“Oh did you behold her?—did you see my poor deluded Elinor?” cried Sir Everard, riding up to Calantha, as she still gazed from the open carriage upon the procession: “did you see my unfortunate girls?” “I did, indeed,” said Lady Avondale, the tears springing into her eyes: “I saw them and stopped; for it occurred to me, that, perhaps, I might speak to them—might yet save them.” “And would you have condescended so much? Oh! this is more than I dared ask or hope.” Saying which, the Doctor wept, as was his custom, and Buchanan laughed. “You are so good,” continued he: “you were in tears when you saw your former playmates disgracing themselves, and their sex, but in the rest of the carriages I heard nothing but jesting, and loud laughter. And oh! would you credit it, can you believe it, Lady St. Clare had the audacity to drop me a courtesy as she passed.” “Was the tall young man, who was walking by the side of Elinor, Cyrel Linden?” “It was the same,” cried the Doctor—“gone mad like the rest, though they tell me it is all for the love of Miss Alice; and that since her loss, he is grown desperate, and cares not what becomes of him. They’ll be hanged, however; that is one consolation—Lady St. Clare, as well as the rest. Indeed,” cried he, drawing closer, “I am credibly informed that the officers of justice have an eye upon them, and wait only to obtain further evidence of their treasonable practices, to take them up.” During this discourse, the carriage drove slowly up the hill; but soon proceeding at a brisker pace, the doctor was obliged to draw in his steed and retire. The party now entered the park. CHAPTER III. Belfont Abbey and St. Alvin’s ruined Priory appeared in view. The ivy climbed around the turrets; and the grass grew upon the paved courts, where desolation and long neglect prevailed. At a distance from the convent, a ruin, a lonely pile stood upon the cliff in solitary grandeur. Not a tree, nor any appearance of cultivation was seen around: barren moors, the distant mountains, and the vast ocean, every where filled the eye. The servants rang at the bell of the outer gate: it resounded through the vaulted passages with a long repeated echo.—A boy immediately answered the summons: with a look of stupid astonishment, he waited in expectation of their commands.