set　to　the　bold　and　blatant　music　which　the　people　of　England
  loved　dearly　at　the　earlier　part　of　the　present　century；　and
  which；　whenever　they　can　get　it；　they　love　dearly　still。　〃The
  Death　of　Marmion；〃　〃The　Battle　of　the　Baltic；〃　〃The　Bay　of
  Biscay；〃　〃Nelson；〃　under　various　vocal　aspects；　as　exhibited　by
  the　late　Brahamthese　were　the　songs　in　which　the　roaring
  concertina　and　strident　tenor　of　Gustus　Junior　exulted　together。
  〃Tell　me　when　you're　tired；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the
  minstrel　solicitor。　〃There's　no　conceit　about　_me。_　Will　you　have
  a　little　sentiment　by　way　of　variety？　Shall　I　wind　up　with　'The
  Mistletoe　Bough'　and　'Poor　Mary　Anne'？〃
  Having　favored　his　audience　with　those　two　cheerful　melodies；
  young　Pedgift　respectfully　requested　the　rest　of　the　company　to
  follow　his　vocal　example　in　turn；　offering；　in　every　case；　to
  play　〃a　running　accompaniment〃　impromptu；　if　the　singer　would
  only　be　so　obliging　as　to　favor　him　with　the　key…note。
  〃Go　on；　somebody！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pentecost；　eagerly。　〃I　tell　you
  again；　I　dote　on　music。　We　haven't　had　half　enough　yet；　have　we；
  Sammy？〃
  The　Reverend　Samuel　made　no　reply。　The　unhappy　man　had　reasons　of
  his　ownnot　exactly　in　his　bosom；　but　a　little　lowerfor
  remaining　silent；　in　the　midst　of　the　general　hilarity　and　the
  general　applause。　Alas　for　humanity！　Even　maternal　love　is
  alloyed　with　mortal　fallibility。　Owing　much　already　to　his
  excellent　mother；　the　Reverend　Samuel　was　now　additionally
  indebted　to　her　for　a　smart　indigestion。
  Nobody；　however；　noticed　as　yet　the　signs　and　tokens　of　internal
  revolution　in　the　curate's　face。　Everybody　was　occupied　in
  entreating　everybody　else　to　sing。　Miss　Milroy　appealed　to　the
  founder　of　the　feast。　〃Do　sing　something；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she
  said；　〃I　should　so　like　to　hear　you！〃
  〃If　you　once　begin；　sir；〃　added　the　cheerful　Pedgift；　〃you'll
  find　it　get　uncommonly　easy　as　you　go　on。　Music　is　a　science
  which　requires　to　be　taken　by　the　throat　at　starting。〃
  〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Allan；　in　his　good…humored　way。　〃I　know
  lots　of　tunes；　but　the　worst　of　it　is；　the　words　escape　me。　I
  wonder　if　I　can　remember　one　of　Moore's　Melodies？　My　poor　mother
  used　to　be　fond　of　teaching　me　Moore's　Melodies　when　I　was　a
  boy。〃
  〃Whose　melodies？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃Moore's？　Aha！　I　know　Tom
  Moore　heart。〃
  〃Perhaps　in　that　case　you　will　he　good　enough　to　help　me；　ma'am；
  if　my　memory　breaks　down；〃　rejoined　Allan。　〃I'll　take　the　easiest
  melody　in　the　whole　collection；　if　you'll　allow　me。　Everybody
  knows　it'Eveleen's　Bower。'　〃
  〃I'm　familiar；　in　a　general　sort　of　way；　with　the　national
  melodies　of　England；　Scotland；　and　Ireland；〃　said　Pedgift　Junior。
  〃I'll　accompany　you；　sir；　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　This　is　the
  sort　of　thing；　I　think。〃　He　seated　himself　cross…legged　on　the
  roof　of　the　cabin；　and　burst　into　a　complicated　musical
  improvisation　wonderful　to　heara　mixture　of　instrumental
  flourishes　and　groans；　a　jig　corrected　by　a　dirge；　and　a　dirge
  enlivened　by　a　jig。　〃That's　the　sort　of　thing；〃　said　young
  Pedgift；　with　his　smile　of　supreme　confidence。　〃Fire　away；　sir！〃
  Mrs。　Pentecost　elevated　her　trumpet；　and　Allan　elevated　his
  voice。　〃Oh；　weep　for　the　hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower〃　He
  stopped；　the　accompaniment　stopped；　the　audience　waited。　〃It's　a
  most　extraordinary　thing；〃　said　Allan；　〃I　thought　I　had　the　next
  line　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue；　and　it　seems　to　have　escaped　me。
  I'll　begin　again；　if　you　have　no　objection。　'Oh；　weep　for　the
  hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower'　〃
  〃　'The　lord　of　the　valley　with　false　vows　came；'　〃　said　Mrs。
  Pentecost。
  〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan。　〃Now　I　shall　get　on　smoothly。
  'Oh；　weep　for　the　hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower；　the　lord　of　the
  valley　with　false　vows　came。　The　moon　was　shining　bright'　〃
  〃No！〃　said　Mrs。　Pentecost。
  〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；〃　remonstrated　Allan。　〃　'The　moon　was。
  shining　bright'　〃
  〃The　moon　wasn't　doing　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Mrs。
  Pentecost。
  Pedgift　Junior；　foreseeing　a　dispute；　persevered　_sotto　voce_
  with　the　accompaniment；　in　the　interests　of　harmony。
  〃Moore's　own　words；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan；　〃in　my　mother's　copy　of
  the　Melodies。〃
  〃Your　mother's　copy　was　wrong；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃Didn't
  I　tell　you　just　now　that　I　knew　Tom　Moore　by　heart？〃
  Pedgift　Junior's　peace…making　concertina　still　flourished　and
  groaned　in　the　minor　key。
  〃Well；　what　_did_　the　moon　do？〃　asked　Allan；　in　despair。
  〃What　the　moon　_ought_　to　have　done；　sir；　or　Tom　Moore　wouldn't
  have　written　it　so；〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃　'The　moon　hid　her
  light　from　the　heaven　that　night；　and　wept　behind　her　clouds　o'er
  the　maiden's　shame！'　I　wish　that　young　man　would　leave　off
  playing；〃　added　Mrs。　Pentecost；　venting　her　rising　irritation　on
  Gustus　Junior。　〃I've　had　enough　of　himhe　tickles　my　ears。〃
  〃Proud；　I'm　sure；　ma'am；〃　said　the　unblushing　Pedgift。　〃The　whole
  science　of　music　consists　in　tickling　the　ears。〃
  〃We　seem　to　be　drifting　into　a　sort　of　argument；〃　remarked　Major
  Milroy；　placidly。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　if　Mr。　Armadale　went　on
  with　his　song？〃
  〃Do　go　on；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　added　the　major's　daughter。　〃Do　go　on；
  Mr。　Pedgift！〃
  〃One　of　them　doesn't　know　the　words；　and　the　other　doesn't　know
  the　music；〃　said　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃Let　them　go　on　if　they　can！〃
  〃Sorry　to　disappoint　you；　ma'am；〃　said　Pedgift　Junior；　〃I'm　ready
  to　go　on　myself　to　any　extent。　Now；　Mr。　Armadale！〃
  Allan　opened　his　lips　to　take　up　the　unfinished　melody　where　he
  had　last　left　it。　Before　he　could　utter　a　note；　the　curate
  suddenly　rose；　with　a　ghastly　face；　and　a　hand　pressed
  convulsively　over　the　middle　region　of　his　waistcoat。
  〃What's　the　matter？〃　cried　the　whole　boating　party　in　chorus。
  〃I　am　exceedingly　unwell；〃　said　the　Reverend　Samuel　Pentecost。
  The　boat　was　instantly　in　a　state　of　confusion。　〃Eveleen's　Bower〃
  expired　on　Allan's　lips；　and　even　the　irrepressible　concertina　of
  Pedgift　was　silenced　at　last。　The　alarm　proved　to　be　quite
  needless。　Mrs。　Pentecost's　son　possessed　a　mother；　and　that
  mother　had　a　bag。　In　two　seconds　the　art　of　medicine　occupied　the
  place　left　vacant　in　the　attention　of　the　company　by　the　art　of
  music。
  〃Rub　it　gently；　Sammy；〃　said　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃I'll　get　out　the
  bottles　and　give　you　a　dose。　It's　his　poor　stomach；　major。　Hold
  my　trumpet；　somebodyand　stop　the　boat。　You　take　that　bottle；
  Neelie；　my　dear；　and　you　take　this　one；　Mr。　Armadale；　and　give
  them　to　me　as　I　want　them。　Ah；　poor　dear；　I　know　what's　the
  matter　with　him！　Want　of　power　_here；_　majorcold；　acid；　and
  flabby。　Ginger　to　warm　him；　soda　to　correct　him；　sal　volatile　to
  hold　him　up。　There；　Sammy！　drink　it　before　it　settles；　and　then
  go　and　lie　down；　my　dear；　in　that　dog…kennel　of　a　place　they　call
  the　cabin。　No　more　music！〃　added　Mrs。　Pentecost；　shaking　her
  forefinger　at　the　proprietor　of　the　concertina〃unless　it's　a
  hymn；　and　that　I　don't　object　to。〃
  Nobody　appearing　to　be　in　a　fit　frame　of　mind　for　singing　a　hymn；
  the　all…accomplished　Pedgift　drew　upon　his　stores　of　local
  knowledge；　and　produced　a　new　idea。　The　course　of　the　boat　was
  immediately　changed　under　his　direction。　In　a　few　minutes　more；
  the　company　found　themselves　in　a　little　island　creek；　with　a
  lonely　cottage　at　the　far　end　of　it；　and　a　perfect　forest　of
  reeds　closing　the　view　all　round　them。　〃What　do　you　say；　ladies
  and　gentlemen；　to　stepping　on　shore　and　seeing　what　a
  reed…cutter's　cottage　looks　like？〃　suggested　young　Pedgift。
  〃We　say　yes；　to　be　sure；〃　answered　Allan。　〃I　think　our　spirits
  have　been　a　little　dashed　by　Mr。　Pentecos　t's　illness　and　Mrs。
  Pentecost's　bag；〃　he　added；　in　a　whisper　to　Miss　Milroy。　〃A
  change　of　this　sort　is　the　very　thing　we　want　to　set　us　all　going
  again。〃
  He　and　young　Pedgift　handed　Miss　Milroy　out　of　the　boat。　The
  major　followed。　Mrs。　Pentecost　sat　immovable　as　the　Egyptian
  Sphinx；　with　her　bag　on　her　knees；　mounting　guard　over　〃Sammy〃　in
  the　cabin。
  〃We　must　keep　the　fun　going；　sir；〃　said　Allan；　as　he　helped　the
  major　over　the　side　of　the　boat。　〃We　haven't　half　done　yet　with
  the　enjoyment　of　the　day。〃
  His　voice　seconded　his　hearty　belief　in　his　own　prediction　to
  such　good　purpose　that　even　Mrs。　Pentecost　heard　him；　and
  ominously　shook　her　head。
  〃Ah！〃　sighed　the　curate's　mother；　〃if　you　were　as　old　as　I　am；
  young　gentleman；　you　wouldn't　feel　quite　so　sure　of　the　enjoyment
  of　the　day！〃
  So；　in　rebuke　of　the　rashness　of　youth；　spoke　the　caution　of　age。
  The　negative　view　is　notoriously　the　safe　view；　all　the　world
  over；　and　the　Pentecost　philosophy　is；　as　a　necessary
  consequence；　generally　in　the　right。
  CHAPTER　IX。
  FATE　OR　CHANCE？
  IT　was　close　on　six　o'clock　when　Allan　and　his　friends　left　the
  boat；　and　the　evening　influence　was　creeping　already；　in　its
  mystery　and　its　stillness；　over　the　watery　solitude　of　the
  Broads。
  The　shore　in　these　wild　regions　was　not　like　the　shore　elsewhere。
  Firm　as　it　looked；　the　garden　ground　in　front　of　the
  reed…cutter's　cottage　was　floating　ground；　that　rose　and　fell　and
  oozed　into　puddles　under　the　pressure　of　the　foot。　The　boatmen
  who　guided　the　visitors　warned　them　to　keep　to　the　path；　and
  pointed　through　gaps　in　the　reeds　and　pollards　to　grassy