretion of a boy, who, when the cause of God and his country is laid before him, has not leisure to think of them, so much is he occupied with such a baby-face as thine." Alice, pale as death, continued motionless, with her eyes fixed on the ground, without attempting the slightest reply to the ironical reproaches of her father.

And you,' " continued Major Bridgenorth, turning from his daughter to her lover,-" you, sir, have well repaid the liberal confidence which I placed in you with so little reserve. You I have to thank also for some lessons, which may teach me to rest satisfied with the churl's blood which nature has poured into my veins, and with the rude nurture which my father allotted to me."

"I understand you not, sir," replied Julian Peveril, who, feeling the necessity of saying something, could not, at the moment, find any thing more fitting to say.

"Yes, sir, I thank you," said Major Bridgenorth, in the same cold sarcastic tone, "for having shown me that breach of hospitality, infringement of good faith, and such like peccadilloes, are not utterly foreign to the mind and conduct of the heir of a knightly house of twenty descents. It is a great lesson to me, sir; for hitherto I had thought with the vulgar, that gentle manners went with gentle blood. But perhaps courtesy is too chival

rous a quality to be wasted in intercourse with a round-headed fanatic like myself."

"Major Bridgenorth," said Julian, "whatever has happened in this interview which may have displeased you, has been the result of feelings suddenly and strongly animated by the crisis of the moment-nothing was premeditated."

"Not even your meeting, I suppose?" replied Bridgenorth, in the same cold tone. "You, sir, wandered hither from Holm-Peel-my daughter strolled forth from the Black-Fort; and chance, doubtless, assigned you a meeting by the stone of Goddard Crovan?-Young man, disgrace yourself by no more apologies-they are worse than useless. And you, maiden, who, in your fear of losing your lover, could verge on betraying what might have cost a father his life-begone to your home. I will talk with you at more leisure, and teach you practically those duties which you seem to have forgotten."

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"On my honour, sir," said Julian, "your daugh ter is guiltless of all that can offend you; she resisted every offer which the headstrong violence of my passion urged me to press upon her.' And, in brief," said Bridgenorth, "I am not to believe that you have met at this remote place of rendezvous by Alice's special appointment?"

Peveril knew not what to reply, and Bridgenorth again signed with his hand to his daughter to withdraw.

"I obey you, father," said Alice, who had by this time recovered from the extremity of her surprise,-"I obey you; but Heaven is my witness that you do me more than injustice in suspecting me capable of betraying your secrets, even had it been necessary to save my own life or that of Julian. That you are walking in a dangerous path I well know; but you do it with your eyes open,

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