ully re-established and our unfortunate
adventurer forever discarded.

To this Lady Flora readily consented; for with a sanguine and certain
trust in her lover's truth and honour, which was tenfold more strong
for her late suspicions, she would not allow herself a doubt as to the
result; and with an impatience, mingled with a rapturous exhilaration
of spirit, which brought back to her the freshness and radiancy of her
youngest years, she counted the hours and moments to the destined day.

While such was the state of affairs at Westborough Park, Clarence was
again on horseback and on another excursion. By the noon of the day
following that which had seen his eventful meeting with Lady Flora, he
found himself approaching the extreme boundaries of the county in
which Mordaunt Court and the memorable town of W---- were situated. The
characteristics of the country were now materially changed from
those which gave to the vicinity of Algernon's domains its wild and
uncultivated aspect.

As Clarence slowly descended a hill of considerable steepness and
length, a prospect of singular and luxurious beauty opened to his view.
The noblest of England's rivers was seen, through "turfs and shades and
flowers," pursuing "its silver-winding way." On the opposite banks lay,
embosomed in the golden glades of autumn, the busy and populous town
that from the height seemed still and lifeless as an enchanted city,
over which the mid-day sun hung like a guardian spirit. Behind, in
sweeping diversity, stretched wood and dale, and fields despoiled of
their rich harvest, yet still presenting a yellow surface to the eye;
and ever and anon some bright patch of green, demanding the gaze as if
by a lingering spell from the past spring; while, here and there, spire
and hamlet studded the landscape, or some lowly cot lay, backed by the
rising ground or the silent woods, white and solitary, and sending up
its faint tribute of smoke in spires to the altars of Heaven. The river
was more pregnant of life than its banks: barge and boat were gliding
gayly down the wave, and the glad oar of the frequent and slender
vessels consecrated to pleasure was seen dimpling the water, made by
distance smoother than glass.

On the right side of Clarence's road, as he descended the hill, lay wide
plantations of fir and oak, divided from the road by a park paling, the
uneven sides of which were covered with brown moss, and which, at rare
openings in the young wood, ga