The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

THlE FORTUNES OF NIGEL. 69
Elevation. The clergymlan took his station behind the reading-desk. The
domestics, a numerous family both of clerks and servants, including Moniplies, attended with great gravity, and were accommodated with benches.
The household were all seated, and, externally at least, composed to devout attention, when a low knock was heard at the door of the apartment;
M:rs. Judith looked anxiously at her brother, as if desiring to know his
pleasure. He nodded his head gravely, and looked to the door. Mrs. Judith immediately crossed the chamber, opened the door, and led into the
apartment a beautiful creature, whose sudden and singular appearance
might have made her almost pass for an apparition. She was deadly pale
-there was not the least shade of vital red to enliven features, which were
exquisitely formed, and might, but for that circumstance, have been termed
transcendently beautiful. Her long black hair fell down over her shoulders
and down her back, combed smoothly and regularly, but without the least
appearance of decoration or ornamenet, which looked very singular at a
period when head-gear, as it was called, of one sort or other, was generally
used by all ranks. Her dress was of pure white, of the siniplest fashion,
and hiding all her person excepting the throat, face, and hands. Her form
was rather beneath than above the middle size, but so justly proportioned
and elegantly made, that the spectator's attention was entirely withdrawn
from her size. In contradiction of the extreme plainness of all the rest of
her attire, she wore a necklace which a duchess might have envied, so large
and lustrous were the brilliants of which it was composed; and around her
waist a zone of rubies of scarce inferior value.
VWhen this singular figure entered the apartment, she cast her eyes on
Nigel, and paused, as if uncertain whether to advance or retreat. The
glance which she tools of him seemed to be one rather of uncertainty and
hesitation, than of bashfulness or timidity. Au-nt Judith took her by the
hand, and led her slowly forward-her dark eyes, however, continued to be
fixed on Nigel, with an expression of melancholy by which he felt strangely
affected. Even when she was seated on the vacant stool, which was placed
there probably for her accommodation, she again looked on him more than
once with the same pensive, lingering, and anxious expression, but without
either shyness or embarrassment, not even so much as to call the slightest
degree of complexion into her cheek.
So soon as this singular female had taken up the prayer-bool, which was
laid upon her cushion, she seemed immersed in devotional duty; and although Nigel's attention to the service was so much disturbed by this extraordinary apparition, that he looked towards her repeatedly in the course of
the service, he could never observe that her eyes or her thoughts strayed so
much as a single moment from the task in which she was engaged. Nigel
himself was less attentive, for the appemtvwance of this lady seemed so extraordinary, that, strictly as he had been bred up by his father to pay the most
reverential attention during performance of divine service, his thlloghts, in
spite of himself, were disturbed by her presence, and he earnestly wished
the prayers were ended, that his curiosity might obtain somle gratification.
WYhen the service was concluded, and each had remained, accordingC to the
decent and edifying practice of the church, concentrated in mental devotion
for a short space, the mysterious visitant arose ere any other person stirred;
and Nigel remarked that none of the domestics left their places, or even
moved, until she had first kneeled on one knee to lHeriot, who seemed to
bless her with his hand laid on her head, and a melancholy solemnity of
look and action. She then bended her body, but without kneeling, to Mrs,.
Judith, and having performed these two acts of reverence, she left the room;
yet just in the act of her departure, she once mlore turned her penetrating
eves on Nigel with a fixed look, which compelled him to turn his own aside.
WVhen he looked towards her again, he saw only the skirt of her white
mantle as she left the apartment.