The King's Highway

egree from that which follows and that which goes before, but yet each united, in its own several parts, by some str

h man is a drama, with the events thereof divided into separate scenes, the scenes gathered into grand acts, and the acts all tending to the

d with the words which we have just said were spoken by hi

iming, "Surely I am not mistaken-Sir John Fenwick, I believe." The stranger pulled off his hat and bowed low. "The same, your grac

ing him warmly by the hand; "and how is your fair wife, my L

John Fenwick, "all well. This, I pre

as a child, Sir John. But pray, Sir John, introduce us to your

Fenwick: "we are but the companions of the last

some slight awkwardness in introducing himself upon the present occasion. He accordingly merely gave his name, expressing how much happines

lly contrasted his fine and lofty appearance, handsome dress, and distinguished manners, with the somewh

t worth anybody's while to search, it would be

s now upon your way to London. But how is this,

ke," he said, "that I am obliged to absent myself, but not without permission. The illness of my best friend, the Ea

ght be the cause of your absence from Alma Mater, we have much to thank that cause for your gallant assistance-especially my poor girl here. Let me shake hands with you-and now we must think of what is to

was not the Earl of Sunderland, of whom

There I intended to sleep to-night, and most probably my young friend, too, for his horse seems as tired as mine. If your grace will follow my advice, you would wa

s. "We sent forward the other carriage about three hours before us,

e inn, conversing as he went with the Knight. His daughter followed with Wilton Brown by her side; and for a moment or two they went on in silence; but at length s

nt. "It is very foolish, I believe," she said, in a low, sweet voice, "and you will think me a terrible coward, I am a

o any one was habitual to him-and yet, at the same time, there was joined to the high tone of demeanour a sort of freshness of ideas, a picturesqueness of language and of thought, which were very captivating, even when employed upon ordinary subjects. It is an art-perhaps I might almost call it a faculty-of minds like his, insensibly and naturally to lead

hour, seemed to her own feelings as well acquainted with him as if she had known him for years, an

d to him, he retired thither, with the humbly bowing host, to issue his own orders regarding their provision. The larder of the inn, however, proved to be miraculously well stocked; the landlord declared that no town in Burgundy, no, nor Bordeaux itself, could excel the wine that he would produce; and while the servants with messengers from th

d that she was a very pretty girl; and as they had walked along to the inn, she had shown so little of the manner and consciousness of a professed beauty, that he had not even suspected she might be more than he had first imagined. When he saw her now, however, in the full light, he was, as we have said, struck with surprise by the vision of radiant lo

e eyes of the Duke and his fair daughter. The evening, which had begun with two of the party so inauspiciously, passed over lightly and gaily; and after supper, Wilton rose to retire to rest, with a

tood a step behind him, was a tall, broad-shouldered, powerful man, dressed in a good suit of green broad cloth, laced with gold. His face was to the fire, and his back to Wilton, and he did not turn or look ro

he went near the window, he saw that it looked into a pretty garden laid out in the old English style. That garden, however, was already tenanted by two persons apparently deep in earne

e end of the garden. Something that he there saw puzzled and surprised him: the appearance of the stranger in green seemed more familiar to him than it could have become by the casual glance he had obtained of it in the inn kitchen; and he be

th thieves, or at best with the companions of thieves? This was a question which Wilton could no ways solve; and after having teased himself for some time therewith, he at length descended to the little parlour of the inn, and ordered his horse to be brought round as speedily as possible. He felt in his own bosom, indeed, some inclination to wait for an hour or two

ed by enemies, or pursuing a fox, would urge his horse at a rapid rate; and as Wilton Brown was slowly climbing one of the fir

s soon as he had reached him: "we are riding along the same road, I find, and may as

sion at a word, which, strangely enough, is sometimes a talent of the lowest and meanest order of frivolous intellects,

gs though, sad doings: you knocked that fellow down smartly-a neat blow, as I

me," answered Wilton: "you seemed to have bee

I am not conservator of the King's Highway; and, for my part, it should always be open for g

his companion at all-"there is such a thing as tak

d I have taken that came out of the good Duke's pocket, had it been to save me from starving. I take no money from any but an enemy; and when we cannot carry on the war wit

ch better not to talk to me any more upon such subjects. By so doing, you run a needless risk yourself, and can do neithe

r; "but it was needless

on, "I do not rememb

day week. You were going down the High-street in your cap and gown, and you saw some

heek, as he remembered the little circumstance to

ee. Man's closet acts are for his own heart and God's eye; man's public deeds are paintings for the world. However, I was pleased, as I have said, and I have seen more things of you also that have pleased me well. You saw me, pa

d, "I should much like to know what it was first induced you to take any

road shoulders and a soldier-like air, is worth looking after in these times of war and trouble. But the truth is, I kno

Brown, turning sharply upon the st

or not. However, some day I will do what I have said, if I can get leave; and now

oment," said Wilton, che

you, or to se

not!-Nevertheless, in case you should need it, you can ask for me at th

?" said Wilton, seeing th

well keep the complexion of my good friend, the Dragon, in countenance. So you wont forget, it is Mister Green, at the Green Dra

fter he had gone about a couple of hundred yards, Wilton saw him stop and pause, as if thoughtfully, for a minut

s companions on his onward way. Fortunately, however, his horse was not troubled in the same manner; and about five minutes before the hour he had proposed to himself, Wilton was standing before the house of the Earl in St. James's-square. The servants