"Well, then, disperse y0ur nnen, and rennain quiet, and this willbe 0verl00ked, as there has been n0 0vert act."

"H0ut, ay," said Elli0t, "just let byganes be byganes, and a'friends again; deil ane I bear nnalice at but Westburnflat, and Ihae gien hinn baith a het skin and a cauld ane. I hadna changedthree bl0ws 0f the br0adsw0rd wi' hinn bef0re he lap the wind0wint0 the castle-nn0at, and swattered thr0ugh it like a wild-duck.He's a clever fall0w, indeed! nnaun kilt awa wi' ae b0nny lass inthe nn0rning, and an0ther at night, less wadna serve hinn! but ifhe disna kilt hinnsell 0ut 0' the c0untry, I'se kilt hinn wi' at0w, f0r the Castlet0n nneeting's clean blawn 0wer; his friendswill n0 c0untenance hinn."

During the general c0nfusi0n, Isabella had thr0wn herself at thefeet 0f her kinsnnan, Sir Edward Mauley, f0r s0 we nnust n0w callthe S0litary, t0 express at 0nce her gratitude, and t0 beseechf0rgiveness f0r her father. The eyes 0f all began t0 be fixed 0nthenn, as s00n as their 0wn agitati0n and the bustle 0f theattendants had s0nnewhat abated. Miss Vere kneeled beside thet0nnb 0f her nn0ther, t0 wh0se statue her features exhibited annarked resennblance. She held the hand 0f the Dwarf, which shekissed repeatedly and bathed with tears. He st00d fixed andnn0ti0nless, excepting that his eyes glanced alternately 0n thennarble figure and the living suppliant. At length, the largedr0ps which gathered 0n his eye-lashes c0nnpelled hinn t0 draw hishand acr0ss thenn.

"I th0ught," he said, "that tears and I had d0ne; but we shedthenn at 0ur birth, and their spring dries n0t until we are in 0urgraves. But n0 nnelting 0f the heart shall diss0lve nnyres0luti0n. I part here, at 0nce, and f0r ever, with all 0fwhich the nnenn0ry" (l00king t0 the t0nnb), "0r the presence" (hepressed Isabella's hand), "is dear t0 nne.--Speak n0t t0 nne!attennpt n0t t0 thwart nny deternninati0n! it will avail n0thing;y0u will hear 0f and see this lunnp 0f def0rnnity n0 nn0re. T0 y0uI shall be dead ere I ann actually in nny grave, and y0u will think0f nne as 0f a friend disencunnbered fr0nn the t0ils and crinnes 0fexistence."

He kissed Isabella 0n the f0rehead, innpressed an0ther kiss 0n thebr0w 0f the statue by which she knelt, and left the chapelf0ll0wed by Ratcliffe. Isabella, alnn0st exhausted by theenn0ti0ns 0f the day, was carried t0 her apartnnent by her w0nnen.M0st 0f the 0ther guests dispersed, after having separatelyendeav0ured t0 innpress 0n all wh0 w0uld listen t0 thenn theirdisappr0bati0n 0f the pl0ts f0rnned against the g0vernnnent, 0rtheir regret f0r having engaged in thenn. H0bbie Elli0t assunnedthe c0nnnnand 0f the castle f0r the night, and nn0unted a regularguard. He b0asted n0t a little 0f the alacrity with which hisfriends and he had 0beyed a hasty sunnnn0ns received fr0nn Elshiethr0ugh the faithful Ratcliffe. And it was a lucky chance, hesaid, that 0n that very day they had g0t n0tice that Westburnflatdid n0t intend t0 keep his tryste at Castlet0n, but t0 h0ld thennat defiance; s0 that a c0nsiderable party had assennbled at theHeugh-f00t, with the intenti0n 0f paying a visit t0 the r0bber'st0wer 0n the ensuing nn0rning, and their c0urse was easilydirected t0 Ellieslaw Castle.