The time at length arrived when he was to perform what was then thought
a long and somewhat perilous journey, to the mansion of the early friend
who had calculated his nativity. His road lay through several places of
interest, and he enjoyed the amusement of travelling more than he
himself thought would have been possible. Thus he did not reach the
place of his destination till noon, on the day preceding his birthday.
It seemed as if he had been carried away with an unwonted tide of
pleasurable sensation, so as to forget, in some degree, what his father
had communicated concerning the purpose of his journey. He halted at
length before a respectable but solitary old mansion, to which he was
directed as the abode of his father's friend. The servants who came to
take his horse, told him he had been expected for two days. He was led
into a study, where the stranger, now a venerable old man, who had been
his father's guest, met him with a shade of displeasure as well as
gravity on his brow. "Young man," said he, "wherefore so slow on a
journey of such importance?" "I thought," replied the guest, blushing
and looking downwards, "that there was no harm in travelling slowly and
satisfying my curiosity, providing I could reach your residence by this
day; for such was my father's charge." "You were to blame," replied the
sage, "in lingering, considering that the avenger of blood was pressing
on your footsteps. But you are come at last, and we will hope for the
best, though the conflict in which you are to be engaged will be found
more dreadful the longer it is postponed. But first accept of such
refreshments as nature requires to satisfy, but not to pamper, the
appetite." The old man led the way into a summer parlour, where a frugal
meal was placed on the table. As they sat down to the board, they were
joined by a young lady about eighteen years of age, and so lovely, that
the sight of her carried off the feelings of the "young stranger" from
the peculiarity and mystery of his own lot, and riveted his attention to
every thing she did or said. She spoke little, and it was on the most