At length she gently tapped at the door of her guest's parlour.

"Come in," said Lovel; and Mrs.Hadoway ushered in the Laird of Monkbarns.
The little apartment was neat and clean, and decently furnished--ornamented, too, by such relics of her youthful arts of sempstress-ship as Mrs.Hadoway had retained; but it was close, overheated, and, as it appeared to Oldbuck, an unwholesome situation for a young person in delicate health,--an observation which ripened his resolution touching a project that had already occurred to him in Lovel's behalf.

With a writing-table before him, on which lay a quantity of books and papers, Lovel was seated on a couch, in his night-gown and slippers.

Oldbuck was shocked at the change which had taken place in his personal appearance.

His cheek and brow had assumed a ghastly white, except where a round bright spot of hectic red formed a strong and painful contrast, totally different from the general cast of hale and hardy complexion which had formerly overspread and somewhat embrowned his countenance.