over, thought Letitia, might inly exult in their overthrow, but now it mattered not, as they were about to leave Elleringay for ever. Clynchiere continued as dull and insensitive as before. He remained benumbed, frozen. He spoke little, and when he did he gave utterance to sentiments more and more incoherent. In taking their departure, and as passing the entrance gates, through which the yellow chariot had so often aristocratically rolled, and where still the leonine symbols frowned in historic pride, Gideon for an instant gazed upon the motto on the broad plinth supporting the pedestals, and read aloud (as if for an instant startled from his reverie), Recte faciendo securus! CHAPTER VI. "Land of brown heath and shaggy wood- SCOTT. As Murdoch and Katherine, on their marriage trip, journeyed on to the Eternal City, a thousand objects on every side, during travel, were fraught with interest to minds so cultivated and naturally full of taste. The former took copious notes of the districts through which they passed, and scanned critically the social condition of the people, as well as the external features of the country. Being replete with historical lore, he felt an interest in scenes which the unlettered and unreflecting would have trod unmoved. The latter, by the original turn of her mind, and a subtle taste for the beautiful, found a continual feast in the fresh and constantly recurring prominences of nature or productions of art which the moving panorama presented. When they reached Rome, Katherine almost felt as much interest in observing the inane mummeries of Catholic superstition as her husband did in treading the Forum or contemplating the Coloseum. She was astounded at the prostrate servility of the people, and loathed the iniquities of priestly drones. When she beheld purblind idolators bowing to spurious relics, and tonsured hypocrites whose riotous living had made them fat and sleek as Eglon the Moabite, she laughed at the dupers and the duped with censorious smile. There they tarried awhile, then skirted along the Calabrian coast, and embarked for floral Sicily. Here a hurrying missive reached them, whose contents announced the dangerous indisposition of the Baronet at Duncraig Castle. With all convenient speed they returned, and then proceeded to Scotland. That Old Sir Murdoch had reached a hale old age, and, like many of his class who live pretty temperately, he had borne the weight of advanced years remarkably well. red, frost-crisped cheek and that active mind evinced no inconsiderable degree of vital power remaining, and he promised to dwindle out to even patriarchal days. A paralytic seizure-sudden-prostrating as the lightning stroke, laid him helplessly, speechlessly, on a bed of sickness. The vis medicatrix naturæ seemed inoperative, and all artificial expedients gave little or no promise of success. The storm had but again to brew, another flash to fall, and he would doubtless be a clod of the valley. His medical advisers pointed out the extreme probabilities of a recurrence, and thus a dispatch was forwarded for the instant return of the heir-his nephew-and his bride. The storm did gather-the red bolt fell, and smote the sufferer. Six hours' more life would have brought to the old man's bedside the representative of his house. With a childish impatience, he counted the tardy hands of the castle clock, which he could, as he lay, see through the mullioned window of his chamber; to every footstep he had listened with morbid impatience. This watchfulness induced another paroxysm, and he lived not to clutch the hand of one for whose presence he so sighed, yet for whom he had manifested so common-place a regard during health. After the obsequies of the old laird, it was ascertained that the amount of his property was at least twofold more than was anticipated. A small estate in Jamaica, which in early life he had, in a speculative turn ventured to purchase, had for building ground now become exceedingly valuable, and, by a simple, inexpensive mode of living, his funded amounts had accumulated to very considerable sums. It would be more than could be expected in human nature to suppose that the loss of the testy old uncle would create any very great grief in Murdoch's bosom. Their intercourse had been little, and it was impossible to deny that the old Baronet had at all times |