"This is unkind, brother," said the King: "you indicate the painful
path which you would have me pursue, yet you offer me not your
support in treading it."

"My support your Grace may ever command," replied Albany; "but would
it become me, of all men on earth, to prompt to your Grace severe
measures against your son and heir? Me, on whom, in case of failure
--which Heaven forefend!--of your Grace's family, this fatal
crown might descend? Would it not be thought and said by the fiery
March and the haughty Douglas, that Albany had sown dissension between
his royal brother and the heir to the Scottish throne, perhaps to
clear the way for the succession of his own family? No, my liege,
I can sacrifice my life to your service, but I must not place my
honour in danger."

"You say true, Robin.--you say very true," replied the King,
hastening to put his own interpretation upon his brother's words.
"We must not suffer these powerful and dangerous lords to perceive
that there is aught like discord in the royal family. That must be
avoided of all things: and therefore we will still try indulgent
measures, in hopes of correcting the follies of Rothsay. I behold
sparks of hope in him, Robin, from time to time, that are well
worth cherishing. He is young--very young--a prince, and in the
heyday of his blood. We will have patience with him, like a good
rider with a hot tempered horse. Let him exhaust this idle humor,
and no one will be better pleased with him than yourself. You have
censured me in your kindness for being too gentle, too retired;
Rothsay has no such defects."