The three then crossed the dell, and descended the declivity far quicker than they climbed it; Ellen and her lover first, and following timidly behind the young musician, who was ill able to keep pace with Scotch mountaineers in their own rough woods.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"But one, a lone one, midst the throng
Seemed reckless all of dance or song;
He was a youth of dusky mien,
Whereon the Indian sun had been,
Of crested brow, and long black hair,
A stranger like the palm-tree there!"—Hemans.
"Why, where have you two been?" said Lady Florence, who, with her sister, the Marchioness, met the defaulters coming down the wood. "We have been looking for you everywhere, and every one is so impatient for dancing."
"I have been showing Ellen the cave and waterfall in Butterfly Dell; the cool cavern was so pleasant, we should have stayed still longer had we not been interrupted; I was telling her all the legends in our family."
"And nothing else?" said Lady Florence, laughing; "are you sure that was all? and who interrupted your pleasant converse?"
"See him—there he is," said the Earl, pointing to the Italian, who then emerged from the woods; "he is a minstrel, Floss, and will play dance music for you, and sing; is he not handsome?"
"Oh! yes; quite a young Tasso; does he know English?"
"Not a word."