felt the whole comfort of knowing that my supplications for you will yet be heard. At present, nothing can touch your feelings: neither love nor hatred, wealth nor poverty, admiration nor scorn, -all are alike to one petrified by superstition as you are. But the time may come, when that magic spell shall be broken, and rational piety again consecrate every human feeling." Bessie's face was invisible, but her whole frame shook with emotion, Father Eustace now grasped her hand and crossed himself, when she looked up at him, though he uttered not a word; but there was an electric telegraph in his eye, which seemed always understood by his proselytes and obeyed. "I cannot delude myself, as you so evidently do," continued young Carre, " by supposing that it is necessary for Mr. Eustace, or any other priest, to act as my ambassador in asking all I need. Either in the solitude of my closet, or among the glories of creation, I am allowed a direct access to the Throne of Grace. A Protestant clergyman comes to me as an ambassador from God, whose glorious presence we could not behold and live; but, now that Mr. Clinton turns his back, of late, to the congregation, and his face to the altar, he seems to forget that his message is to us. I hope Mr. Clinton does not mean to deny that St. Paul says, 'We are ambassadors for Christ." 999 Robert paused a moment in solemn thought; and then continued, in a low, impressive voice,-" Bessie! listen to one whose broken heart shall beat for you while it beats at all. Do not irrevocably pledge yourself to be under any man's guidance, instead of God's. There is only one instance in Holy Scripture of man's confessing to man: that instance was Judas, when he confessed to the Jews; and little did that confession avail him either with God or man. May you return one day, Bessie, to the simple faith of your Bible; and though I shall then be far away, yet, even at the farthest end of the earth, it will gladden my heart to hear that the bird has escaped from the snare. Farewell, Bessie!—a long, long, long farewell! 666 "Oh! that we two lay sleeping In one home in the churchyard sod, With our limbs at rest on the quiet earth's breast, Robert remained for several moments silently gazing at Bessie, more in pity than in anger or sorrow; while the colour burned like fire on her cheeks, and it would evidently have been a relief if the earth had kindly opened and swallowed her up. He then turned towards the priest. Father Eustace stood immoveable in attitude as in countenance, his long coat almost touching the ground, like a black petticoat, and his hat slouched over his eyes, which were now, as usual, carefully veiled from observation, by the dropping of his eyelids. Lady Edith thought she had never seen so singular a contrast. The clear eye, the open brow, the attitude of native dignity, the frank expression of Robert Carre, and the free action of his finelyformed limbs, beside Father Eustace, who stood in the position of a perpendicular corpse, his eyes closed, his mouth pursed in, his hands folded together, his feet ranged side by side, and his whole figure crouching with assumed humility. For a moment Robert Carre seemed about to address him, and fixed on Father Eustace a look that seemed to read his very soul; but he suddenly paused, and, with a glance of stern contempt that might have done for ten emperors, turned away. He then respectfully lifted his hat to Lady Edith, gave one last look at Bessie, who was leaning her forehead against a tree, and, springing again over the hedge, disappeared into the forest. CHAPTER X. "L'honnête homme est celui qui ne vole pas sur les "What signifies what weather we have in a country PREPARATORY to the impending contested election, the village of Clanmarina was covered with placards, setting forth, in tremendous type, the once-honoured name of "M° Alpine for ever." These placards were torn down every day, and every day renewed. It was quite the golden age at Clanmarina now; while the agent, Mr. Gordon, seemed to have become a perfect political Croesus, ready to buy anybody, or anything, at any price. It was indeed a sight now to behold Lord and Lady Eaglescairn, when they first began their unpractised attempts to "do a little popularity." Always ambitious to be the ruling family at Clanmarina, though not liking the arts of popularity nor its expenses, they now threw aside every hin drance to success, while evidently enjoying, with all the excitement of a horse-race, the dash and bustle, the manoeuvring, the pushing, the conquering of difficulties, the incessant arrivals and departures, the discussions over the dinner table, the driving, the riding, the sauntering, the galloping, and the whole complicated game of politics. They seemed to have passed an act of oblivion and indemnity respecting all differences in religion as well as in politics, while inviting, with almost frantic hospitality, every voter, and every relation of a voter, to dine and to vote with them. "M'Alpine and Cheap Bread!"—" McAlpine and Independence!" read Robert Carre, one day as he walked through the village. "Give us, 'McAlpine and Protestantism!'-that would gain every vote in the district! What independence could there ever be under priestly tyranny ?" It was evidently a very forced interest that Sir Allan took in his own canvas; and Lady Edith, who knew by heart every intonation of his voice, every turn of his countenance, plainly perceived how unwilling a tool her beloved Allan was in the strong grasp of those from whom he had not strength of mind to disentangle himself. The baleful eye of Mr. Ambrose seemed to possess a mesmeric power over his young nephew, and was fastened for ever upon him, especially when in the presence of Lady Edith, the revival of whose influence he evidently apprehended; and as he |