me from intended murder, with every circumſtance that lives within thy memory.”
“The tale is very ſhort, my ſon, nor has it eſcaped my recollection. Returning from the borders of England, where I had been with a herd of cattle, and ſomewhere near the ſpot we now reſt on, I ſat me down to take refreſhment; and while thus employed, I ſaw a man with ſomething in his arms glide among the trees. Apprehending him to be one of the numerous banditti which at that time lurked in theſe parts, I crept, unperceived, behind a thicket, hoping to eſcape his obſervation; but I ſcarce reached my hiding place when he approached, and with much gentleneſs laid what he held in his arms on the graſs, and unfolded the mantle, which I perceived contained an infant. From the ruffian’s manner, I thought his buſineſs was to murder it; and yet he heſitated, ſighed heavily, and kiſſed the babe, which all this time lay ſtretching its little limbs and ſmiling in his face. At length, plucking up as it were a determined reſolution, he drew from his boſom a dagger, and at the moment when he had thrown remorſe aſide, and was prepared to ſtrike, I ruſhed from my ambuſh–ſeized his uplifted arm, and ſnatched the weapon from his trembling hand. Without ſpeaking, he inſtantly darted into the thickeſt part of the foreſt, while I raiſed the infant in my arms, and haſtened on my journey, taking a different road than was uſually travelled, to eſcape purſuit, and, thank God! reached my cottage in ſafety. Never ſhall I forget the tranſport of Cicely when I gave thee to her (for we had no children). She hugged thee to her bread with as much fondneſs as if thou wert indeed her own, and brought thee up, Glanville, with as much care.”
“And never, my dear father (for I will ſtill call thee ſo),” ſaid Glanville), “will I forget the debt I owe my mother and yourſelf.” He then related to the aſtoniſhed Jolet the adventure of the preceding night, and informed him of his intention to reviſit the caſtle after the cloſe of day. The honeſt peaſant, alarmed for his ſafety, propoſed accompanying him, but Glanville
