ly to be his for ever. The canker, which was wont to embitter his best hours, ceased its unwholesome gnawing; he was free to rejoice awhile in the strength of his youth, and if he had been a partner in evil, his conscience now, at least, desisted from her distressful threatenings.

The carriages were now in readiness to convey the happy parties to the place where the ever-binding ritual was to be performed, and the coachmen urged their horses, that the clergyman might not be kept waiting. But never was the good Doctor Dundrosy more quickened to exertion than upon this emergency. His usual hour for banding together the village striplings was that most canonical of times-half-past eleven, and now he was summoned to assume the sacred vestments at the early season of half-past nine. In vain did his watchful housekeeper proclaim to him that it had struck eight for some time; balmy sleep sat triumphant on the doctor's helm, and he remained wholly insensible to the shakings of his faithful Priscilla. And thus harmlessly silent would he have continued, had not Mr. Supine, the clerk, been more mindful of the bounteous fee which he expected, than his master of his own; for the rector looked also to a descending shower of gold, and he dreaded that, if he had refused to make his appearance as requested, the hand of abundance would have been shortened towards him. No other inducement or stimulus could possibly have operated upon the Reverend Doctor Dundrosy to dispense with his accustomed habits. The clerk, we said, remembered more keenly than the parson the gratuity, which wealth was expected to present him with. Accordingly, overcoming with magnanimous resolution his own inveterate propensity, he tumbled out of his snug bed, hastened on his clothes, and, with an oaken cudgel, (his guardian against thieves,) belaboured the door of the doctor, with a perseverance and power which the freshness of the morning breeze could alone have lent him.

"Gracious! master, here they come," said the despairing housekeeper.

"Who come?" grumbled forth the doctor, half-roused up by the sturdy strokes which were descending on his portal.

"The company, Sir-the bride merciful powers! let me go and see, Sir."

"You should not swear, Priscilla," answered the rec tor; "but verily, Priscilla, you had better go and see.'

The result of this investigation was, that the clerk underwent an objurgation for his presumption, but as the doctor could not help applauding the step which had been taken, as well as the spirit of the undertaking, (for he well knew his servant's foible,) he vented no further ecclesiastical thunders against the delinquent. But this adventure of the clerk produced a good consequence, for the doctor was up, and the church open, and the garlands were strewed in the holy path, and the ringers were prepared to sound the cheering peal, and the cavalcade had not yet arrived.

The trampling of horses was at length heard, and the joyous train approached the church amidst the loud. gratulations of the fickle assemblage; but as the retinue of the bride was advancing on the one side, a horseman rode rapidly into the village on the other, and although he eluded the gazing groups, the restless eye of the Calvinist encountered the exile Mortimer; and there was an elateness in his bearing, a victorious fire in his eye, which disconcerted Priminheere. Surely, thought the dissenter, he cannot have returned to redeem his estate. But the high port of Mortimer awakened the most anxious fears in the mind of the bridegroom, and his countenance fell to rise no more, till the sun of his marriage-day had been long set. The procession moved into the church, the priest stood in his due solemnity at the communion table, Jane Hamilton appeared to vouch her assent to the ceremony, and by her side walked the agitated Priminheere, torn by conflicting passions, pale as a birchen stem, and reckless of the lady whom the coming service was about to make his The ordinance proceeded, but the bridegroom was wandering; his careless mien attracted the notice even of Doctor Dundrosy, who paused, but said nothing. The bride observed her lord's confusion, and trembled. Mrs. Hamilton was incensed, and with difficulty repressed her feelings. But when the sealing words, "I will," were required from the mouth of the husband, his indifference and absence excited the astonishment of all. Dr. Dundrosy, with a respectful bow, asked if he were ill; his mother-in-law more pressingly renewed the inquiry; it was echoed around, and it was not until this

own.

general appeal that he seemed conscious of his condition.

"I will," said he, sullenly.

The doctor would have shaken his head at these auspices, but he dared not give offence. In a few more moments the rite was finished without interruption, and Priminheere was now committed to the new duties of a husband, and (if he should fulfil his pledge) of a member of the Church of England.

It was now Mortimer's turn to atone severely for the shock his sudden presence had occasioned. He had passed the village at a rapid pace, but the unusual gathering together had struck his attention, and he quickly learned that although he might, indeed, succeed in redeeming Byrdwood, his anciently affianced bride was lost to him for ever. This was a lesson of sorrow to his uprisen heart, which the sight of his beloved relatives could scarcely soften. If Priminheere had been terror-stricken at the sight of his old rival, he was now amply revenged by the blow which this intelligence had inflicted upon one towards whom he still felt the resentment of an enemy. In few days, however, the keenness of his vexation abated, and he resolved to forget a woman who had treated him with indifference, and whose further acquaintance it would be both idle and dangerous to covet. In the interim, too, Mr. Soland paid him a visit at Byrdwood. It was on the day after he had called upon the attorneys Dell and Head, for the purpose of cancelling the fatal mortgage deed, when Mr. Soland's arrival was announced.

"I called, Sir," said he to Mortimer, "to give you a piece of intelligence, which, although perhaps not new to you, you may yet turn to your advantage. The neighbouring borough of is open, and two candidates are immediately wanted of liberal principles. The independent body of electors are dissatisfied with their late members, and it occurred to me that your wish of coming into Parliament might now be gratified.'

"Your news, I can assure you, come quite fresh to me," replied Mortimer, "for I have been engaged hitherto in considering the important subject of disencumbering my estate, and it was but yesterday when I arranged for the payment of the mortgage and the costs attendant upon it."

Mr. Soland felt the inexperience of the speaker who could talk so carelessly about the settlement of a long standing account and a bill of costs, and he instantly inquired whether Mortimer had employed the solicitor to whom he had alluded in the vessel. Mortimer hesitated, and looked in some measure astonished at the question; but Mr. Soland observed, that he felt some little interest in the affair, and begged to know the state of the proceedings.

"I went to the office, triumphantly enough, beyond doubt," said Mortimer, "and saw one of the partners, Mr. Head, I believe. I then tendered them a cheque on my banker in London, for the amount of the mortgage, expressing my willingness at the same time to pay any reasonable sum for costs, and at the same instant I demanded possession of the securities."

"The last was a very prudent and right measure, Sir," observed Mr. Soland.

"Mr. Head," resumed Mortimer, "then looked attentively at the draft with which I had presented him, and after pausing a moment, said, (much surprised,) that he would go and consult his partner. He however soon returned, and informed me, that, in justice to their clients, they could not take the cheque of one who was almost a stranger to them; that there was, besides, an account for law charges to the amount of six hundred pounds and upwards; and that the mortgage deeds could not be given up, because they involved another title, but that I should be at liberty, nevertheless, to inspect them whenever I might think fit."

“That is rather a strange civility after the payment of fifteen thousand pounds, dear Sir," said Mr. Soland: "but you did not pay the money, did you, Sir?"

"No. They refused my security," said Mortimer; "but I intend going there again very soon with the principal and costs, which will silence all difficulties."

"But you are, under ordinary circumstances, entitled, as a matter of right, to the custody of your satisfied mortgage deeds," observed Mr. Soland. "Not," continued the agent, "but that these gentlemen may be most respectable practitioners;" for Mr. Soland rarely, if ever committed himself, by any sudden opinion: " but, dear Sir," and the lawyer deliberated for an instant, "you really are the true and only proprietor of these

documents after the payment of the sum in question. Permit me, if you have no adviser, to see, at all events, that you have justice done you in this respect."

Mortimer signified his assent, and expressed his obligations. "And now," continued he, "after having given you my thanks, Mr. Soland, for this kind interference, and attention to my concerns, let me ask you about the management of the borough election, of which you were so kind as to speak but just now. Is the gaining a seat in the House of Commons attended with much expense?"

"The expense, dear Sir, when a candidate starts, is very uncertain: if you buy a borough

"Buy a borough, Mr. Soland?" exclaimed Mortimer; "it is impossible to afford any such sum.'

"Oh dear, Sir? you are mistaken; under present circumstances," (words which Mr. Soland pronounced with peculiar emphasis,)—"you may have one exceedingly cheap-very much so, indeed."

"The present circumstances," alluded to, were perfectly incomprehensible to Mortimer.

"Or," continued the agent, "if, as I have now proposed, you stand for this place, your disbursements will depend upon the number of persons for whom it will be necessary, in some way or other, to provide. But I must introduce you to your intended constituents, good Sir, at your convenience."

"This step, I fear, will be to my disadvantage," observed Mortimer; "because I must confess myself to be rather inexperienced, as to the state of public affairs at present."

"There you are underrating yourself, dear Sir," replied Mr. Soland; "the chief requisites for you are a bold address, and a fair knowledge of the common things, likely to please the class of persons to whom you are addressing yourself."

Mortimer returned thanks for these suggestions, and acceded to the proposal.

The country was now occupied with the busy scenes of a general election. Many boroughs had already returned for the hundredth time the transmitted favourites of their fostering patrons. The solemn meeting had been held in several privileged spots, where the selected senators were proposed, seconded, and sent unanimous

VOL. I.

7