They followed a narrow winding path through rocky and sylvan hills. They walked in straggling parties of ones, twos, and threes. Mr. Forester and Anthelia went first. Sir Oran Haut-ton followed alone, playing a pensive tune on his flute. Sir Telegraph Paxarett walked between his aunt and cousin, the Honourable Mrs. Pinmoney and Miss Danaretta. Mr. Hippy, in a melancholy vein, brought up the rear with Mr. Fax. A very beautiful child which had sat on the old gentleman’s knee, at the inn where they breakfasted, had thrown him, not for the first time on a similar occasion, into a fit of dismal repentance that he had not one of his own: he stalked along accordingly, with a most ruefully lengthened aspect, uttering every now and then a deep-drawn sigh. Mr. Fax in philosophic sympathy determined to console him, by pointing out to him the true nature and tendency of the principle of population, and the enormous evils resulting from the multiplication of the human species: observing that the only true criterion of the happiness of a nation was to be found in the number of its old maids and bachelors, whom he venerated as the sources and symbols of prosperity and peace. Poor Mr. Hippy walked on sighing and groaning, deaf as the adder to the voice of the charmer: for, in spite of all the eloquence of the antipopulationist, the image of the beautiful child which he had danced on his knee continued to haunt his imagination, and threatened him with the blue devils for the rest of the day. ‘I see,’ said Sir Telegraph to Mrs. Pinmoney, ‘my hopes are at an end. Forester is the happy man, though I am by no means sure that he knows it himself.’ ‘Impossible,’ said Mrs. Pinmoney; ‘Anthelia may be amused a little while with his rhapsodies, but nothing more, believe me. The man is out of his mind. Do you know, I heard him say the other day, “that not a shilling of his property was his own, that it was a portion of the general possession of human society, of which the distribution had devolved upon him: and that for the mode of that distribution he was most rigidly responsible to the principles of immutable justice.” If such a mode of talking——’ ‘And acting too,’ said Sir Telegraph; ‘for I assure you he quadrates his practice as nearly as he can to his theory.’ ‘Monstrous!’ said Mrs. Pinmoney, ‘what would our reverend friend, poor dear Doctor Bosky, say to him? But if such a way of talking and acting be the way to win a young heiress, I shall think the whole world is turned topsy-turvy.’ ‘Your remark would be just,’ said Sir Telegraph, ‘were that young heiress any other than Anthelia Melincourt.’ ‘Well,’ said Mrs. Pinmoney, ‘there are maidens in Scotland more lovely by far——’ ‘That I deny,’ said Sir Telegraph. ‘Who will gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar,’ proceeded Mrs. Pinmoney. ‘That will not do,’ said Sir Telegraph: ‘I shall resign with the best grace I can muster to a more favoured candidate, but I shall never think of another choice.’