estroying the man she has chosen to be her husband; such is the
Malignant's love!"

"Love, sir! I have not spoken of love. But could Constantia Cecil love a
dastard like this Burrell? Listen!--I thought to tell you--yet, when I
look on you, I cannot--there is that about you which seems at war with
tenderness. Age sits upon your brow as if it were enthroned on
Wisdom--the wisdom learned in a most troubled land--the wisdom that
takes suspicion as its corner stone; yet once, mayhap, blood, warm and
gentle too, flowed in those very veins that time hath wrought to sinews;
and then, sir--then you looked on love and youth with other eyes:--was
it not so?"

"It may have been," replied the soldier: "speak on."

"In my early youth, nay, in very childhood, I was the playmate of her
who is now ripened into glorious womanhood. I will not tell you why or
wherefore--but 'tis a strange story--my destiny led me to distant but
far less happy scenes: my heart panted to be near her once again; yet it
was all in vain; for, in truth, I was cast upon the waters--left----"

"Like the infant Moses, doubtless," interrupted the Major; adding, "But
found you no Pharaoh's daughter to succour and take pity? Methought
there were many to become nursing fathers and mothers to the spawn, the
off-sets, of monarchy."

"Sir!" exclaimed the Cavalier with emotion, "why this needless insult?
You told me to proceed; and now----"

"I tell you to desist. What care I to hear of the love you bear the
woman Cecil? She is the betrothed of another man; and were she not,
think you I could wish her wedded to one holding principles such as
yours? Have not her gallant brothers, boys fostered, nurtured in
freedom, soared to taste the liberty of heaven? Have they not yielded up
their breath, their life-blood in the holy cause? The saplings were
destroyed, although the Lord's arm was outstretched, and mighty to save!
And think ye I would see her, who is part and parcel of such glorious
flesh, wedded to one who yearns for the outpouring of slaughter, and the
coming again of a race of locusts upon this now free land?"

"If Lady Constance would have broken the unjust contract," replied
Walter, reasoning for once with something like coolness, "I should not
have thought of asking your opinion, or consulting your wishes, Major
Wellmore."

"And yet, had you been different, had the Lord given unto you to discern
the right, I could, I might, I would say, have had sufficie