slight symptoms of the chill
which hoar and frosty age, sooner or later, never fails to impart.

Elizabeth Tempest was young, but of a staid and temperate aspect, almost
approaching to that of melancholic. Her complexion, pale and sallow; her
eye full, dark, and commanding, though occasionally more languor was on
it than eyes of that colour are wont to express. She wore a long jacket
of russet colour, and a crimson boddice. Her hair, turned back from her
brow, hung in dark heavy ringlets below the neck, which, though not of
alabaster, was exquisitely modelled. In person she was tall and
well-shapen, and her whole manner displayed a mind of no ordinary
proportions. She was well-skilled in household duties, her mother having
an especial desire that her daughter should be as notable and thrifty as
herself in domestic arrangements.

"Elizabeth," or "Elspet," as she was indiscriminately called, cared
little about her reputation touching these important functions. She
could sing most of the wild legendary ballads of the time; her rich full
voice had in it a sadness ravishingly tender and expressive, more akin
to woe, and the deep untold agony of the spirit, than to lightness and
mirth, in which she rarely indulged.

"Give us one of thy ditties ere supper," said the dame, who was just
then laying aside her implements in the work-press. "I wonder thy father
does not return. The roofs of Bashall ring with louder cheer than our
own, I trow. He is playing truant for the nonce, which is dangerous play
at best."

"Is he now at our cousin Talbot's?" inquired the maiden, with a look of
more than ordinary interest.

"If he be not on the way back again," returned the dame, as though
wishful to repress inquiry.

"The woods are not safe so late and alone. Comes he alone, mother?"

"Alone! Ay,--and why spierest thou?" The dame looked wistfully, though
but for a moment, on her daughter; then changing her tone, as if to
recommend a change of subject, she cried--

"Come, ha' done, Elspet; we will wait no longer than grace be said. Now
to thy song."

The maiden began as follows:--

1.
"There sits three ravens on yon tree,
Heigho!
There sits three ravens on yon tree,
As black, as black, as they can be.
Heigho, the derry, derry, down, heigho.

2.
"Says the first raven to the other,
Heigho!
Says the first raven to the other,
'We'll go and eat our feast together.'
Heig