however, pretend to dictate to him laws more rigid than they
submitted to themselves, and he was suffered to depart on his journey without
any direct objection being stated. The Reverend Mr. Poundtext took the same
opportunity to pay a visit to his own residence in the neighbourhood of
Milnwood, and favoured Morton with his company on the journey. As the country
was chiefly friendly to their cause, and in possession of their detached
parties, excepting here and there the stronghold of some old cavaliering Baron,
they travelled without any other attendant than the faithful Cuddie.
    It was near sunset when they reached Milnwood, where Poundtext bid adieu to
his companions, and travelled forward alone to his own manse, which was situated
half-a-mile's march beyond Tillietudlem. When Morton was left alone to his own
reflections, with what a complication of feelings did he review the woods,
banks, and fields, that had been familiar to him! His character, as well as his
habits, thoughts, and occupations, had been entirely changed within the space of
little more than a fortnight, and twenty days seemed to have done upon him the
work of as many years. A mild, romantic, gentle-tempered youth, bred up in
dependence, and stooping patiently to the control of a sordid and tyrannical
relation, had suddenly, by the rod of oppression and the spur of injured
feeling, been compelled to stand forth a leader of armed men, was earnestly
engaged in affairs of a public nature, had friends to animate and enemies to
contend with, and felt his individual fate bound up in that of a national
insurrection and revolution. It seemed as if he had at once experienced a
transition from the romantic dreams of youth to the labours and cares of active
manhood. All that had formerly interested him was obliterated from his memory,
excepting only his attachment to Edith; and even his love seemed to have assumed
a character more manly and disinterested as it had become mingled and contrasted
with other duties and feelings. As he revolved the particulars of this sudden
change, the circumstances in which it originated, and the possible consequences
of his present career, the thrill of natural anxiety which passed along his mind
was immediately banished by a glow of generous and high-spirited confidence.
    »I shall fall young,« he said, »if fall I must, my motives misconstrued, and
my actions condemned, by those whose approbation is dearest to me. But the sword
of liberty and patriotism is in my hand, and I will neither fall meanly nor
unavenged. They may expose my body, and gibbet my