The monastery; The abbot.

58 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
the convent, he went quietly to bed, after reconnoitring the monk through
his loop-hole, observing to his wife, that "riding the water in a moonlight
night would do the Sacristan no harm, and would teach him the value of a
brig the neist time, on whilk a man might pass high and dry, winter and
summer, flood and ebb."
After exhausting his voice in entreaties and threats, which were equally
unattended to by Peter of the Brig, as he was called, Father Philip at length
moved down the river to take the ordinary ford at the head of the next stream.
Cursing the rustic obstinacy of Peter, he began, nevertheless, to persuade himself that the passage of the river by the ford was not only safe, but pleasant.
The banks and scattered trees were so beautifully reflected from the bosom
of the dark stream, the whole cool and delicious picture formed so pleasing
a contrast to his late agitation, to the warmth occasioned by his vain endeavours to move the relentless porter of the bridge, that the result was
rather agreeable than otherwise.
As Father Philip came close to the water's edge, at the spot where he
was to enter it, there sat a female under a large broken scathed oak-tree, or
rather under the remains of such a tree, weeping, wringing her hands, and
looking earnestly on the current of the river. The monk was struck with
astonishment to see a female there at that time of night. But he was, in all
honest service,-and if a step farther, I put it upon his own conscience,-a
devoted squire of dames. After observing the maiden for a moment,
although she seemed to take no notice of his presence, he was moved by her
distress, and willing to offer his assistance. "Damsel," said he, "thou
seemest in no ordinary distress; peradventure, like myself, thou hast been
refused passage at the bridge by the churlish keeper, and thy crossing may,
concern thee either for performance of a vow, or some other weighty
charge."
The maiden uttered some inarticulate sounds, looked at the river, and then
in the face of the Sacristan. It struck Father Philip at that instant, that a
Highland chief of distinction had been for some time expected to pay his
vows at the shrine of Saint Mary's; and that possibly this fair maiden
might be one of his family, travelling alone for accomplishment of a vow,
or left behind by some accident, to whom, therefore, it would be but right
and prudent to use every civility in his power, especially as she seemed unacquainted with the Lowland tongue. Such at least was the only motive
the Sacristan was ever known to assign for his courtesy; if there was any
other, I once more refer it to his own conscience.
To express himself by signs, the common language of all nations, the
cautious Sacristan first pointed to the river, then to his mule's crupper, and
then made, as gracefully as he could, a sign to induce the fair solitary to
mount behind him. She seemed to understand his meaning, for she rose
up as if to accept his offer; and while the good monk, who, as we have
hinted, was no great cavalier, liboured, with the pressure of the right leg
and the use of the left rein, to place his mule with her side to the bank in
such a position that the lady might mount with ease, she rose from the
ground with rather- portentous activity, and at one bound sate behind the
monk upon the animal, much the firmer rider of the two. The mule by no
means seemed to approve of this double burden; she bounded, bolted, and
would soon have thrown Father Philip over her head, had not the maiden
with a firm hand detained him in the saddle.
At last the restive brute changed her humour; and, from refusing to budge
off the spot, suddenly stretched her nose homeward, and dashed into the ford
as fast as she could scamper. A new terror now invaded the monk's mindthe ford seemed unusually deep, the water eddied off in strong ripple from
the counter of the mule, and began to rise upon her side. Philip lost his
presence of mind, which was at no time his most ready attribute, the mule
yielded to the weight of the current, and as the rider was not attentive to