28 THE SMUGGLER. 



hand, and fell into deep thought, without giving orders for 

 anything. The host, with his attendant star, disappeared 

 from the room to procure the requisites for the travellers' 

 meal, and Sir Edward Digby immediately took advantage of 

 their absence to say, " Come, come, my dear Colonel, shake 

 this off. I think all that we have lately heard should have 

 tended to revive hope and to give comfort. During all the 

 six years that we have been more like brothers than friends, 

 I have never seen you so much cast down as now, when you 

 are taking the field under the most favourable circumstances, 

 with name, station, reputation, fortune, and with the best 

 reason to believe those true whom you had been taught to 

 suppose false." 



"I cannot tell, Digby," replied his companion; "we shall 

 hear more ere long, and doubt is always well nigh as painful 

 as the worst certainty. Besides, I am returning to the scenes 

 of my early youth ; scenes stored, it is true, with many a sweet 

 and happy memory, but full also of painful recollections. 

 Those memories themselves are but as an inscription on a 

 tomb, where hopes and pleasures, the bright dreams of youth, 

 the ardent aspirations of first true love, the sweet endearments 

 of a happy home, the treasured caresses of the best of mothers, 

 the counsels, the kindness, the unvarying tenderness of the 

 noblest and highest-minded of fathers, all lie buried. There 

 may be a pleasure in visiting that tomb, but it is a melancholy 

 one ; and when I think that it was for me, that it was on my 

 account, my father suffered persecution and wrong, till a 

 powerful mind, and a vigorous frame gave way, there is a 

 bitterness mingled with all my remembrances of these scenes, 

 from which I would fain clear my heart. I will do so, too, 

 but it will require some solitary thought, some renewed fami- 

 liarity with all the objects round, to take off the sharpness of 

 the first effect. You go on to Folkestone, and see that all is 

 right there, I will remain here and wait for the rest. As soon 

 as you have ascertained that everything is prepared to act in 

 case we are called upon which I hope may not be the case, 

 as I do not like the service you may betake yourself to 

 Harbourne House, making me a report as you pass. When I 

 have so distributed the men that we can rapidly concentrate a 

 sufficient number upon any spot where they may be required, 

 I will come on after you to our good old friend's dwelling. 



