before, and with a like unsatisfactory result. But instead
of returning to Mainville he had proceeded to the Duchatel Manor
House; partly for counsel, but chiefly to ascertain whether its
owner--who, he deemed, had an equal interest with himself in the
removal of Amanda--would join with him in furnishing the demanded
dower. The subject was broached privately to the shrewd and worldly
Andre, who on hearing it propounded swore indignantly at the
advocate's audacity, and roundly refused to accede to any such
appropriation of his substance: so after fierce denunciations of
the insolence of upstart English adventurers, and censure of the
infatuation of young fellows in affairs of the heart, the theme
was dropped for the present, and the remainder of the day spent in
looking over the estate, and in those attentions that are usually
bestowed on a visitor, be he ever so familiar a one, much more when
he is both distinguished and in prospective relationship. The next
day the topic was resumed, but this time in the presence of Samson
Duchatel, as he sat yawning between asleep and awake, but who, on
hearing the conversation, aroused himself, and bade Montigny be
easy, and not dream of endowing the foreigner, since he, Samson,
had already secured the troublesome fair one. Montigny took little
notice of this, thinking it to be but the jest or boast, or, at
furthest, merely the loose announcement of the intention of the
unscrupulous giant; who soon afterwards invited him to walk abroad.
The company of Samson was not coveted by the more refined and
anxious Seigneur, but the former pressed him, and he thought that
locomotion might divert his mind from the contemplation of the
coming degradation and folly of his son. He consented, and issuing
from the ancient and flower-festooned porch of the Manor House,
they walked along in mid-morning of late September, the drowsy
charms of the summer's faded foliage just awakening to a resurrection
in the glorified beauty of Autumn; and, almost in silence, they
proceeded along the road or lane, till they came to the dubious
dwelling where, some hours before, Amanda was left a prisoner. The
sullen and sloven-looking female who had received her was now
dressed in gaudy attire, and saluted them as they entered, at the
same time casting a look of enquiry and surprise into the face of
Samson, and of suspicion on the Seigneur.

"Bring up the body of your prisoner;" growled the former, loudly,
as he thre