The monastery; The abbot.

THE ABBOT. 421
Lindusay was heard to say, in answer to something more indistinctly urged
by his colleague - " Chide not with me, for I will not brook it! You put
the hangman's office on me in this matter, and even the very hangman hath
leave to ask some pardon of those on whom he does his office. I would I
had as deep cause to be this lady's friend as I have to be her enemy-thou
shouldst see if I spared limb and life in her quarrel."
"Thou art a sweet minion," said Ruthven, " to fight a lady's quarrel, and
all for a brent brow and a tear in the eye! Such toys have been out of thy
thoughts this many a year."
"Do me right, Ruthven," said Lindesay. "You are like a polished
corslet of steel; it shines more gaudily, but it is not a whit softer-nay, it
is five times harder than a Glasgow breastplate of hammered iron. Enough.
We know each other."
They descended the stairs, were heard to summon their boats, and the
Queen signed to Roland Groeme to retire to the vestibule, and leave her with
her female attendants.,lin tr ^rniqt-'girh.
Give me a morsel on the greensward rather,
Coarse as you will the cooking-Let the fresh spring
Bubble beside my napkin-and the free birds
Twittering and chirping, hop from bough to bough,
To claim the crumbs I leave for perquisitesYour prison feasts I like not.
THE WOODSMAN, A DRAMA.
A RECESS in the vestibule was enlightened by a small window, at which
Roland Graeme stationed himself to mark the departure of the lords. He
could see their followers mustering on horseback under their respective
banners - the western sun glancing on tleir corslets and steel-caps as they
moved to and fro, mounted or dismounted, at intervals. On the narrow
space betwixt the castle and the water, the Lords Ruthven and Lindesay
were already moving slowly to their boats, accompanied by the Lady of
Lochleven, her grandson, and their principal attendants. They took a
ceremonious leave of each other, as Roland could discern by their gestures,
and the boats put off from their landing-place; the boatmen stretched to
their oars, and they speedily diminished upon the eye of the idle gazer, who
had no better employment than to watch their motions. Such seemed also
the occupation of the Lady Lochleven and George Douglas, who, returning
from the landing-place, looked frequently back to the boats, and at length
stopped as if to observe their progress under the window at which Roland
Grseme was stationed.- As they gazed on the lake, he could hear the lady
distinctly say, "And she has bent her mind to save her life at the expense
of her kingdom?"
"Her life, madam 1" replied her son; " I know not who would dare to
attempt it in the castle of my father. Had I dreamt that it was with such
purpose that Lindesay insisted on bringing his followers hither, neither he
nor they should have passed the iron gate of Lochleven castle."
"I speak not of private slaughter, my son, but of open trial, condemnation, and execution; for with such she has been threatened, and to such
threats she has given way. Had she not more of the false Gusian blood
than of the royal race of Scotland in her veins, she had bidden them defiance to their teeth — But it is all of the same complexion, and meanness is
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