to so many villages in France. The castle and village of which we
particularly speak, was called Plessis les Tours, to distinguish
it from others, and was built about two miles to the southward of
the fair town of that name, the capital of ancient Touraine, whose
rich plain has been termed the Garden of France.

On the bank of the above mentioned brook, opposite to that which
the traveller was approaching, two men, who appeared in deep
conversation, seemed, from time to time, to watch his motions; for,
as their station was much more elevated, they could remark him at
considerable distance.

The age of the young traveller might be about nineteen, or
betwixt that and twenty; and his face and person, which were very
prepossessing, did not, however, belong to the country in which he
was now a sojourner. His short gray cloak and hose were rather of
Flemish than of French fashion, while the smart blue bonnet, with a
single sprig of holly and an eagle's feather, was already recognized
as the Scottish head gear. His dress was very neat, and arranged with
the precision of a youth conscious of possessing a fine person. He
had at his back a satchel, which seemed to contain a few necessaries,
a hawking gauntlet on his left hand, though he carried no bird, and
in his right a stout hunter's pole. Over his left shoulder hung an
embroidered scarf which sustained a small pouch of scarlet velvet,
such as was then used by fowlers of distinction to carry their hawks'
food, and other matters belonging to that much admired sport. This
was crossed by another shoulder belt, to which was hung a hunting
knife, or couteau de chasse. Instead of the boots of the period,
he wore buskins of half dressed deer's skin.