Part 18 (2/2)

A soft, transparent fil the horizon; the first sunbeam would dissipate it; to the maiden it exhibited that aspect of the sea which seeed, without producing the impression of the boundless infinity of ocean

Harry taking Nell's hand, they followed James Starr and Jack Ryan as they traversed the deserted streets To Nell, this suburb of the capital appeared only a collection of gloomy dark houses, just like Coal Town, only that the roof was higher, and gleahtly forward, and easily kept pace with Harry ”Are you not tired, Nell?” asked he, after half an hour's walking

”No! my feet seem scarcely to touch the earth,” returned she ”This sky above us see and fly!”

”I say! keep hold of her!” cried Jack Ryan ”Our little Nell is too good to lose I feel just as you describe though,tier experience the oppressive effect of the vaulted rocky roof above Coal Town,” said James Starr, ”that the spacious firmament appears to us like a profound abyss into which we have, as it were, a desire to plunge Is that what you feel, Nell?”

”Yes, Mr Starr, it is exactly like that,” said Nell ”It et over that, Nell,” said Harry ”You will get used to the outer world, and et all about our dark coal pit”

”No, Harry, never!” said Nell, and she put her hand over her eyes, as though she would recall the re she had lately quitted

Between the silent dwellings of the city, the party passed along Leith Walk, and went round the Calton Hill, where stood, in the light of the gray dawn, the buildings of the Observatory and Nelson's Monue they at last reached the lower extreate The town still lay wrapt in slu in the center of an open space, asking, ”What great confused mass is that?”

”That confused s of Scotland; that is Holyrood, where many a sad scene has been enacted! The historian can here invoke s to that of the unhappy Mary Stuart, and the French king, Charles X When day breaks, however, Nell, this palace will not look so very gloomy Holyrood, with its four embattled towers, is not unlike some handsome country house But let us pursue our way There, just above the ancient Abbey of Holyrood, are the superb cliffs called Salisbury Crags Arthur's Seat rises above the From the summit of Arthur's Seat, Nell, your eyes shall behold the sun appear above the horizon seaward”

They entered the King's Park, then, gradually ascending they passed across the Queen's Drive, a splendid carriageway encircling the hill, which e to a few lines in one of Sir Walter Scott's romances

Arthur's Seat is in truth only a hill, seven hundred and fifty feet high, which stands alone ahts In less than half an hour, by an easy winding path, Ja lion, which, seen from the west, Arthur's Seat so much resembles There, all four seated themselves; and Jareat Scottish novelist, simply said, ”Listen to what is written by Sir Walter Scott in the eighth chapter of the Heart of Mid-Lothian 'If I were to choose a spot froreatest possible advantage, it would be frohborhood' Noatch, Nell! the sun will soon appear, and for the first time you will contemplate its splendor”

Theclose beside her, observed her with anxious interest Would the first beas? All remained quiet, even Jack Ryan A faint streak of pale rose tinted the light vapors of the horizon It was the first ray of light attacking the laggards of the night Beneath the hill lay the silent city, ht of dawn Here and there lights twinkled a the houses of the old town Westward rose many hill-tops, soon to be illuminated by tips of fire

Now the distant horizon of the sea became more plainly visible The scale of colors fell into the order of the solar Every instant they increased in intensity, rose color becalanced towards the city, of which the outlines becaed froth one solitary ray struck on theor evening, is reflected upwards from the sea when the horizon is clear

An instant afterwards, Nell turned, and pointing towards a bright prominent point in the Nen, ”Fire!” cried she

”No, Nell, that is no fire,” said Harry ”The sun has touched with gold the top of Sir Walter Scott's monument”--and, indeed, the extreht of a pharos

It was day--the sun arose--his disc seeed froe from the effects of refraction, he contracted as he rose and assumed the perfectly circular for splendor; it was as though the h the sky

Nell closed her eyes, but her eyelids could not exclude the glare, and she pressed her fingers over them Harry advised her to turn in the opposite direction ”Oh, no,” said she, ”et used to look at what yours can bear to see!”

Even through her hands Nell perceived a rosy light, which becaht becath her eyes drank in the light of day

The good child knelt down, exclai, ”Oh Lord God! how beautiful is Thy creation!” Then she rose and looked around At her feet extended the panorah--the clear, distinct lines of streets in the Nen, and the irregular mass of houses, with their confused network of streets and lanes, which constitutes Auld Reekie, properly so called

Two heights coe basaltic rock, and the Calton Hill, bearing on its rounded su other monuments, ruins built to represent those of the Parthenon at Athens

Fine roadways led in all directions from the capital To the north, the coast of the noble Firth of Forth was indented by a deep bay, in which could be seen the seaport town of Leith, bethich and this Modern Athens of the north ran a street, straight as that leading to the Piraeus

Beyond the wide Firth could be seen the soft outlines of the county of Fife, while beneath the spectator stretched the yellow sands of Portobello and Newhaven

Nell could not speak Her lips iddy, her strength failed her; overcome by the purity of the air and the subli into Harry's ar her closely, was ready to support her

The youthful maiden, hitherto entombed in the massive depths of the earth, had now obtained an idea of the universe--of the works both of God and of man She had looked upon town and country, and beyond these, into the immensity of the sea, the infinity of the heavens