ed to mercy and forbearance under such circumstances
than I can tell you, Hugh. Do look upon me as your protector, and rest
assured, I entreat you, that on the subject of that indiscretion, you
may preserve, as long as you and I are friends, the lightest heart that
ever beat within a human breast. Fill that glass once more to cheer you
on your road homewards--I am really quite ashamed to think how far you
have to go--and then God bless you for the night.'

'They think,' said Hugh, when he had tossed the liquor down, 'that I am
sleeping soundly in the stable. Ha ha ha! The stable door is shut, but
the steed's gone, master.'

'You are a most convivial fellow,' returned his friend, 'and I love your
humour of all things. Good night! Take the greatest possible care of
yourself, for my sake!'

It was remarkable that during the whole interview, each had endeavoured
to catch stolen glances of the other's face, and had never looked full
at it. They interchanged one brief and hasty glance as Hugh went out,
averted their eyes directly, and so separated. Hugh closed the double
doors behind him, carefully and without noise; and Mr Chester remained
in his easy-chair, with his gaze intently fixed upon the fire.

'Well!' he said, after meditating for a long time--and said with a deep
sigh and an uneasy shifting of his attitude, as though he dismissed some
other subject from his thoughts, and returned to that which had held
possession of them all the day--the plot thickens; I have thrown the
shell; it will explode, I think, in eight-and-forty hours, and should
scatter these good folks amazingly. We shall see!'

He went to bed and fell asleep, but had not slept long when he started
up and thought that Hugh was at the outer door, calling in a strange
voice, very different from his own, to be admitted. The delusion was so
strong upon him, and was so full of that vague terror of the night
in which such visions have their being, that he rose, and taking his
sheathed sword in his hand, opened the door, and looked out upon the
staircase, and towards the spot where Hugh had lain asleep; and even
spoke to him by name. But all was dark and quiet, and creeping back
to bed again, he fell, after an hour's uneasy watching, into a second
sleep, and woke no more till morning.

Chapter 29

The thoughts of worldly men are for ever regulated by a moral law of
gravitation, which, like the physical one, holds them down to earth. The
bright glo