reason. avails it that you might perchance adopt the course I propose to thee, were it to be fully explained? Thou wouldst not then follow my command, but thine own judgment; thou wouldst not do the will of Heaven, communicated through thy best friend, to whom thou owest thine all; but thou wouldst observe the blinded dictates of thine own imperfect Hear me, Roland! a lot calls thee-solicits thee demands thee-the proudest to which man can be destined, and it uses the voice of thine earliest, thy best, thy only friend-Wilt thou resist it? Then go thy way-leave me here-my hopes on earth are gone and withered-I will kneel me down before yonder profaned altar, and when the raging heretics return, they shall dye it with the blood of a martyr." "But, my dearest mother," said Roland Græme, whose early recollections of her violence were formidably renewed by these wild expressions of reckless passion," I will not forsake you-I will abide with you-worlds shall not force me from your side -I will protect-I will defend you-I will live with you, and die for you." "One word, my son, were worth all these—say only I will obey you." "Doubt it not, mother," replied the youth, "I will, and that with all my heart; only" Nay, I receive no qualifications of thy promise," said Magdalen Græme, catching at the word, "the obedience which I require is absolute; and blessing on thee, thou darling memory of my beloved child, that thou hast power to make a promise so hard to human pride. Trust me well, that in the design in which thou doest embark, thou hast for thy partners the mighty and the valiant, the power of the church, and the pride of the noble. Succeed or fail, live or die, thy name shall be among those with whom success or failure is alike glorious, death or life alike desirous. Forward, then, forward! life is short, and our plan is laborious-Angels, saints, and the whole blessed host of heaven, have their eyes even now on this barren and blighted land of Scotland-What say I? on Scotland ?—their eye is on us, Roland-on the frail woman, on the inexperienced youth, who, amidst the ruins which sacrilege hath made in the holy place, devote themselves to God's cause, and that of their lawful Sovereign. Amen, so be it! The blessed eyes of saints and martyrs, which see our resolve, shall witness the execution; or their ears, which hear our vow, shall hear our death-groan drawn in the sacred cause." While thus speaking, she held Roland Græme firmly with one hand, while she pointed upward with the other, to leave him, as it were, no means of protest against the obtestation to which he was thus made a party. When she had finished her appeal to Heaven, she left him no leisure for far ther hesitation, or for asking any explanation of her purpose; but passing with the same ready transition as formerly, to the solicitous attentions of an anxious parent, overwhelmed him with questions concerning his residence in the Castle of Avenel, and the qualities and accomplishments he had acquired. "It is well," she said, when she had exhausted her inquiries," my gay goss-hawk hath been well trained, and will soar high; but those who bred him will have cause to fear as well as to wonder at his flight. Let us now," she said, " to our morning meal, and care not though it be a scanty one. A few hours walk will bring us to more friendly quarters." They broke their fast accordingly, on such fragments as remained of their yesterday's provision, and immediately set out on their farther journey. Magdalen Græme led the way, with a firm and active step much beyond her years, and Roland Græme followed, pensive and anxious, and far from satisfied with the state of dependence to which he seemed again to be reduced. Am I for ever, he said to himself, to be devoured with the desire of independence and free agency, and yet to be for ever led on, by circumstances, to follow the will of others? CHAPTER X. She dwelt unnoticed and alone, A maid whom there was none to praise, And very few to love. WORDSWORTH. IN the course of their journey the travellers spoke little to each other. Magdalen Græme chaunted, from time to time, in a low voice, a part of some one of those beautiful old Latin hymns which belong to the Catholic service, muttered an Ave or a Credo, and so passed on, lost in devotional contemplation. The meditations of her grandson were more bent on mundane matters; and many a time, as a moorfowl arose from the heath, and shot along the moor, uttering his bold crow of defiance, he thought of the jolly Adam Woodcock, and his trusty goss-hawk; or, as they passed a thicket where the low trees and bushes were intermingled with tall fern, furze, and broom, so as to form a thick and intricate cover, his dreams were of a roebuck and a brace of gaze-hounds. But frequently his mind returned to the benevolent and kind mis tress whom he had left behind him, offended justly, and unreconciled by any effort of his. My step would be lighter, he thought, and so would my heart, could I but have returned to see her for one instant, and to say, Lady, the orphanboy was wild, but not ungrateful. Travelling in these divers moods, about the hour of noon they reached a small straggling village, in which, as usual, were seen one or two of those predominating towers, or peel-houses, which, for reasons of defence elsewhere detailed, were at that time to be found in every Border hamlet. A brook flowed beside the village, and watered the valley in which it stood. There was also a mansion at the end of the village, and a little way separated from it, much dilapidated, and in very bad order, but appearing to have been the abode of persons of some consideration. The situation was agreeable, being an angle formed by the stream, bearing three or four large sycamore trees, which, being in full leaf, served to relieve the dark appearance of the mansion, which was built of a deep red stone. The house itself had been a large one, but was now obviously too big for the inmates; several windows were built up, especially those which opened from the lower storey; others were blockaded in a less substantial manner. The court before the door, which had once been defended with a species of low outer-wall, now ruinous, was paved, but the |