"What! and thou Sir Halbert Glendinning's page?" said the Regent.
"I was brought up as my Lady's page," said the youth, "and left Avenel Castle for the first time in my life--at least since my childhood--only three days since."
"My Lady's page!" repeated the Earl of Murray, as if speaking to himself; "it was strange to send his Lady's page on a matter of such deep concernment--Morton will say it is of a piece with the nomination of his brother to be Abbot; and yet in some sort an inexperienced youth will best serve the turn.--What hast thou been taught, young man, in thy doughty apprenticeship?"
"To hunt, my lord, and to hawk," said Roland Graeme.
"To hunt coneys, and to hawk at ouzels!" said the Regent, smiling; "for such are the sports of ladies and their followers."
Graeme's cheek reddened deeply as he replied, not without some emphasis, "To hunt red-deer of the first head, and to strike down herons of the highest soar, my lord, which, in Lothian speech, may be termed, for aught I know, coneys and ouzels;-also I can wield a brand and couch a lance, according to our Border meaning; in inland speech these may be termed water-flags and bulrushes."
"Thy speech rings like metal," said the Regent, "and I pardon the sharpness of it for the truth.--Thou knowest, then, what belongs to the duty of a man-at-arms?"
"So far as exercise can teach--it without real service in the field," answered Roland Graeme; "but our Knight permitted none of his household to make raids, and I never had the good fortune to see a stricken field."
"The good fortune!" repeated the Regent, smiling somewhat sorrowfully, "take my word, young man, war is the only game from which both parties rise losers."
"Not always, my lord!" answered the page, with his characteristic audacity, "if fame speaks truth."
"How, sir?" said the Regent, colouring in his turn, and perhaps suspecting an indiscreet allusion to the height which he himself had attained by the hap of civil war.
"Because, my lord," said Roland Graeme, without change of tone, "he who fights well, must have fame in life, or honour in death; and so war is a game from which no one can rise a loser."
The Regent smiled and shook his head, when at that moment the door opened, and the Earl of Morton presented himself.
"I come somewhat hastily," he said, "and I enter unannounced because my news are of weight--It is as I said; Edward Glendinning is named Abbot, and--"
"Hush, my lord!" said the Regent, "I know it, but--"
"And perhaps you knew it before I did, my Lord of Murray," answered Morton, his dark red brow growing darker and redder as he spoke.
"Morton," said Murray, "suspect me not--touch not mine honour--I have to suffer enough from the calumnies of foes, let me not have to contend with the unjust suspicions of my friends.--We are not alone," said he, recollecting himself, "or I could tell you more."
He led Morton into one of the deep embrasures which the windows formed in the massive wall, and which afforded a retiring place for their conversing apart. In this recess, Roland observed them speak together with much earnestness, Murray appearing to be grave and earnest, and Morton having a jealous and offended air, which seemed gradually to give way to the assurances of the Regent.
As their conversation grew more earnest, they became gradually louder in speech, having perhaps forgotten the presence of the page, the more readily as his position in the apartment placed him put of sight, so that he found himself unwillingly privy to more of their discourse than he cared to hear. For, page though he was, a mean curiosity after the secrets of others had never been numbered amongst Roland's failings; and moreover, with all his natural rashness, he could not but doubt the safety of becoming privy to the secret discourse of these powerful and dreaded men. Still he could neither stop his ears, nor with propriety leave the apartment; and while he thought of some means of signifying his presence, he had already heard so much, that, to have produced himself suddenly would have been as awkward, and perhaps as dangerous, as in quiet to abide the end of their conference. What he overheard, however, was but an imperfect part of their communication; and although an expert politician, acquainted with the circumstances of the times, would have had little difficulty in tracing the meaning, yet Roland Graeme could only form very general and vague conjectures as to the import of their discourse.
"All is prepared," said Murray, "and Lindsay is setting forward--She must hesitate no longer--thou seest I act by thy counsel, and harden myself against softer considerations."
"True, my lord," replied Morton, "in what is necessary to gain power, you do not hesitate, but go boldly to the mark. But are you as careful to defend and preserve what you have won?--Why this establishment of domestics around her?--has not your sister men and maidens enough to tend her, but you must consent to this superfluous and dangerous retinue?"
"For shame, Morton!--a Princess, and my sister, could I do less than allow her due attendance?"
"Ay," replied Morton, "even thus fly all your shafts--smartly enough loosened from the bow, and not unskilfully aimed--but a breath of foolish affection ever crosses in the mid volley, and sways the arrow from the mark."
"Say not so, Morton," replied Murray, "I have both dared and done--"
"Yes, enough to gain, but not enough to keep--reckon not that she will think and act thus--you have wounded her deeply, both in pride and in power--it signifies nought, that you would tent now the wound with unavailing salves--as matters stand with you, you must forfeit the title of an affectionate brother, to hold that of a bold and determined statesman."
"Morton!" said Murray, with some impatience, "I brook not these taunts--what I have done I have done--what I must farther do, I must and will--but I am not made of iron like thee, and I cannot but remember--Enough of this-my purpose holds."
"And I warrant me," said Morton, "the choice of these domestic consolations will rest with--"
Here he whispered names which escaped Roland Graeme's ear. Murray replied in a similar tone, but so much raised towards the conclusion, of the sentence, that the page heard these words--"And of him I hold myself secure, by Glendinning's recommendation."
"Ay, which may be as much trustworthy as his late conduct at the Abbey of Saint Mary's--you have heard that his brother's election has taken place. Your favourite Sir Halbert, my Lord of Murray, has as much fraternal affection as yourself."
"By heaven, Morton, that taunt demanded an unfriendly answer, but I pardon it, for your brother also is concerned; but this election shall be annulled. I tell you, Earl of Morton, while I hold the sword of state in my royal nephew's name, neither Lord nor Knight in Scotland shall dispute my authority; and if I bear--with insults from my friends, it is only while I know them to be such, and forgive their follies for their faithfulness."
Morton muttered what seemed to be some excuse, and the Regent answered him in a milder tone, and then subjoined, "Besides, I have another pledge than Glendinning's recommendation, for this youth's fidelity--his nearest relative has placed herself in my hands as his security, to be dealt withal as his doings shall deserve."
"That is something," replied Morton; "but yet in fair love and goodwill, I must still pray you to keep on your guard. The foes are stirring again, as horse-flies and hornets become busy so soon as the storm-blast is over. George of Seyton was crossing the causeway this morning with a score of men at his back, and had a ruffle with my friends of the house of Leslie--they met at the Tron, and were fighting hard, when the provost, with his guard of partisans, came in thirdsman, and staved them asunder with their halberds, as men part dog and bear."
"He hath my order for such interference," said the Regent--"Has any one been hurt?"
"George of Seyton himself, by black Ralph Leslie--the devil take the rapier that ran not through from side to side! Ralph has a bloody coxcomb, by a blow from a messan-page whom nobody knew--Dick Seyton of Windygowl is run through the arm, and two gallants of the Leslies have suffered phlebotomy. This is all the gentle blood which has been spilled in the revel; but a yeoman or two on both sides have had bones broken and ears chopped. The ostlere-wives, who are like to be the only losers by their miscarriage, have dragged the knaves off the street, and are crying a drunken coronach over them."
"You take it lightly, Douglas," said the Regent; "these broils and feuds would shame the capital of the great Turk, let alone that of a Christian and reformed state. But, if I live, this gear shall be amended; and men shall say, when they read my story, that if it were my cruel hap to rise to power by the dethronement of a sister, I employed it, when gained, for the benefit of the commonweal."
"And of your friends," replied Morton; "wherefore I trust for your instant order annulling the election of this lurdane Abbot, Edward Glendinning."
"You shall be presently satisfied." said the Regent; and stepping forward, he began to call, "So ho, Hyndman!" when suddenly his eye lighted on Roland Graeme--"By my faith, Douglas," said he, turning to his friend, "here have been three at counsel!"
"Ay, but only two can keep counsel," said Morton; "the galliard must be disposed of."
"For shame, Morton--an orphan boy!--Hearken thee, my child--Thou hast told me some of thy accomplishments--canst thou speak truth?" "Ay, my lord, when it serves my turn," replied Graeme.
"It shall serve thy turn now," said the Regent; "and falsehood shall be thy destruction. How much hast thou heard or understood of what we two have spoken together?"
"But little, my lord," replied Roland Graeme boldly, "which met my apprehension, saving that it seemed to me as if in something you doubted the faith of the Knight of Avenel, under whose roof I was nurtured."
"And what hast thou to say on that point, young man?" continued the Regent, bending his eyes upon him with a keen and strong expression of observation.
"That," said the page, "depends on the quality of those who speak against his honour whose bread I have long eaten. If they be my inferiors, I say they lie, and will maintain what I say with my baton; if my equals, still I say they lie, and will do battle in the quarrel, if they list, with my sword; if my superiors"--he paused.
"Proceed boldly," said the Regent--"What if thy superiors said aught that nearly touched your master's honour?"
"I would say," replied Graeme, "that he did ill to slander the absent, and that my master was a man who could render an account of his actions to any one who should manfully demand it of him to his face."
"And it were manfully said," replied the Regent--"what thinkest thou, my Lord of Morton?"
"I think," replied Morton, "that if the young galliard resemble a certain ancient friend of ours, as much in the craft of his disposition as he does in eye and in brow, there may be a wide difference betwixt what he means and what he speaks."
"And whom meanest thou that he resembles so closely?" said Murray.
"Even the true and trusty Julian Avenel," replied Morton.