Matthew Weld Hartstonge

“ Sir David Bruce, with firm and dignified step and gesture, advanced, leading onward by the hand to the bridal altar the lovely Lady Adelaide, her eye beaming with all the radiance of intelligence and of genius, while the deep glow of health and the blush of modesty mantled her beauteous cheek as she approached the sacred altar, the gaze, delight, and admiration of all, high and low, who beheld her. ”

“ Sir David Bruce having seen that all was as it should be, retired to his chamber.
It was midnight, the fire in the bridal chamber brightly blazed, and the wax-lights shot forth their brilliant beams. Sir David seated himself on a chair beside the bed, and having gently drawn aside the curtain, he affectionately embraced his bride, while he kindly said, "My dear Adelaide, I always have been of opinion that no secret nor mystery should ever exist between man and wife. ”

“ This long wished return was joyously and generously hailed by all ranks and descriptions of persons, from the proud peer down to the lowly peasant; bonfires crowned every surrounding mountain height, hill, peninsula, and promontory, while they beamed forth a brilliant welcome to the returned wanderer; the lofty windows of the wealthy, and the lowly lattices of the cottier, in the town of Tyrconnel, bespoke the general joy that burst around, and conjointly the wax taper and rush-light commingled their rays to manifest [17] the heart-yearning welcome that the duke's happy return had inspired. ”

“ But to this suggestion the generous Bruce would not hearken; he would not endanger the life of a poor and innocent man, probably the sole supporter of his family, in the dread and desperate fortunes of a fugitive—and alas, more than too probably a fratricide!
Thus having impetuously and decisively spoken, David Bruce having flung his purse into a broken aperture of the lattice window, sprung manfully into the fishing bark, and the faithful Malcolm instantly sprang in after his master. ”

“ The duke, duchess, Lady Adelaide, &c. &c. &c. in succession approached the aged minstrel to express severally their approbation of his song, and thanks for the feeling manner in which his welcome had been expressed. The duke obligingly and condescendingly said to him:—"My friend Cormac, although thy locks are more blenched and snowy than they were when last we parted, yet I am glad to find that your heart is not chilled by the frost of age, and that the chords of thy harp so sweetly still respond to a master's touch!" ”

“ A guilty conscience hath unmanned me quite. But oh, my poor Adelaide, time presses onward; the night wears apace, and I must now conclude the few words which I have to say to thee. You must tell the duke and duchess—boldly, as it is true, to account for the rapidity of my departure—that the import of the despatches received, which are from the Elector Palatine of Brandenburgh, in whose service I fought at the battle of the Boyne, bear with them life or death, and I must instantly depart. ”

“ Malcolm, a faithful and affectionate follower and foster-brother of Sir David Bruce, foreseeing that the fete would end in a renewal of the old feud, took his own measures accordingly for his master's safety, and lost no time in pre-arranging his plans, and these he put in train, while all was noise and uproar at the banquet. He saw not unobserved how rapidly stoup of claret succeeded stoup, without any interregnum, and glasses of Fairntosh were dashed down in never-ending repetition. The war songs seemed too surely to strike the key of discord; passion begun to explode ”

“ At once the chaplain saw it all, for the duke was deadly pale; but the cause of this despondence he did not know, nor did he dare to inquire.
But while he was about to ask the duke if he was unwell, the door opened, and the duchess re-entered; and bursting into a flood of tears, she flung herself into a chair. In so doing, a dagger fell from her apron on the ground. She fainted, and it was some time before she came to herself. When she did, she then said: "It is all involved in darkness and mystery; I cannot unravel the clue. Adelaide cannot—will not tell. ”

“ Then turning to Lady Adelaide Bruce, he said: "I will sing the loves of Sir Trystan and the beautiful Isoud! they were young and noble; they were likewise comely too, lovely lady: but they were unfortunate in their loves. Grant, O heaven, that such a fate may never betide the Lady Adelaide or Sir David!" ”

“ Most justly do I confess that I am punished as I ought to be, by thy retributive justice, even upon earth—the irreparable loss of her whom no earthly power upon this habitable spot of earth can ever alleviate or redeem!—never, never, never!"
While Sir David Bruce impassionately and woefully said this, he fell prostrate, and cold, and lifeless, upon the floor of the bridal chamber.
To describe the emotions of Adelaide, would be to attempt indeed an impracticable task. It was so truly horrifying and affecting, that it must wholly be left to the imagination of the feeling reader. ”

“ Upon his return it was with no small astonishment he heard that Sir David Bruce had departed at deep midnight, and on horseback, not having taken with him a travelling carriage, nor luggage, save a small valise, as preparatory to a journey. He immediately communicated it, with as much due precaution as the time would admit of, to the duchess, who had now entered the breakfast parlour.
Her Grace turned pale, and seemed nigh fainting. As soon as she could recover from her surprise and trepidation, she said: "All, my dear, is not well, I fear; I will go up and question Adelaide." ”

“ Lord Maxwell faithfully fulfilled his promise, by conducting his friend with the utmost safety to land, which they at length providentially reached, both much wearied and exhausted, having had a considerable distance to swim.
This adventure still further increased that mutual regard and friendship which had long existed between them. Danger, like death, is a leveller of all distinctions; it places those mutually encountering it on an equality, and forms a bond of union not easy to be broken. ”

“ While the travellers continued their route homeward, the duke thus expressed his sentiments to the duchess:—"My love, I am fully resolved for ever to abandon politics and party, to burn my grey goose quill of diplomacy; I am determined too to relinquish the ways and woes of war for the cultivation of the happy arts of peace; to desert a city life for a country life ”

“ Yet still I had the courage to look upon the mirror which I held, when I instantly and fearfully saw reflected in it a cloud of blue flame, which illuminated within its cloud of fire, exposed suddenly a tall and manly chieftain, whose figure boldly emanating from the mist which surrounded it, seemed clad in a Tartan plaid; his head was covered, or crowned, with a Scottish bonnet, adorned with plumes, and surmounted by the Scottish thistle, which sparkled in gold embroidery. The figure, or spectre, or whatever that unsightly vision might be, held forth to me his hands, which were bloody ”

“ Sir David and Malcolm, promptly mounting their gallant steeds, proceeded in full gallop for the port of Ayr.
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The pursuers had retired from the beach, and immediately all around the point of debarkation it was pitchy darkness, save that in the distant horizon the flickering blaze of the late conflagration about to expire, flashed a ruddy tinge upon the passing clouds. Long since the voice of vengeance had died on the ear, and the loud tramping of the pursuer was heard no more in the breeze. ”

“ While death boldly strikes home thro' tartan and targe.
Then up with the Maxwells! not valour need say more;
We'll conquer, or die by our banner and claymore!
Huzza, huzza!
This slogan was chorussed by several hundreds of dirks, which, now unscabbarded, were loudly thundered on the hospitable board, and which glittered ominously in the reflected light of the blazing chandelier.
The men of Annandale now started up; when claymore, dirk, and whinger, flew forth from their scabbards. The men of Nithsdale rose too at the same instant, and all was uproar, madness, riot, and inebriation ”

“ Then rung claymore upon iron breastplate, and upon leathern target. The scream of maddened wrath mingled with the groan of death.
The combatants next deeply closed their ranks. Broad-swords were trundled down upon the floor; and dirk and whinger madly shook, and thrust home the murderous stab from vengeful hands, prompt to execute bloody retaliation at this fatal banquet. ”

“ The same state attended upon the duke and duchess. Six running footmen, (the fashion of the day,) with ribbons streaming at their knees, and with long white walking-poles, entwined with ribbon and surmounted with favours, preceded the carriage of the duke, and as many were the precursors of the carriage in which were seated the duchess and the beauteous bride. Such was to be the pomp and procession destined for this illustrious bridal. ”

“ It is indeed to be lamented how suddenly passion in the moral, like the whirlwind in the physical world, can rend up by the roots all that graced and adorned human life, boldly and rudely usurping the seat of reason, and leaving only to cool and repentant reflection the unavailing sighs and sorrowing tears of self-crimination! ”

“ Now, resuming the plural, we will venture to say, that "if it be true that good wine needs no bush, it is true that a good play needs no epilogue." However, whether, and in what degree, this may be applicable to us, oh, courteous reader, is not for us, but for thee, to determine and adjudge in the chapter which succeeds.
From this long digression it is time to resume our eventful story. The consternation occasioned by the sudden and unaccountable departure of Sir David Bruce from Tyrconnel Castle, can better be imagined than told. ”

“ Oh, what pen can write, what tongue can tell, what heart can feel, save the heart which deeply hath felt it, how bitter are the pangs of a wounded spirit, when love becomes horribly transformed into rancorous and deadly hate! ”

“ But it is in vain to disguise, and it would be highly culpable, if it were within the power of human ingenuity, to deny it, that often, too often, human passion, or it should be called brutal rage, assails the noblest minds and the most generous dispositions; those who are but too inflammably alive to whatever they conceive to be base, grovelling, or unjust—such are probably the most liable to "the sin that easily besets them." ”

“ He was enterprising, artful, bold, boisterous, treacherous, cruel, unforgiving, and suspicious withal: possessing too a strong portion in his disposition of that
"Pale envy, which withers at another's joy,
And hates the excellence which it cannot reach,"
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Robert looked with a jealous and a jaundiced eye on the superior accomplishments and attainments of his brother; and he heard with strong, unmixed, and undisguised hatred and disgust, all the praises that were daily lavished on the worth, generosity, and humanity of David, whom Robert considered in every respect as his inferior. ”

“ An ancient custom prevailed for a long time in the city of Dublin, always against the great festivals of the year, to invite the Lord Deputy, the nobility, and other persons of quality and rank, to an entertainment, in which they first diverted them with stage plays, and then regaled them with a splendid banquet. ”

“ They were now safe from their enemies so far, at least. The bugle-horn they heard rung lustily from the warder's tower; distinctly, too, they heard the rattling chain of the draw-bridge, as it was hastily raised to prevent the flight of David. The cavalry were now ordered to horse, and to pursue;—the hackbutteers mounted the battlements, and peeped from the embrasures; while bugle, bagpipe, drum, and trumpet, sounded pursuit. ”

“ The duchess now returned to the unhappy Adelaide, in every respect, from her virtues, talents, and accomplishments, worthy far of a better fate.
The duke, when breakfast was taken away—for the duke eat not—-proposed to the chaplain to proceed to the little room which had been occupied by Sir David Bruce as his library during his stay at Tyrconnel Castle, in order to ascertain if there had been left there any letter or document explanatory of his very sudden and unaccountable departure. ”