began　to　perceive　that　the　dismissal　of　the　school；　and　my　own
  release　from　torment；　depended　upon　this　selfsame　rope。　　I
  therefore；　in　a　fit　of　desperation；　pulled　it　once　or　twice；　and
  then　left　off；　naturally　supposing　that　I　had　done　quite　enough。
  The　boys　who　sat　next　the　door　no　sooner　heard　the　bell；　than；
  rising　from　their　seats；　they　moved　out　at　the　door。　　The　bell；
  however；　had　no　sooner　ceased　to　jingle；　than　they　stopped　short；
  and；　turning　round；　stared　at　the　master；　as　much　as　to　say；　'What
  are　we　to　do　now？'　　This　was　too　much　for　the　patience　of　the　man
  of　method；　which　my　previous　stupidity　had　already　nearly
  exhausted。　　Dashing　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　he　struck
  me　violently　on　the　shoulders　with　his　ferule；　and；　snatching　the
  rope　out　of　my　hand；　exclaimed；　with　a　stentorian　voice；　and
  genuine　Yorkshire　accent；　'Prodigy　of　ignorance！　dost　not　even　know
  how　to　ring　a　bell？　　Must　I　myself　instruct　thee？'　　He　then
  commenced　pulling　at　the　bell　with　such　violence　that　long　before
  half　the　school　was　dismissed　the　rope　broke；　and　the　rest　of　the
  boys　had　to　depart　without　their　accustomed　music。
  But　I　must　not　linger　here；　though　I　could　say　much　about　the
  school　and　the　pedagogue　highly　amusing　and　diverting；　which；
  however；　I　suppress；　in　order　to　make　way　for　matters　of　yet
  greater　interest。　　On　we　went；　northward；　northward！　and；　as　we
  advanced；　I　saw　that　the　country　was　becoming　widely　different　from
  those　parts　of　merry　England　in　which　we　had　previously　travelled。
  It　was　wilder；　and　less　cultivated；　and　more　broken　with　hills　and
  hillocks。　　The　people；　too；　of　these　regions　appeared　to　partake　of
  something　of　the　character　of　their　country。　　They　were　coarsely
  dressed；　tall　and　sturdy　of　frame；　their　voices　were　deep　and
  guttural；　and　the　half　of　the　dialect　which　they　spoke　was
  unintelligible　to　my　ears。
  I　often　wondered　where　we　could　be　going；　for　I　was　at　this　time
  about　as　ignorant　of　geography　as　I　was　of　most　other　things。
  However；　I　held　my　peace；　asked　no　questions；　and　patiently　awaited
  the　issue。
  Northward；　northward；　still！　　And　it　came　to　pass　that；　one
  morning；　I　found　myself　extended　on　the　bank　of　a　river。　　It　was　a
  beautiful　morning　of　early　spring；　small　white　clouds　were　floating
  in　the　heaven；　occasionally　veiling　the　countenance　of　the　sun；
  whose　light；　as　they　retired；　would　again　burst　forth；　coursing
  like　a　race…horse　over　the　scene　…　and　a　goodly　scene　it　was！
  Before　me；　across　the　water；　on　an　eminence；　stood　a　white　old
  city；　surrounded　with　lofty　walls；　above　which　rose　the　tops　of
  tall　houses；　with　here　and　there　a　church　or　steeple。　　To　my　right
  hand　was　a　long　and　massive　bridge；　with　many　arches；　and　of
  antique　architecture；　which　traversed　the　river。　　The　river　was　a
  noble　one；　the　broadest　that　I　had　hitherto　seen。　　Its　waters；　of　a
  greenish　tinge；　poured　with　impetuosity　beneath　the　narrow　arches
  to　meet　the　sea；　close　at　hand；　as　the　boom　of　the　billows　breaking
  distinctly　upon　a　beach　declared。　　There　were　songs　upon　the　river
  from　the　fisher…barks；　and　occasionally　a　chorus；　plaintive　and
  wild；　such　as　I　had　never　heard　before；　the　words　of　which　I　did
  not　understand；　but　which；　at　the　present　time；　down　the　long
  avenue　of　years；　seem　in　memory's　ear　to　sound　like　'Horam；　coram；
  dago。'　　Several　robust　fellows　were　near　me；　some　knee…deep　in
  water；　employed　in　hauling　the　seine　upon　the　strand。　　Huge　fish
  were　struggling　amidst　the　meshes　…　princely　salmon；　…　their
  brilliant　mail　of　blue　and　silver　flashing　in　the　morning　beam；　so
  goodly　and　gay　a　scene；　in　truth；　had　never　greeted　my　boyish　eye。
  And；　as　I　gazed　upon　the　prospect；　my　bosom　began　to　heave；　and　my
  tears　to　trickle。　　Was　it　the　beauty　of　the　scene　which　gave　rise
  to　these　emotions？　　Possibly；　for　though　a　poor　ignorant　child　…　a
  half…wild　creature　…　I　was　not　insensible　to　the　loveliness　of
  nature；　and　took　pleasure　in　the　happiness　and　handiworks　of　my
  fellow…creatures。　　Yet；　perhaps；　in　something　more　deep　and
  mysterious　the　feelings　which　then　pervaded　me　might　originate。
  Who　can　lie　down　on　Elvir　Hill　without　experiencing　something　of
  the　sorcery　of　the　place？　　Flee　from　Elvir　Hill；　young　swain；　or
  the　maids　of　Elle　will　have　power　over　you；　and　you　will　go　elf…
  wild！　…　so　say　the　Danes。　　I　had　unconsciously　laid　myself　down
  upon　haunted　ground；　and　I　am　willing　to　imagine　that　what　I　then
  experienced　was　rather　connected　with　the　world　of　spirits　and
  dreams　than　with　what　I　actually　saw　and　heard　around　me。　　Surely
  the　elves　and　genii　of　the　place　were　conversing；　by　some
  inscrutable　means；　with　the　principle　of　intelligence　lurking
  within　the　poor　uncultivated　clod！　　Perhaps　to　that　ethereal
  principle　the　wonders　of　the　past；　as　connected　with　that　stream；
  the　glories　of　the　present；　and　even　the　history　of　the　future；
  were　at　that　moment　being　revealed！　　Of　how　many　feats　of　chivalry
  had　those　old　walls　been　witness；　when　hostile　kings　contended　for
  their　possession！　…　how　many　an　army　from　the　south　and　from　the
  north　had　trod　that　old　bridge！　…　what　red　and　noble　blood　had
  crimsoned　those　rushing　waters！…what　strains　had　been　sung；　ay；
  were　yet　being　sung；　on　its　banks！　…　some　soft　as　Doric　reed；　some
  fierce　and　sharp　as　those　of　Norwegian　Skaldaglam；　some　as　replete
  with　wild　and　wizard　force　as　Finland's　runes；　singing　of
  Kalevala's　moors；　and　the　deeds　of　Woinomoinen！　　Honour　to　thee；
  thou　island　stream！　　Onward　may　thou　ever　roll；　fresh　and　green；
  rejoicing　in　thy　bright　past；　thy　glorious　present；　and　in　vivid
  hope　of　a　triumphant　future！　　Flow　on；　beautiful　one！　…　which　of
  the　world's　streams　canst　thou　envy；　with　thy　beauty　and　renown？
  Stately　is　the　Danube；　rolling　in　its　might　through　lands　romantic
  with　the　wild　exploits　of　Turk；　Polak；　and　Magyar！　　Lovely　is　the
  Rhine！　on　its　shelvy　banks　grows　the　racy　grape；　and　strange　old
  keeps　of　robber…knights　of　yore　are　reflected　in　its　waters；　from
  picturesque　crags　and　airy　headlands！　…　yet　neither　the　stately
  Danube　nor　the　beauteous　Rhine；　with　all　their　fame；　though
  abundant；　needst　thou　envy；　thou　pure　island　stream！　…　and　far　less
  yon　turbid　river　of　old；　not　modern　renown；　gurgling　beneath　the
  walls　of　what　was　once　proud　Rome；　towering　Rome；　Jupiter's　town；
  but　now　vile　Rome；　crumbling　Rome；　Batuscha's　town；　far　less　needst
  thou　envy　the　turbid　Tiber　of　bygone　fame；　creeping　sadly　to　the
  sea；　surcharged　with　the　abominations　of　modern　Rome　…　how　unlike
  to　thee；　thou　pure　island　stream！
  And；　as　I　lay　on　the　bank　and　wept；　there　drew　nigh　to　me　a　man　in
  the　habiliments　of　a　fisher。　　He　was　bare…legged；　of　a　weather…
  beaten　countenance；　and　of　stature　approaching　to　the　gigantic。
  'What　is　the　callant　greeting　for？'　said　he；　as　he　stopped　and
  surveyed　me。　　'Has　onybody　wrought　ye　ony　harm？'
  'Not　that　I　know　of；'　I　replied；　rather　guessing　at　than
  understanding　his　question；　'I　was　crying　because　I　could　not　help
  it！　　I　say；　old　one；　what　is　the　name　of　this　river？'
  'Hout！　　I　now　see　what　you　was　greeting　at　…　at　your　ain　ignorance；
  nae　doubt　…　'tis　very　great！　　Weel；　I　will　na　fash　you　with
  reproaches；　but　even　enlighten　ye；　since　you　seem　a　decent　man's
  bairn；　and　you　speir　a　civil　question。　　Yon　river　is　called　the
  Tweed；　and　yonder；　over　the　brig；　is　Scotland。　　Did　ye　never　hear
  of　the　Tweed；　my　bonny　man？'
  'No；'　said　I；　as　I　rose　from　the　grass；　and　proceeded　to　cross　the
  bridge　to　the　town　at　which　we　had　arrived　the　preceding　night；　'I
  never　heard　of　it；　but　now　I　have　seen　it；　I　shall　not　soon　forget
  it！'
  CHAPTER　VII
  The　Castle　…　A　father's　inquiries　…　Scotch　language　…　A
  determination　…　Bui　hin　Digri　…　Good　Scotchman　…　Difference　of
  races　…　Ne'er　a　haggis　…　Pugnacious　people　…　Wha　are　ye；　man？　…　The
  Nor　Loch　…　Gestures　wild　…　The　bicker　…　New　Town　champion　…　Wild…
  looking　figure　…　Headlong。
  IT　was　not　long　before　we　found　ourselves　at　Edinburgh；　or　rather
  in　the　Castle；　into　which　the　regiment　marched　with　drums　beating；
  colours　flying；　and　a　long　train　of　baggage…waggons　behind。　　The
  Castle　was；　as　I　suppose　it　is　now；　a　garrison　for　soldiers。　　Two
  other　regiments　were　already　there；　the　one　an　Irish；　if　I　remember
  right；　the　other　a　small　Highland　corps。
  It　is　hardly　necessary　to　say　much　about　this　Castle；　which
  everybody　has　seen；　on　which　account；　doubtless；　nobody　has　ever
  yet　thought　fit　to　describe　it　…　at　least　that　I　am　aware。　　Be　this
  as　it　may；　I　have　no　intention　of　describing　it；　and　shall　content
  myself　with　observing　that　we　took　up　our　abode　in　that　immense
  building；　or　caserne；　of　modern　erection；　which　occupies　the　entire
  eastern　side　of　the　bold　rock　on　which　the　Castle　stands。　　A
  gallant　caserne　it　was