The monastery; The abbot.

64 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
"Sancta Maria!" said the Abbot, "our dear brother hath perished by
the way i"
"It may not be," said Eustace, hastily-" let the bell be tolled-cause the
brethren to get torches - alarm the village - hurry down to the river - I
myself will be the foremost."
The real Abbot stood astonished and aga.pe, when at once he beheld his
office filled, and saw all which he ought to have ordered, going forward at
the dictates of the youngest monk in the convent. But ere the orders of
Eustace, which nobody drelamed of disputing, were carried into execution,
the necessity was prevented by the sudden apparition of the Sacristan, whose
supposed danger excited all the alarm., atn t' rurut.
la;ei out Ilie written troubles of the brain,
(leise tile l oul bhsom of the perilous stuff
T'I't *weighs ul)po the heart.
MACBETBi.
5Wrr.T betwixt cold and fright the afflicted Sacristan stood before his
Superior, propped on the friendly arm of the convent miller, drenched
with water, and scarce able to utter a syllable.
After various attempts to speak, the first words he uttered were,
"Swills we inerrily-the moon shines bright."
"Swim we merrily!" retorted the Abbot, indignantly; "a merry night
have ye chosen for swimming, and a becoming salutation to your Superior!"
"Our brother is bewildered," said Eustace;-" speak, Father Philip, how
is it with you?V'
" Good luck to your fishing,"
continued the Sacristan, making a most dolorous attempt at the tune of his
strange companion.
"Good luck to your fishing!" repeated the Abbot, still more surprised
than displeased; " by my halidome he is drunken with wine, and comes to
our presence with his jolly catches in his throat I If bread and water can
cure this folly "
"With your pardon, venerable father," said the Sub-Prior, "of water
our brother has had enough; and methinks, the confusion of his eye, is
rather that of terror, than of aught unbecoming his profession. Where
did you find him, HIob Miller?"
"An it please your reverence, I did but go to shut the sluice of the mill
- and as I was going to shut the sluice, I heard something groan near to
me; but judging it was one bf Giles Fletcher's hogs -for so please you he
never shuts his gate - I caught up my lever, and was about - Saint Mary
forgive me - to strike where I heard the sound, when, as the saints would
have it, I heard the second groan just like that of a living man. So I called
up my knaves, and found the Father Sacristan lying wet and senseless
under the wall of our kiln. So soon as we brought him to himself a bit,
he prayed to be brought to your reverence, but I doubt me his wits have
gone a bell-wavering by the road. It was but now that he spoke in somewhat better form."
"Well!" said Brother Eustace, "thou hast done well, Hob Miller; only
begone now, and remember a second time to pause, ere you strike in the
dark."