heap of earth--a tumulus--such edifices might stand
unchanged for tens of ages.

The cottage before us was of this description, and had probably been a
woodman's hut when the surrounding country was all one huge forest. The
walls were not more than five feet high, over which hung the deep and
heavy roof, covered with moss, and the thatch was overlaid with a heap
of black mould, which afforded plentiful nourishment to stonecrops, and
various tufts of beautifully feathered grass, which waved in fantastic
plumes over it. The door, the frame of which was all aslant, seemed
almost buried in, and pressed down by this roof, placed in which were
two of those old windows which show that the roof itself formed the
upper chamber of the dwelling. A white rose bush was banded up on one
side of this door; a rosemary tree upon the other; a little border with
marigolds, lemon thyme and such like pot-herbs, ran round the house,
which lay in a tiny plot of ground carefully cultivated as a garden.
Here a very aged man, bent almost double as it would seem with the
weight of years, was very languidly digging or attempting it.

The nurse was tired, so was the babe, so was Lettice. They agreed to ask
the old man's leave to enter the cottage, and sit down a little, before
attempting to return home.

"May we go in, good man, and rest ourselves a little while?" asked
Lettice.

"Anan--"

"Will you give us leave to go in and rest ourselves a little? We are
both tired with carrying the baby."

"I don't know well what it is you're saying. How many miles to
Brainford? Maybe two; but it's a weary while sin' I've been there."

"He can't understand us, nurse, at all. He seems almost stone deaf. Let
us knock at the door, and see who's within, for you look ready to drop;
and I am so excessively tired I can hardly help you. However, give me
your sleeping babe at all events, for you really seem as if you could
stand no longer."

She took the child, which had long been fast asleep, went to the cottage
door, and knocked.

"Come in," said a voice.

Not such a voice as she expected to hear, but a sweet, well-modulated
voice, that of a person of education. A man's voice, however, it was.
She hesitated a little, upon which some one rose and opened the door,
but started back upon seeing a young lady with a child in her arms,
looking excessively tired, and as if she could hold up no longer.

"Pray, come in," he said, observing she hesitated, and, ret