Thus, all things arranged, Ralph returned to his
chamber, and without removing his dress, wrapping his cloak around him,
he threw himself upon his couch, and addressed himself to those slumbers
which were destined to be of no very long continuance.
Forrester, in the meanwhile, had proceeded with all the impatience of a
lover to the designated place of _tryst_, under the giant sycamore, the
sheltering limbs and leaves of which, on sundry previous occasions, had
ministered to a like purpose. The place was not remote, or at least
would not be so considered in country estimation, from the dwelling of
the maiden; and was to be reached from the latter spot by a circuitous
passage through a thick wood, which covered the distance between
entirely. The spot chosen for the meeting was well known to both
parties, and we shall not pretend, at this time of day, to limit the
knowledge of its sweet fitness for the purposes of love, to them alone.
They had tasted of its sweets a thousand times, and could well
understand and appreciate that air of romantic and fairy-like seclusion
which so much distinguished it, and which served admirably in concert
with the uses to which it was now appropriated.
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