The monastery; The abbot.

372 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
six or seven young gentlemen, richly dressed, pressed forward into the apartment, having, for the greater part, their swords drawn.
"Who is it," said one, " dare intrude on us in our own mansion?"
"Cut him to pieces," said another; " let him pay for this day's insolence
and violence -he is some follower of the Rothes."
" No, by Saint Mary," said another; "he is a follower of the arch-fiend
and ennobled clown Halbert Glendinning, who takes the style of Avenelonce a church-vassal, now a pillager of the church."
" It is so," said a fourth; "I know him by the holly-sprig, which is their
cognizance. Secure the door, he must answer for this insolence."
Two of the gallants, hastily drawing their weapons, passed on to the door
by which Roland had entered the hall, and stationed themselves there as if
to prevent his escape. The others advanced on Grgeme, who had just sense
enough to perceive that any attempt at resistance would be alike fruitless
and imprudent. At once, and by various voices, none of which sounded
amicably, the page was required to say who he was, whence he came, his
name, his errand, and who sent him hither. The number of the questions
demanded of him at once, afforded a momentary apology for his remaining
silent, and ere that brief truce had elapsed, a personage entered the hall, at
whose appearance those who had gathered fiercely around Roland, fell back
with respect.
This was a tall man, whose dark hair was already grizzled, though his
high and haughty features retained all the animation of youth. The upper
part of his person was undressed to his Holland shirt, whose ample folds
were stained with blood. But he wore a mantle of crimson, lined with rich
fur, cast around him, which supplied the deficiency of his dress. On his
head he had a crimson velvet bonnet, looped up on one side with a small
golden chain of many links, which, going thrice around the hat, was fastened
by a medal, agreeable to the fashion amongst the grandees of the time.
"Whom have you here, sons and kinsmen," said he, " around whom you
crowd thus roughly? -Know you not that the. shelter of this roof should
secure every one fair treatment, who shall come hither either in fair peace,
or in open and manly hostility?"
"But here, my lord," answered one of the youths, "is a knave who comes
on treacherous espial!"
" I deny the charge!" said Roland Grieme, boldly, "I came to inquire
after my Lord Seyton."
"A likely tale," answered his accusers, "in the mouth of a follower of
Glendinning."
"' Stay, young men," said the Lord Seyton, for it was that nobleman himself, "let me look at this youth -By heaven, it is the very same who came
so boldly to my side not very. many minutes since, when some of my own
knaves bore themselves with more respect to their own worshipful safety
than to mine! Stand back from him, for he well deserves honour and a
friendly welcome at your hands, instead of this rough treatment."
They fell back on all sides, obedient to Lord Seyton's commands, who,
taking Roland Grmeme by the hand, thanked him for his prompt and gallant
assistance, adding, that he nothing doubted, " the same interest which he
had taken in his cause in the affray, brought him hither to inquire after his
hurt."
Roland bowed low in acquiescence.
"Or is there any thing in which I can serve you, to show my sense f
your ready gallantry?"
But the page, thinking it best to abide by the apology for his visit which
the Lord Seyton had so aptly himself suggested, replied, "that to be assured
of his lordship's safety, had been the only cause of his intrusion. He
judged," he added, "he had seen him receive some hurt in the affray."
"A trifle," said Lord Seyton,; "I had but stripped my doublet, that the