ondage
and from all internal struggle. Yes! I am free!" he exclaimed, as he
paced his room triumphantly. The light voice of Emily was heard calling
on him to accompany her in a walk. He started, he flew. His freedom, we
suppose, gave him wings, for he was at her side in a moment.

Reginald had intended, on the first opportunity, to rally his cousin
upon her sudden attachment to the captain, but his tongue absolutely
refused the office. He could not utter a word of banter on the subject.
His heart was too full.

On this occasion, as they returned from their walk through the park,
there happened one of those incidents which have so often, at least in
novels and story-books, brought about the happiness of lovers, but which
in the present instance served only to bring into play the most painful
feelings of both parties.

A prize-fight had taken place in the neighbourhood, and one of the
numerous visitors of that truly noble exhibition, who, in order to do
honour to the day, had deprived Smithfield market of the light of his
countenance, was returning across the park from the scene of combat,
accompanied by his bull-dog. The dog, who doubtless knew that his master
was a trespasser, and considered it the better policy to assume at once
the offensive, flew at the party whom he saw approaching. Emily was a
little in advance. Darcy rushed forward to plant himself between her and
this ferocious assailant. He had no weapon of defence of any kind, and,
to say truth, he had at that moment no idea of defending himself, or any
distinct notion whatever of combating his antagonist. The only
reflection that occurred to his mind was, that if the animal satiated
its fury upon him, his companion would be safe. A strong leg and a stout
boot might have done something; Darcy, stooping down, put the fleshy
part of his own arm fairly into the bulldog's jaws; assured that, at all
events, it could not bite two persons at the same time, and that, if its
teeth were buried in his own arm, they could not be engaged in
lacerating Emily Sherwood. It is the well-known nature of the bull-dog
to fasten where it once bites, and the brute pinned Darcy to the ground,
until its owner, arriving on the spot, extricated him from his very
painful position.

In this encounter, our senior wrangler probably showed himself very
unskilful and deficient in the combat with wild beasts, but no conduct
could have displayed a more engrossing anxiety for the safety of hi