from time to time, and to consider themselves as
under the management and guardianship of Mistress Christian--a state
of subjection, the sense of which Deborah endeavoured to lessen, by
assuming as much freedom of conduct as she possibly dared, under the
influence, doubtless, of the same feelings of independence, which
induced her, at Martindale Hall, to spurn the advice of Mistress
Ellesmere.

It was this generous disposition to defy control which induced her to
procure for Alice, secretly, some means of education, which the stern
genius of puritanism would have proscribed. She ventured to have her
charge taught music--nay, even dancing; and the picture of the stern
Colonel Christian trembled on the wainscot where it was suspended,
while the sylph-like form of Alice, and the substantial person of Dame
Deborah, executed French _chaussees_ and _borrees_, to the sound of
a small kit, which screamed under the bow of Monsieur De Pigal, half
smuggler, half dancing-master. This abomination reached the ears of
the Colonel's widow, and by her was communicated to Bridgenorth, whose
sudden appearance in the island showed the importance he attached to the
communication. Had she been faithless to her own cause, that had been
the latest hour of Mrs. Deborah's administration. But she retreated into
her stronghold.

"Dancing," she said, "was exercise, regulated and timed by music; and it
stood to reason, that it must be the best of all exercise for a delicate
person, especially as it could be taken within doors, and in all states
of the weather."

Bridgenorth listened, with a clouded and thoughtful brow, when,
in exemplification of her doctrine, Mistress Deborah, who was no
contemptible performer on the viol, began to jangle Sellenger's Round,
and desired Alice to dance an old English measure to the tune. As
the half-bashful, half-smiling girl, about fourteen--for such was
her age--moved gracefully to the music, the father's eye unavoidably
followed the light spring of her step, and marked with joy the rising
colour in her cheek. When the dance was over, he folded her in his arms,
smoothed her somewhat disordered locks with a father's affectionate
hand, smiled, kissed her brow, and took his leave, without one single
word farther interdicting the exercise of dancing. He did not himself
communicate the result of his visit at the Black Fort to Mrs. Christian,
but she was not long of learning it, by the triumph of Dame Deborah on
her