he exercise
of accomplishments, which would have adorned society, had they been left
at large."

"I shall be," returned Miss Vernon--"that is," said she, correcting
herself,--"I should be rather like the wild hawk, who, barred the free
exercise of his soar through heaven, will dash himself to pieces against
the bars of his cage. But to return to Rashleigh," said she, in a more
lively tone, "you will think him the pleasantest man you ever saw in your
life, Mr Osbaldistone, that is, for a week at least. If he could find
out a blind mistress, never man would be so secure of conquest; but the
eye breaks the spell that enchants the ear. But here we are in the court
of the old hall, which looks as wild and old-fashioned as any of its
inmates. There is {103} no great toilette kept at Osbaldistone Hall, you
must know; but I must take off these things, they are so unpleasantly
warm, and the hat hurts my forehead too," continued the lively girl,
taking it off, and shaking down a profusion of sable ringlets, which,
half laughing, half blushing, she separated with her white slender
fingers, in order to clear them away from her beautiful face and piercing
hazel eyes. If there was any coquetry in the action, it was well
disguised by the careless indifference of her manner. I could not help
saying, "that, judging of the family from what I saw, I should suppose
the toilette a very unnecessary care."

"That's very politely said; though, perhaps, I ought not to understand in
what sense it was meant," replied Miss Vernon; "but you will see a better
apology for a little negligence, when you meet the Orsons you are to live
amongst, whose forms no toilette could improve. But, as I said before,
the old dinner-bell will clang, or rather clank, in a few minutes--it
cracked of its own accord on the day of the landing of King Willie, and
my uncle, respecting its prophetic talent, would never permit it to be
mended. So do you hold my palfrey, like a duteous knight, until I send
some more humble squire to relieve you of the charge."

She threw me the rein as if we had been acquainted from our childhood,
jumped from her saddle, tripped across the court-yard, and entered at a
side-door, leaving me in admiration of her beauty, and astonished with
the overfrankness of her manners, which seemed the more extraordinary, at
a time when the dictates of politeness, flowing from the court of the
Grand Monarque Louis {104} XIV., prescribed to the fai