Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. THE SQUIRE AND HIS GUEST. " Thus far take the truth, The untempered gold, the fact untampered with, The mere ring-metal ere the ring be made t And what has hitherto come of it ? . . . . Was this truth offeree ? Able to take its own part as truth should ? Sufficient, self-sustaining ? Why, if so,— Vonder's afire, into it goes my book, And who shall say me nay, and what the loss ? You know the tale already." From The Ring And The Book.' The stranger's eyes brightened pleasantly as they met the approaching form of a small but courtly-looking gentleman. He was of that old-school type so nearly banished from our rapid, if not altogether progressive, civilization. When we meet one such, we wonder vaguely why he has abandoned the smallclothes and three-cornered hat that would have so well become him. The two men bowed and exchanged names. Mr. Castlewood held in his hand the letter which his visitor had given the pretty daughter of the house. After the commonplaces of greeting, Mr. Wallace observed,— " I presume the Rev. B H is not unknown to you, Mr. Castlewood ?" " Certainly not," replied the old-school gentleman, with his obsolete bow, glancing dubiously, however, at the letter. It was so brief that it can be transcribed,— New York City, April i, 1840. To Joshua Castlewood, Esq., Rest-Hampton, Long Island. Dear Sir,—I take the liberty of introducing to your courtesy, Mr. John Wallace, of London, who wishes to make his home in your town. What he desires in America is to find a place where he can live in the utmost retirement. If you could take him into your family for the present, I think you would not regret it. He is able to pay for whatever he wishes, and would, I am sure, be no trouble to any one. I believe him to be in ever... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.