community assumed the same tone, or showed the same spirit--and the vehement and forcible language, more refined than their own, the utterance of a gentleman, which Horace had acquired involuntarily, the arrogant sentiments he expressed, the unconcealed consciousness of superiority which belonged to him, united to impose a certain allegiance upon the inexperienced minds, which found him unique and singular, the sole development known to them of a kind of intelligence and a manner of man widely differing from their own. But this night everything was changed. The landlady of the inn, amazed into a flutter of perturbation, appeared herself, at the astounding information that young Mr. Horry, as he was called, had arrived with a gentleman. The good woman supposed it must be his mysterious father, and hastened with all the speed of curiosity to receive them--but lost in amazement to find "the gentleman" a stranger, who required the best accommodation of her house for a few days, and desired to dine as soon as that was practicable--found it only possible to curtsey and retire, more curious than ever, without being able to show her previous acquaintance and familiarity with Mr. Horry, who turned his face with an arrogant blank of unrecognition full upon her, and added to his uncle's orders a request that some one might be sent to Marchmain immediately for the carpet-bag. "Something's agoing to happen," said the landlady, as she returned to her own domain. "A strange gentleman as wants the best o' everything--an ould sodger lord with musstaches--egh, lad!--a lord I'll warrant, at the very least o' him--and I'll lay you a sixpence he's coom to set a' things straight; for yonder's Mr. Horry, he looks me in the face as broad as I look at you, and says, says he, 'Send a man to Marchmain for a carpet-bag immediantly,' as if he never set eyes on me in his born days afore. Like him! I would ne'er goo starving to his door in hopes o' meat."