e hath grown! Little did my lady think, when
she drove me away, that I was the Nelly who used to be so much at the
Hall, nursing Lucy, whilst Mrs Bargrove gave her breast to Miss Agnes.
Little did Lucy, when she loaded my wallet with victuals, think that she
had so long lain in these arms. Heigho! bye-gone is bye-gone! What a
haughty woman is that Lady Etheridge! And yet, she was once a farmer's
daughter, but little better than myself. Could I be revenged on her! Ah!
I may; I know every particular connected with the family; but here comes
the lad. [_Nelly retires_

_Enter Peter Bargrove, book in his hand._

_Peter._ O solitude--solitude! what a quiet thing is solitude!
especially when you hold your tongue. I only wish that I had a dozen of
my old schoolfellows here to enjoy it with me, for, as this divine
Shakespeare says, it is so sweet to be alone. I wonder whether, if I
were to take to study, if I could not in time write a Shakespeare
myself? I'm blessed if I couldn't! How proud father ought to be of such
a son! But father wouldn't care if I did: he thinks of nothing but the
harvest: what a difference there is between father and me! I can't
account for it. O, here comes the woman of fate. What a gaunt-looking
body! What eyes! She can see through a post! Her looks go through me
already.

_Nelly_ (_advancing_). There is a bright leaf in the book of your fate,
young sir, that waits only for my finger to turn it.

_Peter._ Then wet your thumb, good woman, and let's have the news in a
twinkling.

_Nelly._ Not so fast, thou youth of lustrous fortunes! The time is not
yet come. Time was, time is, and time shall be!

_Peter._ Bless me! how very prophetical!

_Nelly._ Meet me here, three hours hence; I shall then have communed
with the astral influences!

_Peter._ Astral influences! I know of no such people hereabouts.

_Nelly._ The stars--the noonday stars!

_Peter._ The noonday stars! who can see the stars at noonday?

_Nelly._ The gifted.

_Peter_ (_looking up_). Well, then, I ar'n't one of the gifted.

_Nelly._ Yes; but you might be, if you had but faith.

_Peter._ Well, I'm sure I've got plenty--try it.

_Nelly._ Very well; stand thus. Now wave your hands thus high in the
air, then shade the sight, and close the left eye; look up, and tell me
what thou seest there.

_Peter._ Three carrion crows.

_Nelly._ Nought else?

_Peter._ No.

_Nelly._ Not all the heavenly hosts?

_Peter._ Not a star as b