112 Darknefs and Light.

clofed the window haftily and angrily, and fat
down. Soon, however, the noifes fhe had feveral
times heard of the children playing, became louder
and louder, and the whole party burft at laft into
the room. ‘ Mamma, Mamma,” they cried,
fearcely able to fpeak, ‘‘ guefs where Roderick
has been.” ‘I cannot.” ‘* Oh, but do, dear
Mamma!” cried a little thing with fairy curls,
“do guefs.” ‘I cannot.” I'll tell Mamma,”
cried a ftout fturdy fellow, a little older ; “* Mam-
ma! he’s been up the winding ftaircafe of one
turret, and all along the leads and down the wind-
ing ftaircafe of the other turret, and he has done
it three times, and he has feen to do it better than
I can.”

Here there was a burft of laughter and a vio-
lent clapping of hands at the little fellow’s [rif
account.

“© But why don’t you do it as well?” afked an
elder girl, ‘ you that are going to be a foldier too!”

“ Yes; I know I’m going to be a foldier; and
I’ll try and do it as well as Roderick ;” and off
ran the eager child, followed by the reft of the
party, all but Roderick. He lingered behind, and
edging his way eafily and quietly as ufual to his
Mother, having afked her where fhe was, he fat
down on a footftool at her feet. The flight
anfwer fhe had occafion to make, revealed by its
tone, to the now acute blind child, that his Mo-
ther’s mood was ferious, and therefore he did not

talk and laugh of what he had accomplifhed, as he