528 The Man of Letters. [Nov. 



warn others of the rock a-head, on which my little vessel of quiet was 

 very nearly lost. 



In all respectable peaceable country dwellings (and I state this for the 

 benefit of my town readers), and especially in those where a superior 

 love of good order prevails, the inhabitants make it a rule of being in 

 bed by ten o'clock. After this, I need not add that the established law 

 of our domicile at Eye is in favour of the same hour for retiring to rest. 

 Thus much premised, I may go on with my story. 



It was about twelve o'clock one night, after having retired to bed at 

 my usual hour, that I was roused from my first slumber, by a pretty 

 smart knocking at the door. Sailor-like, my sleep was never much 

 sounder than a cat's, but still though I heard the first appeal to the 

 knocker, I could hardly believe my senses, that anybody should be 

 beating at the gate at such an hour, and I therefore laid still in my bed, 

 awaiting a confirmation of the circumstance ; it soon came — double-dis- 

 tilled, as they say of lavender water — and I then, with some hurried 

 thoughts about fire, thieves, and I knew not what, started up with the 

 intention of reaching the window, to ascertain what it was all about ; 

 but even before I could go so far on my voyage of discovery, the third 

 summons resounded in my ears, and I responded thereto, by giving 

 a fillip to my alarum-bell, which laid at hand, and which presently 

 made the whole household as wakeful as myself. 



" For Heaven's sake, Susy," cried I to the maid, as I heard her clat- 

 tering along the stairs, " what is the matter .'' Is there any danger ?" 



" Danger, Sir !" quoth the wench, " it is quite certain ! — he's come, 

 and says that he must see you immediately." 



" Who is come ?" 



"That is just what he will not tell. I asked him to send up his 

 name, but all he would say in answer, was — ' Go, and tell Captain 

 Burton, that I am here ; and he'll know who you mean.' " 



Now this was prodigiously puzzling to a man who had not been 

 expecting a living soul at the hall for many a-day ; and I was no more 

 able to guess who this well-known person could be, than the reason 

 that had induced him, in violation of all the rules of quiet and tran- 

 quillity, to make his appearance at so unconscionable an hour. However, 

 with some curiosity to prompt me, and with still more discontent at the 

 ill-omened commencement of the adventure, I proceeded down stairs 

 to ascertain who the unceremonious visitor might be ; while Susy, in 

 her zeal for her master, marched behind me with a rushlight in one 

 hand, and a sword in the other, pretty nearly as long as a Serjeant's 

 pike-staff. 



When I arrived in the library, I found a man standing near the table, 

 muffled up in a dark cloak of awful dimensions, while one solitary 

 kitchen candle gave a sort of darkness visible to his extensive figure, 

 still more extended by the huge mantle that fell over his shoulders and 

 enveloped his person. There was really something quite Abruzzi-ish 

 in the whole affair, and I think I never made any one so grave a bow, 

 as that with which I marked his presence, on my entering the room. 



" Whom may I have the honour of addressing .''" quoth I, a little 

 stiffly. 



No immediate answer was afforded ; but the new-comer prepared 

 himself for one, by striding up to the spot where I was standing, while 

 Susy, who began to think in right-earnest, that a battle was on the eve 



