CHAPTER XI.

"This looks comfortable," he said; "I knew I should want a good drying a'ter such a job on such a night. I feel quite shivery, and shan't be no worse for a rummer of hot brandy and water. Where did I put the bottle?"

He withdrew into an inner apartment, probably for the purpose of changing his wet clothes, for his absence was of some duration.

house of Professor Holloway, which stood on the outskirts of the town. I was conveyed to the On emerging from the burial-ground into the garden-gate, which Hodges unlocked; and again high-road, a sudden gust of wind turned back a securing it, wheeled me to the back of the dwellportion of the carpeting, allowing the rain to beating, opened a door, and passed with the truck into against my head and face, and enabling me a small room, appropriated to Hodges for his disagain to use my eyes, so far as the darkness would interred bodies, in which a good fire was burning. allow. If I had been peculiarly impressed with the beauty and splendor of the sunlighted world as displayed to me through the window when they were first placing me in the coffin, I was still more deeply affected by the midnight glories that irradiated the sky, where the black and driving clouds partially revealed them. They drew my thoughts upwards to the mysterious and omnipotent Unseen, the Creator and Upholder of the universe, amid whose countless worlds the globe which we inhabit might be deemed no more than a particle of starry dust; but in the belief that not even the humblest dweller upon this insignificant speck would address himself to Heaven in vain, and that the Creator of all would listen to the prayers of all, I silently implored forgiveness for my past sins, and supplicated a deliverance from the terrible fate that menaced me. Supported by this act of devotion, I awaited my doom with less agony of soul than I had previously endured.

The road being that which led to my own house, I was familiar with all the objects of which I could obtain a glimpse as I passed along. My heart yearned strangely towards them; and as I gazed, fully believing it to be for the last time, upon a well-known tree, or even a field-gate, I felt as if I were being torn away from an old friend. Guess how immeasurably this tender sorrow must have been increased when we reached the entrance to my own residence, and Hodges, putting down the barrow, said,

"Hang me, if I baint a'most tired. The stiff un aint no great weight, but these sandy roads be so uncommon heavy a'ter rain. Why, this is the old cove's roosting-place, I do declare. Ah! should n't wonder if he'd give a good lot of his money-bags to get out of the barrow, ring the bell, walk upstairs, and turn into a warm bed, instead of being stretched out on a cold dissecting-table." In every fibre did my heart feel the contrast; for memory conjured up the years I had passed, and the many social and domestic pleasures I had enjoyed in that home which I was never to see again, which had now, by such iniquitous means, become the property of my parricidal son. At this moment my grief and indignation were aggravated by a sound of hilarious laughter from the diningroom, where I conjectured that the miscreant and his boon companions from Newmarket had not yet concluded their Bacchanalian orgies. A thousand times more than ever did I now languish for a restoration to life, that I might expose and punish his atrocities, and dispossess him of the estates he had so villanously usurped.

Owing to the lateness of the hour and the inclemency of the weather, we did not encounter a single wayfarer on our further progress to the

It

Either from the effect of the refreshing nightair on my being taken out of the vault, or of the shower-bath to which I had been subjected, or of the reaction produced by my present exposure to a flaming fire, I became sensible, at this precise juncture, of a change in my corporeal system. began with a gentle thrilling and throbbing at my bosom, succeeded by scarcely perceptible tremors and shudderings, and a slight twitching of the limbs, accompanied by a sense of painful numbness and cold at the extremities. My frozen blood, thawed by the grateful warmth, struggled to resume circulation, though its first efforts were sluggish, and limited to the neighborhood of the heart. Slowly, however, it crawled onwards to the members, and, after a while, I found that I had the power to move my limbs, but only in a very small degree. Doubting the reality of this incipient reänimation, and wishing to test the delightful hope that thrilled through my nerves, I summoned my newly-awakened powers by making a strenuous effort to change my position; and though I did not quite succeed in my object, I had the satisfaction of hearing the truck upon which I was stretched creak beneath me. Ineffably dulcet and harmonious to mine ear was that untuneful sound, for it confirmed the cessation of my catalepsy, and announced, as with an angel's voice, the glad tidings of my speedy restoration to life, and light, and happiness.

But how far inferior did that voice seem to the matchless music of my own, when, after several vain efforts, my tongue was partially untied, and I succeeded in uttering the words" Thank God! Thank God!" though they were breathed in an almost inaudible whisper. Scarcely had it passed my lips ere the foreman reëntered, walked to the fire, and was in the act of raising it with the poker, when my spasmodic twitchings shook the carpeting with which I was covered. The fellow had been too long conversant with midnight violations of the grave to have any apprehensions of ghosts, but he was evidently frightened, for he started back with the poker in his hand, ejaculating, as one of my legs again moved—

"The Lord above! The Lord above! May 1 never stir if the stiff-un baint alive and kicking !”

While he was still staring, utterly aghast and bewildered, I sought to draw him towards me,

that I might be better heard, by uttering the word -"Hodges!"—a sound at which he started in still greater alarm, muttering perturbedly to himself

my name!

CHAPTER XII.

Curious as was the concurrence of circumstances which had produced my apparent death and real "He's no more dead than I am, and he knows burial, the concatenation of events which termíHere's a fix-here 's a precious job! nated in my disinterment and my restoration to life Sure as fate I shall be pulled up åfore the magis- was by no means less extraordinary. Among the trates, and it's a Botany Bay affair, that's what subordinate causes contributing to the latter result, it is. 'T would n't take much to hush up the was the fortunate fact that Doctor Linnel, reachmatter, and make all sure with this here" his ing his home at a late hour, and having an accueye fell upon the poker as he spoke-" and I'm mulation of letters to read, had not retired to rest blessed if I don't think it would be an act of pure hurried statement of what had occurred; so that when Hodges rang the night-bell and gave him a kindness to put him out of his misery; besides, a fellow may always take another chap's life to pre-by my side in a very short time after the despatch he was enabled to hasten back, and to be kneeling

serve his own.

My new danger flashed upon me in an instant, and not losing a moment in trying to repair the perilous mistake I had made by the mention of his name, I said, in the loudest tone I could utter— "Save my life and I will make your fortune!" -words which acted like a charm. His altered countenance showed that a new light had broken in upon him; he came close to the truck, and putting down his ear, asked me what I had said; exclaiming, as I distinctly repeated my promise

"It's a barg'n-it's a barg'n. Save ye? Lord love ye, that's what I will, with all the pleasure in life. I'm a reg'lar body-snatcher, as many a better man has been, but I baint a murderer: I would n't go for to Burke a fellow-creature. No; that's the very last thing as ever I should

think on."

So saying, he took a case-bottle of brandy from a closet, filled a small spoon, and poured it into

my mouth.

of

my messenger.

"Do not speak a word," was his first injunction; 66 you have no strength for talking. Leave everything to me; I will take care of you." Ordering a mattress to be brought and to be spread before the fire, he placed me upon it; bottles of hot water were applied to the soles of my feet; he poured into my mouth a renovating cordial; after which preliminaries I was rubbed with warm flannels until both my operators were thrown into a profuse perspiration, and I myself felt a vital glow throughout my whole frame.

"All goes well," said the doctor; "but I must have you in my own house and under my own eye, or I cannot answer for your recovery. We must remove you before daylight. Bring me a couple of blankets immediately.”

These being found, and hung before the fire till they were quite hot, were carefully wrapped of whom were powerful men, placed me on their around me, when the doctor and Hodges, both shoulders, and carried me to the residence of the former, where I was laid in his own bed, still enveloped in the heated blankets. Tenderly as I had been conveyed, the motion had quite exhausted me; and I lay extended, without speech or change of posture, until I fainted, or gradually sank into a gentle sleep.

At first I was unable to swallow, but All that could be accomplished by consummate the warmth of the spirit gradually relaxed the skill, combined with an unremitting and most demuscles, and restored the power of deglutition, so voted friendship, was now exerted in my behalf, that, after a few fruitless efforts, it passed down and with such success that I myself was astonished my throat. The dose was repeated three or four at the rapidity of my progress, though I was still times, its administrator observing that" if brandy occasionally prostrated by a milder form of the would n't save me, nothing in the world would n't alarming attacks which had preceded my trance. save me." Its effects, at all events, were rapid, Linnel had expressly stipulated that my marvelfor I felt the quickened circulation tingling through lous resuscitation should, for the present, be kept my whole frame. In answer to his inquiry what a profound secret. he should do next, I desired him to run for Doctor Linnel, who resided, most fortunately, in neighboring street. This order being instantly obeyed, I was left alone to reflect, with a devoutly grateful heart, upon the strange life-involving perils to which I had been twice exposed, and upon the still more strange, not to say providential, occurrences by which I had been hitherto saved from

destruction.

"You cannot be restored to your rights," urged that discreet friend, "you cannot resume your station in society, without active exertions, and an exposure to social and domestic trials of too exciting, not to say too harrowing, a nature to be safely encountered in your present critical state. Any painful agitation might occasion a relapse-a danger against which we must especially guard ourselves. When you are strong enough to face the world, I will not only give you notice, but

will stand by your side to support you in your undertaking."

Neglecting nothing that could contribute to my cheer of mind, as well as to the corroboration of my health, my kind friend, who frequently saw my daughter, brought me such gratifying accounts of her deep but unobtrusive grief for my presumed death, that I yearned with more than a paternal fondness to clasp the dear girl once more to my heart. Linnel, however, would not permit this until three weeks had elapsed, when he entered my room, saying:

sacrifice of eight hundred a year, and Mason allows you to make it."

"That was my great fear. Knowing the depth and delicacy of his attachment, and his disinterested regard for my welfare, I doubted whether I should get his consent; but he met the proposition with the frankness of a fine and noble nature. Were the cases reversed,' said he, 'my heart tells me that I should not hesitate a single moment to make the sacrifice to you; and I do not, therefore, hesitate a single moment in accepting the sacrifice from you. We shall still possess a mod"Here is a letter from dear Sarah, requesting erate competency; and though I am but young, I permission to call and ask my advice, on a matter have seen enough of the world to know that wealth of importance, at twelve o'clock to-day. Now, without happiness is poverty, and that poverty with if you will promise to command your feelings as happiness is wealth.'” well as you can, you shall be ensconced in the arm-chair of our little back drawing-room, and overhear our interview; and after I have duly prepared her for the startling intelligence, I will announce your resuscitation, and apprise her of your presence."

"Mason is a wise man, and you are a sensible girl; but if you have made up your minds to this plan, why the deuce should you wait for two years? Why not marry as soon as you are out of mourning?"

"Because I would not ask Mason to take me All was done as he had arranged; but, though without some sort of marriage-portion, however I had promised to lie perdu till the close of their small. By saving for two years the greater part interview, I could not avoid indulging myself in of the handsome income which my father assigned one momentary peep as she entered the room. me in his will, I shall be enabled to reserve some Her deep mourning, and the shade of sorrow surplus after buying and furnishing a small house; upon her features, imparted a more touching inter- so that we shall literally start with love in a cotest to her beauty. Oh! how lovely did she ap-tage, and a purse to meet any unexpected demands." pear to me at that moment! Oh how my heart My dear Sarah, I tell you once more that you thrilled when I caught the first accents of her soft are an uncommonly sensible girl, and I approve of and winning voice! everything you have done or have proposed doing, though I do not think it will be necessary to defer your marriage for two years; and if you can listen to a long story, to a narrative of events so strange as to be almost incredible, I will tell you why."

After pleading the long intimacy that had existed between myself and Linnel as an excuse for the trouble she was giving, she continued

"You are aware that by my dear father's will I am reduced from a handsome independence to comparative poverty, if I marry Mr. Mason."

With infinite tact, and the most guarded circumspection, did he then begin to prepare his auditress "I am; and if my friend had consulted me on for the startling disclosures he had to make. First the subject, I should have told him it was a fool- reminding her that I had been subject to suspenish and unjustifiable act. What possible objec- sions of animation, some of which had continued tion could he have had to such a man as Mason?" for many hours, he added, that there were well"I believe that he had none whatever, but I attested instances of trances lasting so long, that am sure that he acted from the kindest motives. He thought that the daughter of so rich a man ought to make a grand alliance."

"In other words, he wanted to gratify his own ambition at your expense. A common fatherly feeling, but not very paternal, for all that."

the sufferers had been buried, even after having been kept above ground for the customary week, and had actually revived, as had been repeatedly proved by subsequent inspection of coffins and vaults. "Now, your poor father," he continued,

66

contrary, as I well know, to your earnest and even angry remonstrances, was scandalously hurried to the grave in three days after his death. Under these unusual circumstances there would be nothing improbable in his revival, nothing improbable in his being rescued from his miserable situation-nay, it is by no means impossible that at this very moment, recovered from the effects of his premature interment, he may be "

"I had promised my dear father, in his lifetime, that I would never marry Mr. Mason without his consent; and nothing should have induced me to violate that pledge; but now that I am left -now that I am alone-now that, unfortunately, I have no-no—" The dear girl's voice was broken by emotion, and she paused a moment ere she could resume. "Do you think, doctor-I ask you as his oldest and best friend-do you "For God's sake do not trifle with my feelings," think it would show any want of respect to my said Sarah, starting up in the greatest agitation, father's memory, if, after the expiration of two and vehemently clasping her companion's hand. years, I were still to take this excellent, this ex-"Oh, if you love me, tell me, do tell me-is there emplary, this irreproachable man as my husband?" a chance, a hope, a possibility, that my dear, dear "None whatever, if you think he is worth the father may still be living-that I may again em

brace him that I may devote myself to his recov-| bother about deferring the burial. He can't exery that I may testify my love, my duty, my pect me to be very squeamish, when he wanted to unbounded gratitude to Heaven by—” cut me off with a shilling. Cut off himself now. im-Ha! ha! ha!"

With my own when I expressed a wish that their nuptials should be solemnized without any unnecessary delay. Enraptured by the daily improvement in her father's health and spirits, combined with such a delightful and unexpected change in her own fate and prospects, my dear child seemed actually to imagine herself in heaven, and to my apprehensions she | appeared to diffuse a heaven around her. Her radiant and smiling face was an incarnate sunbeam; her dulcet voice, melodized by joy, was the music of the spheres; her duteous and affectionate offices were the ministerings of a guardian angel. God bless her! there were moments when her fascinating endearments almost made me forget my repudiated son.