m whirling like a comet, impetuous
and hot, into the void beyond. But my own head here fell heavily upon
my breast; and the whole scene, smoke, fire, and shifting shapes, with
all their mingled hissing, and battering, oaths, shrieks, and
imprecations, shut upon my senses.

A Babel of dull sound, chiming and sawing within my head, announced
my returned consciousness. This is no dream, thought I; I have been
hurt, but I am afraid to ask myself where. If my skull should be
fractured now, and I should be an idiot all my life, or if my arm
should be broken--farewell to the river! But can I be still doubled up
among those pots and pans which I crushed beneath me in my fall?
No,--dark as it is, I feel that I am laid straight and soft. I must be
in bed, but where? where? It was some time before I had courage to
confirm my doubts of my head's condition: it was carefully bandaged,
and doubtless much shattered: I could feel that I was in a
close-panelled bedstead, such as are usual in old houses; but had too
much discretion to attempt the hazardous experiment of rising without
knowing either my strength or situation. So I lay, fancying all sorts
of means to account for my preservation: need I say that the main
agent in all was the fair Madeline?

My curiosity was at length relieved; a rude folding-door opened
opposite, and showed a low dim sitting-room beyond, from which there
rose a few steps to the entrance of my chamber. On these appeared,
not, alas! the fancied visitant who was to flit about my bedside, and
mix her bright presence with my dreams, but stately and severe, with a
pale cheek and compressed lip, her father--my aversion.

I lay silent, sick at the thoughts of my own meanness in his eyes;
while he advanced, shading the light of the candle from my face, and
in a low cold tone, asked if I desired anything?

I shall never forget him as he stood, the light thrown full upon his
strong features and broad chest, and shining purple through the
fingers of his large hand. "I asked, sir, did you require any
assistance?" he repeated. "Are you in pain?" he went on. I now replied
that my chief pain was caused by my own unworthy appearance; made a
confused apology for my misconduct, and offered my acknowledgments for
the protection I had received. "You have saved the life of my child,"
he said, turning slightly from me, "and protection is a debt which
must be paid; for your follower, he must thank the same circumstance
for wha