The monastery; The abbot.

THE MONASTERY. 139
"Were it to show gratitude and good-will for your reverend lordship's
noble offer, I could not," he said, " kneel low enough, or remain long enough
kneeling. But I may not kneel to take investure of your noble gift, my
Lord Abbot, being a man determined to seek my fortune otherwise."
" How is that, sir?" said the Abbot, knitting his brows; "do I hear you
speak aright? and do you, a born vassal of the Halidome, at the moment
when I am destining to you such a noble expression of my good-will, propose exchanging my service for that of any other?"
"My lord," said Halbert Glendinning, "it grieves me to think you hold
me capable of undervaluing your gracious offer, or of exchanging your
service for another. But your noble proffer doth but hasten the execution
of a determination which I have long since formed."
"Ay, my son," said the Abbot, " is it indeed so? - right early have you
learned to form resolutions without consulting those on whom you naturally
depend. But what may it be, this sagacious resolution, if I may so far
pray you?"
"To yield up to my brother and mother," answered Halbert, "mine
interest in the fief of Glendearg, lately possessed by my father, Simon Glendinning: and having prayed your lordship to be the same kind and generous
master to them, that your predecessors, the venerable Abbots of Saint
Mary's, have been to my fathers in times past; for myself, I am determined
to seek my fortune where I may best find it."
Dame Glendinning here ventured, emboldened by maternal anxiety, to
break silence with an exclamation of " 0 my son!" Edward clinging to his
brother's side, half spoke, half whispered, a similar ejaculation, of "Brother!
brother!"
The Sub-Prior took up the matter in a tone. of grave reprehension, which,
as he conceived, the interest he had always taken in the family at Glendearg
required at his hand.
"Wilful young man," he said, " what folly can urge thee to push back
the hand that is stretched out to aid thee? What visionary aim hast thou
before thee, that can compensate for the decent and sufficient independence
which thou art now rejecting with scorn?"
" Four marks.by the year, duly and truly," said the Kitchener.
"Cow's-grass, doublet, and galligaskins," responded the Refectioner.
"Peace, my brethren," said the Sub-Prior; "and may it please your
lordship, venerable father, upon my petition, to allow this headstrong youth
a day for consideration, and it shall be my part so to indoctrinate him, as
to convince him what is due on this occasion to your lordship, and to his
family, and to himself."
" Your kindness, reverend father," said the youth, "craves my dearest
thanks -it is the continuance of a long train of benevolence towards me,
for which I give you my gratitude, for I have nothing else to offer. It is
my mishap, not your fault, that your intentions have been frustrated. But
my present resolution is fixed and unalterable. I cannot accept the generous offer of the Lord Abbot; my fate calls me elsewhere, to scenes where
I shall end it or mend it."
"By our Lady," said the Abbot, "I think the youth be mad indeed - or
that you, Sir Piercie, judged of him most truly, when you prophesied that
he would prove unfit for the promotion we designed him -it may be you
knew something of this wayward humour before?"
"By the mass, not I," answered Sir Piercie Shafton, with his usual
indifference. " I but judged of him by his birth and breeding; for seldom
doth a good hawk come out of a kite's egg."
"Thou art thyself a kite, and kestrel to boot," replied Halbert Glendinning, without a moment's hesitation.
"This in our presence, and to a man of worship?" said the Abbot, the
blood rushing to his face.