Isanybodyin?”Idemandedtomyself.Alittletinkle,asofcindersfallingfromagrate,repliedamovement—afirewasgentlystirredandtheslightrustleoflifecontinuing,asteppacedequablybackwardsandforwards,backwardsandforwards,intheapartment.Fascinated,Istood,morefixedlyfascinatedwhenavoicerewardedtheattentionofmystrainedear—solow,soself-addressed,Ineverfanciedthespeakerotherwisethanalonesolitudemightspeakthusinadesert,orinthehallofaforsakenhouse.
“‘Andne’erbutonce,myson,’hesaid,
‘Wasyondarkcaverntrod
Inpersecution’sirondays,
WhenthelandwasleftbyGod.
FromBewley’sbog,withslaughterred,
Awandererhitherdrew
Andofthestopp’dandturn’dhishead,
Asbyfitsthenight-windsblew.
FortramplingroundbyCheviot-edge
Wereheardthetrooperskeen
AndfrequentfromtheWhitelawridge
Thedeath-shotflash’dbetween.’”&c.&c.
TheoldScotchballadwaspartlyrecited,thendroptapauseensuedthenanotherstrainfollowed,inFrench,ofwhichthepurport,translated,ranasfollows:—
Igave,atfirst,attentionclose
Theninterestwarmensued
Frominterest,asimprovementrose,
Succeededgratitude.
Obediencewasnoeffortsoon,
Andlabourwasnopain
Iftired,aword,aglancealone
Wouldgivemestrengthagain.
Fromothersofthestudiousband,
Erelonghesingledme
Butonlybymoreclosedemand,
Andsternerurgency.
Thetaskhefromanothertook,
Frommehedidreject
Hewouldnoslightomissionbrook,
Andsuffernodefect.
Ifmycompanionswentastray,
Hescarcetheirwanderingsblam’d
IfIbutfalter’dintheway,
Hisangerfiercelyflam’d.
Somethingstirredinanadjoiningchamberitwouldnotdotobesurprisedeaves-droppingItappedhastily,andashastilyentered.Franceswasjustbeforemeshehadbeenwalkingslowlyinherroom,andherstepwascheckedbymyadvent:Twilightonlywaswithher,andtranquil,ruddyFirelighttothesesisters,theBrightandtheDark,shehadbeenspeaking,ereIentered,inpoetry.SirWalterScott’svoice,toheraforeign,far-offsound,amountainecho,haduttereditselfinthefirststanzasthesecond,Ithought,fromthestyleandthesubstance,wasthelanguageofherownheart.Herfacewasgrave,itsexpressionconcentratedshebentonmeanunsmilingeye—aneyejustreturningfromabstraction,justawakingfromdreams:well-arrangedwashersimpleattire,smoothherdarkhair,orderlyhertranquilroombutwhat—withherthoughtfullook,herseriousself-reliance,he