rtly　as　it　seemed　in　reproach；　partly　in　respect；　and　left　the　room　as　suddenly　as　she　had　entered　it。
  The　father　looked　disturbed　at　this　incident；　which　he　seemed　sensible　could　not　but　fill　Fairford's　imagination　with　an　additional　throng　of　bewildering　suspicions；　he　bit　his　lip　and　muttered　something　to　himself　as　he　walked　through　the　apartment；　then　suddenly　turned　to　his　visitor　with　a　smile　of　much　sweetness；　and　a　countenance　in　which　every　rougher　expression　was　exchanged　for　those　of　courtesy　and　kindness。
  'The　visit　we　have　been　just　honoured　with；　my　young　friend；　has　given　you；'　he　said；　'more　secrets　to　keep　than　I　would　have　wished　you　burdened　with。　　The　lady　is　a　person　of　conditionof　rank　and　fortunebut　nevertheless　is　so　circumstanced　that　the　mere　fact　of　her　being　known　to　be　in　this　country　would　occasion　many　evils。　　I　should　wish　you　to　observe　secrecy　on　this　subject；　even　to　Redgauntlet　or　Maxwell；　however　much　I　trust　them　in　all　that　concerns　my　own　affairs。'
  'I　can　have　no　occasion；'　replied　Fairford；　'for　holding　any　discussion　with　these　gentlemen；　or　with　any　others；　on　the　circumstance　which　I　have　just　witnessedit　could　only　have　become　the　subject　of　my　conversation　by　mere　accident；　and　I　will　now　take　care　to　avoid　the　subject　entirely。'
  'You　will　do　well；　sir；　and　I　thank　you；'　said　the　father；　throwing　much　dignity　into　the　expression　of　obligation　which　he　meant　to　convey。　　'The　time　may　perhaps　come　when　you　will　learn　what　it　is　to　have　obliged　one　of　my　condition。　　As　to　the　lady；　she　has　the　highest　merit；　and　nothing　can　be　said　of　her　justly　which　would　not　redound　to　her　praise。　　Neverthelessin　short；　sir；　we　wander　at　present　as　in　a　morning　mistthe　sun　will；　I　trust；　soon　rise　and　dispel　it；　when　all　that　now　seems　mysterious　will　be　fully　revealedor　it　will　sink　into　rain；'　he　added；　in　a　solemn　tone；　'and　then　explanation　will　be　of　little　consequence。Adieu；　sir；　I　wish　you　well。'
  He　made　a　graceful　obeisance；　and　vanished　through　the　same　side…　door　by　which　the　lady　had　entered；　and　Alan　thought　he　heard　their　voices　high　in　dispute　in　the　adjoining　apartment。
  Presently　afterwards；　Ambrose　entered；　and　told　him　that　a　horse　and　guide　waited　him　beneath　the　terrace。
  'The　good　Father　Buonaventure；'　added　the　butler；　'has　been　graciously　pleased　to　consider　your　situation；　and　desired　me　to　inquire　whether　you　have　any　occasion　for　a　supply　of　money？'
  'Make　my　respects　to　his　reverence；'　answered　Fairford；　'and　assure　him　I　am　provided　in　that　particular。　　I　beg　you　also　to　make　my　acknowledgements　to　the　Misses　Arthuret；　and　assure　them　that　their　kind　hospitality；　to　which　I　probably　owe　my　life；　shall　be　remembered　with　gratitude　as　long　as　that　life　lasts。　You　yourself；　Mr。　Ambrose；　must　accept　of　my　kindest　thanks　for　your　skill　and　attention。'
  Mid　these　acknowledgements　they　left　the　house；　descended　the　terrace；　and　reached　the　spot　where　the　gardener；　Fairford's　old　acquaintance；　waited　for　him；　mounted　upon　one　horse　and　leading　another。
  Bidding　adieu　to　Ambrose；　our　young　lawyer　mounted；　and　rode　down　the　avenue；　often　looking　back　to　the　melancholy　and　neglected　dwelling　in　which　he　had　witnessed　such　strange　scenes；　and　musing　upon　the　character　of　its　mysterious　inmates；　especially　the　noble　and　almost　regal…seeming　priest；　and　the　beautiful　but　capricious　dame；　who；　if　she　was　really　Father　Buonaventure's　penitent；　seemed　less　docile　to　the　authority　of　the　church　than；　as　Alan　conceived；　the　Catholic　discipline　permitted。　　He　could　not　indeed　help　being　sensible　that　the　whole　deportment　of　these　persons　differed　much　from　his　preconceived　notions　of　a　priest　and　devotee。　　Father　Buonaventure；　in　particular；　had　more　natural　dignify　and　less　art　and　affectation　in　his　manner；　than　accorded　with　the　idea　which　Calvinists　were　taught　to　entertain　of　that　wily　and　formidable　person；　a　Jesuitical　missionary。
  While　reflecting　on　these　things；　he　looked　back　so　frequently　at　the　house；　that　Dick　Gardener；　a　forward；　talkative　fellow；　who　began　to　tire　of　silence；　at　length　said　to　him；　'I　think　you　will　know　Fairladies　when　you　see　it　again；　sir？'
  'I　dare　say　I　shall；　Richard；'　answered　Fairford　good…humouredly。　'I　wish　I　knew　as　well　where　I　am　to　go　next。　　But　you　can　tell　me；　perhaps？'
  'Your　worship　should　know　better　than　I；'　said　Dick　Gardener；　'nevertheless；　I　have　a　notion　you　are　going　where　all　you　Scotsmen　should　be　sent；　whether　you　will　or　no。'
  'Not　to　the　devil；　I　hope；　good　Dick？'　　said　Fairford。
  'Why；　no。　　That　is　a　road　which　you　may　travel　as　heretics；　but　as　Scotsmen；　I　would　only　send　you　three…fourths　of　the　wayand　that　is　back　to　Scotland　againalways　craving　your　honour's　pardon。'
  'Does　our　journey　lie　that　way？'　　said　Fairford。
  'As　far　as　the　waterside；'　said　Richard。　　'I　am　to　carry　you　to　old　Father　Crackenthorp's；　and　then　you　are　within　a　spit　and　a　stride　of　Scotland；　as　the　saying　is。　　But　mayhap　you　may　think　twice　of　going　thither；　for　all　that；　for　Old　England　is　fat　feeding…ground　for　north…country　cattle。'
  CHAPTER　XVII
  NARRATIVE　OF　DARSIE　LATIMER
  Our　history　must　now；　as　the　old　romancers　wont　to　say；　'leave　to　tell'　of　the　quest　of　Alan　Fairford；　and　instruct　our　readers　of　the　adventures　which　befell　Darsie　Latimer；　left　as　he　was　in　the　precarious　custody　of　his　self…named　tutor；　the　Laird　of　the　Lochs　of　Solway；　to　whose　arbitrary　pleasure　he　found　it　necessary　for　the　present　to　conform　himself。
  In　consequence　of　this　prudent　resolution；　and　although　he　did　not　assume　such　a　disguise　without　some　sensations　of　shame　and　degradation；　Darsie　permitted　Cristal　Nixon　to　place　over　his　face；　and　secure　by　a　string；　one　of　those　silk　masks　which　ladies　frequently　wore　to　preserve　their　complexions；　when　exposed　to　the　air　during　long　journeys　on　horseback。　　He　remonstrated　somewhat　more　vehemently　against　the　long　riding…　skirt；　which　converted　his　person　from　the　waist　into　the　female　guise；　but　was　obliged　to　concede　this　point　also。
  The　metamorphosis　was　then　complete；　for　the　fair　reader　must　be　informed；　that　in　those　rude　times；　the　ladies；　when　they　honoured　the　masculine　dress　by　assuming　any　part　of　it；　wore　just　such　hats；　coats；　and　waistcoats　as　the　male　animals　themselves　made　use　of；　and　had　no　notion　of　the　elegant　compromise　betwixt　male　and　female　attire；　which　has　now　acquired；　PAR　EXCELLENCE；　the　name　of　a　HABIT。　　Trolloping　things　our　mothers　must　have　looked；　with　long　square…cut　coats；　lacking　collars；　and　with　waistcoats　plentifully　supplied　with　a　length　of　pocket；　which　hung　far　downwards　from　the　middle。　　But　then　they　had　some　advantage　from　the　splendid　colours；　lace；　and　gay　embroidery　which　masculine　attire　then　exhibited；　and；　as　happens　in　many　similar　instances；　the　finery　of　the　materials　made　amends　for　the　want　of　symmetry　and　grace　of　form　in　the　garments　themselves。　　But　this　is　a　digression。
  In　the　court　of　the　old　mansion；　half　manor…place；　half　farm…　house；　or　rather　a　decayed　manor…house；　converted　into　an　abode　for　a　Cumberland　tenant；　stood　several　saddled　horses。　　Four　or　five　of　them　were　mounted　by　servants　or　inferior　retainers；　all　of　whom　were　well　armed　with　sword；　pistol；　and　carabine。　　But　two　had　riding　furniture　for　the　use　of　femalesthe　one　being　accoutred　with　a　side…saddle；　the　other　with　a　pillion　attached　to　the　saddle。
  Darsie's　heart　beat　quicker　within　him；　he　easily　comprehended　that　one　of　these　was　intended　for　his　own　use；　and　his　hopes　suggested　that　the　other　was　designed　for　that　of　the　fair　Green　Mantle；　whom；　according　to　his　established　practice；　he　had　adopted　for　the　queen　of　his　affections；　although　his　opportunities　of　holding　communication　with　her　had　not　exceeded　the　length　of　a　silent　supper　on　one　occasion；　and　the　going　down　a　country…dance　on　another。　　This；　however；　was　no　unwonted　mood　of　passion　with　Darsie　Latimer；　upon　whom　Cupid　was　used　to　triumph　only　in　the　degree　of　a　Mahratta　conqueror；　who　overruns　a　province　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning；　but　finds　it　impossible　to　retain　it　beyond　a　very　brief　space。　　Yet　this　new　love　was　rather　more　serious　than　the　scarce　skinned…up　wounds　which　his　friend　Fairford　used　to　ridicule。　　The　damsel　had　shown　a　sincere　interest　in　his　behalf；　and　the　air　of　mystery　with　which　that　interest　was　veiled；　gave　her；　to　his　lively　imagination；　the　character　of　a　benevolent　and　protecting　spirit；　as　much　as　that　of　a　beautiful　female。
  At　former　times；　the　romance　attending　his　short…lived　attachments　had　been　of　his　own　creating；　and　had　disappeared　as　soon　as　ever　he　approached　more　closely　to　the　object　with　which　he　had　invested　it。　　On　the　present　occasion；　it　really　flowed　from　external　circumstances；　which　might　have　interested　less　susceptible　feelings；　and　an　imagination　less　lively　than　that　of　Darsie　Latimer；　young；　inexperienced；　and　enthusiastic　as　he　was。
  He　watched；　therefore；　anxiously　to　whose　service　the　palfrey　bearing　the　lady's　saddle　was　destined。　　But　ere　any　female　appeared　to　occupy　it；　he　was　himself　summoned　to　take　his　seat　on　the　pillion　behind　Cristal　Nixon；　amid　the　grins　of　his　old　acquaintance　Jan　who　helped　him