Waverley Novels (V. 12) (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: seated. I must work an interest in her, either through love ot through fear?and who knows but I may yet reap the sweetest and best revenge for her former scorn I?that were indeed a masterpiece of court-like art!?Let me but once be her counsel- keeper?let her confide to me a secret, did it but concern the robbery of a linnet's nest, and, fair Countess, thou art mine own !" He again paced the room in silence, stopped, filled and drank a cup of wine, as if to compose the agitation of his mind; and muttering, " Now for a close heart, and an open and unruffled brow," he left the apartment. CHAPTER SIXTH. The dews of summer night did fall, The moon, sweet regent of the sky, Silver'd the walls of Cumnor Hall, And many an oak that grew thereby. Miokle. Four apartments, which occupied the western side of the old quadrangle at Cumnor Place, had been fitted up with extraordinary splendour. This had been the work of several days prior to that on which our story opened. Workmen sent from London, and not permitted to leave the premises until the work was finished, had converted the apartments in that side of the building, from the dilapidated appearance of a dissolved monastic house, into the semblance of a royal palace. A mystery was observed in all these arrangements; the workmen came thither and returned by night, and all measures were taken to prevent the prying curiosity of the villagers from observing or speculating upon the changes which were taking place in the mansion of their once indigent, but now wealthy neighbour, Anthony Foster. Accordingly, the secrecy desired was so far preserved, that nothing got abroad but vague and uncertain reports, which were received and repeated, but without much credit being attached to them. On the evening of which we treat, the ne...