housekeeper to prepare for them the Wizard's
Chamber, but to alter nothing on walls or in furniture. That room, he
had resolved, should be the first he occupied with his bride. Mrs.
Courthope was scandalized at the idea of taking an earl's daughter to
sleep in the garret, not to mention that the room had for centuries had
an ill name; but she had no choice, and therefore contented herself with
doing all that lay in the power of woman, under such severe
restrictions, to make the dingy old room cheerful.

Alone at length in their somewhat strange quarters--concerning which
Malcolm had merely told her that the room was that in which he was
born--what place fitter, thought Clementina, wherein to commence the
long and wonderful story she hungered to hear? Malcolm would still have
delayed it, but she asked question upon question till she had him fairly
afloat. He had not gone far, however, before he had to make mention of
the stair in the wall, which led from the place where they sat straight
from the house.

"Can there be such a stair to this room?" she asked in surprise.

He rose took a candle, opened a door, then another, and showed her the
first of the steps down which the midwife had carried him, and
descending which, twenty years after, his father had come by his death.

"Let us go down," said Clementina.

"Are you not afraid? Look!" said Malcolm.

"Afraid, and you with me!" she exclaimed.

"But it is dark, and the steps are broken."

"If it led to Hades I would go with my fisherman. The only horror would
be to be left behind."

"Come, then," said Malcolm; "only you must be very careful."

He laid a shawl on her shoulders, and down they went, Malcolm a few
steps in front, holding the candle to every step for her, many being
broken.

They came at length where the stair ceased in ruin. He leaped down: she
stooped, put her hands on his shoulders and dropped into his arms. Then
over the fallen rubbish, out by the groaning door, they went into the
moonlight.

Clementina was merry as a child. All was so safe and peaceful with her
fisherman! She would not hear of returning: they must have a walk in the
moonlight first. So down the steps and the winding path into the valley
of the burn, and up to the flower-garden, they wandered, Clementina
telling him how sick the moonlight had made her feel that night she met
him first on the Boar's Tail, when his words concerning her revived the
conviction that he loved Florim