multuously, as commonly happens when a stranger
intrudes amongst them, and crowded to the furthest corner of the barn.
Much greater was his alarm however when all at once he stumbled with his
hands upon a long out-stretched human body. He shrank back with sudden
trepidation; drew in his breath; and kept himself as still as death.
But, observing by the hard and uniform breathing that it was a man
buried in profound sleep, he stepped carefully over him, and sought a
soft and warm bed in the remotest corner of the barn. Luckily he found
means to conciliate the aboriginal tenants of the barn; and in no long
time two fleecy lambs couched beside him; and he was forced to confess
that after the fatigues of such a day no bed could have been more
grateful or luxurious.

CHAPTER XIII.

_Som._ O monstrous traitor!--I arrest thee, York,
Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown:
Obey, audacious traitor!
_Henry VI. Second Part._

On awaking the next morning, Bertram perceived by the strength of the
light now brightened by reflexion from the dazzling snow that the
morning was far advanced; and, rising hastily from his bed of heath and
fern, he was somewhat startled to perceive a whole family of women and
children standing at a little distance and surveying him with looks of
anxious curiosity checked however and disturbed by something of fear
and suspicion. These feelings appeared a little to give way before the
interesting appearance of the youthful stranger: an expression of pity
arose for the distress which could have brought him into that
situation: and in a few words of Welsh, which were rendered
intelligible to Bertram by the courteous gestures which accompanied
them, he was invited into the house--and seated by a blazing fire of
peat and wood. With the cheerful hospitality of mountaineers, his fair
hostesses proceeded to prepare breakfast for him; and Bertram had no
reason to complain of any coldness or remissness in their attentions.
Yet, in the midst of all their kindness, he could not but discover an
air of lurking distrust which somewhat embarrassed him. At first he had
accounted for this upon the natural shock which it must have given to a
few women to find an unknown intruder upon their premises dressed in a
foreign style, and occupying so very unusual a situation amongst their
sheep. And this interpretation appeared t