210
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
"I'm so glad I succeeded in bringing you here," said
Dorcas; "Chelford made such a point of it; and he thinks
you are losing your spirits among the great trees and shad-
ows of Redman's Dell; and he made it quite a little cous-
inly duty that I should succeed."
At this moment Mr. Page interposed with the energetic
prelude of his concluding ditty. It was one of Tom Moore's
melodies.
Rachel leaned back, and seemed to enjoy it very much.
But when it was over, I think she would have found it
difficult to say what the song was about.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
THE BALL ROOM.
Rachel Lake was standing by the piano, turning over
the leaves of the volume of "Moore's Melodies," from
which the artist in black whiskers and white waistcoat had
just entertained his noble patroness and his audience, when
a low, pleasant voice near her said —
"I was so glad to see that Dorcas had prevailed, and
that you were here. We both agreed that you are too
much a recluse in that Der Frieschutz Glen, and owe it to
us all to appear now and then in this upper world."
Miss Lake again looked down upon the page, and as she
did so, Lord Chelford continued.
"You are a worshipper of Tom Moore, Miss Lake?"
"An admirer, perhaps — certainly no worshipper.
Yet, I can't say. Perhaps I do worship; but if so, it is a
worship strangely mixed with contempt." And she laugh-