HIL NAMELESS.

FOR RALPH MARESCHAL, OF MARESCHAL-WELLS

--THESE WITH CARE AND SPEED.

Sir Frederick's jaw dropped, and his countenance blackened, as the
letter was read, and Ellieslaw exclaimed,--"Why, this affects the very
mainspring of our enterprise. If the French fleet, with the king on
board, has been chased off by the English, as this d--d scrawl seems to
intimate, where are we?"

"Just where we were this morning, I think," said Mareschal, still
laughing.

"Pardon me, and a truce to your ill-timed mirth, Mr. Mareschal; this
morning we were not committed publicly, as we now stand committed by
your own mad act, when you had a letter in your pocket apprizing you
that our undertaking was desperate."

"Ay, ay, I expected you would say so. But, in the first place, my friend
Nihil Nameless and his letter may be all a flam; and, moreover, I would
have you know that I am tired of a party that does nothing but form
bold resolutions overnight, and sleep them away with their wine before
morning. The government are now unprovided of men and ammunition; in a
few weeks they will have enough of both: the country is now in a flame
against them; in a few weeks, betwixt the effects of self-interest, of
fear, and of lukewarm indifference, which are already so visible, this
first fervour will be as cold as Christmas. So, as I was determined to
go the vole, I have taken care you shall dip as deep as I; it signifies
nothing plunging. You are fairly in the bog, and must struggle through."

"You are mistaken with respect to one of us, Mr. Mareschal," said Sir
Frederick Langley; and, applying himself to the bell, he desired the
person who entered to order his servants and horses instantly.

"You must not leave us, Sir Frederick," said Ellieslaw; "if we have our
musters to go over."

"I will go to-night, Mr. Vere," said Sir Frederick, "and write you my
intentions in this matter when I am at home."

"Ay," said Mareschal, "and send them by a troop of horse from Carlisle
to make us prisoners? Look ye, Sir Frederick, I for one will neither be
deserted nor betrayed; and if you leave Ellieslaw Castle to-night, it
shall be by passing over my dead body."

"For shame! Mareschal," said Mr. Vere, "how can you so hastily
misinterpret our friend's intentions? I am sure Sir Frederick can
only be jesting with us; for, were he not too honourable to dream of
deserting the cause, he cannot but remember the full proofs we have of
his accession t