The day after Mr Glowry’s departure was one of incessant rain, and Scythrop repented of the promise he had given. The next day was one of bright sunshine: he sat on the terrace, read a tragedy of Sophocles, and was not sorry, when Raven announced dinner, to find himself alive. On the third evening, the wind blew, and the rain beat, and the owl flapped against his windows; and he put a new flint in his pistol. On the fourth day, the sun shone again; and he locked the pistol up in a drawer, where he left it undisturbed, till the morning of the eventful Thursday, when he ascended the turret with a telescope, and spied anxiously along the road that crossed the fens from Claydyke: but nothing appeared on it. He watched in this manner from ten A.M. till Raven summoned him to dinner at five; when he stationed Crow at the telescope, and descended to his own funeral-feast. He left open the communications between the tower and turret, and called aloud at intervals to Crow — ‘Crow, Crow, is any thing coming?’ Crow answered, ‘The wind blows, and the windmills turn, but I see nothing coming;’ and, at every answer, Scythrop found the necessity of raising his spirits with a bumper. After dinner, he gave Raven his watch to set by the abbey clock. Raven brought it, Scythrop placed it on the table, and Raven departed. Scythrop called again to Crow; and Crow, who had fallen asleep, answered mechanically, ‘I see nothing coming.’ Scythrop laid his pistol between his watch and his bottle. The hour-hand passed the VII. — the minute-hand moved on; — it was within three minutes of the appointed time. Scythrop called again to Crow: Crow answered as before. Scythrop rang the bell: Raven appeared.

‘Raven,’ said Scythrop, ‘the clock is too fast.’

‘No, indeed,’ said Raven, who knew nothing of Scythrop’s intentions; ‘if any thing, it is too slow.’

‘Villain!’ said Scythrop, pointing the pistol at him; ‘it is too fast.’

‘Yes — yes — too fast, I meant,’ said Raven, in manifest fear.

‘How much too fast?’ said Scythrop.

‘As much as you please,’ said Raven.

‘How much, I say?’ said Scythrop, pointing the pistol again.

‘An hour, a full hour, sir,’ said the terrified butler.

‘Put back my watch,’ said Scythrop.

Raven, with trembling hand, was putting back the watch, when the rattle of wheels was heard in the court; and Scythrop, springing down the stairs by three steps together, was at the door in sufficient time to have handed either of the young ladies from the carriage, if she had happened to be in it; but Mr Glowry was alone.

‘I rejoice to see you,’ said Mr Glowry; ‘I was fearful of being too late, for I waited till the last moment in the hope of accomplishing my promise; but all my endeavours have been vain, as these letters will show.’

Scythrop imp............