meant," said the Knight, "all is well
now--so you to Moultrassie Hall, and I to Whitehall. Said I well, aha!
So ho, mine host, a stoup of Canary to the King's health ere we get to
horse--I forgot, neighbour--you drink no healths."

"I wish the King's health as sincerely as if I drank a gallon to it,"
replied the Major; "and I wish you, Sir Geoffrey, all success on your
journey, and a safe return."

CHAPTER II

Why, then, we will have bellowing of beeves,
Broaching of barrels, brandishing of spigots;
Blood shall flow freely, but it shall be gore
Of herds and flocks, and venison and poultry,
Join'd to the brave heart's-blood of John-a-Barleycorn!
--OLD PLAY.

Whatever rewards Charles might have condescended to bestow in
acknowledgement of the sufferings and loyalty of Peveril of the Peak,
he had none in his disposal equal to the pleasure which Providence had
reserved for Bridgenorth on his return to Derbyshire. The exertion to
which he had been summoned, had had the usual effect of restoring to a
certain extent the activity and energy of his character, and he felt it
would be unbecoming to relapse into the state of lethargic melancholy
from which it had roused him. Time also had its usual effect in
mitigating the subjects of his regret; and when he had passed one day at
the Hall in regretting that he could not expect the indirect news of his
daughter's health, which Sir Geoffrey used to communicate in his almost
daily call, he reflected that it would be in every respect becoming that
he should pay a personal visit at Martindale Castle, carry thither the
remembrances of the Knight to his lady, assure her of his health, and
satisfy himself respecting that of his daughter. He armed himself for
the worst--he called to recollection the thin cheeks, faded eye, wasted
hand, pallid lip, which had marked the decaying health of all his former
infants.

"I shall see," he said, "these signs of mortality once more--I shall
once more see a beloved being to whom I have given birth, gliding to
the grave which ought to enclose me long before her. No matter--it is
unmanly so long to shrink from that which must be--God's will be done!"

He went accordingly, on the subsequent morning, to Martindale Castle,
and gave the lady the welcome assurances of her husband's safety, and of
his hopes of preferment.

"For the first, may Almighty God be praise