THE SMUGGLER. 5? 



the same decay, meet the same fate, fall into the same tomb as 

 those who have raised or produced the things that we behold ; 

 for every work of man is but a tombstone, if it be read aright. 

 But with others, an audible voice speaks from the grey ruin 

 and the ancient church, from the dilapidated houses where our 

 fathers dwelt or worshipped, and says to every one amongst 

 the living, " As they were, who built us, so must you be. 

 They enjoyed, and hoped, and feared, and suffered. So do you. 

 Where are they gone, with all their thoughts? Where will 

 you go, think you ever so highly ? All down, down, to the 

 same dust, whither we too are tending. We have seen these 

 things for ages past, and we shall see more." 



I mean not to say that such was exactly the aspect under 

 which those ruins presented themselves to the eye of the man 

 who now visited them. The voice that spoke was not so clear, 

 but yet it was clear enough to make him feel thoughtful if not 

 sad ; and he paused to gaze up at the high keep, as the moon 

 shone out upon the old stone- work, showing every loophole 

 and casement. Pie was not without imagination, in a homely 

 way, and following the train of thought which the sight of the 

 castle at that hour suggested, he said to himself, " I dare say 

 many a pretty girl has looked out of that window to talk to 

 her lover by the moonlight ; and they have grown old, and died 

 like other folks." 



How long he would have gone on in this musing mood I 

 cannot tell, but just at that moment the boy who had come 

 down to the beach to call him, appeared from the old doorway 

 of the chapel, and pointing to one of the towers in the wall, 

 whispered " He's up there, waiting for you." 



" Well, then, you run home, young Starlight," replied the 

 smuggler. "I'll be after you in a minute, for he can't have 

 much to say, I should think. Off with you! and no listening, 

 or I'll break your head, youngster." 



The boy laughed, and ran away through the gate; and his 

 companion turned towards the angle which he had pointed 

 out. Approaching the wall, he entered what might have been 

 a door, or perhaps a window, looking in upon the court, and 

 communicating with one of those passages which led from 

 tower to tower, with stairs every here and there leading to 

 the battlements. He was obliged to bow his head as he 

 passed; but after climbing a somewhat steep ascent, where 



