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〃Oh！　no　dangerno　fear！〃　answered　Julia；　〃let　me　but　have　your　approbation　and　my　own；　and　there　is　no　role　you　can　prescribe　so　severe　that　I　will　not　follow。〃

〃Well；　my　love；〃　kissing　her　forehead；　〃Itrust　we　shall　not　call　upon　you　for　anything　too　heroic。　With　respect　to　this　young　gentleman's　addresses；　I　expect　in　the　first　place　that　all　clandestine　correspondencewhich　no　young　woman　can　entertain　for　a　moment　without　lessening　herself　in　her　own　eyes；　and　in　those　of　her　loverI　request；　I　say；　that　clandestine　correspondence　of　every　kind　may　be　given　up；　and　that　you　will　refer　Mr。　Bertram　to　me　for　the　reason。　You　will　naturally　wish　to　know　what　is　to　be　the　issue　of　such　a　reference。　In　the　first　place；　I　desire　to　observe　this　young　gentleman's　character　more　closely　than　circumstances；　and　perhaps　my　own　prejudices；　have　permitted　formerlyI　should　also　be　glad　to　see　his　birth　established。　Not　that　I　am　anxious　about　his　getting　the　estate　of　Ellangowan；　though　such　a　subject　is　held　in　absolute　indifference　nowhere　except　in　a　novel；　but　certainly　Henry　Bertram；　Heir　of　Ellangowan；　whether　possessed　of　the　property　of　his　ancestors　or　not；　is　a　very　different　person　from　Vanbeest　Brown；　the　son　of　nobody　at　all。　His　fathers；　Mr。　Pleydell　tells　me；　are　distinguished　in　history　as　following　the　banners　of　their　native　princes；　while　our　own　fought　at　Cressy　and　Poictiers。　In　short；　I　neither　give　nor　withhold　my　approbation；　but　I　expect　you　will　redeem　past　errors；　and　as　you　can　now　unfortunately　only　have　recourse　to　one　parent；　that　you　will　show　the　duty　of　a　child；　by　reposing　that　confidence　in　me；　which　I　will　say　my　inclination　to　make　you　happy　renders　a　filial　debt　upon　your　part。〃

The　first　part　of　this　speech　affected　Julia　a　good　deal；　the　comparative　merit　of　the　ancestors　of　the　Bertrams　and　Mannerings　excited　a　secret　smile；　but　the　conclusion　was　such　as　to　soften　a　heart　peculiarly　open　to　the　feelings　of　generosity。　〃No；　my　dear　sir；〃　she　said；　extending　her　hand；　〃receive　my　faith；　that　from　this　moment　you　shall　be　the　first　person　consulted　respecting　what　shall　pass　in　future　between　BrownI　mean　Bertram；　and　me；　and　that　no　engagement　shall　be　undertaken　by　me；　excepting　what　you　shall　immediately　know　and　approve　of。　May　I　askif　Mr。　Bertram　is　to　continue　a　guest　at　Woodbourne？〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃while　his　affairs　render　it　advisable。〃

〃Then；　sir；　you　must　be　sensible；　considering　what　is　already　past；　that　he　will　expect　some　reason　for　my　withdrawingI　believe　I　must　say　the　encouragement；　which　he　may　think　I　have　given。〃

〃I　expect；　Julia；〃　answered　Mannering；　〃that　he　will　respect　my　roof；　and　entertain　some　sense　perhaps　of　the　services　I　am　desirous　to　render　him；　and　so　will　not　insist　upon　any　course　of　conduct　of　which　I　might　have　reason　to　complain；　and　I　expect　of　you；　that　you　will　make　him　sensible　of　what　is　due　to　both。〃

〃Then；　sir；　I　understand　you；　and　you　shall　be　implicitly　obeyed。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　love；　my　anxiety　（kissing　her）　is　on　your　account。Now　wipe　these　witnesses　from　your　eyes；　and　so　to　breakfast。〃



CHAPTER　LII。

　　And；　Sheriff；　I　will　engage　my　word　to　you；　That　I　will　by　　　to…morrow　dinner　time；　Send　him　to　answer　thee；　or　any　man；　　　For　anything　he　shall　he　charged　withal。　　　　　Henry　IV。　Part　I

When　the　several　by…plays；　as　they　may　be　termed；　had　taken　place　among　the　individuals　of　the　Woodbourne　family；　as　we　have　intimated　in　the　preceding　chapter；　the　breakfast　party　at　length　assembled；　Dandie　excepted；　who　had　consulted　his　taste　in　viands；　and　perhaps　in　society；　by　partaking　of　a　cup　of　tea　with　Mrs。　Allan；　just　laced　with　two　teaspoonfuls　of　Cogniac；　and　reinforced　with　various　slices　from　a　huge　round　of　beef。　He　had　a　kind　of　feeling　that　he　could　eat　twice　as　much；　and　speak　twice　as　much；　with　this　good　dame　and　Barnes；　as　with　the　grand　folk　in　the　parlour。　Indeed；　the　meal　of　this　less　distinguished　party　was　much　more　mirthful　than　that　in　the　higher　circle；　where　there　was　an　obvious　air　of　constraint　on　the　greater　part　of　the　assistants。　Julia　dared　not　raise　her　voice　in　asking　Bertram　if　he　chose　another　cup　of　tea。　Bertram　felt　embarrassed　while　eating　his　toast…and…butter　under　the　eye　of　Mannering。　Lucy；　while　she　indulged　to　the　uttermost　her　affection　for　her　recovered　brother；　began　to　think　of　the　quarrel　betwixt　him　and　Hazlewood。　The　Colonel　felt　the　painful　anxiety　natural　to　a　proud　mind；　when　it　deems　its　slightest　action　subject　for　a　moment　to　the　watchful　construction　of　others。　The　lawyer；　while　sedulously　buttering　his　roll；　had　an　aspect　of　unwonted　gravity；　arising；　perhaps；　from　the　severity　of　his　morning　studies。　As　for　the　Dominie；　his　state　of　mind　was　ecstatic！He　looked　at　Bertramhe　looked　at　Lucyhe　whimperedhe　sniggledhe　grinnedhe　committed　all　manner　of　solecisms　in　point　of　formpoured　the　whole　cream　（no　unlucky　mistake）　upon　the　plate　of　porridge；　which　was　his　own　usual　breakfastthrew　the　slops　of　what　he　called　his　〃crowning　dish　of　tea〃　into　the　sugar…dish　instead　of　the　slop…basin；　and　concluded　with　spilling　the　scalding　liquor　upon　old　Plato；　the　Colonel's　favourite　spaniel；　who　received　the　libation　with　a　howl　that　did　little　honour　to　his　philosophy。

The　Colonel's　equanimity　was　rather　shaken　by　this　last　blunder。　〃Upon　my　word；　my　good　friend；　Mr。　Sampson；　you　forget　the　difference　between　Plato　and　Zenocrates。〃

〃The　former　was　chief　of　the　Academics；　the　latter　of　the　Stoics；〃　said　the　Dominie；　with　some　scorn　of　the　supposition。

〃Yes；　my　dear　sir；　but　it　was　Zenocrates；　not　Plato；　who　denied　that　pain　was　an　evil。〃

〃I　should　have　thought；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃that　very　respectable　quadruped；　which　is　just　now　limping　out　of　the　room　upon　three　of　his　four　legs；　was　rather　of　the　Cynic　school。〃

〃Very　well　hit　offBut　here　comes　an　answer　from　Mac…Morlan。〃

It　was　unfavourable。　Mrs。　Mac…Morlan　sent　her　respectful　compliments；　and　her　husband　had　been；　and　was；　detained；　by　some　alarming　disturbances　which　had　taken　place　the　preceding　night　at　Portanferry；　and　the　necessary　investigation　which　they　had　occasioned。

〃What's　to　be　done　now；　counsellor？〃　said　the　Colonel　to　Pleydell。

〃Why；　I　wish　we　could　have　seen　Mac…Morlan；〃　said　the　counsellor；　〃who　is　a　sensible　fellow　himself；　and　would　besides　have　acted　under　my　advice。　But　there　is　little　harm。　Our　friend　here　must　be　made　sui　jurishe　is　at　present　an　escaped　prisoner；　the　law　has　an　awkward　claim　upon　him；　he　must　be　placed　rectus　in　curia；　that　is　the　first　object。　For　which　purpose；　Colonel；　I　will　accompany　you　in　your　carriage　down　to　Hazlewood　House。　The　distance　is　not　great；　we　will　offer　our　bail；　and　I　am　confident　I　can　easily　show　Mr。I　beg　his　pardonSir　Robert　Hazlewood；　the　necessity　of　receiving　it。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　the　Colonel　and；　ringing　the　bell；　gave　the　necessary　orders。　〃And　what　is　next　to　be　done？〃

〃We　must　get　hold　of　Mac…Morlan；　and　look　out　for　more　proof。〃

〃Proof！〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃the　thing　is　as　clear　as　daylight；　here　are　Mr。　Sampson　and　Miss　Bertram；　and　you　yourself；　at　once　recognise　the　young　gentleman　as　his　father's　image；　and　he　himself　recollects　all　the　very　peculiar　circumstances　preceding　his　leaving　this　countryWhat　else　is　necessary　to　conviction？〃

〃To　moral　conviction　nothing　more；　perhaps；〃　said　the　experienced　lawyer；　〃but　for　legal　proof　a　great　deal。　Mr。　Bertram's　recollections　are　his　own　recollections　merely；　and　therefore　are　not　evidence　in　his　own　favour；　Miss　Bertram；　the　learned　Mr。　Sampson；　and　I；　can　only　say；　what　every　one　who　knew　the　late　Ellangowan　will　readily　agree　in；　that　this　gentleman　is　his　very　pictureBut　that　will　not　make　him　Ellangowan's　son；　and　give　him　the　estate。〃

〃And　what　will　do　so？〃　said　the　Colonel。

〃Why；　we　must　have　a　distinct　probation。　There　are　these　gipsies；but　then；　alas！　they　are　almost　infamous　in　the　eye　of　lawscarce　capable　of　bearing　evidence；　and　Meg　Merrilies　utterly　so；　by　the　various　accounts　which　she　formerly　gave　of　the　matter；　and　her　impudent　denial　of　all　knowledge　of　the　fact　when　I　myself　examined　her　respecting　it。〃

〃What　must　be　done　then？〃　asked　Mannering。

〃We　must　try；〃　answered　the　legal　sage；　〃what　proof　can　be　got　at　in　Holland；　among　the　persons　by　whom　our　young　friend　was　educated。But　then　the　fear　of　being　called　in　question　for　the　murder　of　the　gauger　may　make　them　silent；　or　if　they　speak；　they　are　either　foreigners；　or　outlawed　smugglers。　In　short；　I　see　doubts。〃

〃Under　favour；　most　learned　and　honoured　sir；〃　said　the　Dominie；　〃I　trust　HE；　who　hath　restored　little　Harry　Bertram　to　his　friends；　will　not　leave　His　own　work　imperfect。〃

〃I　trust　so　too；　Mr。　Sampson；〃　said　Pleydell；　〃but　we　must　use　the　means；　and　I　am　afraid　we　shall　have　more　difficulty　in　procuring　them　than　I　at　first　thought。But　a　faint　heart　never　won　a　fair　ladyand；　by　the　way　（apart　to　Miss　Mannering；　while　Bertram　was　engaged　with　his　sister）；　there's　a　vindication　of　Holland　for　you！　what　smart　fellows　do　you　think　Leyden　and　Utrecht　must　send　forth；　when　such　a　very　genteel　and　handsome　young　man　comes　from　the　paltry　schools　of　Middleburgh？〃

〃Of　a　verity；〃