THE SMUGGLER. 51 



being four o'clock, though he found that the fashionable people 

 of London were now in the habit of dining at half-past four. 

 Sir Edward accordingly followed him up the great oaken stair- 

 case to a very handsome and comfortable room, with a dress- 

 ing-room at the side, in which he found his servant already 

 busily employed in disburdening his bags and portmanteau of 

 their contents. 



Sir Robert paused for a moment, to see that his guest had 

 everything which he might require, and than left him. The 

 young baronet did not proceed immediately to the business of 

 the toilet, but seated himself before the window of the bed- 

 room, and gazed out with a thoughtful expression, while his 

 servant continued his operations in the next room. From 

 time to time the man looked in as if he had something to say, 

 but his master continued in a reverie, of which it may be as 

 well to take some notice. His first thought was, "I must lay 

 out the plan of my campaign; but I must take care not to 

 get my wing of the army defeated while the main body is 

 moving up to give battle. On my life, I'm a great deal too 

 good-natured to put myself in such a dangerous position for a 

 friend. The artillery that the old gentleman spoke of is much 

 more formidable than I expected. My worthy colonel did not 

 use so much of love's glowing colours in his painting as I sup- 

 posed; but after all, there's no danger; I am proof against 

 all such shots, and I fancy I must use little Zara for the pur- 

 pose of getting at her sister's secrets. There can be no harm 

 in making a little love to her: the least little bit possible. It 

 will do my pretty coquette no harm, and me none either. It 

 may be well to know how the land lies, however; and I dare 

 say that fellow of mine has made some discoveries already; 

 but the surest way to get nothing out of him is to ask him, 

 and so I must let him take his own way." 



His thoughts then turned to another branch of the same 

 subject; and he went on pondering rather than thinking for 

 some minutes more. There is a state of mind which can 

 scarcely be called thought ; for thought is rapid and progressive, 

 like the flight of a bird, whether it be in the gyrations of the 

 swallow, or the straight -for ward course of the rook; but in 

 the mode or condition of which I speak, the mind seems rather 

 to hover over a particular object, like the hawk eyeing care- 

 fully that which is beneath it : and this state can no more be 



