CHAPTER XI. There's something in that ancient superstition, The spring that, with its thousand crystal bubbles, Old Play. YOUNG Halbert Glendinning had scarcely pronounced the mystical rhymes than, as we have mentioned in the conclusion of the last chapter, an appearance, as of a beautiful female, dressed in white, stood within two yards of him. His terror, for the moment, overcame his natural courage, as well as the strong resolution which he had formed, that the figure which he had now twice seen should not a third time daunt him. But it would seem there is something thrilling and abhorrent to flesh and blood, in the consciousness that we stand in presence of a being in form like to ourselves, but so different in faculties and nature, that we can neither understand its purposes, nor calculate its means of pursuing them. Halbert stood silent and gasped for breath, his hairs erecting themselves on his head--his mouth open-his eyes fixed-and, as the sole remaining sign of his late determined purpose, his sword pointed towards the apparition. At length, with a voice of ineffable sweetness, the White Lady, for by that name we shall distinguish this being, sung or rather chanted, the following lines : "Youth of the dark eye, wherefore did'st thou call me ? Wherefore art thou here, if terrors can appal thee? He that seeks to deal with us must know nor fear nor failing, To coward and churl our speech is dark, our gifts are unavailing. The breeze that brought me hither now, must sweep Egyptian ground, The fleecy cloud on which I ride for Araby is bound; The fleecy cloud is drifting by, the breeze sighs for my stay, For I must sail a thousand miles before the close of day." The astonishment of Halbert began once more to give way to his resolution, and he gained voice enough to say, though with a faltering accent, “In the name of God, what art thou?" The answer was in melody of a different tone and measure. "What I am I must not show What I am thou could'st not know- Aping in fantastic fashion Every change of human passion, While o'er our frozen minds they pass, Like shadows from the mirror'd glass. Wayward, fickle is our mood, Hovering betwixt bad and good, Happier than brief-dated man, This is all that thou may'st know." The White Lady paused, and seemed to await an answer; but, as Halbert hesitated how to frame his speech, the vision seemed gradually to fade, and become more and more incorporeal. Justly guessing this to be a symptom of her disappearance, Halbert compelled himself to say," Lady, when I saw you in the glen, and when you brought back the black book of Mary of Avenel, thou didst say I should one day learn to read it. The White Lady replied, "Ay! and I taught thee the word and the spell, But thou hast loved the heron and hawk, And thou hast loved the lance and the sword, "I will do so no longer, fair maiden," said Halbert: "I desire to learn; and thou didst promise me, that when I did so desire, thou wouldst be my helper; i am no longer afraid of thy presence, and I am no longer regardless of instruction." As he uttered these words, the figure of the White Maiden grew gradually as distinct as it had been at first; and what had well nigh faded into an ill-defined and colourless shadow, again assumed an appearance at least of corporeal consistency, although the hues were less vivid, and the outline of the figure less distinct and defined, so at least it seemed to Halbert,-than those of an ordinary inhabitant of the earth. "Wilt thou grant my request," he said, "fair Lady, and give to my keeping the holy book which Mary of Avenel has so often wept for ?" The White Lady replied, "Thy craven fear my truth accused, He that draws to harbour late, Must sleep without, or burst the gate. Can bring thee back the chance that's flown." "If I have been a loiterer, Lady," answered young Glendinning, "thou shalt now find me willing to press forward with double speed. Other thoughts have filled my mind, other thoughts have engaged my heart within a brief period-and by heaven, other occupations shall henceforward fill up my time. I have lived in this day the space of years -I came hither a boy-I will return a man—a man, such as may converse not only with his own kind, but with whatever God permits to be visible to him. I will learn the contents of that mysterious volumeI will learn why the Lady of Avenel loved it-why the priests feared, and would have stolen it-why thou didst twice recover it from their hands.-What mystery is wrapt in it?-Speak, I conjure thee." The Lady assumed an air peculiarly sad and solemn, as, drooping her head, and folding her arms on her bosom, she replied; "Within that awful volume lies "Give me the volume, Lady," said young Glendinning. "They call me idle-they call me dullin this pursuit my industry shall not fail; nor, with God's blessing, shall my understanding. Give me the volume." The apparition again replied : "Many a fathom dark and deep The sacred pledge of Heaven All things revere, Each in his sphere, Save man for whom 'twas given : Halbert Glendinning boldly reached his hand to the White Lady. "Fearest thou to go with me?" she said, as his hand trembled at the soft and cold touch of her own 66 "Fearest thou to go with me? A peasant to dwell; Thou may'st drive the dull steer, This haunted well." "If what thou sayest be true," said the undaunted boy, Imy destinies are higher than thine own. There shall be neither well nor wood which I dare not visit. No fear of aught, natural or supernatural, shall bar my path through my native valley." He had scarce uttered the words, when they both descended through the earth, with a rapidity which took away Halbert's breath and every other sensation, saving that of being hurried on with the utmost velocity. At length they stopped with a shock to sudden, that the mortal journeyer through this unknown |