ave thought necessary to
prepare in consequence."

"My signet you shall command with all my heart, madam," said Earl
Philip; "but spare me the revision of what you are much more capable to
decide upon. I am, you know, a most complete _Roi faineant_, and never
once interfered with my _Maire de palais_ in her proceedings."

The Countess made signs to her little train-bearer, who immediately went
to seek for wax and a light, with which she presently returned.

In the meanwhile the Countess continued, addressing Peveril. "Philip
does himself less than justice. When you were absent, Julian (for if
you had been here I would have given you the credit of prompting your
friend), he had a spirited controversy with the Bishop, for an attempt
to enforce spiritual censures against a poor wretch, by confining her in
the vault under the chapel."[*]

[*] Beneath the only one of the four churches in Castle Rushin, which
is or was kept a little in repair, is a prison or dungeon, for
ecclesiastical offenders. "This," says Waldron, "is certainly one
of the most dreadful places that imagination can form; the sea
runs under it through the hollows of the rock with such a
continual roar, that you would think it were every moment breaking
in upon you, and over it are the vaults for burying the dead. The
stairs descending to this place of terrors are not above thirty,
but so steep and narrow, that they are very difficult to go down,
a child of eight or nine years not being able to pass them but
sideways."--WALDRON'S _Description of the Isle of Man, in his
Works_, p. 105, folio.

"Do not think better of me than I deserve," said the Earl to Peveril;
"my mother has omitted to tell you the culprit was pretty Peggy of
Ramsey, and her crime what in Cupid's courts would have been called a
peccadillo."

"Do not make yourself worse than you are," replied Peveril, who observed
the Countess's cheek redden,--"you know you would have done as much for
the oldest and poorest cripple in the island. Why, the vault is under
the burial-ground of the chapel, and, for aught I know, under the ocean
itself, such a roaring do the waves make in its vicinity. I think no one
could remain there long, and retain his reason."

"It is an infernal hole," answered the Earl, "and I will have it built
up one day--that is full certain.--But hold--hold--for God's sake,
madam--what are you going to do?--Look at the seal before you