Page:Scott - Tales of my Landlord - 3rd series, vol. 1 - 1819.djvu/140

130, without any direct aggression on his part, by a death equally fearful and certain. She conceived, therefore, that some secret prejudice, or the suspicions incident to age and misfortune, had led Alice to form conclusions injurious to the character, and irreconcileable both with the generous conduct and noble features of the Master of Ravenswood. And in this belief Lucy reposed her hope, and went on weaving her enchanted web of fairy tissue, as beautiful and transient as the film of the gossamer, when it is pearled with the morning dew, and glimmering to the morning sun.

Her father, in the meanwhile, as well as the Master of Ravenswood, were making reflections, as frequent, though more solid than those of Lucy, upon the singular event which had taken place. His first task, when he returned home, was to ascertain by medical assistance that his daughter had sustained no injury from the dangerous and alarming situation in which she had been