than belonged to his former themes, of
war, lady's love, and courtly splendour.

The little Knight harangued, at first on polemical points of divinity,
and diverged from this thorny path, into the neighbouring and twilight
walk of mysticism. He talked of secret warnings--of the predictions
of sad-eyed prophets--of the visits of monitory spirits, and the
Rosicrucian secrets of the Cabala; all which topics he treated of
with such apparent conviction, nay, with so many appeals to personal
experience, that one would have supposed him a member of the fraternity
of gnomes, or fairies, whom he resembled so much in point of size.

In short, he persevered for a stricken hour in such a torrent of
unnecessary tattle, as determined Peveril, at all events, to endeavour
to procure a separate lodging. Having repeated his evening prayers in
Latin, as formerly (for the old gentleman was a Catholic, which was the
sole cause of his falling under suspicion), he set off on a new score,
as they were undressing, and continued to prattle until he had fairly
talked both himself and his companion to sleep.

CHAPTER XXXV

Of airy tongues that syllable men's names.
--COMUS.

Julian had fallen asleep, with his brain rather filled with his own sad
reflections, than with the mystical lore of the little Knight; and yet
it seemed as if in his visions the latter had been more present to his
mind than the former.

He dreamed of gliding spirits, gibbering phantoms, bloody hands, which,
dimly seen by twilight, seemed to beckon him forward like errant-knight
on sad adventure bound. More than once he started from his sleep, so
lively was the influence of these visions on his imagination; and he
always awaked under the impression that some one stood by his bedside.
The chillness of his ankles, the weight and clatter of the fetters, as
he turned himself on his pallet, reminded him on these occasions where
he was, and under what circumstances. The extremity to which he saw all
that was dear to him at present reduced, struck a deeper cold on his
heart than the iron upon his limbs; nor could he compose himself again
to rest without a mental prayer to Heaven for protection. But when he
had been for a third time awakened from repose by these thick-stirring
fancies, his distress of mind vented itself in speech, and he was unable
to suppress the almost despairing ejaculation, "God have mercy