In truth, more than one party entered and traversed the Pleasance. But

they were in joyous groups of four or five persons together, laughing

and jesting in their own fullness of mirth and lightness of heart.

The retreat which she had chosen gave her the easy alternative of

avoiding observation. It was but stepping back to the farthest recess of

a grotto, ornamented with rustic work and moss-seats, and terminated by

a fountain, and she might easily remain concealed, or at her pleasure

discover herself to any solitary wanderer whose curiosity might lead

him to that romantic retirement. Anticipating such an opportunity, she

looked into the clear basin which the silent fountain held up to her

like a mirror, and felt shocked at her own appearance, and doubtful at;

the same time, muffled and disfigured as her disguise made her seem to

herself, whether any female (and it was from the compassion of her own

sex that she chiefly expected sympathy) would engage in conference with

so suspicious an object. Reasoning thus like a woman, to whom external

appearance is scarcely in any circumstances a matter of unimportance,

and like a beauty, who had some confidence in the power of her own

charms, she laid aside her travelling cloak and capotaine hat, and

placed them beside her, so that she could assume them in an instant, ere

one could penetrate from the entrance of the grotto to its extremity, in

case the intrusion of Varney or of Lambourne should render such disguise

necessary. The dress which she wore under these vestments was somewhat

of a theatrical cast, so as to suit the assumed personage of one of the

females who was to act in the pageant, Wayland had found the means

of arranging it thus upon the second day of their journey, having

experienced the service arising from the assumption of such a character

on the preceding day. The fountain, acting both as a mirror and ewer,

afforded Amy the means of a brief toilette, of which she availed herself

as hastily as possible; then took in her hand her small casket of

jewels, in case she might find them useful intercessors, and retiring to

the darkest and most sequestered nook, sat down on a seat of moss,

and awaited till fate should give her some chance of rescue, or of

propitiating an intercessor.




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