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"Mother Nicneven will not be lightly found, or fetched hither on these conditions," answered Dryfesdale. "Then grant her full assurance of safety Look to it, for thine own life must answer for this lady's recovery." "I might have guessed that," said Dryfesdale, sullenly; "but it is my comfort I have avenged mine own cause, as well as yours.
I am even now about to send off an express messenger to my son, to take order how thou shouldst be disposed of. Prepare thyself for death, if thou canst." "He that looks on death, Lady," answered Dryfesdale, "as that which he may not shun, and which has its own fixed and certain hour, is ever prepared for it. But whom, pray I, send you on so fair an errand?"
"No, Lady," replied Dryfesdale, "but you were deeply insulted last night, and I fear me thou art as deeply avenged this morning Where is the chaplain?" "What mean you by hints so dark, and a question so sudden? The chaplain, as you well know, is absent at Perth upon an assembly of the brethren." "I care not," answered the steward; "he is but a priest of Baal."
It opened at her command, and the steward Dryfesdale entered, and stood before her with a gloomy and perturbed expression on his brow. "What has chanced, Dryfesdale, that thou lookest thus?" said his mistress "Have there been evil tidings of my son, or of my grandchildren?"
Dryfesdale, who was but a sorry customer while he was alive, occupies my public room now that he is deceased, and can neither call for ale nor brandy." "Tie a stone round his neck," said Seyton, "and when the sun is down, have him to the Loch of Ore, heave him in, and let him alone for finding out the bottom." "Under your favour, sir," said George Douglas, "it shall not be so.
But the bolt which Roland had drawn on the inside, resisted the efforts of the person desirous to enter. "Who is there?" said Graeme aloud. "It is I," replied the harsh and yet slow voice of the steward Dryfesdale. "You cannot enter now," returned the youth.
"Wretch!" exclaimed the lady, "and fool as well as villain, who could not even execute the crime he had planned!" "I bid as fair for it as man could," replied Dryfesdale; "I went to a woman a witch and a Papist If I found not poison, it was because it was otherwise predestined. I tried fair for it; but the half-done job may be clouted, if you will." "Villain!
"Shall we not double the sentinels, and place one upon the boats and another in the garden?" said Randal. "Would you that despatches were sent to Sir William at Edinburgh, to acquaint him with what has happened?" demanded Dryfesdale; "and ought not the place of Kinross to be alarmed, lest there be force upon the shores of the lake?"
"Dryfesdale," said the Lady, sternly, "what meanest thou? I have ever heard, that in the Low Countries thou didst herd with the Anabaptist preachers, those boars which tear up the vintage But the ministry which suits me and my house must content my retainers."
Lady Lochleven, stunned as it were by this last sarcasm, and not the less deeply incensed that she had drawn it upon herself, remained like a statue on the spot which she had occupied when she received an affront so flagrant. Dryfesdale and Randal endeavoured to rouse her to recollection by questions. "What is your honourable Ladyship's pleasure in the premises?"
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