In which a venerable astrologer foretells the fraught destiny of a newly born heir, whose upbringing is carefully steered towards piety to avert a looming trial at the turning of his twenty-first year. Meanwhile, the author introduces sketches of notable personages and anecdotes drawn from life and lore, including the steadfast gipsy matriarch Jean Gordon and the devoted scholar Dominie Sampson, setting the stage for the tale’s intertwining of fate and character.