actions to any one who should manfully demand it of him to his face. >> « And it were manfully said,» replied the Regent-« what thinkst 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. << But this youth belongs to the Debateable Land," said Murray. It may be so; but Julian was an outlying striker of venison, and made many a far cast when he had a fair doe in chase. >> « Pshaw!» said the Regent, « this is but idle, talk-Here, thou Hyndman-thou Curiosity-. conduct this youth to his companion - You will both," he said to Græme, « keep yourselves in readiness to travel on short notice.»—And then motioning to him courteously to withdraw, he broke up the interview. CHAPTER IV. It is and is not-'tis the thing I sought for, Old Play. THE usher, with gravity which ill concealed a jealous scowl, conducted Roland Græme to a lower apartment, where he found his comrade the falconer. The man of office then briefly acquainted them that this would be their residence till his Grace's farther orders; that they were to go to the pantry, to the buttery, to the cellar, and to the kitchen, at the usual hours, to receive the allowances becoming their station,instructions which Adam Woodcock's old familiarity with the court made him perfectly understand -« For your beds,” he said, "you must go to the hostelrie of Saint Michael's, in respect the palace is now full of the domestics of the greater nobles.» No sooner was the usher's back turned than Adam exclaimed, with all the glee of eager cu riosity, « And now, Master Roland, the newsthe news-come, unbutton thy pouch, and give us thy tidings-What says the Regent? asks he for Adam Woodcock? - and is all soldered up, or must the Abbot of Unreason strap for it?" All is well in that quarter," said the page; « and for the rest - But, hey-day, what, have you taken the chain and medal off from my bonnet?" « And meet time it was, when yon usher, vinegar-faced rogue that he is, began to enquire what popish trangam you were wearing-By the mass, the metal would have been confiscated for conscience-sake, like your other rattle-trap yonder at Avenel, which Mrs Lilias bears about on her shoes in the guise of a pair of shoebuckles-This comes of carrying popish nicknackets about you."> « The jade!» exclaimed Roland Græme, « has she melted down my rosary into buckles for her clumsy hoofs, which will become such a garnish well nigh as well as a cow's might-but, hang her, let her keep them many a dog's trick have I played old Lilias, for want of something better to do, and the buckles will serve for a remembrance. Do you remember the verjuice I put into the comfits, when old Wingate and she were to breakfast together on Easter morning?» « In troth do I, Master Roland-the majordomo's mouth was as crooked as a hawk's beak for the whole morning afterward, and any other page in your room would have tasted the discipline of the porter's lodge for it-But my lady's favour stood between your skin and many a jerking-Lord send you may be the better for her protection in such matters,» << I am at least grateful for it, Adam; and I am glad you put me in mind of it.»> « Well, but the news, my young master," said Woodcock, « spell me the tidings - what are we to fly at next?—what did the Regent say to you?» Nothing that I am to repeat again,» said Roland Græme, shaking his head. " Why, hey-day," said Adam, «how prudent we are become all of a sudden! You have advanced rarely in brief space, Master Roland. You have well nigh had your head broken, and you have gained your gold chain, and you have made an enemy, Master Usher to wit, with his two legs like hawk's perches, and you have had audience of the first man in the realm, and bear as much mystery in your brow, as if you had flown in the court-sky ever since you were hatched. I believe, in my soul, you would run with a piece of egg-shell on your head like the curlieus, whom (I would we were after them. again) we used to call whaups in the Halidome and its neighbourhood.-But sit thee down, boy; Adam Woodcock was never the lad to seek to enter into forbidden secrets-sit thee down, and. I will go fetch the vivers-I know the butler and the pantler of old.»> The good-natured falconer set forth upon his errand, busying himself about procuring their refreshment; and, during his absence, Roland Græme abandoned himself to the strange, complicated, and yet heart-stirring reflections, to which the events of the morning had given rise. Yesterday he was of neither mark nor likelihood, a vagrant boy, the attendant on a relative, of whose sane judgment he himself had not the highest opinion; but now he had become, he knew not why, or wherefore, or to what extent, the custodier, as the Scottish phrase went, of some important state secret, in the safe keeping of which the Regent himself was concerned. It did not diminish from, but rather added to the interest of a situation so unexpected, that Roland himself did not perfectly understand wherein he stood committed by the state secrets, in which he had unwittingly become participator. On the contrary, he felt like one who looks on a romantic landscape, of which he sees the features for the first time, and then obscured with mist and driving tempest. The imperfect glimpse which the eye catches of rocks, trees, and other objects around him, adds double dignity to these shrouded mountains and darkened abysses, of which the height, depth, and extent, are left to imagination. But mortals, especially at the well-appetized age which precedes twenty years, are seldom so much engaged either by real or conjectural subjects of speculation, but what their earthly wants claim their hour of attention. And with |