s and still baser joys;--earth had for him but one sound of
comfort--it was the name of her he loved! but one promise of happiness;
and from her it was never for a moment severed--hope, love, faith,
centred in her--she was his world, and though his wandering employments
might summon him elsewhere, it was in her presence alone that he
relished, or even felt existence. At times, when the acidity of his
nature forced him to distrust her smiles, and he upbraided her though
she deserved it not, hours of penitence could not blot out from his own
remembrance the act of weakness and injustice: he pondered upon it long
after the gentle girl had forgotten that ever unkind word had passed
between them. Beings of a gross and fettered nature cannot conceive of a
love so pure as that which Barbara felt for the mis-shapen Robin--so
perfectly devoid of earthly passion, yet so faithful--so exalted--so
devoted--so engrossing! She had looked so long on his deformities, that
she had ceased to perceive them; and often paused and wondered what
people meant by flouting at his plainness. But the excellent and gentle
girl was now to the unfortunate Ranger only as a dream of the
past--vanished from off the earth like a sweet perfume, or a sweeter
melody, with the memory of which comes the knowledge that it can be
enjoyed no more.

After he had been conveyed to another chamber, the physician ordered
restoratives and immediate bleeding;--but time did more than the leech's
art; and the first wish he formed was, that he might once more wend his
way to the Isle of Shepey, and gaze again, and for the last time, upon
the form of her he loved.

Once aroused from his torpor, the means of effecting his escape was the
first thing he considered. He had been removed to one of the lower
rooms, and his apartment could not be termed a prison, though the door
was fastened on the outer side--for the window was not more than ten
feet from the ground, and unbolted; it looked out into the garden, and
the sentinel placed beside that portion of the building had a longer
range than was usually allotted to the palace guard. Robin soon observed
that the lawn beneath was planted with rich clusters of young trees. The
hour for evening prayer had arrived; so that the household would be most
probably engaged, and the garden free from visitors. He looked from the
window; it was one of the loveliest days of summer--a day that at any
other time he would have welcomed with all