The monastery; The abbot.

THE ABBOT. 399
prepared for the journey, in front of the palace porch, where hovered about
a score of men-at-arms, whose leader showed no small symptoms of surly
impatience.
" Is this the jackanape page for whom we have waited thus long?" said
he to Wing-the-wind. - " And my Lord Ruthven will reach the castle long
before us."
Michael assented, and added, that the boy had been detained by the
Regent to receive some parting instructions. The leader made an inarticulate sound in his throat, expressive of sullen acquiescence, and calling to
one of his domestic attendants, "Edward," said he, "take the gallant into
your charge, and let him speak with no one else."
He then addressed, by the title of Sir Robert, an elderly and respectablelooking gentleman, the only one of the party who seemed above the rank
of a retainer or domestic, and observed, that they must get to horse with all
speed.
During this discourse, and while they were riding slowly along the street
of the suburb, Roland had time to examine more accurately the looks 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 to all
the exertions and fatigues of war. His thick eyebrows, now partially
grizzled, lowered over large eyes full of dark fire, which seemed yet darker
from the uncommon depth at which they were set in his head. His features,
naturally strong and harsh, had their sternness exaggerated by one or two
scars received in battle. These features, naturally calculated to express
the harsher passions, were shaded by an open steel cap, with a projecting
front, but having no visor, over the gorget of which fell the black and
grizzled beard of the grim old Baron, and totally hid the lower part of his
face. The rest of his dress was a loose buff-coat, which had once been lined
with silk and adorned with embroidery, but which seemed much stained
with travel, and damaged with cuts, received probably in battle. It covered
a corslet, which had once been of polished steel, fairly gilded, but was now
somewhat injured with rust. A sword of antique make and uncommon.
size, framed to be wielded with both hands, a kind of weapon which was
then beginning to go out of use, hung from his neck in a baldrick, and
was so disposed as to traverse his whole person, the huge hilt appearing
over his left shoulder, and the point reaching well-nigh to the right heel,
and jarring against his spur as he walked. This unwieldy weapon could
only be unsheathed by pulling the handle over the left shoulder-for no
human arm was long enough to draw it in the usual manner. The whole
equipment was that of a rude warrior, negligent of his exterior even to misanthropical sullenness; and the short, harsh, haughty tone, which he used
towards his attendants, belonged to the same unpolished character.
The personage who rode with Lord Lindesay, at the head of the party,
was an absolute contrast to him, in manner, form, and features. His thin
and silky hair was already white, though he seemed not above forty-five or
fifty years old. His tone of voice was soft and insinuating-his form thin,
spare, and bent by an habitual stoop - his pale cheek was expressive of
shrewdness and intelligence -his eye was quick though placid, and his
whole demeanour mild and conciliatory. He rode an ambling nag, such as
were used by ladies, clergymen, or others of peaceful professions -wore a
riding habit of black velvet, with a cap and feather of the same hue, fastened
up by a golden medal-and for show, and as a mark of rank rather than for
use, carried a walking-sword, (as the short light rapiers were called,) without
any other 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 Grveme would
gladly have learned something of its purpose and tendency, but the coun