The monastery; The abbot.

THE MONASTERY. 103
in disposition, and most placable, when accidentally offended; but still she
was of a retired and reserved habit, and shunned to mix in ordinary sports,
even when the rare occurrence of a fair or wake gave her an opportunity of
mingling with companions of her own age. If at such scenes she was seen
for an instant, she appeared to behold them with the composed indifference
of one to whom their gaiety was a matter of no interest, and who seemed
only desirous to glide away from the scene as soon as she possibly could.
Something also had transpired concerning her being born on All-hallow
Eve, and the powers with which that circumstance was supposed to invest
her over the invisible world. And from all these particulars combined, the
young men and women of the Halidome used to distinguish Mary among
themselves by the name of the Spirit of Avenel, as if the fair but fragile
form, the beautiful but rather colourless cheek, the dark blue eye, and the
shady hair, had belonged rather to the immaterial than the substantial
world. The general tradition of the White Lady, who was supposed to
wait on the fortunes of the family of Avenel, gave a sort of zest to this
piece of rural wit. It gave great offence, however, to the two sons of Simon
Glendinning; and when the expression was in their presence applied to the
young lady, Edward was wont to check the petulance of those who used it
by strength of argument, and Halbert by strength of arm. In such cases
Halbert had this advantage, that although he could render no aid to his
brother's argument, yet when circumstances required it, he was sure to
have that of Edward, who never indeed himself commenced a fray, but, on
the other hand, did not testify any reluctance to enter into combat in Halbert's behalf or in his rescue.
But the zealous attachment of the two youths, being themselves, from the
retired situation in which they dwelt, comparative strangers in the IIalidome, did not serve in any degree to alter the feelings of the inhabitants
towards the young lady, who seemed to have dropped amongst them from.
another sphere of life. Still, however, she was regarded with respect, if not
with fondness; and the attention of the Sub-Prior to the family- not to mention the formidable name of Julian Avenel, which every new incident of
those tumultuous times tended to render more famous, attached to his niece
a certain importance. Thus some aspired to her acquaintance out of pride
while the more timid of the feuars were anxious to inculcate upon their
children the necessity of being respectful to the noble orphan. So that
Mary Avenel, little loved because little known, was regarded with a mysterious awe, partly derived from fear of her uncle's moss-troopers, and partly
from her own retired and distant habits, enhanced by the superstitious opinions of the time and country.
It was not without some portion of this awe, that Mysie felt herself left
alone in company with a young person so distant in rank, and so different
in bearing, from herself; for her worthy father had taken the first opportunity to step 9ut unobserved, in order to mark how the barnyard was filled,
and what prospect it afforded of grist to the mill. In youth, however, there
is a sort of free-masonry, which, without much conversation, teaches young
persons to estimate each other's character, and places them at ease on the
shortest acquaintance. It is only when taught deceit by the commerce of
the world, that we learn to shroud our character from observation, and to
disguise our real sentiments from those with whom we are placed in communion.
Accordingly, the two young-women were soon engaged in such objects of
interest as best became their age. They visited Mary Avenel's pigeons,
which she nursed with the tenderness of a mother; they turned over her
slender stores of finery, which yet contained some articles that excited the
respect of her companion, though Mysie was too good-humoured to nourish
envy. A golden rosary, and some female ornaments marking superior
rank, had been rescued in the moment of their utmost adversity, more by