SIDNEY determined to adhere scrupulously to Sir Algernon's wishes; and if there were moments when the expression of his gratitude or his admiration rather exceeded the prescribed limits, a look or a frown from Sir Algernon recalled him to his engagement. Antonia loved to converse on the late rebellion, and had the deepest interest in every little event connected with the disastrous campaign. And these conversations were perhaps the safest upon a subject of such mutual yet general interest. One day she urged Sidney to give her his candid opinion of Prince Charles. "Do not suppose," she said, smiling, "that I am either Hanoverian or Jacobite; but speak as you would do to some foreigner who had no interest either in his success or failure." Such a one it would be difficult to find," said Sidney; "it is matter of great surprise to me how much more this expedition has been discussed on the continent than in the very kingdom where the event took place. Those who were at all concerned in it may perhaps drop the subject as a dangerous one, and there is an egotism in the character of Englishmen which prevents their taking a permanent interest in what concerns them not. But even the dreadful executions which have taken place were, I understood, at the time almost treated with levity, and appear now to have faded entirely even from thoughtful minds." "I am no judge of this, as I have not been living in the world," replied Antonia; "but I believe it has been matter of policy to make it appear so. But do you not really disapprove the manner in which many of those unfortunate men conducted themselves during their trials and on the scaffold?" "Why," replied Sidney, "it is such a painful subject for me to decide on. I knew them all, and though I cannot say I liked them all, their untimely fate disarms my criticism. And there were some truly noble souls amongst them. It often appears in history that such an unnatural and horrible death is met with seeming indifference and hardness of heart. Alas, alas! who can say they would have |