However, I
had not long to wait in this awkward predicament, for before my luggage
had been deposited in the house--indeed, before I had well removed my
cloak and other wraps, so as to enable me to look around--a young girl
ran lightly into the hall, and kissing me heartily, and somewhat
boisterously, exclaimed:

"My dear cousin, my dear Margaret, I am so delighted, so out of breath. We did not expect you till ten o'clock; my father is somewhere about the
place; he must be close at hand. James, Corney--run out and tell your
master--my brother is seldom at home, at least at any reasonable
hour--you must be so tired, so fatigued, let me show you to your room. See that Lady Margaret's luggage is all brought up, you must lie down
and rest yourself. Deborah, bring some coffee-- Up these stairs! We are
so delighted to see you, you cannot think how lonely I have been. How
steep these stairs are, are they not? I am so glad you are come; I could
hardly bring myself to believe that you were really coming; how good of
you, dear Lady Margaret." There was real good nature and delight in my cousin's greeting, and a
kind of constitutional confidence of manner which placed me at once at
ease, and made me feel immediately upon terms of intimacy with her. The
room into which she ushered me, although partaking in the general air of
decay which pervaded the mansion and all about it, had nevertheless been
fitted up with evident attention to comfort, and even with some dingy
attempt at luxury; but what pleased me most was that it opened, by a
second door, upon a lobby which communicated with my fair cousin's
apartment; a circumstance which divested the room, in my eyes, of the
air of solitude and sadness which would otherwise have characterized
it, to a degree almost painful to one so dejected in spirits as I was. After such arrangements as I found necessary were completed, we both
went down to the parlour, a large wainscoted room, hung round with grim
old portraits, and, as I was not sorry to see, containing in its ample
grate a large and cheerful fire. Here my cousin had leisure to talk more
at ease; and from her I learned something of the manners and the habits
of the two remaining members of her family, whom I had not yet seen. On my arrival I had known nothing of the family among whom I was come
to reside, except that it consisted of three individuals, my uncle,
and his son and daughter, Lady T----n having been long dead. In
addition to this very scanty stock of information, I shortly learned
from my communicative companion that my uncle was, as I had suspected,
completely reserved in his habits, and besides that, having been
so far back as she could well recollect, always rather strict (as
reformed rakes frequently become), he had latterly been growing more
gloomily and sternly religious than heretofore. Her account of her brother was far less favourable, though she did not
say anything directly to his disadvantage. From all that I could gather
from her, I was led to suppose that he was a specimen of the idle,
coarse-mannered, profligate, low-minded "squire-archy"--a result which
might naturally have flowed from the circumstance of his being, as it
were, outlawed from society, and driven for companionship to grades
below his own; enjoying, too, the dangerous prerogative of spending much
money. However, you may easily suppose that I found nothing in my cousin's
communication fully to bear me out in so very decided a conclusion. I awaited the arrival of my uncle, which was every moment to be
expected, with feelings half of alarm, half of curiosity--a sensation
which I have often since experienced, though to a less degree, when upon
the point of standing for the first time in the presence of one of whom
I have long been in the habit of hearing or thinking with interest. It was, therefore, with some little perturbation that I heard, first a
light bustle at the outer door, then a slow step traverse the hall, and
finally witnessed the door open, and my uncle enter the room. He was a
striking-looking man; from peculiarities both of person and of garb, the
whole effect of his appearance amounted to extreme singularity. He was
tall, and when young his figure must have been strikingly elegant; as it
was, however, its effect was marred by a very decided stoop. His dress
was of a sober colour, and in fashion anterior to anything which I could
remember. It was, however, handsome, and by no means carelessly put on. But what completed the singularity of his appearance was his uncut
white hair, which hung in long, but not at all neglected curls, even
so far as his shoulders, and which combined with his regularly classic
features and fine dark eyes, to bestow upon him an air of venerable
dignity and pride which I have never seen equalled elsewhere. I rose as
he entered, and met him about the middle of the room; he kissed my cheek
and both my hands, saying:

"You are most welcome, dear child, as welcome as the command of this
poor place and all that it contains can make you. I am most rejoiced to
see you--truly rejoiced. I trust that you are not much fatigued--pray
be seated again." He led me to my chair, and continued: "I am glad to
perceive you have made acquaintance with Emily already; I see, in your
being thus brought together, the foundation of a lasting friendship. You
are both innocent, and both young. God bless you--God bless you, and
make you all that I could wish!" [Illustration: I ROSE AS HE ENTERED.] He raised his eyes, and remained for a few moments silent, as if in
secret prayer. I felt that it was impossible that this man, with
feelings so quick, so warm, so tender, could be the wretch that public
opinion had represented him to be. I was more than ever convinced of his
innocence. His manner was, or appeared to me, most fascinating; there was a mingled
kindness and courtesy in it which seemed to speak benevolence itself. It
was a manner which I felt cold art could never have taught; it owed most
of its charm to its appearing to emanate directly from the heart; it
must be a genuine index of the owner's mind. So I thought. My uncle having given me fully to understand that I was most welcome,
and might command whatever was his own, pressed me to take some
refreshment; and on my refusing, he observed that previously to bidding
me good-night, he had one duty further to perform, one in whose
observance he was convinced I would cheerfully acquiesce. He then proceeded to read a chapter from the Bible; after which he took
his leave with the same affectionate kindness with which he had greeted
me, having repeated his desire that I should consider everything in his
house as altogether at my disposal. It is needless to say that I was
much pleased with my uncle--it was impossible to avoid being so; and I
could not help saying to myself, if such a man as this is not safe from
the assaults of slander, who is?