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 spectator. Mareschal alone, true to the thoughtless vivacity of his character, eat and drank, laughed and jested, and seemed even to find amusement in the embarrassment of the company.

"What has damped our noble courage this morning!" he exclaimed; "we seem to be met at a funeral, where the chief mourners must not speak above their breath, while the mutes and the saulees (looking to the lower end of the table) are carousing below. Ellieslaw, when will you lift? where sleeps your spirit, man? and what has quelled the high hope of the Knight of Langley-dale?"

"You speak like a madman," said Ellieslaw; "Do you not see how many are absent?"

"And what of that? Did you not know before, that one-half of the world are better talkers than doers? For my part, I am much encouraged by seeing at least two-thirds of our friends true to the rendezvous, though I suspect one-half of these