’Lord Cadurcis, this childish nonsense must cease; it has already endangered the life of your mother, nor can I answer for her safety, if you lose a moment in returning.’

‘Child, you must return,’ said Morgana.

‘Child!’ said Plantagenet, and he walked some steps away, and leant against a tree.  ‘You promised that I should remain,’ said he, addressing himself reproachfully to Morgana.

‘You are not your own master,’ said the gipsy; ’your remaining here will only endanger and disturb us.  Fortunately we have nothing to fear from laws we have never outraged; but had there been a judge less wise and gentle than the master here, our peaceful family might have been all harassed and hunted to the very death.’

He waved his hand, and addressed some words to his tribe, whereupon two brawny fellows seized Cadurcis, and placed him again, in spite of his struggling, upon his pony, with the same irresistible facility with which they had a few nights before dismounted him.  The little lord looked very sulky, but his position was beginning to get ludicrous.  Morgana, pocketing his five guineas, leaped over the side of the cart, and offered to guide the Doctor and his attendants through the forest.  They moved on accordingly.  It was the work of an instant, and Cadurcis suddenly found himself returning home between the Rector and Peter.  Not a word, however, escaped his lips; once only he moved; the light branch of a tree, aimed with delicate precision, touched his back; he looked round; it was Beruna.  She kissed her hand to him, and a tear stole down his pale, sullen cheek, as, taking from his breast his handkerchief, he threw it behind him, unperceived, that she might pick it up, and keep it for his sake.

After proceeding two or three miles under the guidance of Morgana, the equestrians gained the road, though it still ran through the forest.  Here the Doctor dismissed the gipsy-man, with whom he had occasionally conversed during their progress; but not a sound ever escaped from the mouth of Cadurcis, or rather, the captive, who was now substituted in Morgana’s stead.  The Doctor, now addressing himself to Plantagenet, informed him that it was of importance that they should make the best of their way, and so he put spurs to his mare, and Cadurcis sullenly complied with the intimation.  At this rate, in the course of little more than another hour, they arrived in sight of the demesne of Cadurcis, where they pulled up their steeds.

They entered the park, they approached the portal of the abbey; at length they dismounted.  Their coming was announced by a servant, who had recognised his lord at a distance, and had ran on before with the tidings.  When they entered the abbey, they were met by Lady Annabel in the cloisters; her countenance was very serious.  She shook hands with Dr. Masham, but did not speak, and immediately led him aside.  Cadurcis remained standing in the very spot where Doctor Masham left him, as if he were quite a stranger in the place, and was no longer master of his own conduct.  Suddenly Doctor Masham, who was at the end of the cloister, while Lady Annabel was mounting the staircase, looked round with a pale face, and said in an agitated voice, ’Lord Cadurcis, Lady Annabel wishes to speak to you in the saloon.’