great virtues; and in the brisk moisture of his early salute the village

in the vale looked lovely. For a silvery mist was flushed with rose,

like a bridal veil warmed by the blushes of the bride, and the curves of

the land, like a dewy palm leaf, shone and sank alternate.

"What a rare blaze they will make!" continued Carne, as the sunlight

glanced along the russet thatch, and the blue smoke arose from the

earliest chimney. "Every cottage there shall be a bonfire, because it

has cast off allegiance to me. The whole race of Darling will be at my

mercy--the pompous old Admiral, who refused to call on me till his idiot

of a son persuaded him--that wretched poetaster, who reduced me to the

ignominy of reading his own rubbish to him--and the haughty young woman

that worships a savage who has treated me with insult. I have them all

now in the hollow of my hand, and a thorough good crumpling is prepared

for them. The first house to burn shall be Zebedee Tugwell's, that

conceited old dolt of a fishing fellow, who gives me a nod of suspicion,

instead of pulling off his dirty hat to me. Then we blow up the church,

and old Twemlow's house, and the Admiral's, when we have done with it.

The fishing-fleet, as they call their wretched tubs, will come home,

with the usual fuss, to-night, and on Monday it shall be ashes. How like

you my programme? Is it complete?"

"Too much, too much complete; too barbarous," answered the kindly

hearted Frenchman. "What harm have all the poor men done to you? And

what insanity to provoke enemies of the people all around who would

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