imanded the deed!'

"A vision?" said he. "Was it that wench who descended from the hill?"

"The being that spake to me, and warned me of my danger, was indeed in
the form of a lady," said I.

"She also approached me and said a few words," returned he, "and I
thought there was something mysterious in her manner. Pray, what did
she say? for the words of such a singular message, and from such a
messenger, ought to be attended to. If I understood her aright, she was
chiding us for our misbelief and preposterous delay."

I recited her words, but he answered that I had been in a state of
sinful doubting at the time, and it was to these doubtings she had
adverted. In short, this wonderful and clear-sighted stranger soon
banished all my doubts and despondency, making me utterly ashamed of
them, and again I set out with him in the pursuit of my brother. He
showed me the traces of his footsteps in the dew, and pointed out the
spot where I should find him. "You have nothing more to do than go
softly down behind him," said he, "which you can do to within an ell of
him, without being seen; then rush upon him, and throw him from his
seat, where there is neither footing nor hold. I will go, meanwhile,
and amuse his sight by some exhibition in the contrary direction, and
he shall neither know nor perceive who had done him this kind office:
for, exclusive of more weighty concerns, be assured of this that, the
sooner he falls, the fewer crimes will he have to answer for, and his
estate in the other world will be proportionally more tolerable than if
he spent a long unregenerate life steeped in iniquity to the loathing
of the soul."

"Nothing can be more plain or more pertinent," said I. "Therefore, I
fly to perform that which is both a duty towards God and towards man!"

"You shall yet rise to great honour and preferment," said he.

"I value it not, provided I do honour and justice to the cause of my
master here," said I.

"You shall be lord of your father's riches and demesnes," added he.

"I disclaim and deride every selfish motive thereto relating," said I,
"further than as it enables me to do good."

"Aye, but that is a great and a heavenly consideration, that longing
for ability to do good," said he--and, as he said so, I could not help
remarking a certain derisive exultation of expression which I could not
comprehend; and indeed I have noted this very often in my illustrious
friend, and sometimes mentioned it civilly to