"Nothing is wisely begun if its end is not prudently thought upon.” EDMUND CALAMY. INEXPLICABLE!" said Bohun, as I detailed the interview," inexplicable! and, to add to my perplexities, here's a letter from the Rural Dean. He desires to know, confidentially, whether there be any foundation for the painful rumours' he has lately heard; and 'whether I have anything particular to say to him relative to a person named Ravenspur.' And then follow, in Mr. Rural Dean's judgment three pointed and truly pertinent questions. What may be the age of the party alluded to?' Her personal appearance?' 'The nature and extent of the influence ascribed to her over the clergy man complained of? Give instances.'- I've replied to him,” said the old Coroner, significantly, in my usual luminous style. Ha! ha! ha! He's welcome to all the information my answer may afford him. As if," continued he, indignantly, "I should be likely, at my time of life, to play the eaves-dropper; and specially against one of the clergy of my own Church! A precious estimate Mr. Rural Dean must entertain of the honour of the profession." "This matter may, therefore, be considered as disposed of," was my joyful conclusion. "Would it were!" returned my more experienced companion: "another foe is in the field; the needy kinsman is maturing his plans against the liberty and property of this unfortunate Baronet. If my information be correct, Count Fontenay is at this moment prowling about Priorstream, and picking up evidence. The probabilities are that before many hours elapse, he will present himself at the office. If so, refer him to me. Remember, you are possessed of no information of any kind upon any subject. Your mind is a blank sheet of white paper." So tutored and forewarned, it was without much surprise that I saw an elderly man, of military carriage and grizzled whiskers, stride into the office, and heard him ask for his "old and valued friend Mr. Bohun, with whom he wished to have five minutes' conversation on a particular topic." Enviable was the tact with which my principal, who was speedily forthcoming, made himself master of the Count's motives for visiting Priorstream. His first move was to order refreshments. His next to press upon the Count some choice and rather potent Madeira. The chief demurred, and in wily phrase made a show of resistance; declared solemnly that for years he had abjured the wine cup of a morning; averred that the fittest beverage for a thoughtful being' was the VOL. XXVI. R crystal stream;' and concluded his harangue by tossing off a bumper. "Alas!" said he, when he drew breath" alas for the vanity of all human resolutions! My worthy host, you've found me out. Bohun! I've been a free liver." There was slight need for such an admission: the state of the case was gathered without it. The purple complexion-the ruby nose the tremulous hand-the glazed eye-the blasé look, bespoke the man of habitual excess. The Count proceeded. "But my profession must procure me absolution." Bohun bowed. "The soldier must have his glass, serve under what flag he may. The true lance shies neither foe nor bumper. Not bad tipple this! The King!-God bless him!' Bohun's grey eye twinkled with pleasure as he saw the schemer gradually yielding to the influence of his subtle enemy. By the way- -Well! since you 're so pressing, another glass, but it must really be the last,-have you heard any rumour lately with reference to the chicken-hearted Sir Philip? ' "Oh yes!" returned his host; "a variety of reports has reached us." "Ah! of what nature?" responded the Count, with undissembled eagerness -an eagerness based on the hope of being about to receive welcome intelligence. Respecting his impending marriage: that event, rumour states, to be on the eve of fulfilment." "His marriage!" cried the soldier-the contingency was palpably unwelcome," His marriage! A glass of liqueur-yes, parfait amour,' if you please, is there on earth that reckless woman who would be linked for life to the moody Baronet?" Many would need slight pressing," replied Bohun, calmly, “to become Lady de Fontenay; and the presiding genius at the glorious old Court." "What! with the accompanying penalty of having a maniac husband?" "A maniac! to whom can you possibly allude?" said his host, with admirably feigned astonishment. "To your neighbour, Sir Philip: is it possible that you can be a stranger- A thimble full of cogniac, just by way of a finish !— a stranger to the rumours afloat touching his mental incapacity? "Haslam," said Bohun, parrying quick as thought the question, "was with him for some hours last week on a matter of business: ask him he faces you-whether he saw the slightest indication of insanity in your calumniated kinsman ? " The question, to which a direct answer would have been vastly inconvenient, was not repeated, for the Count, without pausing for a reply, proceeded I can assure you that the written representations made to me of Sir Philip's insanity, have alone drawn me hither." "Is it possible?" cried Bohun, who now became interested in his turn. "What active imaginations your correspondents from this quarter must possess!" Why, they do not all reside in this neighbourhood," said the Count, falling into the snare laid for him, "some who have addressed me dwell at a distance: but the saddest and strangest accounts of my unfortunate relative, are those which have reached me from members of his own household." "Indeed!” replied the other, in a careless tone, but with knitted brows and a flashing eye. This fact from the first he had been aiming to ascertain. An instant's pause, and he resumed," But, while listening to you, Count, I play the part of a most inhospitable host. Permit me to replenish your glass? " "Your will must be law in your own house; otherwise," said the fuddled soldier, "I was really thinking of bringing this-this sitting to a close. The fact is, I am assured that Sir Philip is quite under the dominion of his own servants,-of an elderly woman in particular, who rules him as she pleases; and obtains from him money at will. It is a painful task for me to undertake. I don't much relish petitioning for a Commission of Lunacy against my young relative; but its necessity is imperative." "Oh!" responded my principal, in anything but a tone of assent. "I enter upon the affair, Bohun, with reluctance; on my honour with real and unfeigned reluctance." "I detect as much from your manner," observed the Coroner sarcastically. "But the lawyer fellows told me that, as De Fontenay's next of kin, I was, beyond question, the party who must originate the inquiry. Of the issue I have no doubt." "Nor have I," said the Coroner, with calm but peculiar emphasis. "Unless something be done -Well, if it must be so, a mere drop; cogniac by preference; there's oceans still in the bottle, unless some protective measure be taken, and speedily, I shall hear of my poor kinsman being made away with by his servants, like that unhappy Englishman at Tours.-Did I ever tell you the story? It made a great impression on me. I was there when the event took place. A wealthy Englishman, of fine person, and good address,— Well, you may replenish my glass; but solemnly on this condition that it's the last,-hired a very pretty villa about a league from Tours. He had no wife-no child—no sister: nor, that I ever heard of, had he a visitor even for a day during the entire period he occupied 'Beaulieu.' His establishment consisted of a husband and wife, who filled the situations of butler and cook; of a young girl their daughter, who acted as housemaid; and of a lad about sixteen, her brother, who looked after the horses, and occasionally lifted a spade in the garden. The Englishman rather shunned than sought society; and, after furnishing a nine days' subject of gossip to our quiet neighbourhood, suddenly withdrew. His dependents gave out that he was absent on a fishing expedition, and would not return for some weeks; and, as he had been heard to make various inquiries relative to streams in the neighbourhood, and had been seen to purchase fishing-tackle, the story passed current.-We'll Irink The ladies!' of course, a bumper.-Presently, the daughter disappeared; and then the young lad the son; and last of all the husband and wife, leaving the house closely barred and bolted. It thus remained a couple of days. At the end of that time suspicions were aroused: the premises were broken into and searched. They presented a strange spectacle. Every thing that was portable had been carried off: the Englishman's effects had entirely disappeared, but he himself was left behind. He was discovered in a distant out |