the　bank；　and　more　than　once　let　my　rod　drop　from　my　hands　into　the
  water。
  At　some　distance　from　the　city；　behind　a　range　of　hilly　ground
  which　rises　towards　the　south…west；　is　a　small　river；　the　waters　of
  which；　after　many　meanderings；　eventually　enter　the　principal　river
  of　the　district；　and　assist　to　swell　the　tide　which　it　rolls　down
  to　the　ocean。　　It　is　a　sweet　rivulet；　and　pleasant　is　it　to　trace
  its　course　from　its　spring…head；　high　up　in　the　remote　regions　of
  Eastern　Anglia；　till　it　arrives　in　the　valley　behind　yon　rising
  ground；　and　pleasant　is　that　valley；　truly　a　goodly　spot；　but　most
  lovely　where　yonder　bridge　crosses　the　little　stream。　　Beneath　its
  arch　the　waters　rush　garrulously　into　a　blue　pool；　and　are　there
  stilled；　for　a　time；　for　the　pool　is　deep；　and　they　appear　to　have
  sunk　to　sleep。　　Farther　on；　however；　you　hear　their　voice　again；
  where　they　ripple　gaily　over　yon　gravelly　shallow。　　On　the　left；
  the　hill　slopes　gently　down　to　the　margin　of　the　stream。　　On　the
  right　is　a　green　level；　a　smiling　meadow；　grass　of　the　richest
  decks　the　side　of　the　slope；　mighty　trees　also　adorn　it；　giant
  elms；　the　nearest　of　which；　when　the　sun　is　nigh　its　meridian；
  fling　a　broad　shadow　upon　the　face　of　the　pool；　through　yon　vista
  you　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　ancient　brick　of　an　old　English　hall。
  It　has　a　stately　look；　that　old　building；　indistinctly　seen；　as　it
  is；　among　those　umbrageous　trees；　you　might　almost　suppose　it　an
  earl's　home；　and　such　it　was；　or　rather　upon　its　site　stood　an
  earl's　home；　in　days　of　old；　for　there　some　old　Kemp；　some　Sigurd
  or　Thorkild；　roaming　in　quest　of　a　hearthstead；　settled　down　in　the
  gray　old　time；　when　Thor　and　Freya　were　yet　gods；　and　Odin　was　a
  portentous　name。　　Yon　old　hall　is　still　called　the　Earl's　Home；
  though　the　hearth　of　Sigurd　is　now　no　more；　and　the　bones　of　the
  old　Kemp；　and　of　Sigrith　his　dame；　have　been　mouldering　for　a
  thousand　years　in　some　neighbouring　knoll；　perhaps　yonder；　where
  those　tall　Norwegian　pines　shoot　up　so　boldly　into　the　air。　　It　is
  said　that　the　old　earl's　galley　was　once　moored　where　is　now　that
  blue　pool；　for　the　waters　of　that　valley　were　not　always　sweet；　yon
  valley　was　once　an　arm　of　the　sea；　a　salt　lagoon；　to　which　the　war…
  barks　of　'Sigurd；　in　search　of　a　home；'　found　their　way。
  I　was　in　the　habit　of　spending　many　an　hour　on　the　banks　of　that
  rivulet；　with　my　rod　in　my　hand；　and；　when　tired　with　angling；
  would　stretch　myself　on　the　grass；　and　gaze　upon　the　waters　as　they
  glided　past；　and　not　unfrequently；　divesting　myself　of　my　dress；　I
  would　plunge　into　the　deep　pool　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　for
  I　had　long　since　learned　to　swim。　　And　it　came　to　pass　that　on　one
  hot　summer's　day；　after　bathing　in　the　pool；　I　passed　along　the
  meadow　till　I　came　to　a　shallow　part；　and；　wading　over　to　the
  opposite　side；　I　adjusted　my　dress；　and　commenced　fishing　in
  another　pool；　beside　which　was　a　small　clump　of　hazels。
  And　there　I　sat　upon　the　bank；　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　which
  slopes　down　from　'the　Earl's　home'；　my　float　was　on　the　waters；　and
  my　back　was　towards　the　old　hall。　　I　drew　up　many　fish；　small　and
  great；　which　I　took　from　off　the　hook　mechanically；　and　flung　upon
  the　bank；　for　I　was　almost　unconscious　of　what　I　was　about；　for　my
  mind　was　not　with　my　fish。　　I　was　thinking　of　my　earlier　years　…　of
  the　Scottish　crags　and　the　heaths　of　Ireland　…　and　sometimes　my
  mind　would　dwell　on　my　studies　…　on　the　sonorous　stanzas　of　Dante；
  rising　and　falling　like　the　waves　of　the　sea　…　or　would　strive　to
  remember　a　couplet　or　two　of　poor　Monsieur　Boileau。
  'Canst　thou　answer　to　thy　conscience　for　pulling　all　those　fish　out
  of　the　water；　and　leaving　them　to　gasp　in　the　sun？'　said　a　voice；
  clear　and　sonorous　as　a　bell。
  I　started；　and　looked　round。　　Close　behind　me　stood　the　tall　figure
  of　a　man；　dressed　in　raiment　of　quaint　and　singular　fashion；　but　of
  goodly　materials。　　He　was　in　the　prime　and　vigour　of　manhood；　his
  features　handsome　and　noble；　but　full　of　calmness　and　benevolence；
  at　least　I　thought　so；　though　they　were　somewhat　shaded　by　a　hat　of
  finest　beaver；　with　broad　drooping　eaves。
  'Surely　that　is　a　very　cruel　diversion　in　which　thou　indulgest；　my
  young　friend？'　he　continued。
  'I　am　sorry　for　it；　if　it　be；　sir；'　said　I；　rising；　'but　I　do　not
  think　it　cruel　to　fish。'
  'What　are　thy　reasons　for　not　thinking　so？'
  'Fishing　is　mentioned　frequently　in　Scripture。　　Simon　Peter　was　a
  fisherman。'
  'True；　and　Andrew　and　his　brother。　　But　thou　forgettest：　　they　did
  not　follow　fishing　as　a　diversion；　as　I　fear　thou　doest。　…　Thou
  readest　the　Scriptures？'
  'Sometimes。'
  'Sometimes？　…　not　daily？　…　that　is　to　be　regretted。　　What
  profession　dost　thou　make？　…　I　mean　to　what　religious　denomination
  dost　thou　belong；　my　young　friend。'
  'Church？'
  'It　is　a　very　good　profession　…　there　is　much　of　Scripture
  contained　in　its　liturgy。　　Dost　thou　read　aught　besides　the
  Scriptures？'
  'Sometimes。'
  'What　dost　thou　read　besides？'
  'Greek；　and　Dante。'
  'Indeed！　then　thou　hast　the　advantage　over　myself；　I　can　only　read
  the　former。　　Well；　I　am　rejoiced　to　find　that　thou　hast　other
  pursuits　beside　thy　fishing。　　Dost　thou　know　Hebrew？'
  'No。'
  'Thou　shouldst　study　it。　　Why　dost　thou　not　undertake　the　study？'
  'I　have　no　books。'
  'I　will　lend　thee　books；　if　thou　wish　to　undertake　the　study。　　I
  live　yonder　at　the　hall；　as　perhaps　thou　knowest。　　I　have　a　library
  there；　in　which　are　many　curious　books；　both　in　Greek　and　Hebrew；
  which　I　will　show　to　thee；　whenever　thou　mayest　find　it　convenient
  to　come　and　see　me。　　Farewell！　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　thou　hast
  pursuits　more　satisfactory　than　thy　cruel　fishing。'
  And　the　man　of　peace　departed；　and　left　me　on　the　bank　of　the
  stream。　　Whether　from　the　effect　of　his　words；　or　from　want　of
  inclination　to　the　sport；　I　know　not；　but　from　that　day　I　became
  less　and　less　a　practitioner　of　that　'cruel　fishing。'　　I　rarely
  flung　line　and　angle　into　the　water；　but　I　not　unfrequently
  wandered　by　the　banks　of　the　pleasant　rivulet。　　It　seems　singular
  to　me；　on　reflection；　that　I　never　availed　myself　of　his　kind
  invitation。　　I　say　singular；　for　the　extraordinary；　under　whatever
  form；　had　long　had　no　slight　interest　for　me；　and　I　had　discernment
  enough　to　perceive　that　yon　was　no　common　man。　　Yet　I　went　not　near
  him；　certainly　not　from　bashfulness　or　timidity；　feelings　to　which
  I　had　long　been　an　entire　stranger。　　Am　I　to　regret　this？　perhaps；
  for　I　might　have　learned　both　wisdom　and　righteousness　from　those
  calm；　quiet　lips；　and　my　after…course　might　have　been　widely
  different。　　As　it　was；　I　fell　in　with　other　guess　companions；　from
  whom　I　received　widely　different　impressions　than　those　I　might
  have　derived　from　him。　　When　many　years　had　rolled　on；　long　after　I
  had　attained　manhood；　and　had　seen　and　suffered　much；　and　when　our
  first　interview　had　long　since　been　effaced　from　the　mind　of　the
  man　of　peace；　I　visited　him　in　his　venerable　hall；　and　partook　of
  the　hospitality　of　his　hearth。　　And　there　I　saw　his　gentle　partner
  and　his　fair　children；　and　on　the　morrow　he　showed　me　the　books　of
  which　he　had　spoken　years　before　by　the　side　of　the　stream。　　In　the
  low　quiet　chamber；　whose　one　window；　shaded　by　a　gigantic　elm；
  looks　down　the　slope　towards　the　pleasant　stream；　he　took　from　the
  shelf　his　learned　books；　Zohar　and　Mishna；　Toldoth　Jesu　and
  Abarbenel。　　'I　am　fond　of　these　studies；'　said　he；　'which；　perhaps；
  is　　not　to　be　wondered　at；　seeing　that　our　people　have　been
  compared　to　the　Jews。　　In　one　respect　I　confess　we　are　similar　to
  them；　we　are　fond　of　getting　money。　　I　do　not　like　this　last
  author；　this　Abarbenel；　the　worse　for　having　been　a　money…changer。
  I　am　a　banker　myself；　as　thou　knowest。'
  And　would　there　were　many　like　him；　amidst　the　money…changers　of
  princes！　　The　hall　of　many　an　earl　lacks　the　bounty；　the　palace　of
  many　a　prelate　the　piety　and　learning；　which　adorn　the　quiet
  quaker's　home！
  CHAPTER　XVI
  Fair　of　horses　…　Looks　of　respect　…　The　fast　trotter　…　Pair　of　eyes
  …　Strange　men　…　Jasper；　your　pal　…　Force　of　blood　…　Young　lady　with
  diamonds　…　Not　quite　so　beautiful。
  I　WAS　standing　on　the　castle　hill　in　the　midst　of　a　fair　of　horses。
  I　have　already　had　occasion　to　mention　this　castle。　　It　is　the
  remains　of　what　was　once　a　Norman　stronghold；　and　is　perched　upon　a
  round　mound　or　monticle；　in　the　midst　of　the　old　city。　　Steep　is
  this　mound　and　scarped；　evidently　by　the　hand　of　man；　a　deep　gorge
  over　which　is　flung　a　bridge；　separates　it；　on　the　south；　from　a
  broad　swell　of　open　ground　called　'the　hill'；　of　old　the　scene　of
  many　a　tournament　and　feat　of　Norman　chivalry；　but　now　much　used　as
  a　show…place　for　cattle；