features, and much mirth in their eyes, until at length Catherine was the first to break silence. « May I pray you, fair sir," she began, very demurely, «to tell me what you see in my face to arouse looks so extremely sagacious and knowing as those with which it is your worship's pleasure to honour me? It would seem as there were some wonderful confidence and intimacy betwixt us, fair sir, if one is to judge from your extremely cunning looks; and so help me, Our Lady, as I never saw you but twice in my life before. >> « And where were these happy occasions," said Roland, « if I may be bold enough to ask the question?>> « At the nunnery of Saint Catherine's," said the damsel, « in the first instance; and, in the second, during five minutes of a certain raid or foray which it was your pleasure to make into the lodging of my lord and father, Lord Seyton, from which, to my surprise, as probably to your own, you returned with a token of friendship and favour, instead of broken bones, which were the more probable reward of your intrusion, considering the prompt ire of the house of Seyton. I am deeply mortified," she added, ironically, « that your recollection should require refreshment on a subject so important; and that my memory should be stronger than yours on such an occasion, is truly humiliating.» «Your own memory is not so exactly correct, fair mistress," answered the page, « seeing you have forgotten meeting the third, in the hos telry of Saint Michael's, when it pleased you to lay your switch across the face of my comrade, in order, I warrant, to shew that, in the house of Seyton, neither the prompt ire of its descendants, nor the use of the doublet and hose, are subject to Salique law, or confined to the use of the males." « Fair sir,» answered Catherine, looking at him with great steadiness, and some surprise, « unless your fair wits have forsaken you, I am at a loss what to conjecture of your meaning.» me. By my troth, fair mistress," answered Roland; «and were I as wise a warlock as Michael Scott, I could scarce riddle the dream you read Did I not see you last night in the hostelry of Saint Michael's?—Did you not bring me this sword, with command not to draw it, save at the command of my native and rightful sovereign? And have I not done as you required me? Or is the sword a piece of lath-my word a bullrush-my memory a dream-and my eyes good for nought-espials which corbies might pick out of my head?» « And if your eyes serve you not more truly on other occasions than in your vision of Saint Michael," said Catherine, « I know not, the pain apart, that the corbies would do you any great injury in the deprivation-But hark, the bellhush, for God's sake, we are interrupted.» The damsel was right; for no sooner had the dull toll of the castle bell begun to resound through the vaulted apartment, than the door of the vestibule flew open, and the steward, with his severe countenance, his gold chain, and his white rod, entered the apartment, followed by the same train of domestics who had placed the dinner on the table, and who now, with the same ceremonious formality, began to remove it. The steward remained motionless as some old picture, while the domestics did their office; and when it was accomplished, every thing removed from the table, and the board itself taken from its tressels and disposed against the wall, he said aloud, without addressing any one in particular, and somewhat in the tone of a herald reading a proclamation, «My noble lady, Dame Margaret Erskine, by marriage Douglas, lets the Lady Mary of Scotland and her attendants to wit, that a servant of the true evangele, her reverend chaplain, will to-night, as usual, expound, lecture, and catechize, according to the forms of the congregation of gospellers.» « Hark you, my friend, Mr Dryfesdale,» said Catherine, «< I understand this announcement is a nightly form of yours. Now, I pray you to to remark, that the Lady Fleming and I-for I trust your insolent invitation concerns us only -have chosen Saint Peter's pathway to heaven, so I see no one whom your godly exhortation, catechize, or lecture, can benefit, excepting this poor page, who, being in Satan's hand as well as yourself, had better worship with you than remain to cumber our better-advised devotions." The page was well nigh giving a round denial to the assertion which this speech implied, when, remembering what had passed betwixt him and the Regent, and seeing Catherine's finger raised in a monitory fashion, he felt himself, as on former occasions at the Castle of Avenel, obliged to submit to the task of dissimulation, and followed Dryfesdale down to the castle-chapel, where he assisted in the devotions of the evening. The chaplain was named Elias Henderson. He was a man in the prime of life, and possessed of good natural parts, carefully improved by the best education which these times afforded. To these qualities were added a faculty of close and terse reasoning; and, at intervals, a flow of happy illustration and natural eloquence. The religious faith of Roland Græme, as we have already had opportunity to observe, rested on no secure basis, but was entertained rather in obedience to his grandmother's behests, and his secret desire to contradict the chaplain of Avenel Castle, than from any fixed or steady reliance which he placed on the Romish creed. His ideas had been of late considerably enlarged by the scenes he had passed through; and feeling that there was shame in not understanding something of those political disputes betwixt the professors of the ancient and of the reformed faith, he listened with more attention than it had |