gaze was fixed with a wild and horror-stricken look, while he faintly tried to cry out. In a second the terror of the sight, whatever it was, overcame him, and he fell back on the bed with a sharp cry."

"Mr. Inglesant saw something," said both the gentlemen at once; "he came in here as you gave the alarm." "I saw nothing," said Inglesant; "whatever frightened me I must tell the King."

85

90

95

Dr. Mayern, who lodged in the palace, soon arrived; and as the King was sensible when he came, he merely prescribed some soothing drink, and soon left. The moment he was gone, the King called Abergavenny into the room alone to him, and questioned him as to what had occurred. Abergavenny told him all he knew, adding that the esquire in waiting, Mr. Inglesant, was believed to have seen something by the gentlemen of the privy chamber, whom he 100 had aroused. Inglesant was sent for, and found the King and Abergavenny alone. He declined to speak before the latter, until the King positively commanded him to do so. Deadly pale, with his eyes on the ground, and speaking with the greatest difficulty, he then told his story; of the 105

Inglesant is present, being, so to say, the unifying element in every part of the story.

On the description of the King, 11. 82-88, compare note to ll. 47, 55. -87. Whatever it was, from this it is evident that Abergavenny saw nothing; see also 1. 122.

92. The postponing of Inglesant's revelation until he could make it directly to the King gives opportunity to relate the dénouement, the most intense and exciting part of the event, in the King's presence. At the same time it confines the event to the three who alone are directly concerned with it.

93-95. How does the doctor's visit, despatched in so few words, illustrate Rhet. p. 365, 2? Compare also the brief repetition, II. 105–107,

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115

120

deep silence, his restlessness, the sentry's challenge, and the apparition that appeared. Here he stopped.

"And this figure," said Abergavenny in a startled whisper, "did you know who it was?"

"Yes, I knew him," said the young man; "would to God I had not."

"Who was it?"

Paler, if possible, than before, and with a violent effort, Inglesant forced himself to look at the King.

A contortion of pain, short but terrible to see, passed over the King's face, but he rose from the chair in which he sat (for he had risen from the bed and even dressed himself), and, with that commanding dignity which none ever assumed better than he, he said, –

"Who was it, Mr. Esquire?"

"My Lord Strafford."

Abergavenny stepped back several paces, and covered his face with his hands. No one spoke. Inglesant dared not stir, but remained opposite to the King, trembling in 125 every limb, and his eyes upon the ground like a culprit. The King continued to stand with his commanding air, but stiff and rigid as a statue; it seemed as though he had strength to command his outward demeanor, but no power besides.

which illustrates the skill of modern narration, as compared with ancient; compare, for instance, the narrative repetitions, given in identical words, in Job i. 6–8, ii. 1–3; also i. 13–19.

What preparation is made, according to Rhet. p. 367, 2, in ll. 102– 120, for the dénouement? How is it shown in the agitation of all three? How is it rendered more impressive by Abergavenny's questioning? What influence has Inglesant's refusal to answer, ll. 91, 102, 114, upon the impressiveness of the end, and acccording to what principle? 121. Observe that the answer is given in the fewest words possible,

The silence grew terrible. At last the King was able to 130 make a slight motion with his hand. Inglesant seized the opportunity, and, bowing to the ground, retired backward to the door. As he closed the door the King turned towards Abergavenny, but the room was empty. The King was left alone.

From JOHN INGLESANT.

the reader being already in possession of the story, and this one detail being all that is necessary to supply the key, so to say, of the whole. Does the scene that follows this revelation, ll. 122–135, need for its recounting any descriptive or heightened language? Why not?

135

XXI.

SIR WALTER SCOTT.

AN HISTORICAL INCIDENT RETOLD.

The following, from Fuller's "Worthies of England," is the source from which we get the well-known incident of Walter Raleigh and the cloak: —

"This Captain Raleigh coming out of Ireland to the English court in good habit (his clothes being then a considerable part of his estate) found the Queen walking, till, meeting with a plashy place, she seemed to scruple going thereon. Presently Raleigh cast and spread his new plush cloak on the ground; whereon the Queen trod gently, rewarding him afterwards with many suits, for his so free and seasonable tender of so fair a foot cloth. Thus an advantageous admission into the first notice of a prince is more than half a degree to preferment."

[Raleigh, Blount, and Tracy, who are in the service of the Earl of Sussex, are sent to propitiate Queen Elizabeth, whose displeasure the Earl has through Raleigh's agency incurred.]

"COME with me, Tracy, and come you too, Master Walter Wittypate, that art the cause of our having all this ado. Let us see if thy neat brain, that frames so many flashy fireworks, can help out a plain fellow at need with some of 5 thy shrewd devices."

The present Selection, besides being a well-constructed story in itself, exemplifies two important elements in the art of narration.

First, in exhibiting the use made, by an acknowledged master in his art, of a pre-existing material already known to us, it exhibits also what additions, accessories, and colorings are regarded as necessary to give artistic life to an original narrative-germ, whatever it is.

Secondly, it illustrates the important office that conversation holds in the structure of a narrative. It was a rule of a recent leading story

"Never fear, never fear," exclaimed the youth, "it is I will help you through - let me but fetch - let me but fetch my cloak."

"Why, thou hast it on thy shoulders," said Blount "the lad is mazed."

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"No, this is Tracy's old mantle," answered Walter; "I 10 go not with thee to court unless as a gentleman should.” "Why," said Blount, "thy braveries are like to dazzle eyes of none but some poor groom or porter."

the

writer that "no single word of conversation should ever be introduced which did not plainly either (1) develop the character speaking, or (2) forward the plot." These are at least the two main ends of conversation; and the present Selection will help us to see how they are subserved.

In the appended extract from Fuller, Raleigh is represented as "coming out of Ireland to the English court"; but in order to introduce him more naturally to Queen Elizabeth, and at the same time make him fill an important part in his story, Scott has represented him as temporarily in the service of the Earl of Sussex, one of the leading characters in the novel of Kenilworth.

A little before the beginning of this Selection Blount and Raleigh are thus described: "There was a remarkable contrast in their dress, appearance, and manners. The attire of the elderly gentleman, a person as it seemed of quality, and in the prime of life, was very plain and soldier-like, his stature low, his limbs stout, his bearing ungraceful, and his features of that kind which express sound common sense, without a grain of vivacity or imagination. The younger, who seemed about twenty, or upwards, was clad in the gayest habit used by persons of quality at the period, wearing a crimson velvet cloak richly ornamented with lace and embroidery, with a bonnet of the same, encircled with a gold chain turned three times round it, and secured by a medal. His hair was adjusted very nearly like that of some fine gentlemen of our own time, that is, it was combed upwards and made to stand as it were on end; and in his ears he wore a pair of silver ear-rings, having each a pearl of considerable size. The countenance of this youth, besides being regularly handsome and accompanied by a fine person, was animated and striking in a degree that seemed to speak at once the firmness