Chapter 21 - Page 2

comfort and stay of her age."

"She has my brother Edward," said Halbert, turning suddenly from her.

"She has indeed," said Mary Avenel, "the calm, the noble-minded, the
considerate Edward, who has thy courage, Halbert, without thy fiery
rashness,--thy generous spirit, with more of reason to guide it. He
would not have heard his mother, would not have heard his adopted
sister, beseech him in vain not to ruin himself, and tear up their
future hopes of happiness and protection."

Halbert's heart swelled as he replied to this reproach. "Well--what
avails it speaking?--you have him that is better than me--wiser, more
considerate--braver, for aught I know--you are provided with a
protector, and need care no more for me."

Again he turned to depart, but Mary Avenel laid her hand on his arm so
gently that he scarce felt her hold, yet felt that it was impossible
for him to strike it off. There he stood, one foot advanced to leave
the court-yard, but so little determined on departure, that he
resembled a traveller arrested by the spell of a magician, and unable
either to quit the attitude of motion, or to proceed on his course.

Mary Avenel availed herself of his state of suspense. "Hear me," she
said, "hear me, Halbert!--I am an orphan, and even Heaven hears the
orphan--I have been the companion of your infancy, and if _you_
will not hear me for an instant, from whom may Mary Avenel claim so
poor a boon?"

"I hear you," said Halbert Glendinning, "but be brief, dear Mary--you
mistake the nature of my business--it is but a morning of summer sport
which we propose."

"Say not thus," said the maiden, interrupting him, "say not thus to me
--others thou mayst deceive, but me thou canst not--There has been
that in me from the earliest youth, which fraud flies from, and which
imposture cannot deceive. For what fate has given me such a power I
know not; but bred an ignorant maiden, in this sequestered valley,
mine eyes can too often see what man would most willingly hide--I can
judge of the dark purpose, though it is hid under the smiling brow,
and a glance of the eye says more to me than oaths and protestations
do to others."

"Then," said Halbert, "if thou canst so read the human heart,--say,
dear Mary--what dost thou see in mine?--tell me that--say that what
thou seest--what thou readest in this bosom, does not offend thee--say
but _that_, and thou shalt be the guide of my actions, and mould
me now and henceforward to honour or to dishonour at thy own free
will!"

Mary Avenel became first red, and then deadly pale, as Halbert
Glendinning spoke. But when,