The monastery; The abbot.

THE MONASTERY. 243
flJaftr tat Wi0r4-lirx t.
Faint the din of battle bray'd
Distant down the hollow wind;
War and terror fled before,
Wounds and death were left behind.
PENROSE.
oini utumn of the year was well advanced, when the Earl of Morton,
one morning, rather unexpectedly, entered the antechamber of Murray, in
which Halbert Glendinning was in waiting.
" Call your master, Halbert," said the Earl; " I have news for him from
Teviotdale; and for you too, Glendinning.-News! news! my Lord of
Murray!" he exclaimed at the door of the Earl's bedroom; "come forth
instantly." The Earl appeared, and greeted his ally, demanding eagerly
his tidings.
" I have had a sure friend with me from the south," said Morton; "he
has been at Saint Mary's Monastery, and brings important tidings."
"Of what complexion?" said Murray, " and can you trust the bearer?"
"He is faithful, on my life," said Morton; " I wish all around your Lordship may prove equally so."
"At what, and whom, do you point?" demanded Murray.
"Here is the Egyptian of trusty Halbert Glendinning, our Southland
Moses, come alive again, and flourishing, gay and bright as ever, in that
Teviotdale Goshen, the Halidome of Kennaquhair."
" What mean you, my lord?" said Murray.
" Only that your new henchman has put a false tale upon you. Piercie
Shafton is alive and well; by the same token that the gull is thought to be
detained there by love to a miller's daughter, who roamed the country with
him in disguise."
" Glendinning," said Murray, bending his brow into his darkest frown,
"thou hast not, I trust, dared to bring me a lie in thy mouth, in order to
win my confidence?"
"My lord," said Halbert, "I am incapable of a lie. I should choke on
one were my life to require that I pronounced it. I say, that this sword of
my father was through the body-the point came out behind his back-the
hilt pressed upon his breast-bone. And I will plunge it as deep in the
body of any one who shall dare to charge me with falsehood."
" How, fellow!" said Morton, "wouldst thou beard a nobleman?"
"Be silent, Halbert," said Murray, "and you, my Lord of Morton, forbear him. I see truth written on his brow."
"I wish the inside of the manuscript may correspond with the superscription," replied his more suspicious ally. "Look to it, my lord, you will
one dav lose your life by too much confidence."
" And you will lose your friends by being too readily suspicious," answered Murray. "Enough of this-let me hear thy tidings."
"Sir John Foster," said Morton, " is about to send a party into Scotland
to waste the Halidome."
"How! without waiting my presence and permission?" said Murray"he is mad-will he come as an enemy into the Queen's country?"
"He has Elizabeth's express orders," answered Morton, "and they are
not to be trifled with. Indeed, his march has been more than once projected and laid aside during the time we have been here, and has caused
much alarm at Kennaquhair. Boniface, the old Abbot, has resigned, and
whom think you they have chosen in his place?"