The Abbot Read online

  Chapter the Twentieth.

  Now have you reft me from my staff, my guide, Who taught my youth, as men teach untamed falcons, To use my strength discreetly--I am reft Of comrade and of counsel. OLD PLAY.

  In the gray of the next morning's dawn, there was a loud knocking at thegate of the hostelrie; and those without, proclaiming that they camein the name of the Regent, were instantly admitted. A moment ortwo afterwards, Michael Wing-the-wind stood by the bedside of ourtravellers.

  "Up! up!" he said, "there is no slumber where Murray hath work ado."

  Both sleepers sprung up, and began to dress themselves.

  "You, old friend," said Wing-the-wind to Adam Woodcock, "must to horseinstantly, with this packet to the Monks of Kennaquhair; and with this,"delivering them as he spoke, "to the Knight of Avenel."

  "As much as commanding the monks to annul their election, I'll warrantme, of an Abbot," quoth Adam Woodcock, as he put the packets into hisbag, "and charging my master to see it done--To hawk at one brother withanother, is less than fair play, methinks."

  "Fash not thy beard about it, old boy," said Michael, "but betake theeto the saddle presently; for if these orders are not obeyed, there willbe bare walls at the Kirk of Saint Mary's, and it may be at the Castleof Avenel to boot; for I heard my Lord of Morton loud with the Regent,and we are at a pass that we cannot stand with him anent trifles."

  "But," said Adam, "touching the Abbot of Unreason--what say they tothat outbreak--An they be shrewishly disposed, I were better pitch thepackets to Satan, and take the other side of the Border for my bield."

  "Oh, that was passed over as a jest, since there was little harmdone.--But, hark thee, Adam," continued his comrade, "if there was adozen vacant abbacies in your road, whether of jest or earnest, reasonor unreason, draw thou never one of their mitres over thy brows.--Thetime is not fitting, man!--besides, our Maiden longs to clip the neck ofa fat churchman."

  "She shall never sheer mine in that capacity," said the falconer, whilehe knotted the kerchief in two or three double folds around his sunburntbull-neck, calling out at the same time, "Master Roland, Master Roland,make haste! we must back to perch and mew, and, thank Heaven, more thanour own wit, with our bones whole, and without a stab in the stomach."

  "Nay, but," said Wing-the-wind, "the page goes not back with you; theRegent has other employment for him."

  "Saints and sorrows!" exclaimed the falconer--"Master Roland Graeme toremain here, and I to return to Avenel!--Why, it cannot be--the childcannot manage himself in this wide world without me, and I questionif he will stoop to any other whistle than mine own; there are times Imyself can hardly bring him to my lure."

  It was at Roland's tongue's end to say something concerning the occasionthey had for using mutually each other's prudence, but the real anxietywhich Adam evinced at parting with him, took away his dispositionto such ungracious raillery. The falconer did not altogether escape,however, for, in turning his face towards the lattice, his friendMichael caught a glimpse of it, and exclaimed, "I prithee, AdamWoodcock, what hast thou been doing with these eyes of thine? They areswelled to the starting from the socket!"

  "Nought in the world," said he, after casting a deprecating glanceat Roland Graeme, "but the effect of sleeping in this d--ned trucklewithout a pillow."

  "Why, Adam Woodcock, thou must be grown strangely dainty," said his oldcompanion; "I have known thee sleep all night with no better pillow thana bush of ling, and start up with the sun, as glegg as a falcon; and nowthine eyes resemble----"

  "Tush, man, what signifies how mine eyes look now?" said Adam--"letus but roast a crab-apple, pour a pottle of ale on it, and bathe ourthroats withal, thou shalt see a change in me."

  "And thou wilt be in heart to sing thy jolly ballad about the Pope,"said his comrade.

  "Ay, that I will," replied the falconer, "that is, when we have leftthis quiet town five miles behind us, if you will take your hobby andride so far on my way."

  "Nay, that I may not," said Michael--"I can but stop to partake yourmorning draught, and see you fairly to horse--I will see that theysaddle them, and toast the crab for thee, without loss of time."

  During his absence the falconer took the page by the hand--"May I neverhood hawk again," said the good-natured fellow, "if I am not as sorry topart with you as if you were a child of mine own, craving pardon for thefreedom--I cannot tell what makes me love you so much, unless it be forthe reason that I loved the vicious devil of a brown galloway nag whommy master the Knight called Satan, till Master Warden changed his nameto Seyton; for he said it was over boldness to call a beast after theKing of Darkness----"

  "And," said the page, "it was over boldness in him, I trow, to call avicious brute after a noble family."

  "Well," proceeded Adam, "Seyton or Satan, I loved that nag over everyother horse in the stable---There was no sleeping on his back--he wasfor ever fidgeting, bolting, rearing, biting, kicking, and giving youwork to do, and maybe the measure of your back on the heather to theboot of it all. And I think I love you better than any lad in thecastle, for the self-same qualities."

  "Thanks, thanks, kind Adam. I regard myself bound to you for the goodestimation in which you hold me."

  "Nay, interrupt me not," said the falconer--"Satan was a good nag--ButI say I think I shall call the two eyases after you, the one Roland,and the other Graeme; and while Adam Woodcock lives, be sure you have afriend--Here is to thee, my dear son."

  Roland most heartily returned the grasp of the hand, and Woodcock,having taken a deep draught, continued his farewell speech.

  "There are three things I warn you against, Roland, now that you art totread this weary world without my experience to assist you. In the firstplace, never draw dagger on slight occasion--every man's doublet is notso well stuffed as a certain abbot's that you wot of. Secondly, fly notat every pretty girl, like a merlin at a thrush--you will not always wina gold chain for your labour--and, by the way, here I return to you yourfanfarona--keep it close, it is weighty, and may benefit you at a pinchmore ways than one. Thirdly, and to conclude, as our worthy preachersays, beware of the pottle-pot--it has drenched the judgment of wisermen than you. I could bring some instances of it, but I dare say itneedeth not; for if you should forget your own mishaps, you will scarcefail to remember mine--And so farewell, my dear son."

  Roland returned his good wishes, and failed not to send his humble dutyto his kind Lady, charging the falconer, at the same time, to expresshis regret that he should have offended her, and his determination soto bear him in the world that she would not be ashamed of the generousprotection she had afforded him.

  The falconer embraced his young friend, mounted his stout, round-made,trotting-nag, which the serving-man, who had attended him, held ready atthe door, and took the road to the southward. A sullen and heavysound echoed from the horse's feet, as if indicating the sorrow of thegood-natured rider. Every hoof-tread seemed to tap upon Roland's heartas he heard his comrade withdraw with so little of his usual alertactivity, and felt that he was once more alone in the world.

  He was roused from his reverie by Michael Wing-the-wind, who remindedhim that it was necessary they should instantly return to the palace,as my Lord Regent went to the Sessions early in the morning. They wentthither accordingly, and Wing-the-wind, a favourite old domestic, whowas admitted nearer to the Regent's person and privacy, than many whoseposts were more ostensible, soon introduced Graeme into a small mattedchamber, where he had an audience of the present head of the troubledState of Scotland. The Earl of Murray was clad in a sad-colouredmorning-gown, with a cap and slippers of the same cloth, but, even inthis easy deshabille, held his sheathed rapier in his hand, a precautionwhich he adopted when receiving strangers, rather in compliance withthe earnest remonstrances of his friends and partisans, than from anypersonal apprehensions of his own. He answered with a silent nod therespectful obeisance of the page, and took one or two turns throughthe small apartment in silence, fixing
his keen eye on Roland, as if hewished to penetrate into his very soul. At length he broke silence.

  "Your name is, I think, Julian Graeme?"

  "Roland Graeme, my lord, not Julian," replied the page.

  "Right--I was misled by some trick of my memory--Roland Graeme, fromthe Debateable Land.--Roland, thou knowest the duties which belong to alady's service?"

  "I should know them, my lord," replied Roland, "having been bred sonear the person of my Lady of Avenel; but I trust never more to practisethem, as the Knight hath promised----"

  "Be silent, young man," said the Regent, "I am to speak, and you to hearand obey. It is necessary that, for some space at least, you shallagain enter into the service of a lady, who, in rank, hath no equal inScotland; and this service accomplished, I give thee my word as Knightand Prince, that it shall open to you a course of ambition, such as maywell gratify the aspiring wishes of one whom circumstances entitleto entertain much higher views than thou. I will take thee into myhousehold and near to my person, or, at your own choice, I will give youthe command of a foot-company--either is a preferment which the proudestlaird in the land might be glad to ensure for a second son."

  "May I presume to ask, my lord," said Roland, observing the Earl pausedfor a reply, "to whom my poor services are in the first place destined?"

  "You will be told hereafter," said the Regent; and then, as ifovercoming some internal reluctance to speak farther himself, he added,"or why should I not myself tell you, that you are about to enter intothe service of a most illustrious--most unhappy lady--into the serviceof Mary of Scotland."

  "Of the Queen, my lord!" said the page, unable to suppress his surprise.

  "Of her who was the Queen!" said Murray, with a singular mixture ofdispleasure and embarrassment in his tone of voice. "You must be aware,young man, that her son reigns in her stead."

  He sighed from an emotion, partly natural, perhaps, and partly assumed.

  "And am I to attend upon her Grace in her place of imprisonment,my lord?" again demanded the page, with a straightforward and hardysimplicity, which somewhat disconcerted the sage and powerful statesman.

  "She is not imprisoned," answered Murray, angrily; "God forbid sheshould--she is only sequestered from state affairs, and from thebusiness of the public, until the world be so effectually settled, thatshe may enjoy her natural and uncontrolled freedom, without her royaldisposition being exposed to the practices of wicked and designing men.It is for this purpose," he added, "that while she is to be furnished,as right is, with such attendance as may befit her present secludedstate, it becomes necessary that those placed around her, are persons onwhose prudence I can have reliance. You see, therefore, you are at oncecalled on to discharge an office most honourable in itself, and so todischarge it that you may make a friend of the Regent of Scotland. Thouart, I have been told, a singularly apprehensive youth; and I perceiveby thy look, that thou dost already understand what I would say on thismatter. In this schedule your particular points of duty are set downat length--but the sum required of you is fidelity--I mean fidelityto myself and to the state. You are, therefore, to watch every attemptwhich is made, or inclination displayed, to open any communication withany of the lords who have become banders in the west--with Hamilton,Seyton, with Fleming, or the like. It is true that my gracious sister,reflecting upon the ill chances that have happened to the state of thispoor kingdom, from evil counsellors who have abused her royal nature intime past, hath determined to sequestrate herself from state affairs infuture. But it is our duty, as acting for and in the name of our infantnephew, to guard against the evils which may arise from any mutation orvacillation in her royal resolutions. Wherefore, it will be thy duty towatch, and report to our lady mother, whose guest our sister is for thepresent, whatever may infer a disposition to withdraw her person fromthe place of security in which she is lodged, or to open communicationwith those without. If, however, your observation should detect anything of weight, and which may exceed mere suspicion, fail not to sendnotice by an especial messenger to me directly, and this ring shall bethy warrant to order horse and men on such service.--And now begone.If there be half the wit in thy head that there is apprehension inthy look, thou fully comprehendest all that I would say--Serve mefaithfully, and sure as I am belted earl, thy reward shall be great."

  Roland Graeme made an obeisance, and was about to depart.

  The Earl signed to him to remain. "I have trusted thee deeply," he said,"young man, for thou art the only one of her suite who has been sentto her by my own recommendation. Her gentlewomen are of her ownnomination--it were too hard to have barred her that privilege, thoughsome there were who reckoned it inconsistent with sure policy. Thouart young and handsome. Mingle in their follies, and see they cover notdeeper designs under the appearance of female levity--if they do mine,do thou countermine. For the rest, bear all decorum and respect to theperson of thy mistress--she is a princess, though a most unhappy one,and hath been a queen! though now, alas! no longer such! Pay, therefore,to her all honour and respect, consistent with thy fidelity to the Kingand me--and now, farewell.--Yet stay--you travel with Lord Lindesay, aman of the old world, rough and honest, though untaught; see that thouoffend him not, for he is not patient of raillery, and thou, I haveheard, art a crack-halter." This he said with a smile, then added, "Icould have wished the Lord Lindesay's mission had been intrusted to someother and more gentle noble."

  "And wherefore should you wish that, my lord?" said Morton, who eventhen entered the apartment; "the council have decided for the best--wehave had but too many proofs of this lady's stubbornness of mind, andthe oak that resists the sharp steel axe, must be riven with the ruggediron wedge.--And this is to be her page?--My Lord Regent hath doubtlessinstructed you, young man, how you shall guide yourself in thesematters; I will add but a little hint on my part. You are going to thecastle of a Douglas, where treachery never thrives--the first moment ofsuspicion will be the last of your life. My kinsman, William Douglas,understands no raillery, and if he once have cause to think you false,you will waver in the wind from the castle battlements ere the sun setupon his anger.--And is the lady to have an almoner withal?"

  "Occasionally, Douglas," said the Regent; "it were hard to deny thespiritual consolation which she thinks essential to her salvation."

  "You are ever too soft hearted, my lord--What! a false priest tocommunicate her lamentations, not only to our unfriends in Scotland, butto the Guises, to Rome, to Spain, and I know not where!"

  "Fear not," said the Regent, "we will take such order that no treacheryshall happen."

  "Look to it then." said Morton; "you know my mind respecting the wenchyou have consented she shall receive as a waiting-woman--one of afamily, which, of all others, has ever been devoted to her, and inimicalto us. Had we not been wary, she would have been purveyed of a page asmuch to her purpose as her waiting-damsel. I hear a rumour that an oldmad Romish pilgrimer, who passes for at least half a saint among them,was employed to find a fit subject."

  "We have escaped that danger at least," said Murray, "and converted itinto a point of advantage, by sending this boy of Glendinning's--and forher waiting-damsel, you cannot grudge her one poor maiden instead of herfour noble Marys and all their silken train?"

  "I care not so much for the waiting-maiden," said Morton, "but I cannotbrook the almoner--I think priests of all persuasions are much likeeach other--Here is John Knox, who made such a noble puller-down, isambitious of becoming a setter-up, and a founder of schools and collegesout of the Abbey lands, and bishops' rents, and other spoils of Rome,which the nobility of Scotland have won with their sword and bow, andwith which he would endow new hives to sing the old drone."

  "John is a man of God," said the Regent, "and his scheme is a devoutimagination."

  The sedate smile with which this was spoken, left it impossible toconjecture whether the words were meant in approbation, or in derision,of the plan of the Scottish Reformer. Turning then to Roland Graeme, asif he thought he had been lon
g enough a witness of this conversation,he bade him get him presently to horse, since my Lord of Lindesay wasalready mounted. The page made his reverence, and left the apartment.

  Guided by Michael Wing-the-wind, he found his horse ready saddled andprepared for the journey, in front of the palace porch, where hoveredabout a score of men-at-arms, whose leader showed no small symptoms ofsurly impatience.

  "Is this the jackanape page for whom we have waited thus long?" saidhe to Wing-the-wind.--"And my Lord Ruthven will reach the castle longbefore us."

  Michael assented, and added, that the boy had been detained by theRegent to receive some parting instructions. The leader made aninarticulate sound in his throat, expressive of sullen acquiescence, andcalling to one of his domestic attendants, "Edward," said he, "take thegallant into your charge, and let him speak with no one else."

  He then addressed, by the title of Sir Robert, an elderly andrespectable-looking gentleman, the only one of the party who seemedabove the rank of a retainer or domestic, and observed, that they mustget to horse with all speed.

  During this discourse, and while they were riding slowly along thestreet of the suburb, Roland had time to examine more accurately thelooks and figure of the Baron, who was at their head.

  Lord Lindesay of the Byres was rather touched than stricken with years.His upright stature and strong limbs, still showed him fully equal toall the exertions and fatigues of war. His thick eyebrows, now partiallygrizzled, lowered over large eyes full of dark fire, which seemed yetdarker from the uncommon depth at which they were set in his head. Hisfeatures, naturally strong and harsh, had their sternness exaggeratedby one or two scars received in battle. These features, naturallycalculated to express the harsher passions, were shaded by an open steelcap, with a projecting front, but having no visor, over the gorgetof which fell the black and grizzled beard of the grim old Baron, andtotally hid the lower part of his face. The rest of his dress was aloose buff-coat, which had once been lined with silk and adorned withembroidery, but which seemed much stained with travel, and damaged withcuts, received probably in battle. It covered a corslet, which had oncebeen of polished steel, fairly gilded, but was now somewhat injured withrust. A sword of antique make and uncommon size, framed to be wieldedwith both hands, a kind of weapon which was then beginning to go outof use, hung from his neck in a baldrick, and was so disposed asto traverse his whole person, the huge hilt appearing over his leftshoulder, and the point reaching well-nigh to the right heel, andjarring against his spur as he walked. This unwieldy weapon could onlybe unsheathed by pulling the handle over the left shoulder--for no humanarm was long enough to draw it in the usual manner. The wholeequipment was that of a rude warrior, negligent of his exterior even tomisanthropical sullenness; and the short, harsh, haughty tone, which heused towards his attendants, belonged to the same unpolished character.

  The personage who rode with Lord Lindesay, at the head of the party, wasan absolute contrast to him, in manner, form, and features. His thin andsilky hair was already white, though he seemed not above forty-five orfifty years old. His tone of voice was soft and insinuating--hisform thin, spare, and bent by an habitual stoop--his pale cheek wasexpressive of shrewdness and intelligence--his eye was quick thoughplacid, and his whole demeanour mild and conciliatory. He rode anambling nag, such as were used by ladies, clergymen, or others ofpeaceful professions--wore a riding habit of black velvet, with a capand feather of the same hue, fastened up by a golden medal--andfor show, and as a mark of rank rather than for use, carried awalking-sword, (as the short light rapiers were called,) without anyother arms, offensive or defensive.

  The party had now quitted the town, and proceeded, at a steady trot,towards the west.--As they prosecuted their journey, Roland Graemewould gladly have learned something of its purpose and tendency, butthe countenance of the personage next to whom he had been placed in thetrain, discouraged all approach to familiarity. The Baron himself didnot look more grim and inaccessible than his feudal retainer, whosegrisly beard fell over his mouth like the portcullis before the gate ofa castle, as if for the purpose of preventing the escape of any word, ofwhich absolute necessity did not demand the utterance. The rest of thetrain seemed under the same taciturn influence, and journeyed on withouta word being exchanged amongst them--more like a troop of Carthusianfriars than a party of military retainers. Roland Graeme was surprisedat this extremity of discipline; for even in the household of the Knightof Avenel, though somewhat distinguished for the accuracy with whichdecorum was enforced, a journey was a period of license, during whichjest and song, and every thing within the limits of becoming mirth andpastime were freely permitted. This unusual silence was, however, so faracceptable, that it gave him time to bring any shadow of judgment whichhe possessed to council on his own situation and prospects, which wouldhave appeared to any reasonable person in the highest degree dangerousand perplexing.

  It was quite evident that he had, through various circumstances notunder his own control, formed contradictory connexions with both thecontending factions, by whose strife the kingdom was distracted, withoutbeing properly an adherent of either. It seemed also clear, that thesame situation in the household of the deposed Queen, to which he wasnow promoted by the influence of the Regent, had been destined to him byhis enthusiastic grandmother, Magdalen Graeme; for on this subject, thewords which Morton had dropped had been a ray of light; yet it was noless clear that these two persons, the one the declared enemy, the otherthe enthusiastic votary, of the Catholic religion,--the one at the headof the King's new government, the other, who regarded that governmentas a criminal usurpation--must have required and expected very differentservices from the individual whom they had thus united in recommending.It required very little reflection to foresee that these contradictoryclaims on his services might speedily place him in a situation where hishonour as well as his life might be endangered. But it was not in RolandGraeme's nature to anticipate evil before it came, or to prepare tocombat difficulties before they arrived. "I will see this beautiful andunfortunate Mary Stewart," said he, "of whom we have heard so much, andthen there will be time enough to determine whether I will be kingsmanor queensman. None of them can say I have given word or promise toeither of their factions; for they have led me up and down like a blindBilly, without giving me any light into what I was to do. But it waslucky that grim Douglas came into the Regent's closet this morning,otherwise I had never got free of him without plighting my troth to doall the Earl would have me, which seemed, after all, but foul play tothe poor imprisoned lady, to place her page as an espial on her."

  Skipping thus lightly over a matter of such consequence, the thoughts ofthe hare-brained boy went a wool-gathering after more agreeabletopics. Now he admired the Gothic towers of Barnbougle, rising from theseabeaten rock, and overlooking one of the most glorious landscapes inScotland--and now he began to consider what notable sport for the houndsand the hawks must be afforded by the variegated ground over which theytravelled--and now he compared the steady and dull trot at which theywere then prosecuting their journey, with the delight of sweepingover hill and dale in pursuit of his favourite sports. As, under theinfluence of these joyous recollections, he gave his horse the spur,and made him execute a gambade, he instantly incurred the censure of hisgrave neighbour, who hinted to him to keep the pace, and move quietlyand in order, unless he wished such notice to be taken of his eccentricmovements as was likely to be very displeasing to him.

  The rebuke and the restraint under which the youth now foundhimself, brought back to his recollection his late good-humoured andaccommodating associate and guide, Adam Woodcock; and from that topichis imagination made a short flight to Avenel Castle, to the quietand unconfined life of its inhabitants, the goodness of his earlyprotectress, not forgetting the denizens of its stables, kennels, andhawk-mews. In a brief space, all these subjects of meditation gave wayto the resemblance of that riddle of womankind, Catherine Seyton, whoappeared before the eye of his mind--now in her female form, now inher
male attire--now in both at once--like some strange dream, whichpresents to us the same individual under two different characters atthe same instant. Her mysterious present also recurred to hisrecollection--the sword which he now wore at his side, and which he wasnot to draw save by command of his legitimate Sovereign! But the key ofthis mystery he judged he was likely to find in the issue of his presentjourney.

  With such thoughts passing through his mind, Roland Graeme accompaniedthe party of Lord Lindesay to the Queen's-Ferry, which they passed invessels that lay in readiness for them. They encountered no adventurewhatever in their passage, excepting one horse being lamed in gettinginto the boat, an accident very common on such occasions, until afew years ago, when the ferry was completely regulated. What was morepeculiarly characteristic of the olden age, was the discharge of aculverin at the party from the battlements of the old castle of Rosythe,on the north side of the Ferry, the lord of which happened to have somepublic or private quarrel with the Lord Lindesay, and took this modeof expressing his resentment. The insult, however, as it was harmless,remained unnoticed and unavenged, nor did any thing else occur worthnotice until the band had come where Lochleven spread its magnificentsheet of waters to the beams of a bright summer's sun.

  The ancient castle, which occupies an island nearly in the centre ofthe lake, recalled to the page that of Avenel, in which he had beennurtured. But the lake was much larger, and adorned with several isletsbesides that on which the fortress was situated; and instead of beingembosomed in hills like that of Avenel, had upon the southern side onlya splendid mountainous screen, being the descent of one of the Lomondhills, and on the other was surrounded by the extensive and fertileplain of Kinross. Roland Graeme looked with some degree of dismay on thewater-girdled fortress, which then, as now, consisted only of onelarge donjon-keep, surrounded with a court-yard, with two roundflanking-towers at the angles, which contained within its circuit someother buildings of inferior importance. A few old trees, clusteredtogether near the castle, gave some relief to the air of desolateseclusion; but yet the page, while he gazed upon a building sosequestrated, could not but feel for the situation of a captive Princessdoomed to dwell there, as well as for his own. "I must have been born,"he thought, "under the star that presides over ladies and lakes ofwater, for I cannot by any means escape from the service of the one, orfrom dwelling in the other. But if they allow me not the fair freedomof my sport and exercise, they shall find it as hard to confine awild-drake, as a youth who can swim like one."

  The band had now reached the edge of the water, and one of the partyadvancing displayed Lord Lindesay's pennon, waving it repeatedly to andfro, while that Baron himself blew a clamorous blast on his bugle. Abanner was presently displayed from the roof of the castle in reply tothese signals, and one or two figures were seen busied as if unmooring aboat which lay close to the islet.

  "It will be some time ere they can reach us with the boat," said thecompanion of Lord Lindesay; "should we not do well to proceed tothe town, and array ourselves in some better order, ere we appearbefore----"

  "You may do as you list, Sir Robert," replied Lindesay, "I have neithertime nor temper to waste on such vanities. She has cost me many a hardride, and must not now take offence at the threadbare cloak and soileddoublet that I am arrayed in. It is the livery to which she has broughtall Scotland."

  "Do not speak so harshly," said Sir Robert; "if she hath done wrong,she hath dearly abied it; and in losing all real power, one would notdeprive her of the little external homage due at once to a lady and aprincess."

  "I say to you once more, Sir Robert Melville," replied Lindesay, "do asyou will--for me, I am now too old to dink myself as a gallant to gracethe bower of dames."

  "The bower of dames, my lord!" said Melville, looking at the rude oldtower--"is it yon dark and grated castle, the prison of a captive Queen,to which you give so gay a name?"

  "Name it as you list," replied Lindesay; "had the Regent desired to sendan envoy capable to speak to a captive Queen, there are many gallantsin his court who would have courted the occasion to make speeches out ofAmadis of Gaul, or the Mirror of Knighthood. But when he sent blunt oldLindesay, he knew he would speak to a misguided woman, as her formermisdoings and her present state render necessary. I sought not thisemployment--it has been thrust upon me; and I will not cumber myselfwith more form in the discharge of it, than needs must be tacked to suchan occupation."

  So saying, Lord Lindesay threw himself from horseback, and wrappinghis riding-cloak around him, lay down at lazy length upon the sward, toawait the arrival of the boat, which was now seen rowing from the castletowards the shore. Sir Robert Melville, who had also dismounted, walkedat short turns to and fro upon the bank, his arms crossed on his breast,often looking to the castle, and displaying in his countenance a mixtureof sorrow and of anxiety. The rest of the party sate like statues onhorseback, without moving so much as the points of their lances, whichthey held upright in the air.

  As soon as the boat approached a rude quay or landing-place, near towhich they had stationed themselves, Lord Lindesay started up from hisrecumbent posture, and asked the person who steered, why he had notbrought a larger boat with him to transport his retinue.

  "So please you," replied the boatman, "because it is the order of ourlady, that we bring not to the castle more than four persons."

  "Thy lady is a wise woman," said Lindesay, "to suspect me oftreachery!--Or, had I intended it, what was to hinder us from throwingyou and your comrades into the lake, and filling the boat with my ownfellows?"

  The steersman, on hearing this, made a hasty signal to his men to backtheir oars, and hold off from the shore which they were approaching.

  "Why, thou ass," said Lindesay, "thou didst not think that I meantthy fool's head serious harm? Hark thee, friend--with fewer than threeservants I will go no whither--Sir Robert Melville will require at leastthe attendance of one domestic; and it will be at your peril and yourlady's to refuse us admission, come hither as we are, on matters ofgreat national concern."

  The steersman answered with firmness, but with great civility ofexpression, that his orders were positive to bring no more than fourinto the island, but he offered to row back to obtain a revisal of hisorders.

  "Do so, my friend," said Sir Robert Melville, after he had in vainendeavoured to persuade his stubborn companion to consent to a temporaryabatement of his train, "row back to the castle, sith it will be nobetter, and obtain thy lady's orders to transport the Lord Lindesay,myself, and our retinue hither."

  "And hearken," said Lord Lindesay, "take with you this page, who comesas an attendant on your lady's guest.--Dismount, sirrah," said he,addressing Roland, "and embark with them in that boat."

  "And what is to become of my horse?" said Graeme; "I am answerable forhim to my master."

  "I will relieve you of the charge," said Lindesay; "thou wilt havelittle enough to do with horse, saddle, or bridle, for ten years tocome--Thou mayst take the halter an thou wilt--it may stand thee in aturn."

  "If I thought so," said Roland--but he was interrupted by Sir RobertMelville, who said to him good-humouredly, "Dispute it not, youngfriend--resistance can do no good, but may well run thee into danger."

  Roland Graeme felt the justice of what he said, and, though neitherdelighted with the matter or manner of Lindesay's address, deemed itbest to submit to necessity, and to embark without farther remonstrance.The men plied their oars. The quay, with the party of horse stationednear it, receded from the page's eyes--the castle and the islet seemedto draw near in the same proportion, and in a brief space he landedunder the shadow of a huge old tree which overhung the landing place.The steersman and Graeme leaped ashore; the boatmen remained lying ontheir oars ready for farther service.