prescription　of　Mr。　Ambrose；　who　not　only　presented　him　with　the　proposed　draught；　but　proceeded　so　far　as　to　take　a　considerable　quantity　of　blood　from　him；　by　which　last　operation　he　probably　did　his　patient　much　service。
  CHAPTER　XVI
  NARRATIVE　OF　ALAN　FAIRFORD；　CONTINUED
  On　the　next　morning；　when　Fairford　awoke；　after　no　very　refreshing　slumbers；　in　which　were　mingled　many　wild　dreams　of　his　father　and　of　Darsie　Latimer；of　the　damsel　in　the　green　mantle　and　the　vestals　of　Fairladies；of　drinking　small　beer　with　Nanty　Ewart　and　being　immersed　in　the　Solway　with　the　JUMPING　JENNY；he　found　himself　in　no　condition　to　dispute　the　order　of　Mr。　Ambrose；　that　he　should　keep　his　bed；　from　which；　indeed；　he　could　not　have　raised　himself　without　assistance。　　He　became　sensible　that　his　anxiety；　and　his　constant　efforts　for　some　days　past；　had　been　too　much　for　his　health；　and　that；　whatever　might　be　his　impatience；　he　could　not　proceed　in　his　undertaking　until　his　strength　was　re…established。
  In　the　meanwhile；　no　better　quarters　could　have　been　found　for　an　invalid。　　The　attendants　spoke　under　their　breath；　and　moved　only　on　tiptoenothing　was　done　unless　PAR　ORDONNANCE　DU　MEDECIN。
  Aesculapius　reigned　paramount　in　the　premises　at　Fairladies。　Once　a　day；　the　ladies　came　in　great　state　to　wait　upon　him　and　inquire　after　his　health；　and　it　was　then　that；　Alan's　natural　civility；　and　the　thankfulness　which　he　expressed　for　their　timely　and　charitable　assistance；　raised　him　considerably　in　their　esteem。　　He　was　on　the　third　day　removed　to　a　better　apartment　than　that　in　which　he　had　been　at　first　accommodated。　When　he　was　permitted　to　drink　a　glass　of　wine；　it　was　of　the　first　quality；　one　of　those　curious　old…fashioned　cobwebbed　bottles　being　produced　on　the　occasion；　which　are　only　to　be　found　in　the　crypts　of　old　country…seats；　where　they　may　have　lurked　undisturbed　for　more　than　half　a　century。
  But　however　delightful　a　residence　for　an　invalid；　Fairladies；　as　its　present　inmate　became　soon　aware；　was　not　so　agreeable　to　a　convalescent。　　When　he　dragged　himself　to　the　window　so　soon　as　he　could　crawl　from　bed；　behold　it　was　closely　grated；　and　commanded　no　view　except　of　a　little　paved　court。　　This　was　nothing　remarkable；　most　old　Border　houses　having　their　windows　so　secured。　　But　then　Fairford　observed；　that　whosoever　entered　or　left　the　room。　　always　locked　the　door　with　great　care　and　circumspection；　and　some　proposals　which　he　made　to　take　a　walk　in　the　gallery；　or　even　in　the　garden；　were　so　coldly　received；　both　by　the　ladies　and　their　prime　minister；　Mr。　Ambrose；　that　he　saw　plainly　such　an　extension　of　his　privileges　as　a　guest　would　not　be　permitted。
  Anxious　to　ascertain　whether　this　excessive　hospitality　would　permit　him　his　proper　privilege　of　free　agency；　he　announced　to　this　important　functionary；　with　grateful　thanks　for　the　care　with　which　he　had　been　attended；　his　purpose　to　leave　Fairladies　next　morning；　requesting　only；　as　a　continuance　of　the　favours　with　which　he　had　been　loaded；　the　loan　of　a　horse　to　the　next　town；　and；　assuring　Mr。　Ambrose　that　his　gratitude　would　not　be　limited　by　such；　a　trifle；　he　slipped　three　guineas　into　his　hand；　by　way　of　seconding　his　proposal。　　The　fingers　of　that　worthy　domestic　closed　as　naturally　upon　the　honorarium；　as　if　a　degree　in　the　learned　faculty　had　given　him　a　right　to　clutch　it；　but　his　answer　concerning　Alan's　proposed　departure　was　at　first　evasive；　and　when　he　was　pushed；　it　amounted　to　a　peremptory　assurance　that　he　could　not　be　permitted　to　depart　to…morrow；　it　was　as　much　as　his　life　was　worth；　and　his　ladies　would　not　authorize　it。
  'I　know　best　what　my　own　life　is　worth；'　said　Alan；　'and　I　do　not　value　it　in　comparison　to　the　business　which　requires　my　instant　attention。'
  Receiving　still　no　satisfactory　answer　from　Mr。　Ambrose；　Fairford　thought　it　best　to　state　his　resolution　to　the　ladies　themselves；　in　the　most　measured；　respectful；　and　grateful　terms；　but　still　such　as　expressed　a　firm　determination　to　depart　on　the　morrow；　or　next　day　at　farthest。　　After　some　attempts　to　induce　him　to　stay；　on　the　alleged　score　of　health；　which　were　so　expressed　that　he　was　convinced　they　were　only　used　to　delay　his　departure；　Fairford　plainly　told　them　that　he　was　entrusted　with　dispatches　of　consequence　to　the　gentleman　known　by　the　name　of　Herries；　Redgauntlet；　and　the　Laird　of　the　Lochs；　and　that　it　was　matter　of　life　and　death　to　deliver　them　early。
  'I　dare　say；　Sister　Angelica；'　said　the　elder　Miss　Arthuret；　that　the　gentleman　is　honest；　and　if　he　is　really　a　relation　of　Father　Fairford；　we　can　run　no　risk。'
  'Jesu　Maria！'　　exclaimed　the　younger。　　'Oh；　fie；　Sister　Seraphina！　Fie；　fie！'VADE　RETROget　thee　behind　me！'
  'Well；　well；　but；　sisterSister　Angelicalet　me　speak　with　you　in　the　gallery。'
  So　out　the　ladies　rustled　in　their　silks　and　tissues；　and　it　was　a　good　half…hour　ere　they　rustled　in　again；　with　importance　and　awe　on　their　countenances。
  'To　tell　you　the　truth；　Mr。　Fairford；　the　cause　of　our　desire　to　delay　you　isthere　is　a　religious　gentleman　in　this　house　at　present'
  'A　most　excellent　person　indeed'said　the　sister　Angelica。
  'An　anointed　of　his　Master！'　　echoed　Seraphina；'and　we　should　be　glad　that；　for　conscience'　sake；　you　would　hold　some　discourse　with　him　before　your　departure。'
  'Oho！'　　thought　Fairford；　'the　murder　is　outhere　is　a　design　of　conversion！　　I　must　not　affront　the　good　ladies；　but　I　shall　soon　send　off　the　priest；　I　think。'　　He　then　answered　aloud；　'that　he　should　be　happy　to　converse　with　any　friend　of　theirsthat　in　religious　matters　he　had　the　greatest　respect　for　every　modification　of　Christianity；　though；　he　must　say；　his　belief　was　made　up　to　that　in　which　he　had　been　educated；　nevertheless；　if　his　seeing　the　religious　person　they　recommended　could　in　the　least　show　his　respect'
  'It　is　not　quite　that；'　said　Sister　Seraphina；　'although　I　am　sure　the　day　is　too　short　to　hear　himFather　Buonaventure；　I　meanspeak　upon　the　concerns　of　our　souls；　but'
  'Come；　come；　Sister　Seraphina；'　said　the　younger；　'it　is　needless　to　talk　so　much　about　it。　　Hishis　EminenceI　mean　Father　Buonaventurewill　himself　explain　what　he　wants　this　gentleman　to　know。'
  'His　Eminence！'　　said　Fairford；　surprised'is　this　gentleman　so　high　in　the　Catholic　Church？　　The　title　is　given　only　to　Cardinals；　I　think。'
  'He　is　not　a　Cardinal　as　yet；'　answered　Seraphina；　'but　I　assure　you；　Mr。　Fairford；　he　is　as　high　in　rank　as　he　is　eminently　endowed　with　good　gifts；　and'
  'Come　away；'　said　Sister　Angelica。　　'Holy　Virgin；　how　you　do　talk！　　What　has　Mr。　Fairford　to　do　with　Father　Buonaventure's　rank？　　Only；　sir；　you　will　remember　that　the　Father　has　been　always　accustomed　to　be　treated　with　the　most　profound　deference；　indeed'
  'Come　away；　sister；'　said　Sister　Seraphina；　in　her　turn；　'who　talks　now；　I　pray　you？　　Mr。　Fairford　will　know　how　to　comport　himself。'
  'And　we　had　best　both　leave　the　room；'　said　the　younger　lady；　'for　here　his　Eminence　comes。'
  She　lowered　her　voice　to　a　whisper　as　she　pronounced　the　last　words；　and　as　Fairford　was　about　to　reply；　by　assuring　her　that　any　friend　of　hers　should　be　treated　by　him　with　all　the　ceremony　he　could　expect；　she　imposed　silence　on　him；　by　holding　up　her　finger。
  A　solemn　and　stately　step　was　now　heard　in　the　gallery；　it　might　have　proclaimed　the　approach　not　merely　of　a　bishop　or　cardinal；　but　of　the　Sovereign　Pontiff　himself。　　Nor　could　the　sound　have　been　more　respectfully　listened　to　by　the　two　ladies；　had　it　announced　that　the　Head　of　the　Church　was　approaching　in　person。　They　drew　themselves；　like　sentinels　on　duty；　one　on　each　side　of　the　door　by　which　the　long　gallery　communicated　with　Fairford's　apartment；　and　stood　there　immovable；　and　with　countenances　expressive　of　the　deepest　reverence。
  The　approach　of　Father　Buonaventure　was　so　slow；　that　Fairford　had　time　to　notice　all　this；　and　to　marvel　in　his　mind　what　wily　and　ambitious　priest　could　have　contrived　to　subject　his　worthy　but　simple…minded　hostesses　to　such　superstitious　trammels。　Father　Buonaventure's　entrance　and　appearance　in　some　degree　accounted　for　the　whole。
  He　was　a　man　of　middle　life；　about　forty　or　upwards；　but　either　care；　or　fatigue；　or　indulgence；　had　brought　on　the　appearance　of　premature　old　age；　and　given　to　his　fine　features　a　cast　of　seriousness　or　even　sadness。　　A　noble　countenance；　however；　still　remained；　and　though　his　complexion　was　altered；　and　wrinkles　stamped　upon　his　brow　in　many　a　melancholy　fold；　still　the　lofty　forehead；　the　full　and　well…opened　eye；　and　the　well…formed　nose；　showed　how　handsome　in　better　days　he　must　have　been。　　He　was　tall；　but　lost　the　advantage　of　his　height　by　stooping；　and　the　cane　which　he　wore　always　in　his　hand；　and　occasionally　used；　as　well　as　his　slow　though　majestic　gait；　seemed　to　intimate　that　his　form　and　limbs　felt　already　some　touch　of　infirmity。　　The　colour　of　his　hair　could　not　be　discovered；　as；　according　to　the　fashion；　he　wore　a　periwig。　　He　was　handsomely；　though　gravely　dressed　in　a　secular　habit；　and　had　a　cockade　in　his　hat；　circumstances　which　did　not　surprise　Fairford；　who　knew　that　a　military　disguise　was　very　often　assumed　by　the　sem