hich
we will endeavour to describe. She commenced by extending her hand
slightly, accompanied with the sharp inquisitive look which served her
as a note of interrogation. This was meant as an inquiry whether he was
going to a distance. Julian, in reply, extended his arm more than half,
to intimate that the distance was considerable. Fenella looked grave,
shook her head, and pointed to the Countess's window, which was visible
from the spot where they stood. Peveril smiled, and nodded, to intimate
there was no danger in quitting her mistress for a short space. The
little maiden next touched an eagle's feather which she wore in her
hair, a sign which she usually employed to designate the Earl, and then
looked inquisitively at Julian once more, as if to say, "Goes he
with you?" Peveril shook his head, and, somewhat wearied by these
interrogatories, smiled, and made an effort to pass. Fenella frowned,
struck the end of her ebony rod perpendicularly on the ground, and again
shook her head, as if opposing his departure. But finding that Julian
persevered in his purpose, she suddenly assumed another and milder mood,
held him by the skirt of his cloak with one hand, and raised the other
in an imploring attitude, whilst every feature of her lively countenance
was composed into the like expression of supplication; and the fire of
the large dark eyes, which seemed in general so keen and piercing as
almost to over-animate the little sphere to which they belonged, seemed
quenched, for the moment, in the large drops which hung on her long
eyelashes, but without falling.

Julian Peveril was far from being void of sympathy towards the poor
girl, whose motives in opposing his departure appeared to be her
affectionate apprehension for her mistress's safety. He endeavoured to
reassure by smiles, and, at the same time, by such signs as he could
devise, to intimate that there was no danger, and that he would return
presently; and having succeeded in extricating his cloak from her
grasp, and in passing her on the stair, he began to descend the steps as
speedily as he could, in order to avoid farther importunity.

But with activity much greater than his, the dumb maiden hastened to
intercept him, and succeeded by throwing herself, at the imminent risk
of life and limb, a second time into the pass which he was descending,
so as to interrupt his purpose. In order to achieve this, she was
obliged to let herself drop a considerable height from th