veline, and asking her whether she could make up her mind to marry me;
but as often as the words rose to my lips, I let them fall back again
into my heart without utterance. There they remained, preventing me for
some minutes afterwards from again speaking. On each occasion Aveline
looked at me with an inquiring glance, wondering what had thus tied my
tongue. Perhaps she suspected the truth, when at length, growing
bolder, I approached nearer and nearer the subject, for I saw, or
fancied I saw, a blush suffuse her countenance. This gave me yet
further boldness, and summoning all my resolution, I was on the point of
telling her the wishes of my heart, when a cry from Madam Clough made us
hurry forward towards her.

She had at that instant turned the corner of a wood. She pointed to a
spot a short distance from where she had reined in her horse, when we
saw spread out before us a large concourse of people. They were
surrounding a rough platform raised to the height of their heads. On it
stood a man, who, with arms stretched out, one hand holding a book, from
which he occasionally read, and the other at times lifted towards
heaven, was earnestly addressing them. The words did not reach us; but
so absorbed were the congregation in them, that for some time our
approach was not observed. At length several horsemen, with arquebuses
in their hands, galloped towards us. We without difficulty explained
who we were, and the horsemen, turning round, accompanied us. The rest
of our party coming up, we collected in the outer circle of the vast
multitude who were listening to the preacher. He was, we found, an
enthusiastic Protestant--Herman Modet by name. He was setting forth, in
clear and forcible language, the great truths of Christianity, as
opposed to the false teaching of Rome. He showed how the one must, when
received, elevate and ennoble the human mind; while the other was
calculated in every way to lower and debase it. He then, in eloquent
language, called upon his countrymen to unite in overthrowing that
fearful system, supported by the Pope and his cardinals, to which King
Philip had completely subjected himself. "He who is a slave to such a
system is unfit to rule his fellow-men!" he exclaimed. "Already he and
his father have brought the most fearful miseries upon our country.
What further trials is he not preparing for us? I would urge peace,
forbearance, and long-suffering; and yet I cannot believe that