indirect news of his daughter's health, which Sir Geoffrey used to
communicate in his almost daily call, he reflected that it would be in
every respect becoming that he should pay a personal visit at
Martindale Castle, carry thither the remembrances of the Knight to his
lady, assure her of his health, and satisfy himself respecting that of
his daughter. He armed himself for the worst--he called to
recollection the thin cheeks, faded eye, wasted hand, pallid lip,
which had marked the decaying health of all his former infants.

"I shall see," he said, "these signs of mortality once more--I shall
once more see a beloved being to whom I have given birth, gliding to
the grave which ought to enclose me long before her. No matter--it is
unmanly so long to shrink from that which must be--God's will be
done!"

He went accordingly, on the subsequent morning, to Martindale Castle,
and gave the lady the welcome assurances of her husband's safety, and
of his hopes of preferment.

"For the first, may Almighty God be praised!" said the Lady Peveril;
"and be the other as our gracious and restored Sovereign may will it.
We are great enough for our means, and have means sufficient for
contentment, though not for splendour. And now I see, good Master
Bridgenorth, the folly of putting faith in idle presentiments of evil.
So often had Sir Geoffrey's repeated attempts in favour of the
Stewarts led him into new misfortunes, that when, the other morning, I
saw him once more dressed in his fatal armour, and heard the sound of
his trumpet, which had been so long silent, it seemed to me as if I
saw his shroud, and heard his death-knell. I say this to you, good
neighbour, the rather because I fear your own mind has been harassed