ections--and to the less
worldly tone of the society[1] in which they move. Women however of all
classes manifest a purity and elevation of sentiment on this subject to
which the coarseness of the other sex rarely ascends.

Hence it was that Miss Walladmor found in her humble attendant a
sympathy more profound than she might possibly have met with in many of
her own rank. The tender hearted girl had long been deeply affected in
secret by the spectacle of early grief and unmerited calamity which had
clouded the youthful prospects of her mistress; she was delighted with
the honor of the confidence reposed in her: and she immediately set her
little head to work, which (to do her justice) was a very woman's head
for its fertility in plots and wiles, to consider of the best means for
accomplishing the deliverance of the prisoner. Political offences are
naturally no offences at all in the eyes of women: and independently of
the deeper interest which she took in the present case, she would at
any time with hearty good will have given her gratuitous assistance to
effect a general gaol delivery of all prisoners whatsoever whose
crimes, had relation chiefly to the Secretaries of State for the time
being.

A tap at the door, which came at this moment, served to abridge and to
guide her scheming. It was a servant with a note from Sir Charles
Davenant to the following effect:

"My dear Madam,

"I may possibly be under the necessity of leaving the castle this
evening for a few days on some business connected with my military
duties: and for that reason, as well as because it is on all accounts
adviseable that any attempt which is contemplated should be made
without much delay, I take the earliest opportunity of informing you
that Thomas Godber, a late servant on the Walladmor establishment, will
relieve guard at eight o'clock this night. He was, I believe, recently
a groom or helper in the castle stables: and he enlisted into one of
the two troops now quartered in the castle with the knowledge and
approbation of Sir Morgan. I know nothing of him more than this, and
that he bears the character amongst his fellow troopers of a
goodnatured young man. But I presume that, as a former servant of the
family, he shares in the general attachment which all about her
manifest for Miss Walladmor. On this account I have placed him on guard
in the only station which is of any importance. It will be necessary, I
must add, that he should g