t of the illustrious captive who had visited the spot
before him. Full of such thoughts, he pensively tracked the narrow path
winding between the grassy banks of the fosse--now casting up his eyes
to the keep--now looking towards the arbour, and wishing that he had
been favoured with such visitings as lightened the captivity of the
Scottish king. At last, he sought the bower--a charming little nest of
green leaves and roses, sheltering a bench which seemed only contrived
for lovers--and taking out his tablets, began to trace within them some
stanzas of that exquisite poem which has linked his name for ever with
the Round Tower. Thus occupied, the time stole on insensibly, and he was
not aware that he had over-stayed the limits allowed him, till he was
aroused by the voice of the officer, who came to summon him back to his
prison.

"You will be removed to your old lodging, in the Round Tower, to-morrow
night, my lord," said the officer.

"For what reason?" demanded the earl, as he followed his conductor up
the steep side of the mound. But receiving no reply, he did not renew
the inquiry.

Entering a door in the covered way at the head of the flight of steps
communicating with the Norman Tower, they descended them in silence.
Just as they reached the foot of this long staircase, the earl chanced
to cast back his eyes, and, to his inexpressible astonishment, perceived
on the landing at the head of the steps, and just before the piece of
ordnance commanding the ascent, the figure of Herne the Hunter.

Before he could utter an exclamation, the figure retreated through the
adjoining archway. Telling the officer what he had seen, Surrey would
fain have gone in quest of the fiendish spy; but the other would not
permit him; and affecting to treat the matter as a mere creation of
fancy, he hurried the earl to his chamber in the Curfew Tower.

The next day, Surrey was removed betimes to the Round Tower, and the
cause of the transfer was soon explained by the discharge of ordnance,
the braying of trumpets and the rolling of drums, announcing the arrival
of the king. From the mystery observed towards him, Surrey was led to
the conclusion that the Fair Geraldine accompanied the royal party;
but he in vain sought to satisfy himself of the truth of the surmise by
examining, through the deep embrasure of his window, the cavalcade
that soon afterwards entered the upper quadrangle. Amid the throng of
beautiful dames surrounding Anne