through life the
same dull round. It is, however, the round of our duties. But,
perhaps, to find one's self in a strange country, surrounded by new
scenes, an unknown, perhaps heathen people, with difficulties to
struggle with, obstacles to overcome, might awaken in a man powers
that he did not know were slumbering in him, and enable him to do some
good, perchance great work, he never would have accomplished at home."
And the young friar drew himself up to his full height, while his
frame seemed to expand with the struggling energies that were shut up
unemployed within him.

Visions of travel, toil, adventure, perhaps martyrdom, seemed to float
before his eyes, and without another word, he strode off with a step
more like that of a soldier than a Franciscan.

L'Isle gazed after him with interest and pity, then ordering the table
to be cleared, stretched himself on it for the night, wrapped in his
cloak, rather than rely on the accommodations of the large room up
stairs, common to wayfarers of every grade, and populous with vermin.

CHAPTER IX.

When at morn the muleteer,
With early call announces day,
Sorrowing that early call I hear
That scares the visions of delight away;
For dear to me the silent hour,
When sleep exerts its wizard power.

Southey.

"I trust you rested well last night, under the protection of your
saintly guardians," L'Isle said to Lady Mabel, when she made her
appearance down stairs, before the sun was yet up.

"Do not speak of last night," she said, throwing up her hands in a
deprecatory manner, "let it be utterly forgotten, and not reckoned
among the number of the nights. It was one of penance, not repose!
Never will I speak lightly of the saints again. I can only hope that
that and all my other sins are expiated, if I can infer any thing from
the number of my tormentors."

"Were they so numerous?" L'Isle asked, in a tone of sympathy.

"And various!" emphasized Lady Mabel. "Whole legions of various
orders, light and heavy armed. I could have forgiven the first, were
it only for their magnanimous mode of making war, always sounding the
trumpet, and giving fair warning before they charged; and the attack
being openly made, I could revenge myself on some of them by the free
use of my hands, and protect my face by covering it with my veil, at
the risk of being smothered. But the next band were so minute and
active, and secret in their