th his own eyes of that
excellent beauty which had been so highly extolled, had gone down to
Derbyshire on purpose, was infinitely delighted, when, during the course
of a two hours' sermon at the dissenting chapel in Liverpool, which
afforded him ample leisure for a deliberate survey, he arrived at the
conclusion that he had never seen a form or face more captivating. His
eyes having confirmed what was told him, he hurried back to the little
inn which formed their place of rendezvous, and there awaited Christian
and his niece, with a degree of confidence in the success of their
project which he had not before entertained; and with an apparatus of
luxury, calculated, as he thought, to make a favourable impression on
the mind of a rustic girl. He was somewhat surprised, when, instead
of Alice Bridgenorth, to whom he expected that night to have been
introduced, he found that Christian was accompanied by Julian Peveril.
It was indeed a severe disappointment, for he had prevailed on his own
indolence to venture this far from the Court, in order that he might
judge, with his own paramount taste, whether Alice was really the
prodigy which her uncle's praises had bespoken her, and, as such, a
victim worthy of the fate to which she was destined.

A few words betwixt the worthy confederates determined them on the plan
of stripping Peveril of the Countess's despatches; Chiffinch absolutely
refusing to take any share in arresting him, as a matter of which his
Master's approbation might be very uncertain.

Christian had also his own reasons for abstaining from so decisive a
step. It was by no means likely to be agreeable to Bridgenorth, whom
it was necessary to keep in good humour;--it was not necessary, for the
Countess's despatches were of far more importance than the person of
Julian. Lastly, it was superfluous in this respect also, that Julian
was on the road to his father's castle, where it was likely he would be
seized, as a matter of course, along with the other suspicious persons
who fell under Topham's warrant, and the denunciations of his infamous
companions. He, therefore, far from using any violence to Peveril,
assumed towards him such a friendly tone, as might seem to warn him
against receiving damage from others, and vindicate himself from having
any share in depriving him of his charge. This last manoeuvre was
achieved by an infusion of a strong narcotic into Julian's wine; under
the influence of which he slumbered s