Chapter 25

           "Snug.—Haveyouthelion’spartwritten?Prayyou,ifitbe,giveitme,forIamslowofstudy."

           "Quince.—Youmaydoitextempore,foritisnothingbutroaring."

           MidsummerNight’sDream.

           Therewasastrangeblendingoftheridiculouswiththatwhichwassolemninthisscene.Thebeaststillcontinueditsrolling,andapparentlyuntiringmovements,thoughitsludicrousattempttoimitatethemelodyofDavidceasedtheinstantthelatterabandonedthefield.ThewordsofGamutwere,ashasbeenseen,inhisnativetongue;andtoDuncantheyseemedpregnantwithsomehiddenmeaning,thoughnothingpresentassistedhimindiscoveringtheobjectoftheirillusion.Aspeedyendwas,however,puttoeveryconjectureonthesubject,bythemannerofthechief,whoadvancedtothebedsideoftheinvalid,andbeckonedawaythewholegroupoffemaleattendantsthathadclusteredtheretowitnesstheskillofthestranger.Hewasimplicitly,thoughreluctantly,obeyed;andwhenthelowechowhichrangalongthehollownaturalgalleryfromthedistantclosingdoorhadceased,pointingtowardshisinsensibledaughter,hesaid—

           "Nowletmybrothershowhispower."

           Thusunequivocallycalledontoexercisethefunctionsofhisassumedcharacter,Heywardwasapprehensivethatthesmallestdelaymightprovedangerous.Endeavoringthentocollecthisideas,hepreparedtoperformthatspeciesofincantation,andthoseuncouthrites,underwhichtheIndianconjurersareaccustomedtoconcealtheirignoranceandimpotency.