ty; for her eyes,
Like the bright stars of heaven, can hold discourse,
Though it be mute and soundless.
--OLD PLAY.

At the head of the first flight of steps which descended towards the
difficult and well-defended entrance of the Castle of Holm-Peel,
Peveril was met and stopped by the Countess's train-bearer. This little
creature--for she was of the least and slightest size of womankind--was
exquisitely well formed in all her limbs, which the dress she usually
wore (a green silk tunic, of a peculiar form) set off to the best
advantage. Her face was darker than the usual hue of Europeans; and the
profusion of long and silken hair, which, when she undid the braids in
which she commonly wore it, fell down almost to her ankles, was also
rather a foreign attribute. Her countenance resembled a most beautiful
miniature; and there was a quickness, decision, and fire, in Fenella's
look, and especially in her eyes, which was probably rendered yet more
alert and acute, because, through the imperfection of her other organs,
it was only by sight that she could obtain information of what passed
around her.

The pretty mute was mistress of many little accomplishments, which the
Countess had caused to be taught to her in compassion for her forlorn
situation, and which she learned with the most surprising quickness.
Thus, for example, she was exquisite in the use of the needle, and so
ready and ingenious a draughtswoman, that, like the ancient Mexicans,
she sometimes made a hasty sketch with her pencil the means of conveying
her ideas, either by direct or emblematical representation. Above all,
in the art of ornamental writing, much studied at that period, Fenella
was so great a proficient, as to rival the fame of Messrs. Snow,
Shelley, and other masters of the pen, whose copybooks, preserved in
the libraries of the curious, still show the artists smiling on the
frontispiece in all the honours of flowing gowns and full-bottomed wigs,
to the eternal glory of caligraphy.

The little maiden had, besides these accomplishments, much ready wit
and acuteness of intellect. With Lady Derby, and with the two young
gentlemen, she was a great favourite, and used much freedom in
conversing with them, by means of a system of signs which had been
gradually established amongst them, and which served all ordinary
purposes of communication.

But, though happy in the indulgence and