416 Paul de Waller y. 



to become very rough. This part of the country seemed to be very 

 thinly inhabited, and it was only here arid there that I could, per- 

 haps, perceive in the distance the brown roof of a lone and ruinous- 

 looking cottage. To add to my vexation, I found, owing to the in- 

 creasing difficulty of the way, that I was making little progress, and 

 that the afternoon was waning fast into obscurity. 



Such was the uricheering nature of my prospects, when I found 

 myself entering a straggling tract of forest-land, darkened in some 

 places by the thickness of the foliage, and the anticipated shadows 

 of evening opening, in others, to display fresh perspectives of wood 

 and eminence. Evening was gradually advancing, and the distance 

 began to sink into obscurity. The silent and mysterious uniformity 

 of the road, too, was very melancholy. The sun was fast descend- 

 ing, and some dark clouds were gathering over the west. The sun- 

 shine had, however, not yet waned away, and a deep red flush dwelt 

 on the distant wood summits ; and as I rode along, and the forest 

 opened, sometimes streamed richly, though solitarily, across rny path. 

 I travelled in this way for some miles, without seeing a soul, or des- 

 crying a habitation, or any thing that told of inhabitants, in the 

 distance. 



To tell the precise truth, the forest had a banditti air, and it was 

 with some alarm that I made my horse increase his speed. Some- 

 times a rook would come lazily and unexpectedly winging its way 

 right across my road, and break upon the utter stillness of the un- 

 moving landscape with an unearthly-sounding and monotonous caw ! 



My direction to Walberg's house had been pretty good, and, 

 though surprised at the great loneliness of the district in which it 

 lay, I had strong hopes of readily finding it. Indeed, had rny in- 

 structions been uncertain, there could not have been much difficulty 

 in the latter respect, for wherever it lay I was very well convinced 

 it must be the only abode for many miles. 



Fast as I now travelled, I found that the daylight would not last 

 me much longer. The road became more narrow, and the trees, 

 as heretofore, sometimes breaking off into distance, and standing in 

 groups of eight or ten, in some places actually threw their branches 

 over my path. Besides I saw deep places, shelving off to a con- 

 siderable extent, on my right and left, and was sometimes so enclosed 

 with the forest giants that I could see nothing beyond. I had now 

 the last of twilight, and the scene appeared to wax gloomier and 

 gloomier. I now, however, advanced more quickly, and was certain 

 that I could not be far from the object of my journey. 



As I had anticipated, so it proved. On a sudden break in the rough 

 and narrow bridle road, I perceived, some distance in advance, the 

 gate and walls of an ancient building. On a nearer approach I found 

 it had the same air of silence, neglect, and desolation, which the 

 country in which it was situated so decidedly possessed. It seemed 

 as if those who had been its inhabitants were in their tombs. Its an- 

 cient gate-way was crumbling into ruin ; the few wiudows were mere 

 loopholes, and darkened with heavy wood mouldings ; its walls were 

 fantastically edged out with old red bricks, and its gables abounding 

 in eccentric zig-zags, corners, and parapets, overgrown with moss. 



