The monastery; The abbot.

422 WAVERLEY NOVELS.
the natural companion of profligacy.-I am discharged, forsooth, from
intruding on her gracious presence this evening. Go thou, my son, and
render the usual service of the meal to this unqueened Queen."
"So please you, lady mother," said Douglas, "I care not greatly to
approach her presence."
"Thou art right, my son; and therefore I trust thy prudence, even
because I have noted thy caution. She is like an isle on the ccean, surrounded with shelves and quicksands; its verdure fair and inviting to the
eye, but the wreck of many a goodly vessel which hath approached it too
rashly. But for thee, my son, I fear nought; and we may not, with our
honour, suffer her to eat without the attendance of one of us. She may die
by. the judgment of Heaven, or the fiend may have power over her in her
despair; and then we would be touched in honour to show that in our
house, and at our table, she had had all fair play and fitting usagfe."
Here. Roland was interrupted by a smart tap on the shoulders, reminding
him sharply of Adam Woodcock's adventure of the preceding evening. He
turned round, almost expecting to see the page of Saint Michael's hostelry.
He saw, indeed, Catherine Seyton; but she was in female attire, differing,
no doubt, a great deal in shape and materials from that which she had worn
when they first met, and becoming her -birth as the daughter of a great
baron, and her rank as the attendant on a princess. " So, fair page," said
she, "eaves-dropping is one of your page-like qualities, I presume."
"Fair sister," answered Roland, in the same tone, "if some friends of
mine be as well acquainted with the rest of our mystery as they are with
the arts of swearing, swaggering, and switching, they need ask no page in
Christendom for farther insight into his vocation."." Unless that pretty speech infer that you have yourself had the discipline
of the switch since we last met, the probability whereof I nothing doubt, I
profess, fair page, I am at a loss to conjecture your meaning. But there is
no time to debate it now- they come with the evening meal. Be pleased,
Sir Page, to do your duty."
Four servants entered bearing dishes, preceded by the same stern old
steward whom Roland had already seen, and followed by George Douglas,
already mentioned as the grandson of the Lady of Lochleven, and who,
acting as seneschal, represented, upon this occasion, his father, the Lord of
the Castle. He entered with his arms folded on his bosom, and his looks
bent on the ground. With the assistance of Roland Greme, a table was
suitably covered in the next or middle apartment, on which the domestics
placed their burdens with great reverence, the steward and Douglas bending
low when they had seen the table properly adorned, as if their royal prisoner
had sat at the board in question. The door opened, and Douglas, raising
his eyes hastily, cast them again on the earth, when he perceived it was only
the Lady Mary Fleming who entered.
" Her Grace," she said, " will not eat to-night."
"Let us hope she may be otherwise persuaded," said Douglas; "meanwhile, madam, please to see our duty performed."
A servant presented bread and salt on a silver plate, and the old steward
carved for Douglas a small morsel in succession from each of the dishes
presented, which he tasted, as was then the custom at the tables of princes,
to which death was often suspected to find its way in the disguise of food.
" The Queen will not then come forth to-night?" said Douglas.
" She has so determined," replied the lady.
"Our farther attendance then is unnecessary -we leave you to your
supper, fair ladies, and wish you good even."
He retired slowly as he came, and with the same air of deep dejection,
and was followed by the attendants belonging to the castle. The two ladies
sate down to their meal, and Roland Grseme, with ready alacrity, prepared
to wait upon them. Catherine Seyton whispered to her companion, who