, and leading her into the chamber
where the dead man lay.
 
At that period, when threats of invasion had formerly stirred up the military
fire of us Islanders, the great Mel, as if to show the great Napoleon what
character of being a British shopkeeper really was, had, by remarkable favour,
obtained a lieutenancy of militia dragoons: in the uniform of which he had
revelled, and perhaps, for the only time in his life, felt that circumstances
had suited him with a perfect fit. However that may be, his solemn final
commands to his wife, Henrietta Maria, on whom he could count for absolute
obedience in such matters, had been, that as soon as the breath had left his
body, he should be taken from his bed, washed, perfumed, powdered, and in that
uniform dressed and laid out; with directions that he should be so buried at the
expiration of three days, that havoc in his features might be hidden from men.
In this array Lady Roseley beheld him. The curtains of the bed were drawn aside.
The beams of evening fell soft through the blinds of the room, and cast a
subdued light on the figure of the vanquished warrior. The Presence, dumb now
for evermore, was sadly illumined for its last exhibition. But one who looked
closely might have seen that Time had somewhat spoiled that perfect fit which
had aforetime been his pride; and now that the lofty spirit had departed, there
had been extreme difficulty in persuading the sullen excess of clay to conform
to the dimensions of those garments. The upper part of the chest alone would
bear its buttons, and across one portion of the lower limbs an ancient seam had
started; recalling an incident to them who had known him in his brief hour of
glory. For one night, as he was riding home from Fallowfield, and just entering
the gates of the town, a mounted trooper spurred furiously past, and slashing
out at him, gashed his thigh. Mrs. Melchisedec found him lying at his door in a
not unwonted way; carried him up-stairs in her arms, as she had done many a time
before, and did not perceive his condition till she saw the blood on her gown.
The cowardly assailant was never discovered; but Mel was both gallant and had,
in his military career, the reputation of being a martinet. Hence, divers causes
were suspected. The wound failed not to mend, the trousers were repaired: Peace
about the same time was made, and the affair passed over.
    Looking on the fine head and face, Lady Roseley saw nothing
