Margaret told her these stories, she probably might never have had this
desire, but there is a principle in human nature, which hankers after
the thing forbidden; hence, as St. Paul says, "By the law is the
knowledge of sin." We are not defending human nature, which is
indefensible, but merely stating facts. Tamar had much desire to visit
this mysterious place; and so it happened one day, when she had her dog
with her, and the sun was shining, and all about her bright and gay,
that she climbed up the little green knoll, and pushing her way through
many brambles, furze bushes, and dwarf shrubs, she found herself in the
centre of the huge heaps of stones and rubbish, of which she had
hitherto seen only the summits, from the windows of the Tower.
But being arrived there, she came to a stand, to look about her, when
her dog, to whom Dymock had given the poetical name of Sappho, began to
prick up her ears, and snuff as if she scented something more than
ordinary, and the next minute, she dashed forward, made her way through
certain bushes, and disappeared. Tamar called aloud; a hollow echo
re-sounded her voice, but no dog appeared;--again she called,--again she
heard the echo, and again she was silent; but she was by no means a
timid child; she had been too much accustomed to be alone,--too much
used to explore old corners, of which there were multitudes about the
Tower, occupied only by owls and bats.
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