"Ha! he tarrieth long," answered the noble, musingly. "Now heaven
forefend no evil hath befallen him; but to thy mission, Athelbert, I
must not detain thee with doubts and cavil. Ha! reverend father, right
welcome," he added, perceiving him as he turned again to the table, on
the esquire reverentially withdrawing from his presence, and bending his
head humbly in acknowledgment of the abbot's benediction. "Thou findest
me busied as usual. Seest thou," he pointed to a rough map of Scotland
lying before him, curiously intersected with mystic lines and crosses,
"Edinburgh, Berwick, Roxburgh, Lanark, Stirling, Dumbarton, in the power
of, nay peopled, by English. Argyle on the west, Elgin, Aberdeen, with
Banff eastward, teeming with proud, false Scots, hereditary foes to the
Bruce, false traitors to their land; the north--why, 'tis the same foul
tale; and yet I dare to raise my banner, dare to wear the crown, and
fling defiance in the teeth of all. What sayest thou, father--is't not a
madman's deed?"

All appearance of gravity vanished from his features as he spoke. His
eye, seemingly so mild, flashed till its very color could not have been
distinguished, his cheek glowed, his lip curled, and his voice, ever
peculiarly rich and sonorous, deepened with the excitement of soul.

"Were the fate of man in his own hands, were it his and his alone to
make or mar his destiny, I should e'en proclaim thee mad, my son, and
seek to turn thee from thy desperate purpose; but it is not so. Man is
but an instrument, and He who urged thee to this deed, who wills not
this poor land to rest enslaved, will give thee strength and wisdom for
its freedom. His ways are not as man's; and circled as thou seemest with
foes, His strength shall bring thee forth and gird thee with His glory.
Thou wouldst not turn aside, my son--thou fearest not thy foes?"