The monastery; The abbot.

362 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
less free of cold steel on slight occasions; since, but for the stuffing of my
reverend doublet, I had only left the kirk to take my place in the kirkyard.
"Nay, spare me that feud," said Roland Grteme, " we shall have no time
to fight it out; for, by our lord's command, I am bound for Edinburgh."
"I know it," said Adam Woodcock, " and even therefore we shall have
time to solder up this rent by the way, for Sir Halbert has appointed me
your companion and guide."
"Ay? and with what purpose?" said the page.
"That," said the falconer, "is a question I cannot answer; but I know,
that be the food of the eyases washed or unwashed, and, indeed, whatever
becomes of perch and mew, I am to go with you to Edinburgh, and see you
safely delivered to the Regent at Holyrood."
"How, to the Regent?" said Roland, in surprise.
"Ay, by my faith, to the Regent," replied Woodcock; "I promise you,
that if you are not to enter his service, at least you are to wait upon him in
the character of a retainer of our Knight of Avenel."
"I know no right," said the youth, "which the Knight of Avenel hath to
transfer my service, supposing that I owe it to himself."
" Hush, hush i" said the falconer; " that is a question I advise no one to
stir in until he has the mountain or the lake, or the march of another
kingdom, which is better than either, betwixt him and his feudal superior."
"But Sir Halbert Glendinning," said the youth, "is not my feudal
superior; nor has he aught of authority "
" I pray you, my son, to rein your tongue," answered Adam Woodcock;
"my lord's displeasure, if you provoke it, will be worse to appease than my
lady's. The touch of his least finger were heavier than her hardest blow.
And, by my faith, he is a man of steel, as true and as pure, but as hard
and as pitiless. You remember the Cock of Capperlaw, whom he hanged
over his gate for a mere mistake -a poor yoke of oxen taken in Scotland,
when he thought he was taking them in English land? I loved the Cock
of Capperlaw; the Kerrs had not an honester man in their clan, and they
have had men that might have been a pattern to the Border-men that
would not have lifted under twenty cows at once, and would have held
themselves dishonoured if they had taken a drift of sheep, or the like, but
always managed their raids in full credit and honour.-But see, his worship
halts, and we are close by the bridge. Ride up -ride up -we must have
his last instructions."
It was as Adam Woodcock said. In the hollow way descending towards
the bridge, which was still in the guardianship of Peter Bridgeward, ias he
was called, though he was now very old, Sir Halbert Glendinning halted
his retinue, and beckoned to Woodcock and Grueme to advance to the head
of the train.
"Woodcock," said he, "thou knowest to whom thou art to conduct this
youth. And thou, young man, obey discreetly and with diligence the orders
that shall be given thee. Curb thy vain and peevish temper. Be just, true,
and faithful; and there is in thee that which may raise thee many a degree
above thy present station. Neither shalt thou —always supposing thine
efforts to be fair and honest want the protection and countenance of
Avenel."
Leaving them in front of the bridge, the centre tower of which now began
to cast a prolonged shade upon the river, the Knight of Avenel turned to
the left, without crossing the river, and pursued his way towards the chainof hills within whose recesses are situated the Lake and Castle of Avenel.
There remained behind, the falconer, Roland Graeme, and a domestic of
the Knight, of inferior rank, who was left with them to look after their
horses while on the road, to carry their baggage, and to attend to their
convenience.
So soon as the more numerous body of riders had turned off to pursue