The monastery; The abbot.

402 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
time nor temper to waste on such vanities. She has cost me many a hard
ride, and must not now take offence at the threadbare cloak and soiled
doublet that I am arrayed in. It is the livery to which she has brought all
Scotland."
"Do not speak so harshly," said Sir Robert; "if she hath done wrong,
she hath dearly abied it; and in losing all real power, one would not
deprive her of the little external homage due at once to a lady and a
princess."
"I say to you once more, Sir Robert Melville," replied Lindesay, "do as
you will-for me, I am now too old to dink myself as a gallant to grace the
bower of dames."
"The bower of dames, my lord!" said Melville, looking at the rude old
tower-" is it yon dark and grated castle, the prison of a captive Queen, to
which you give so gay a name?'
I"Name it as you list," replied Lindesay; "had the Regent desired to
send an envoy capable to speak to a captive Queen, there are many gallants
in his court who would have courted the occasion to make speeches out of
Amadis of Gaul, or the Mirror of Knighthood. But when he sent blunt old
Lindesay, he knew he would speak to a misguided woman, as her former
misdoings and her present state render necessary. I sought not this employment-it has been thrust upon me; and I will not cumber myself with
more form in the discharge of it, than needs must be tacked to such an
occupation."
So saying, Lord Lindesay threw himself from horseback, and wrapping
his riding-cloak around him, lay down at lazy length upon the sward, to
await the arrival of the boat, which was now seen rowing from the castle
towards the shore. Sir Robert Melville, who had also dismounted, walked
at short turns to and fro upon the bank, his arms crossed on his breast,
often looking to the castle, and displaying in his countenance a mixture of
sorrow and of anxiety. The rest of the party sate like statues on horseback,
without moving so much as the points of their lances, which they held
upright in the air.
As soon as the boat approached a rude quay or landing-place, near to
which they had stationed themselves, Lord Lindesay started up from his
recumbent posture, and asked the person who steered, why he had not
brought a larger boat with him to transport his retinue.
"So please you," replied the boatman, "because it is the order of our
lady, that we bring not to the castle more than four persons."
"Thy lady is a wise woman," said Lindesay, "to suspect me of treachery!
-Or, had I intended it, what was to hinder us from throwing you and your
comrades into the lake, and filling the boat with my own fellows?"
The steersman, on hearing hlis, made a hasty signal to his men to back
their oars, and hold off from the shore which they were approaching.
" Why, thou ass," said Lindesay, " thou didst not think that I meant thy
fool's head serious harm? Hark thee, friend-with fewer than three
servants I will go no whither-Sir Robert Melville will require at least the
attendance of one domestic; and it will be at your peril and your lady's to
refuse us admission, come hither as we are, on matters of great national
concern."
The steersman answered with firmness, but with great civility of expression, that his orders were positive to bring no more than four into the island,
but he offered to row back to obtain a revisal of his orders.
"Do so, my friend," said Sir Robert Melville, after he had in vain endeavoured to persuade his stubborn companion to consent to a temporary
abatement of his train, "row back to the castle, sith it will be no better,
and obtain thy lady's orders to transport the Lord Lindesay, myself, and
our retinue hither."
"And hearken," said Lord Lindesay, "take with you this page, who