through the darkness of life, have fed that lamp, the soul; there,
Thought, but the seed on earth, bursts into the flower and ripens to
the fruit!"

And on the several hope of both maid and sage the eyes of the angel
stars smiled with a common promise.

At last, insensibly, and while still musing, so that slumber but
continued the revery into visions, father and daughter slept.

The night passed away; the dawn came slow and gray; the antlers of the
deer stirred above the fern; the song of the nightingale was hushed;
and just as the morning star waned back, while the reddening east
announced the sun, and labour and trouble resumed their realm of day,
a fierce band halted before those sleeping forms.

These men had been Lancastrian soldiers, and, reduced to plunder for a
living, had, under Sir Geoffrey Gates, formed the most stalwart part
of the wild, disorderly force whom Hilyard and Coniers had led to
Olney. They had heard of the new outbreak, headed by their ancient
captain, Sir Geoffrey (who was supposed to have been instigated to his
revolt by the gold and promises of the Lancastrian chiefs), and were
on their way to join the rebels; but as war for them was but the name
for booty, they felt the wonted instinct of the robber, when they
caught sight of the old man and the fair maid.

Both Adam and his daughter wore, unhappily, the dresses in which they
had left the court, and Sibyll's especially was that which seemed to
betoken a certain rank and station.