RELICS OF POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS. 



71 



daughter's mysterious retreat, but he found it empty. Tweuty- 

 foyr hours had elapsed since he had seen her, and his terror be- 

 came inexpressible. It was increased by a summons requiring 

 him to come instantly to his patron's residence. He went almost 

 maddened with agony for his daughter's fate, and his surprise can- 

 not be expressed in words, when he found Earl Eomeville seated 

 in his saloon with Margaret at his right hand. The first thought 

 that glanced across the father's mind, was a vague hope that the 

 beautiful semblance of Rosamond de Chfford had been elevated 

 to the rank obscurely prophecied. He was confirmed in this plea- 

 sant expectation, when his daughter threw herself at his feet, and 

 entreated pardon for her dissimulation ; and he stood doubtful 

 whether to feel ennobled or humbled, till his patron said — 



I owe much, Lambert, to your long fidelity, and more to your 

 daughter's courage. Your own obligation to her is still greater, 

 but I hope to repay both. Notwithstanding your zealous care, a 

 desperate knot of adventurers have established their rendezvous 

 for stolen cattle under my castle. Their leader recommended 

 himself to your eldest daughter's favour, but her courage failed 

 her three times when the plan of her elopement was contrived. 

 Even your Pearl appears to have some blemish of superstitious 

 credulity, since she concealed herself in the sexton's chair, on St. 

 Mark's eve, to know her fate. The persons whose midnight visit 

 she detected, discovered her in the church, and bound her secrecy 

 by a frightful oath, and a threat of exposing the murder commit- 

 ted by her father. The body of her sister's lover lay in the cem- 

 etery ; and this extraordinary girl, equally reluctant to hazard the 

 life of her parent, or the fair fame of her sister, by violating her 

 oath, devised a tale to awaken my chaplain's curiosity. It failed ; 

 and, after contriving to delude the spies that watched her, by af- 

 fected seclusion, she came hither alone, on foot and at midnight, 

 to confess the whole to me, and beseech my protection for you 

 both. I have sent trusty messengers to search the vault, and they 

 have found, as she asserted, a dead robber in one of my ancestor's 

 coffins : and another filled with the plate and jewels which were 

 stolen from me some years ago. These, or at least their amount, 

 1 design for her dowry ; and if old Ozias renews his vigils on this 

 eve of St. Mark, he will probably see the spectres of all the rob- 

 bers on their way to the gallows." 



Truly,'- said the Provost, laughing, when the Lady of Dent 



