even deign to answer me?" said her lover.

"I would refer you to my father," said Alice, blushing and casting her
eyes down; but instantly raising them again, she repeated, in a firmer
and a sadder tone, "Yes, Julian, I would refer you to my father; and you
would find that your pilot, Hope, had deceived you; and that you had but
escaped the quicksands to fall upon the rocks."

"I would that could be tried!" said Julian. "Methinks I could persuade
your father that in ordinary eyes our alliance is not undesirable. My
family have fortune, rank, long descent--all that fathers look for when
they bestow a daughter's hand."

"All this would avail you nothing," said Alice. "The spirit of my father
is bent upon the things of another world; and if he listened to hear you
out, it would be but to tell you that he spurned your offers."

"You know not--you know not, Alice," said Julian. "Fire can soften
iron--thy father's heart cannot be so hard, or his prejudices so strong,
but I shall find some means to melt him. Forbid me not--Oh, forbid me
not at least the experiment!"

"I can but advise," said Alice; "I can forbid you nothing; for, to
forbid, implies power to command obedience. But if you will be wise, and
listen to me--Here, and on this spot, we part for ever!"

"Not so, by Heaven!" said Julian, whose bold and sanguine temper scarce
saw difficulty in attaining aught which he desired. "We now part,
indeed, but it is that I may return armed with my parents' consent. They
desire that I should marry--in their last letters they pressed it more
openly--they shall have their desire; and such a bride as I will present
to them has not graced their house since the Conqueror gave it origin.
Farewell, Alice! Farewell, for a brief space!"

She replied, "Farewell, Julian! Farewell for ever!"

Julian, within a week of this interview, was at Martindale Castle, with
the view of communicating his purpose. But the task which seems easy at
a distance, proves as difficult, upon a nearer approach, as the fording
of a river, which from afar appeared only a brook. There lacked not
opportunities of entering upon the subject; for in the first ride which
he took with his father, the Knight resumed the subject of his son's
marriage, and liberally left the lady to his choice; but under the
strict proviso, that she was of a loyal and an honourable family;--if
she had fortune, it was good and well, or rather, it was better than
well; but if she was p