Robert Barr

“ The Earl of Angus told me I was to be speedy with my wooing, so that I might bring my wife with me to Edinburgh, for it seems the Lady Margaret is almost as much a prisoner in this castle as you have been. His lordship gave command before he left that she and her husband were to be permitted to take their departure whenever they pleased. A priest is ready to marry you in the private chapel, and I can lend you the best horse you ever bestrode. Lady Margaret has a steed of her own, so nothing but a marriage ceremony stands between you two and Edinburgh. ”

“ It is selfishness I admit, Margaret, but a loving selfishness."
"Still, uncle, it is your intention to forego the delights of my society and betake yourself to Edinburgh to-morrow. Is it your purpose to leave me here alone?"
The crafty old fox chuckled humorously, and seemed to take pleasure in the searching nature of his cross-examination; he was being driven from covert to covert.
"You will not be alone," he said at last. "To-morrow there should arrive at the castle young Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, with his mother. ”

“ We go through these ancient halls, when suddenly I stumble, or a door bangs, or someone cries 'Whoop!' and at once I am spitted like a plucked pigeon, merely because a timorous young man is behind me with a knife in his hand. ”

“ Still our family is old enough to bestow antiquity on several others. You may easily shuffle off my authority by substituting for it that of a much younger man, and if you juvenile people lack the patience to wait for my return, the reverend father here will unite you with my absent blessing. You hear that, father," continued the Earl, raising his voice. "Our Margaret thinks of getting married, and it is my command that when she does so, she is to be free to leave the castle whenever she likes, for then my authority over her shall be ended." ”

“ I can thus escape to the roof. What then? Is there a way down to the entrance of the castle?"
"There is a way down," answered Margaret, "but closely guarded. Wait to-night, Colin, until your gaoler comes to you, and when he has left, get out on the roof. On the further side of the castle is a chimney leading to my drawing-room. I shall bar my door, and there await you."
"How shall I know which chimney it is?"
"I shall stand on the hearth and sing the ballad of Soulis Castle. If you, making your way round the roof, listen at each chimney, you may thus tell which will bring you to me. ”

“ To tell the whole truth as far as my story is concerned, the Earl of Angus expects me to become suitor for his charming niece, but my affections are already engaged. Now we both know that the earl, smooth as he appears, is not a man to be lightly offended, especially by one like myself, who has his career before him. You may then well imagine my predicament. A gentleman scarcely cares to go to a beautiful young lady, and say to her, 'Madame, your uncle wishes me to marry you. ”

“ The old man was well aware of his danger, yet there was no tremor in his tall, gaunt frame, for be knew that, although he had probably more enemies than any other man in Scotland, there was not one of them having him at advantage but would hesitate to strike. He was the chief of all the nobles in the realm, and to draw blade on him would be to bring down sure vengeance, not only upon the assassin himself, but upon all his kin, even more certainly than if the weapon had been turned against the king on the throne. ”

“ Ah, Maggie, Maggie—and you couldn't wait for your old uncle to be present at your wedding? Oh, the impatience of youth—and quite right too, for it is a period of life which, once fled, never returns. Well, my blessing on you both, and you will never lack shelter while an old man has a room to share with you. ”

“ Lady Margaret Douglas may look high when she casts her eye about for a husband; still, if her affections really are entangled, there seems to me little more to be said. My acquaintance with you, Sir Colin, is unfortunately slight, but I have seen enough of you to be convinced that you know your own mind, and Maggie herself is not one to be swayed in her predilection by what a doddering old relative might say. In other words, she is a Douglas ”

“ No, no, Sir Colin; there your indignation, possibly quite justified, obscures your logic. I offered to conduct you within the cattle, and if you had sheathed your sword, accepted my word, and followed me, the outcome might have been different, but you refused my safe conduct, trusting to your own blade, which proved but an unstable reed to lean upon. A man cannot have at the same time the protection of his own sword and the girdle of his host's word. He must choose one or the other. A guest does not enter a house with an unsheathed knife, an enemy does ”

“ She indeed appears to have little faith in her father's brother, and utterly refuses to believe that you are in this room. She declines to accompany me hither, although what could happen to her here more than in her own apartment, she is not logical enough to say. So, my young friend, two courses are open to you. You may betake yourself once more outside to the spot where I found you, and there pursue your own devices, although I doubt it will lead you to Margaret, for she seems to have no suspicion that you are in the neighbourhood. ”

“ The man who continually doubts the integrity of his opponent, who is eternally making calculation against something underneath the surface, almost invariably goes wrong, for as often as not there is nothing underneath the surface, so his action being based on the non-existent is therefore futile. ”

“ I have said a long and interesting experience of human affairs, my young friend, and I can tell you where the great mistakes are usually made. They arise generally through mistrust of our fellow creatures. ”

“ She tells me plainly that it is the young Earl of Bothwell I have here, whereas I do not even expect him until to-morrow at the earliest."
"And what is the second course open to me, my lord?"
"The second course is to come with me to the door of Margaret's drawing room, and convince her of your presence."
"That alternative I shall gladly accept, my lord."
"Very well. I don't like to suggest that you should sheathe your sword, although in my day a young man could hardly have been brought to enter a lady's presence as if about to begin a tourney. I merely give you a hint ”

“ If a man comes down through fire and smoke into my apartment, surely I may have the privilege of making some enquiry."
"You are certainly entitled to some explanation. Well, here is how the case stands. My land lies in jeopardy through a suit brought against me in the Courts of Edinburgh by Archibald, Earl of Angus, and his lordship succeeded in trapping me within this stronghold, doubtless hoping to win his suit through my enforced absence. My name is Sir Colin Mangerton ”

“ The earl s eyes twinkled with an appreciation of the shrewdness of her questioning.
"My dear, you underestimate the yearning of an old man for the charms of your company. It gives me great pleasure to hear your sweet voice lifted in song throughout the gloomy halls of Hermitage. ”

“ If you two foolish young people had come tome openly and said in a straightforward manner, 'We desire to be married,' then, as in duty bound, I should have given the subject my consideration, and each of you my best advice, which in all probability you would not have followed ”