orner of the
park, which is there sheltered from view of the windows by the
battlements, there was a near road to a sort of woodland horse track,
not much frequented, which led down to the sea-shore. Here she had been
seen hurrying along by a woodman, who observed her from a distance, and
described her dress accurately. This was about eight o'clock. Ten
minutes later she had been seen in company with another woman
traversing the sea-shore. Then all at once it came out in the general
confusion that Griffiths was the niece of Gillie Godber. Sir Morgan had
himself, about nine o'clock, in coming over the hills from Dolgelly,
observed the smuggling ship under sail. The lover of Griffiths was
known to be one of the smugglers: all of them, it is certain, would
abet any plan of vengeance upon Sir Morgan Walladmor: and, in less time
than I have taken to relate it, the whole devilish plot--mode, purpose,
and too probable success,--became apparent to every body in the castle.

"Cases, in which hope and fear are brought into fierce struggle with
each other, are those which are the worst to support and which bear
heavily on the fortitude even of strongest minds. This was shown in Sir
Morgan: there was still a chance that the smuggler might be
intercepted: and that chance might be defeated in a thousand ways.
Hence it was perhaps that then first during my whole knowledge of him,
and then last, I saw Sir Morgan Walladmor lose his self-possession. Now
was Gillie Godber avenged: even in his own hall--that hall which had
echoed to her maternal groans and rung with the agony of her fruitless
supplications, even there--on the very spot where her curse was
muttered--had it taken effect: where it was breathed, there had it
caught him: just where _she_ stood--_he_ stood: where _she_ was
shaken as by fierce convulsions--there was _he_ shaken: where _she_
raved--_he_ raved: and under the very light of that same lamp, which
lighted up the ghastly despair of the wretched mother as she heard the
decree which sealed for ever the fate of her blooming boy, did I read
in Sir Morgan's features too surely a revelation of his foreboding soul,
that one night had stripped him bare of comfort and left him a poor
forlorn man to a life of self-reproach--of shipwrecked hopes--and
blasted affections.

"What was to be done? All were eager to be in motion; all fretting, I
may say, to follow and avenge; but how, or with what hope? One bold
fellow offered to man