"
"But not in the way you propose, father," Aveline rejoined. "Heaven
will assuredly give you both satisfaction for the wrongs you have
endured; but it must choose its own means of doing so, and its own
time."
"It _hath_ chosen the means, and the time is coming quickly," cried the
Puritan, his eye again kindling with fanatical light. "'The Lord will
cut off from Israel head and tail.'"
"These things are riddles to me," observed Jocelyn, who had listened to
what was passing with great uneasiness. "I would solicit an
explanation?"
"You shall have it, my son," Hugh Calveley replied. "But not now. My
hour for solitary prayer and self-communion is come, and I must withdraw
to my chamber. Go forth into the garden, Jocelyn--and do thou attend
him, Aveline. I will join you when my devotions are ended."
So saying he quitted the room, while the youthful pair went forth as
enjoined.
CHAPTER XVIII.
How the promise was cancelled.
It was a large garden, once fairly laid out and planted, but now sadly
neglected. The broad terrace walk was overgrown with weeds; the stone
steps and the carved balusters were broken in places, and covered with
moss; the once smooth lawn was unconscious of the scythe; the parterres
had lost their quaint devices; and the knots of flowers--tre-foil,
cinque-foil, diamond, and cross-bow--were no longer distinguishable in
their original shapes. The labyrinths of the maze were inextricably
tangled, and the long green alleys wanted clearing out.
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