“A wonderful man—­an astonishing man—­and a fearful man; that is if he be a man, which I very much doubt.”

CHAPTER XII.  Fortune-telling

Ever since the night of the bonfire Woodward’s character became involved more or less in a mystery that was peculiar to the time and the superstitions of the period.  That he possessed, the Evil Eye was whispered about; and what was still more strange, it was not his wish that such rumors should be suppressed.  They had not yet, however, reached either Alice Goodwin or her parents.  In the meantime the feelings of the two families were once more suspended in a kind of neutral opposition, each awaiting the other to make the first advance.  Poor Alice, however, appeared rather declining in health and spirits, for, notwithstanding her firm and generous defence of Charles Lindsay, his brother, to a certain extent, succeeded in shaking her confidence in his attachment.  Her parents; frequently asked her the cause of her apparent melancholy, but she only gave them evasive replies, and stated that she had not felt herself very well since Henry Woodward’s last interview with her.

They now urged her to take exercise—­against which, indeed, she always had a constitutional repugnance—­and not to sit so much in her own room as she did; and in order to comply with their wishes in this respect, she forced herself to walk a couple of hours each day in the lawn, where she generally read a book, for the purpose, if possible, of overcoming her habitual melancholy.  It was upon one of these occasions that she saw the fortune-teller, Caterine Collins, approach her, and as her spirits were unusually depressed for the moment, she felt no inclination to enter into any conversation with her.  Naturally courteous, however, and reluctant to give offence, she allowed the woman to advance, especially as she could perceive from the earnestness of her manner that she was anxious to speak with her.

“Well, Caterine,” said she, “I hope you are not coming to tell my fortune to-day; I am not in spirits to hear much of the future, be it good or bad.  Will you not go up to the house?  They will give you something to eat.”

“Thank you, Miss Alice, I will go up by and by; but in the manetime, what fortune could any one tell you but good fortune?  There’s nothin’ else before you; and if there is, I’m come to put you on your guard against it, as I will, plaise goodness.  I heard what I’m goin’ to mention to you on good autority, and, as I know it’s true, I think it’s but right you should know of it, too.”  Alice immediately became agitated; but mingled with that agitation was a natural wish—­perhaps it might be a pardonable curiosity, under the circumstances—­to hear how what the woman had to disclose could affect herself.  Being nervous, restless, and depressed, she was just in the very frame of mind to receive such an impression as might be deeply prejudicial to the ease of her heart—­perhaps her happiness, and consequently her health.