pidly trenching on the fair proportions of
an eighth of these hebdomadal inconveniences, and still continued the
same hard, ringing sound and appearance, as if the sky itself o'
nights had been frozen too--fixed and impervious--and the darkness had
become already palpable. Yet the moon looked out so calm, so pure and
beautiful, and the stars so spark-like and piercing, that it was a
holy and a heavenly rapture to gaze upon their glorious forms, and to
behold them, fresh and undimmed, as when first launched from the hands
of their Creator.

Want of occupation breeds mischief, idleness being a thriftless carle
that leaves the house empty, and the door open to the next comer--an
opportunity of which the enemy is sure to avail himself. The miller
felt the hours hang heavily, and he became listless and ill-humoured.

"'Tis an ill-natured and cankered disposition this," said he one
night, when sitting by the ingle with his drowsy helpmate, watching
the sputtering billets devoured, one after another, by the ravening
flame: "'Tis an ill-natured disposition that is abroad, I say, that
will neither let a man go about his own business, nor grant him a few
honest junkets these moonlight nights. I might have throttled a hare
or so, or a brace of rabbits; or what dost think, dame, of a couple of
moor-cocks or a cushat for a pie?"

"Thy liquorish tooth will lead thee into some snare, goodman, ere it
ha' done watering. What did Master Chadwyck say, who is to wed
Mistress Alice, our master's daughter, if nought forefend? What did he
promise thee but a week agone, should he catch thee at thy old trade
again?"

"A murrain light on the snivelling bully! Let him stay at his own
homestead, and not take mastership here, to trouble us with his
humours ere the portion be his. His younger brother Oliver is worth a
whole pack of such down-looked, smooth-faced hypocrites. Oliver
Chadwyck is the boy for a snug quarrel. His fingers itch for a
drubbing, and he scents a feud as a crow scents out carrion. The
other--mercy on me!--is fit for nought but to be bed-ridden and
priest-ridden like his father and his mother to boot."

"Hush, Ralph," said the cautious dame; "let thine hard speeches fall
more gently on thy master's son, that is to be. His own parents
too--methinks the son of Jordan and Eleanor Chadwyck should earn a
kinder word and a lighter judgment from thy tongue."

"Whew! my courteous dame. How now! and so because they are become part