CHAPTER IV.
Ask me not whence I am; My vesture speaks mine office.
_Female Parliamenters, a MS. Com._
After the frightsome encounter at the mill, with "the masterless dogand his bow-wow-wow," Dan and his companions spent a sleepless night,not without several alarms and breathless listenings on the occurrenceof any noise without. Few were the nightly journies on the banks ofthe Ettrick in those days, and few the midnight noises that occurred,save from the wild beasts of the forest. There were no wooer ladsstraying at that still and silent hour, to call up their sweetheartsfor an hour's kind conversation. Save when the English marauders wereabroad, all was quietness by hamlet and steading. The land was theabode of the genii of the woods, the rocks, and the rivers; and ofthis the inhabitants were well aware, and kept within locked doors,whose lintels were made of the mountain ash, and nightly sprinkledwith holy water. Cradle and bed were also fenced with cross, book, andbead; for the inmates knew that in no other way could they be safe, orrest in peace. They knew that their green and solitary glens were thenightly haunts of the fairies, and that they held their sports andamorous revels in the retiring dells by the light of the moon.The mermaid sung her sweet and alluring strains by the shores ofthe mountain lake, and the kelpie sat moping and dripping by hisfrightsome pool, or the boiling caldron at the foot of the cataract.The fleeting wraiths hovered round the dwellings of those who weresoon to die, and the stalking ghost perambulated the walks of him thatwas lately living, or took up his nightly stand over the bones of theunhouseholded or murdered dead. In such a country, and among suchsojourners, who durst walk by night?
But these were the natural residenters in the wilds of the woodland,the aboriginal inhabitants of the country; and however inimical theirways might be to the ways of men, the latter laid their account withthem. There were defences to be had against them from holy church,which was a great comfort. But ever since Master Michael Scott camefrom the colleges abroad to reside at the castle of Aikwood, thenature of demonology in the forest glades was altogether changed, anda full torrent of necromancy, or, as Charlie Scott better expressedit, of _witchcraft_, deluged the country all over,--an art of the mostmalignant and appalling kind, against which no fence yet discoveredcould prevail. How different, indeed, became the situation of thelonely hind. Formerly he only heard at a distance on moonlight evesthe bridle bells of the fairy troopers, which haply caused him tohaste homeward. But when the door was barred and fenced, he sat safein the middle of his family circle as they closed round the hearth,and talked of the pranks of _the gude neyboris_. When the speatsdescended, and floods roared and foamed from bank to brae, then wouldthey perceive the malevolent kelpie rolling and tumbling down thetorrent like a drowning cow, or mountain stag, to allure the hungrypeasant into certain destruction. But, aware of the danger, he onlykept the farther aloof, quaking at the tremendous experiment made bythe spirit of the waters. It was in vain that the mermaid sung thesweetest strain s that ever breathed over the evening lake, or sunkand rose again, spreading her hands for assistance, like a drowningmaiden, at the bottom of the abrupt cliff washed by the waves,--he_would not_ be allured to her embraces.
But what could he do now? His daughters were turned into roes andhares, to be hunted down for sport to the Master. The old wives of thehamlet were saddled and bridled by night, and urged with whip and spurover whole realms. The cows were deprived of their milk,--the hindscast their young, and no domestic cat in the whole district could bekept alive for one year. That infernal system of witchcraft thenbegan, which the stake and the gibbet could scarcely eradicate in awhole century. It had at this time begun to spread all around Aikwood;but of these things our Border troopers were not altogether aware.They dreaded the spirits of the old school, the devil in particular;but of the new prevailing system of metamorphoses they had nocomprehension.
Dan and three chosen companions, mounting their horses by the break ofday, rode straight for the abbey of Melrose, to lodge their complaintagainst the great enemy of mankind, and request assistance from theholy fathers in rescuing their friends out of his hands. They reachedDarnick-burn before the rising of the sun; and just as they passed bya small deep-wooded dell, they espied four horsemen approaching them,who, from their robes and riding appurtenances, appeared to belong tothe abbey, and to rank high among its dignitaries. They were allmounted on black steeds, clothed in dark flowing robes that werefringed with costly fringes, and they had caps on their heads thatwere horned like the new moon. The foremost, in particular, had aformidable and majestic mitre on his head, that seemed all glancingwith gems, every one of which was either black, or a certain dazzlingred of the colour of flame.
Dan doffed his helmet to this dignified and commanding personage, buthe deigned not either to return our yeoman's low bow, that brought hisface in contact with the mane of his steed, or once to cross his handon his brow in token of accepting the submission proffered. He,however, reined up his black steed, and sat upright on his saddle, asif in the act of listening what this bold and blunt trooper had tosay.
"Begging pardon of your grand and sublime reverence," said Dan, "Ipresume, from your lofty and priest-like demeanour, habiliments, andgoodly steed, and also from that twa-horned helmet on your head, thatyou are the very chap I want. I beg your pardon I canna keep up mystyle to suit your dignity. But are nae ye Father Lawrence, the greatprimate, that acts as a kind o' king or captain ower a' the holy menof Scotland, and has haudding in that abbey down by there?"
"Certes I am Father Lawrence. Dost thou doubt it?"
"No, no; what for should I doubt it when your worship has said it? Anwe dinna find truth aneath the mitre and the gown, where are we tolook for it?"
The sublime abbot shook his head as if in scorn and derision of theapothegm, and sat still upright on his steed, with his face turnedaway. Dan looked round to his companions with a meaning look, as muchas to say, "What does the body mean?" But seeing that he sat still inthe act of listening, he proceeded.
"Worthy Sir Priest, ye ken our captain, Sir Ringan Redhough, warden ofthe Border. He has helpit weel to feather your nest, ye ken."
"He has. There is no one can dispute it," said the abbot, noddingassent.
"Then ye'll no be averse, surely, to the lending o' him and his ahelping hand in your ain way."
The priest nodded assent.
"Weel, ye see, Sir Priest, there is a kinsman of our master's lives upby here at Aikwood, a rank warlock, and master o' the arts ofwitchcraft and divination. He is in compact wi' the deil, and can dothings far ayont the power o' mortal man. What do ye think, SirPriest? he can actually turn a man into a dog, and an auld wife into ahare; a mouse into a man, and a cat into a good glyde-aver. And mairthan that, Sir, he can raise storms and tempests in the air; can garthe rivers rin upward, and the trees grow down. He can shake the solidyird; and, look ye, Sir, he can cleave a great mountain into three,and lift the divisions up like as mony gowpens o' sand."
The stern abbot gave a glance up to the three new hills of Eildon,that towered majestically over their heads; but it seemed rather alook of exultation than one either of wonder or regret.
"Weel, Sir, disna our captain send a few chosen friends, a wheen queerdevils to be sure, on a message of good friendship to this auldwarlock Master Michael Scott, merely with a request to read him sometrivial weird. And what does the auld knave, but pricks them a' up onthe top o' his castle, wi' a lockit iron-door aneath them, and therehas keepit them in confinement till they are famishing of hunger, andI fear by this time they are feeding on ane another. And the warst o'tava, Sir, is this, I wad break his bolts and his bars to atoms forhim, but has nae he the deil standing sentry on the stair, spuing fireand brimstone on a' that come near him in sic torrents that it is likethe fa' o' the Grey-mare's-tail. Now, maist reverend and worthy Sir,my errand and request to you is, that, for my master's sake, and forhis men's sake, that are a' good Christians, for ought that I ken tothe contrary, you will lend us a lift wi' book and
bead, Ave Marias,and other powerful things, to drive away this auld sneckdrawing thief,the devil, and keep him away till I get my friends released; and Ipromise you, in my master's name, high bounty and reward."
"Ha! is it so?" said the abbot, in a hollow, tremulous voice. "Are myfriend and fellow-soldier's men detained in that guise? Come, mybrethren, let us ride,--let us fly to their release, and we shall seewhose power can stand against our own. For Aikwood, ho!"
"For Aikwood, ho!" shouted Dan and his companions, as they took therear of the four sable dignitaries; and striking the spurs into theirsteeds all at the same time, they went off at their horses' utmostspeed, but in a short time the four yeomen were distanced. The blacksteeds and their riders went at such a pace as warrior had neverbefore witnessed. Up by the side of Hindly-burn they sped, with themost rapid velocity,--over mire, over ditch, over ford, without stayor stumble. Dan and his companions posted on behind, sparing neitherwhip nor spur, for they were affronted that these gownsmen shoulddisplay more energy in their master's cause, and the cause of hisfriends, than they should do themselves. But their horses floundered,and blew, and snorted, and puffed, and whisked their tails with awhistling sound, and still lagged farther and farther behind.
"Come, come, callants," cried Dan to his companions, "let us rein up.These bedesmen's horses are ower weel fed for our bog-trotting nags.They fly like the wind. Od, we may as weel try to ride wi' the devil."
"Whisht, whisht," said Will Martin; "I dinna like to mak ower familiarwi' that name now-a-days. We never ken wha's hearing us in thiscountry."
They were nigh to the heights when these words passed, and the fourblack horsemen perceiving them to take it leisurely, they paused andwheeled about, and the majestic primate taking off his cornutedchaperon, waved it aloft, and called aloud, "For shame, sluggishhinds! Why won't you speed, before the hour of prevention is lost? ForAikwood, ho, I say!" As he said these words, his black courser plungedand reared at a fearful rate; and, as our troopers thought, at onebolt sprung six or seven yards from the ground. The marks of thatblack horse's hoofs remain impressed in the sward to this day, andthe spot is still called _The Abbot's lee_. At least it had been socalled when Isaac the curate wrote this history.
To keep clear of the wood that was full of thickets, they turned alittle to the left, and pursued their course; and the ground becomingsomewhat firmer, our yeomen pursued hard after them. But on comingover the steep brow of a little hill, the latter perceived a mountainlake of considerable extent that interrupted their path, and, to theirutter astonishment, the four black horsemen going straight across it,at about the same rate that the eagle traverses the firmament. "Theloch is frozen and bears over," said Dan: "Let us follow them across."
"The loch is frozen indeed," said Will Martin, "but, ony man may see,that ice winna bear a cat."
"Haud your tongue, you gouk," said Dan: "Do ye think the thing thatbore them winna bear us?" And as he spurred foremost down the steep,he took the lake at the broad side; but the ice offering no manner ofresistance, horse and man were in one moment out of sight. The sablehorsemen on the other side shouted with laughter, and called aloud tothe troopers, "to venture on, and haste forward, for the ice wassufficiently strong."
The bold trooper and his horse were extricated with some difficulty,and the monks testifying the utmost impatience he remounted, drippingas he was, and not being able to find the passage across the lake onthe ice, he and his companions gallopped around the head of it. As herode, the morning being frosty, he chanced to utter these words:"Heigh-ho, but I be a _cauld cheil_!" Which words, says Isaac, gavethe name to that lake and the hill about it to all future ages; andfrom those perilous days of witchcraft and divination, and theshocking incidents that befel to men, adds he, have a great many ofthe names of places all over our country had their origin.
The dark horsemen always paused until the troopers were near them, asif to encourage them on, but they never suffered them to joincompany. When they came over a ridge above old Lindean they were hardupon them, but lost sight of them for a short space on the height;and, coming on full speed, they arrived on the brink of a deep woodeddell, and to their utter astonishment saw the four gownsmen on theother side, riding deliberately along, and beckoning them forward.
"I am sair mista'en," said Will Martin, "gin thae chaps hae nae gaenower the cleugh at ae bound. An it warna for their habits I wad takethem for something nouther good nor cannie."
"Haud your tongue, or else speak feasible things," said Dan; "Can theworthy Father Lawrence, and his chief priors and functionaries ever besuspected as warlocks, or men connected wi' the devil and his arts. Ifsic were to be the case, we hae nae mair trust to put in aught on thisearth. The dell maun be but a step across. Here is a good passableroad; come, let us follow them.
Dan led the way, and they dived into the dell by a narrow track,rather like a path for a wild goat than men and horses; however, byleaping, sliding, and pushing one another's horses behind, they got tothe bottom of the precipice, and perceiving a path on the other side,they expected to reach the western brink immediately. But in this theywere mistaken; abrupt rocks, and impenetrable thickets barred theirprogress on every side, and they found it impossible to extricatethemselves without leaving their horses. They tried every quarter withthe same success, and at the last attempted to ascend by the way theycame; but that too they found impracticable, and all the while theyheard the voices of their fellow travellers chiding their stay fromabove, and shaming them for their stupidity in taking the wrong path.At one time they heard them calling on them to come this way, here wasan excellent out-gate; and when the toiled yeomen stuck fairly stillin that direction, they instantly heard other voices urging them toascend by some other quarter. At other times they thought they heardrestrained bursts of giggling laughter. After a great deal ofexertion to no manner of purpose, they grew they neither knew what todo nor what they were doing, and at last were obliged to abandon theirhorses, and climb the ascent by hanging by the bushes and roots oftrees. When they emerged from the deep hollow, they perceivedeight black horsemen awaiting them instead of four; but as thecountry around Melrose and Dryburgh swarmed with members of the holybrotherhood of every distinction and rank, the troopers took no noticeof it, thinking these were some of the head functionaries come to waiton their abbot. The latter chided our yeomen in sharp and resentfullanguage for their utter stupidity in taking the wrong path, andregretted exceedingly the long delay their mistake had occasioned, histime he said being limited, as was also the time that his powerprevailed in a more particular way over the powers of darkness. "Forus to go alone," added he, "would signify nothing. The manual labourof breaking through the iron gates we cannot perform; therefore,unless you can keep up with us, we may return home by the way wecame."
"I am truly grieved," said Dan, "at our misfortune. We have certainlybeen more forward than wise, and I fear have marred the fairest chancewe will ever have for the deliverance of our friends. But I have a fewfellow warriors at the mill who will accompany you for a word of yourmouth. I beg that you will not think of returning, for the case brooksno delay. We have lost our horses, and can hardly reach the castle onfoot before it be evening. I wot not what we shall do."
"Brethren, I am afraid I must request of you to lend these bravetroopers your horses," said the abbot to the four last comers. "Myesteem for the doughty champion of my domains is such, that I wouldgladly do him a favour." "O thank you, thank you, kind sir; we aremair behadden to you than tongue can tell," said Dan. The four newcome brethren dismounted at their abbot's request; and, without takinga moment to hesitate, the four yeomen mounted their horses. The abbotLawrence charged them to urge the steeds to their utmost speed. Awaywent the abbot and his three sable attendants, and away went the fourtroopers after them; but from the first moment that they started thelatter lost sight of the ground, unless it was, as they thought, abouta mile below their feet. The road seemed to be all one marblepavement, or sheet of solid alabaster; there was neither heigh
t norhollow in it that they could distinguish; but the fire flew from theheels of the horses, and sparkled across the firmament like thousandsof flying stars. The velocity at which they went was such, that theborderers could not draw their breath save by small broken gulps; butas they imagined they rode at such an immense distance from theground, they kept firm by their seats for bare life, leaning forwardwith their eyes and their mouths wide open. Having never in all theirlives rode on such a path, they were soon convinced that they couldnot be riding toward Aikwood, around which the roads were verydifferent. They often attempted to speak to one another, but couldnot utter any thing farther than one short sound, for the swiftnesswith which they clove the atmosphere cut their voices short. At lengthDan, perceiving his comrade, Will Martin, scouring close by his side,forced out the following sentence piecemeal:
"Where--the--devil--are we--gaun--now?"
"Straight--to--hell.--What--need--ye--speer?"
"The--lord--for--for--for--bid--Will Martin," was the reply, which hassince grown to a proverb.
On they flew, over hill, over dale, over rock and river, over town,tower, and steeple, as our yeomen deemed; but they might deem whatthey pleased, for they saw nothing except now and then the tails ofthe churchmen's gowns flapping in the air before them. However, theycame to their goal sooner than they expected, and that in a way assingular as that by which they reached it.
The miller at Aikwood-mill had a whole hill of kiln-seeds, orshealings of oats, thrown out in a heap adjoining to the mill. Ereever our yeomen knew what they were doing from the time they mounted,they were all lying in this immense heap of kiln-seeds, perfectlydizzy and dumfoundered, and setting up their heads from among themwith the same sort of staring stupid attempt at consideration as theheads of so many frogs which may be seen newly popped up out of amarsh. The bedesmen were a-head of them to the end of the course, anddrew up by wheeling their horses round the kiln as if it had been awinning-post; but the yeomen's horses, in making the wheel, threwtheir riders, one by one, with a jerk over head and ears among theloose heap of seeds, and galloping off around the corner of the hill,they never saw another hair of their tails.
The miller came running out from his mill with his broad dusty bonnet;the smoky half-roasted kiln-man out from his logie; the mill-maidenscame skipping from the meal-trough, as white as lilies; the rest ofthe warden's men, and the four sable dignitaries of the church camealso, and all of them stood in a ring round our dismounted troops,some asking one question, some another, but all in loud fits oflaughter. Their wits could not be rallied in an instant; and all thatthey could do or say was to blow the seeds out of their mouths, withwhich they were literally filled, and utter some indefinite sentences,such as, "Rather briskish yauds these same!" "May the like o' minenever be crossed by man again!" "Hech! but they are the gear for thelang road!" "What's become o' them? I wad like to take a right look o'them for aince." "Do ye want to look if they have mark o' mouth, Will?You may look at some o' these that came foremost then. Yours are affwi' their tails on their rigging; there are some cheated if ever yousee mair o' them." Will Martin looked at the abbot's horse; but whenhe saw the glance of his eye, he would not have taken him by the jawsto have looked his mouth for all Christendom.
The four sable horsemen led the way, and all the yeomen followed onfoot, bearing with them such mattocks as they had been able toprocure about Selkirk that morning, and away they marched in a body toAikwood castle. That was a blyth sight to our forlorn and starvingprisoners; even Gibbie had some hopes of a release: but wheneverMaster Michael Scott got a near view of the four sable equestrians, hesunk into profound and gloomy silence, and every now and then hiswhole frame was observed to give a certain convulsed shake, orshudder, which cannot be described. The rest of the sufferers supposedit to proceed from his rooted aversion to holy and devout men; butthey were so intent on regaining their own liberty that they paidlittle attention to the manner in which he was affected. FatherLawrence bade the men proceed to work, and he would retire into aninner chamber and exercise himself so as to keep from them all sortsof interruption from spirits of whatever denomination, and he pledgedhimself for their protection. They thanked him, and hasted to executetheir design; nor were they long in accomplishing it. By the help ofhuge scaling hammers they broke down a part of the narrow stair-case,and actually set their friends at liberty. But the abbot enjoined themin nowise to depart, or to do any thing contrary to the desire of themighty Master, while they remained in his premises, else he could notanswer for the consequences. This our yeomen readily assented to, andundertook to prevail with their friends to acquiesce in the samemeasure.
As soon as the iron-door was forced, the abbot Lawrence sent one ofhis officers to desire Master Michael Scott to come and speak to himprivately in the secret chamber. The wizard looked at the messenger asa sovereign does to a minister of whom he is afraid, or a master to aslave, who, he knows, would assassinate him if he could; neverthelesshe rose and followed him to his superior. What passed between thesetwo dignified characters it is needless here to relate, as thesubstance of the matter will appear in the sequel. But the Masterreturned into the great hall, where the warden's men were by that timeall assembled, an altered man indeed. His countenance glanced with asublime but infernal exultation. His eye shone with ten times thevigour of youthful animation. It was like a dying flame relumined,that flashes with more than pristine brightness; and the tones of hisvoice were like those of a conqueror on the field of battle. With thisvoice, and with this mien, he ordered the friar and his ward Delanyinstantly to quit the castle; and if an hour hence they were found onhis domains, he would cause them to be hewed into so many pieces asthere were hairs on their heads.
"Lo thy threats are unto me as the east wind," said the friar: "Yea asthe wind that cometh from the desert, and puffeth up the vapours onthe stagnant pools of water. If my companions in adversity go, thenwill I also go along with them. But if they remain, by the life ofPharaoh, so likewise will thy servant; and what hast thou more to say,thou man of Belial?"
The Master shook his grey locks and his dark silvery beard inderision; and Charlie Scott, whose confidence in his friend the friarwas now unbounded, stepped up to back what he had said, and to protestagainst parting company. Dan, however, interfered hastily, and toldthem he was bound by a promise to the holy father, who had wroughttheir liberty, to do nothing adverse to the will of the Master, whilethey remained in his castle and on his domains; and therefore hebegged they would comply without more words, and without delay. Thefriar then consented, much against Charlie's inclination; and takingDelany by the hand, he said: "Lo I will even depart; but I will remainat the ford of Howden-burn until my friends arrive, for then am I fromoff the territory of this blasphemer and worker of all manner ofiniquity. See that you tarry not at the wine, neither let your eyesbehold strange women, that it may be well with you." So the two wentaway, and did as they had said. The friar found his mule in goodkeeping, and he remained with the maid in a cottage at the fords ofHowden-burn, to await the issue of this singular and unfortunateembassy.
"Now shall I have my will, and do that which seems meet to me," saidthe Master, as he strode the hall with unrestrained energy. "Did thedolt imagine he could, with his tricks of legerdemain, outdo me in thepowers and mysteries of my art? No, that man is unborn! Let him gowith his crosiers and his breviaries; I am Michael Scott once again!"
"It is needless to say ought here," said Charlie Scott aside to hiscompanions: "Fock should ken weel what they say, and where they aresaying it. But the truth is, that the friar was the greatest man o'the twa; and that auld birkie was right sair cowed in his presence. Itis sair against my will that we hae been obliged, by your promise,Dan, to part wi' the gospel friar; for, d'ye ken, I feel amaist as thebuckler were ta'en aff my arm, to want him as lang as I am here. Whatdo you think the carl did, Dan? Come here, you and Will, and I'll tellyou. When we came here, ye see, the master had a steward, a perfecthound o' hell, wha thought to guide us waur than dogs; and
he crossedthe friar unco sair, till at length he lost a' patience wi' him, and,lord sauf us! sent him up through the clouds in a flash o' fire; andthere has never been mair o' him seen, but some wee bits o' fragments.I can tell you the loss o' sic a man as the friar, out o' sic a placeas this, is a loss no easily made up."
"Have a little patience, brave Yardbire," said Dan: "We have the greatand the grave abbot Lawrence in his place. He is our firm friend andour captain's friend, and every thing will now be settled in the mostamicable manner."--"That holy father and his assistants are the onlyhope I hae," returned Charlie: "An it warna for their presence, Iwadna stay another half hour in sic a place as this. Ye little kenwhat scenes we ha'e witnessed during the days and nights that we ha'ebeen here. However, as I had the charge of the embassage, I will gangand speak to the auld billy. He seems to be in a high key. MasterMichael Scott; ye ken that yoursel' and our auld friar, by yourtrials o' skill in your terrible arts o' witchcraft, brought about anaccident that has kept us ower lang here, to the great trouble andinconveniency of our captain, your own brave kinsman. Now, since weare a' at liberty again, we beseech you to give us our answer; and ifyou canna read the weird that he desires of you, why tell us sae ataince, and let us gang about our business."
"Gallant yeoman, your request shall be granted without loss of time,"said the Master. "But it is the venerable father's request that Ishould regale my kinsman's people before dismissing them, to make somesmall return for the privations they have suffered. Be satisfied thento remain for a few hours, till you taste of my cheer; and in themeanwhile I will look into the book of fate, and not only tell youwhat your captain, Sir Ringan, ought to do, but I will show youdemonstratively what he _must_ do, if he would succeed in raising hisname and his house above that of every Scottish baron." "Thank ye,noble sir," said Charlie: "There shall never be another word aboutit. If we gain our errand sae satisfactorily at last, I'll count a'that we ha'e bidden weel wared."
"Noble and worthy Sir, you never yet have said who told the mostefficient tale, and unto whom the maiden should belong," said thepoet.
"'Twas he, your captain there, who said the tale I most approved, andto him I award my right in the toy, the trifle you call maiden,"returned the Master. "And it is well remembered, squire; amongst you,you deprived me of my steward, a man that could have accomplished agreat deal,--I therefore claim this worthy in his stead, as agreed;and glad may he be that he escapes so well."
"I fear I will be a bad cook, and an awkward valet," said Gibbie. "Iwas never very handy at ought that way. Tam wad answer a great dealbetter, an it were your will."
"We will have you taught practically, and to profit," said the Master:"The three brethren, attendants on father Lawrence, shall take you totask this instant. They will act as your assistants and mastersto-day, and to their hands I recommend you. Be expert, and spare nocost." So saying, he gave three tramps with his heel, as he was wontto do in time past, and instantly the three sable monks stood beforehim. "Take that comely youth," said he, "and bestow on him a fewcogent lessons in the mysteries of the culinary art. You may teach hima few _varieties_." As he said this, there was a malignant smilerather darkened than lighted up his stern features, and on the instantthe three monks had Gibbie from the ground; and one holding by eacharm and another by both his feet, they rushed out of the hall withhim, in the same way that one drives a wheelbarrow. When the men ofthe embassy heard the three tramps, and the words about the varieties,they looked at one another with rather uneasy sensations. But thepresence of father Lawrence, and the other three holy brethren,encouraged them still to acquiesce in the Master's request.
A short time after this, as they were sauntering about the castle,they heard some loud giggling laughter, intermixed with squeakingcries of despair; which last they could well distinguish as proceedingfrom the lungs of poor Gibbie Jordan; and immediately after that therecame among them a huge red capon, fluttering and screaming in a mostdesperate and deplorable manner, and all the three monks pursuing himwith shouts of delight. The feathers were half plucked off him, andhis breath quite spent, so that they easily laid hold of him, andcarried him away by the neck to have him spitted living, as they said.Our yeomen saw nothing but an overgrown bird, but they heard well thatthe voice was the voice of Jordan. "These monks are trifling andamusing themselves," said Tam; "we shall get no dinner before night."
The words were hardly well said when the castle bell rung, and in theyall rushed to the great hall where stood a plentiful dinner smokingalong the board, and the abbot and the Master both seated at the upperend, side by side. Our yeomen thought it extraordinary to see thegreat warlock and the reverend father in such close compact, but theyheld their peace. The abbot rose and pronounced a blessing on thefood, but it was in an unknown tongue, and little did they wot of itspurport. There was great variety on the table of every kind of food,yet there was not one of our yeomen knew of what the greater part ofthe dishes consisted. But the huge capon stood at the head of thetable, and though he had been killed and cooked in a few minutes, thebird looked exceedingly well. The abbot and the Master devoured himwith so much zest, that no one liked to call for a piece of him, saveTam Craik, who eat a wing of him; but there was no broad bone in hisshoulder, yet Tam declared him the first meat he had ever tasted, saveonce, in his life. Charlie was placed next the Master, and Dan nextthe abbot Lawrence. The three monks, attendants on the latter, servedthe table, but nothing of the new steward made his appearance. Thewine and other strong liquors were served round in great abundance,and the quality was so excellent, that, notwithstanding of the friar'scharge, every one drank liberally, and soon got into high glee.Whenever the supreme and haughty abbot swallowed a cup of wine, Dan,who sat next him, heard always a hissing sound within his breast, asif one had been pouring water on red hot iron. This startled thetrooper terribly for two or three times at first, but his surpriselessened and wore off by degrees as the liquor continued to exalt hisspirits. The feast went on, and the wine flowed; but, as on a formeroccasion, the men ate without being satisfied. The wines and liquorwere all however real, and had their due effect, so that the spirit ofhilarity rose to a great height.
It was observed that father Lawrence conversed with no one but theMaster, and the dialogue they held was all in an unknown tongue, inwhich tongue also, they sometimes conferred with the servitors. TheMaster left the table three several times, for he had a charm goingon in another part of the castle, and at the third time returned withthe black book of fate, the book of the dynasties of men below hisarm, and laid it closed on the table before him.
"Now, my brave and warlike guests," said he. "Before I open this awfulbook, it is meet that every one of you be blind-folded. I ask this foryour own sakes. If any one of you were to look but on one character ofthis book, his brain would be seared to a cinder, his eyes would flyout of their sockets, and perhaps his whole frame might be changedinto something unspeakable and monstrous."
"Gude faith, sir Master, I'll haud my een as close as they were sewedup wi' an elshin and a lingel," said Charlie. So said they all, butthey were not trusted; the monks were ordered to go round the tableand tie every one's eyes closely up; and when this was done, they weredesired to lay all their heads down upon their hands on the board, andto sit without moving, whatever they might hear. He then proceeded toopen the massy iron clasps, and as soon as they were unloosed, threespirits burst from the book with loud shrieks, and escaped through thebarbican. The yells were so piercing that some of our yeomen startedfrom their seats, but dared not lift their heads. "Ah! They are gone,"said the Master: "This weird will cost me dear!"
"Fear nothing, but proceed," said father Lawrence.
He opened the book, and three peals of thunder ensued that shook thecastle to its foundations, every one of them louder than the last; andthough our yeomen sat trembling in utter darkness, they heard voicesaround them as if the hall had been crowded full of people; amongothers, they deemed that they could distinguish the voices of thewarden and his lady. T
hey, however, sat still as if chained to theirplaces, awaiting the issue; and, after much noise and apparentinterruptions, the great Master read out as follows:
"He for whom this weird is read, Be he son of battle bred, Be he baron born to peril, Be he lord, or be he earl, Let him trust his gallant kin, And the sword below the skin. When the red buck quits the cover, When the midnight watch is over, Then, whatever may betide, Trust the horn, and trust the hide, He that drives shall feel the gin, But he that's driven shall get in. All for whom this weird is read, For the living, for the dead, From the chief with corslet shorn, To the babe that is unborn, Let them to the sceptre lean, Till the place where they have been See their sway expand untroubled, Doubled, doubled, nine times doubled; First to rise and rule the rings, Mixed with blood of mighty kings. This is read for princes, peers, And children of a thousand years; Now begins their puissant story; Strike the blow and gain the glory. Rise not against feudal union, No advance but in communion, Though through battle, broil, and murther.-- Shut the book, and read no further."
The book was closed, and loud shouts of applause, as from a greatmultitude, were heard at a distance; as that died away, a peal ofthunder burst forth over their heads, which rolled away with anundulating sound, till lost in the regions of the western heavens.
Our yeomen's eyes were then unbound, and when they looked up the bookof fate was removed, and the Master was fallen back on his seat, withhis countenance mightily distorted; but the abbot and his attendantswould not suffer any to touch him till he recovered of himself. Heagain rose into high and unwonted spirits; but his elevation wasrather like the delirium of a man driven to desperation, than thatflow of delightful hilarity, the offspring of a temperate and wellregulated mind. The borderers persevered in their libations, and themirth and noise increased till near the fall of the evening, whenCharlie again proposed to go; but the Master protested against it fora short space, adding, that he had to give them a practical lesson howtheir captain ought to proceed, if he would be the greatest man inScotland. This was quite sufficient to prevail on Yardbire, and noneof the rest appeared much disposed to move.
About this time some of our yeomen, sitting with their faces towardthe casement, beheld a novel scene, which they called up the rest towitness. This was the Master's new steward, the late laird of thePeatstacknowe, making his escape from the castle with all possiblespeed. He was stripped half naked, and bareheaded; had thrown himselfover the outer wall, lest he should be seen going by the gate, andwas running up the hollow of Aikwood burn, among the trees, toelude discovery. Presently afterwards they beheld two of the monksstretching after him with a swiftness not to be outrun. Poor Gibbiewas soon overhied and brought back, not in the most gentle manner;and, instead of carrying him round by the gate, which, having beenbroken up, stood wide open, they took him by the heels, and threw himover the wall, at the place he had leaped before. Gibbie gave a loudsqueak in the air, as he came over the wall with a wheeling motion;and falling on the other side, every one believed that there would notbe a whole bone left in his body. Instead of that he sprung to hisfeet, and ran across the court, saying to himself, "I'll tell youwhat--It minds me o' hell this place,--if ever there was ane uponearth." He got not time to finish the sentence till he was againseized, and hauled into the castle.
"Master Michael Scott, I protest in my master's name against thisusage of a leal vassal and tiend laird," said Charlie.
"The comely youth is mine by your own agreement," said the Master:"He shall be well seen to. Perhaps I shall only keep him for aseason, until better supplied. Be content; the matter is now beyonddisputation. In the meantime I will proceed to give you a specimen ofmy profound art, of which you have now seen many instances; and alsoof my esteem for your captain, to whom you will be so good as repeatthis."
He then went away to his arcana, and brought a bason of liquor,resembling wine, which he sprinkled on all his guests in smallproportions, and taking his seat beside the supercilious abbot, thetwo sat apparently waiting for some grand metamorphosis. The spell,powerful as it was, had not the effect that was surmised. These rudewarriors of a former age had principles of virtue and honour in theirnatures that withstood the charms of necromancy,--those charms beforewhich noble dames, cruel laymen, and selfish clergy sunk downconfounded and overpowered. The countenances of a few of the trooperswere somewhat changed by the spell, assuming thereby a sort ofresemblance to beasts, but this their associates only laughed at,deeming it occasioned by the drunkenness of the individuals affected.The two great personages at the head of the table viewed the matter ina different light, and that with evident symptoms of disappointment.They comprehended the reason, for they knew there was but one againstwhich the powers of darkness could not prevail; and, after holding aconversation about it in their own mysterious language, they set aboutthe accomplishment of their desires, for, though a matter of no greatavail, the Master could not brook to be baulked in any of his worksof divination. The purport of this conversation was, what the Masterhad once proposed before, that the men must be made accessory to theirown transformation; and in this project he forthwith engaged with allmanner of earnestness.