ave left
some message with the girl." I then thought to myself what a hard thing
it would be, if, after having made up my mind to assume the yoke of
matrimony, I should be disappointed of the woman of my choice. "Well,
after all," thought I, "I can scarcely be disappointed; if such an ugly
scoundrel as Sylvester had no difficulty in getting such a nice wife as
Ursula, surely I, who am not a tenth part so ugly, cannot fail to obtain
the hand of Isopel Berners, uncommonly fine damsel though she be.
Husbands do not grow upon hedge rows; she is merely gone after a little
business and will return to-morrow."

Comforted in some degree by these hopeful imaginings, I retired to my
tent, and went to sleep.

CHAPTER XVI.

GLOOMY FOREBODINGS--THE POSTMAN'S MOTHER--THE LETTER--BEARS AND
BARONS--THE BEST OF ADVICE.

Nothing occurred to me of any particular moment during the following day.
Isopel Berners did not return; but Mr. Petulengro and his companions came
home from the fair early in the morning. When I saw him, which was about
midday, I found him with his face bruised and swelled. It appeared that,
some time after I had left him, he himself perceived that the jockeys
with whom he was playing cards were cheating him and his companion; a
quarrel ensued, which terminated in a fight between Mr. Petulengro and
one of the jockeys, which lasted some time, and in which Mr. Petulengro,
though he eventually came off victor, was considerably beaten. His
bruises, in conjunction with his pecuniary loss, which amounted to about
seven pounds, were the cause of his being much out of humour; before
night, however, he had returned to his usual philosophic frame of mind,
and, coming up to me as I was walking about, apologised for his behaviour
on the preceding day, and assured me that he was determined, from that
time forward, never to quarrel with a friend for giving him good advice.

Two more days passed, and still Isopel Berners did not return. Gloomy
thoughts and forebodings filled my mind. During the day I wandered about
the neighbouring roads in the hopes of catching an early glimpse of her
and her returning vehicle; and at night lay awake, tossing about on my
hard couch, listening to the rustle of every leaf, and occasionally
thinking that I heard the sound of her wheels upon the distant road. Once
at midnight, just as I was about to fall into unconsciousness, I suddenly
started up, for I was convinced that I heard th