Nightmare Abbey

Hilary,--hand Mrs Hilary to the piano, take charge of her fan and gloves, and turn over her music with surprising dexterity,--quote Revelations with Mr Toobad,--and lament the good old times of feudal darkness with the transcendental Mr Flosky.

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CHAPTER II

Shortly after the disastrous termination of Scythrop's passion for Miss Emily Girouette, Mr Glowry found himself, much against his will, involved in a lawsuit, which compelled him to dance attendance on the High Court of Chancery. Scythrop was left alone at Nightmare Abbey. He was a burnt child, and dreaded the fire of female eyes. He wandered about the ample pile, or along the garden-terrace, with 'his cogitative faculties immersed in cogibundity of cogitation.' The terrace terminated at the south-western tower, which, as we have said, was ruinous and full of owls. Here would Scythrop take his evening seat, on a fallen fragment of mossy stone, with his back resting aga