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t the Manor-house, he heard with evident satisfaction that the Earl had been suddenly summoned on state affairs to London. There was an unaccountable soreness in Aram's mind, which made him feel a resentment--a suspicion against all who sought to lure him from his retreat. "Thank Heaven!" thought he, when he heard of the Earl's departure; "we shall not meet for another year!" He was mistaken.--Another year! CHAPTER V. IN WHICH THE STORY RETURNS TO WALTER AND THE CORPORAL.--THE RENCONTRE WITH A STRANGER, AND HOW THE STRANGER PROVES TO BE NOT ALTOGETHER A STRANGER. Being got out of town in the road to Penaflor, master of my own action, and forty good ducats; the first thing I did was to give my mule her head, and to go at what pace she pleased. ............. I left them in the inn, and continued my journey; I was hardly got half-a-mile farther, when I met a cavalier very genteel, --Gil Blas. It was broad and sunny noon on the second day of their journey, as Walter Lester, and the valorous attendant with whom it had pleased Fate to endow him, rode slowly into a small town in which the Corporal in his own heart, had resolved to bait his roman-nosed horse and refresh himself. Two comely inns had the younger traveller of the twain already passed with an indifferent air, as if neither bait nor refreshment made any part of the necessary concerns of this habitable world. And in passing each of the said hostelries, the roman-nosed horse had uttered a snort of indignant surprise, and the worthy Corporal had responded to the quadrupedal remonstrance by a loud hem. It seemed, however, that Walter heard neither of the above significant admonitions; and now the town was nearly passed, and a steep hill that seemed winding away into eternity, already presented itself to the rueful gaze of the Corporal. "The boy's clean mad," grunted Bunting to himself--"must do my duty to him--give him a hint." Pursuant to this notable and conscientious determination, Bunting jogged his horse into a trot, and coming alongside of Walter, put his hand to his hat and said: "Weather warm, your honour--horses knocked up--next town far as hell!--halt a bit here--augh!" "Ha! that is very true, Bunting; I had quite forgotten the length of our journey. But see, there is a sign-post yonder, we will take advantage of it." "Augh! and your honour's right--fit
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