The monastery; The abbot.

0S0 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
you be pleased to undo the door? —What ails you?-are you at your
prayers in private, to complete the devotion which you left unfinished in
public?- Surely we must have a screened seat for you in the chapel, that
your gentility may be free from the eyes of common folks!" Still no
whisper was heard in reply. "Well, master Roland," said the waitingmaid, "I must tell my mistress, that if she would have an answer, she
must either come herself, or send those on errand to you who can beat the
door down."
"What says your Lady?" answered the page from within.
"Marry, open the door, and you shall hear," answered the waiting-maid.
I trow it becomes my Lady's message to be listened to face to face; and
I will not for your idle pleasure, whistle it through a key-hole."
" Your mistress's name," said the page, opening the door, "is too fair a
cover for your impertinence-What says my Lady?"
"That you will be pleased to come to her directly, in the withdrawingroom," answered Lilias. "I presume she has some directions for you concerning the forms to be observed in leaving chapel in future."
" Say to my Lady, that I will directly wait on her," answered the page;
and returning into his apartment, he once more locked the door in the face
of the waiting-maid.
"Rare courtesy!" muttered Lilias; and, returning to her mistress,
acquainted her that Roland Grneme would wait on her when it suited his
convenience.
"What, is that his addition, or your own phrase, Lilias?" said the Lady,
coolly.
"Nay, madam," replied the attendant, not directly answering the question, "he looked as if he could have said much more impertinent things
than that, if I had been willing to hear them.-But here he comes to
answer for himself."
Roland Graeme entered the apartment with a loftier mien, and somewhat
a higher colour than his wont; there was embarrassment in his manner,
but it was neither that of fear nor of penitence.
" Young man," said the Lady, " what trow you I am to think of your
conduct this day?"
" If it has offended you, madam, I am deeply grieved," replied the youth.
"To have offended me alone," replied the Lady, " were but little -You
have been guilty of conduct which will highly offend your master —of violence to your fellow-servants, and of disrespect to God himself, in the person
of his ambassador."
"Permit me again to reply," said the page, "that if I have offended my
only mistress, friend, and benefactress, it includes the sum of my guilt,
and deserves the sum of my penitence - Sir Halbert Glendinning calls me
not servant, nor do I call him master —he is not entitled to blame me for
chastising an insolent groom- nor do I fear the wrath of Heaven for treating with scorn the unauthorized interference of a meddling preacher."
The Lady of Avenel had before this seen symptoms in her favourite of
boyish petulance, and of impatience of censure or reproof. But his present
demeanour was of a graver and more determined character, and she was
for a moment at a loss how she should treat the youth, who seemed to have
at once assumed the character not only of a man, but of a bold and determined one. She paused an instant, and then assuming the dignity which
was natural to her, she said, "Is it to me, Roland, that you hold this language? Is it for the purpose of making me repent the favour I have shown
you, that you declare yourself independent both of an earthly and a
Heavenly master? Have you forgotten what you were, and to what the
loss of my protection would speedily again reduce you?"
"Lady," said the page, "I have forgot nothing, I remember but too
much. I know, that but for you, I should have perished in yon blue