rtal senses of the
victim, and the knot of the accursed sophistry became more inextricable
in appearance, at least to the prey whom its meshes surrounded. He had
not power to explain the assurance of pardon which he continued to
assert, or to name the victorious name in which he trusted. But his
faith did not abandon him, though he lacked for a time the power of
expressing it. "Say what you will," was his answer to the Tempter;
"I know there is as much betwixt the two boards of this Book as can
insure me forgiveness for my transgressions, and safety for my soul."
As he spoke, the clock, which announced the lapse of the fatal hour,
was heard to strike. The speech and intellectual powers of the youth were
instantly and fully restored; he burst forth into prayer, and expressed,
in the most glowing terms, his reliance on the truth, and on the Author,
of the gospel. The demon retired, yelling and discomfited; and the old
man, entering the apartment, with tears congratulated his guest on his
victory in the fated struggle. The young man was afterwards married
to the beautiful maiden, the first sight of whom had made such an
impression on him, and they were consigned over at the close of the
story to domestic happiness.--So ended John MacKinlay's legend.

The author of Waverley had imagined a possibility of framing an
interesting, and perhaps not an unedifying, tale, out of the incidents
of the life of a doomed individual, whose efforts at good and virtuous
conduct were to be for ever disappointed by the intervention, as
it were, of some malevolent being, and who was at last to come off
victorious from the fearful struggle. In short, something was meditated
upon a plan resembling the imaginative tale of Sintram and his
Companions, by Mons. Le Baron de la Motte Fouque, although, if it then
existed, the author had not seen it. The scheme projected may be
traced in the first three or four chapters of the work, but farther
consideration induced the author to lay his purpose aside. In changing
his plan, however, which was done in the course of printing, the early
sheets retained the vestiges of the original tenor of the story,
although they now hang upon it as an unnecessary and unnatural
encumbrance.

* * * * *

Sir Walter then points out his departures from this rude sketch, and
mentions the prototypes of several of his principal characters; such as
Jean (and her granddaughter Madge) Gordon, of Ki