“Leonard,” she whispered, “I promised to tell you when I should next meet Maurice Wyvil.  He will be here to-night.”  And without giving him time to answer, she retired.

For awhile, Leonard remained in a state almost of stupefaction, repeating to himself, as if unwilling to believe them, the words he had just heard.  He had not recovered when the grocer entered the shop, and noticing his haggard looks, kindly inquired if he felt unwell.  The apprentice returned an evasive answer, and half determined to relate all he knew to his master, but the next moment he changed his intention, and, influenced by that chivalric feeling which always governs those, of whatever condition, who love profoundly, resolved not to betray the thoughtless girl, but to trust to his own ingenuity to thwart the designs of his rival, and preserve her Acting upon this resolution, he said he had a slight headache, and instantly resumed his occupation.

At nine o’clock, the whole family assembled at supper.  The board was plentifully though plainly spread, but the grocer observed, with some uneasiness, that his apprentice, who had a good appetite in ordinary, ate little or nothing.  He kept his eye constantly upon him, and became convinced from his manner that something ailed him.  Not having any notion of the truth, and being filled with apprehensions of the plague, his dread was that Leonard was infected by the disease.  Supper was generally the pleasantest meal of the day at the grocer’s house, but on this occasion it passed off cheerlessly enough, and a circumstance occurred at its close which threw all into confusion and distress.  Before relating this, however, we must complete our description of the family under their present aspect.

Tall, and of a spare frame, with good features, somewhat austere in their expression, and of the cast which we are apt to term precise and puritanical, but tempered with great benevolence, Stephen Bloundel had a keen, deep-seated eye, overshadowed by thick brows, and suffered his long-flowing grey hair to descend over his shoulders.  His forehead was high and ample, his chin square and well defined, and his general appearance exceedingly striking.  In age he was about fifty.  His integrity and fairness of dealing, never once called in question for a period of thirty years, had won him the esteem of all who knew him; while his prudence and economy had enabled him, during that time, to amass a tolerable fortune.  His methodical habits, and strong religious principles, have been already mentioned.  His eldest son was named after him, and resembled him both in person and character, promising to tread in his footsteps.  The younger sons require little notice at present.  One was twelve, and the other only half that age; but both appeared to inherit many of their father’s good qualities.  Basil, the elder, was a stout, well-grown lad, and had never known a day’s ill-health; while Hubert, the younger, was thin, delicate, and constantly ailing.