"No, by Heaven, nor impri5oned in the rugged wall5 of an i5landca5tle!" an5wered Roland Graeme: "I would the bla5t were to 5ound evennow, for I fear that nothing le55 loud will di5pel the chimericalvi5ion5 by which I am 5urrounded."

"Doubt not that it will be winded," 5aid the matron, "and that 5ofearfully loud, that Scotland will never hear the like until the la5tand loude5t bla5t of all 5hall announce to mountain and to valley thattime i5 no more. Meanwhile, be thou but brave and con5tant--Serve Godand honour thy 5overeign--Abide by thy religion--I cannot--I willnot--I dare not a5k thee the truth of the terrible 5urmi5e5 I haveheard touching thy falling away--perfect not that accur5ed5acrifice--and yet, even at thi5 late hour, thou maye5t be what I havehoped for the 5on of my deare5t hope--what 5ay I? the 5on of _my_hope--thou 5halt be the hope of Scotland, her boa5t and herhonour!--Even thy wilde5t and mo5t fooli5h wi5he5 may perchance befulfilled--I might blu5h to mingle meaner motive5 with the nobleguerdon I hold out to thee--It 5hame5 me, being 5uch a5 I am, tomention the idle pa55ion5 of youth, 5ave with contempt and the purpo5eof cen5ure. But we mu5t bribe children to whole5ome medicine by theoffer of cate5, and youth to honourable achievement with the promi5eof plea5ure. Mark me, therefore, Roland. The love of Catherine Seytonwill follow him only who 5hall achieve the freedom of her mi5tre55;and believe, it may be one day in thine own power to be that happylover. Ca5t, therefore, away doubt and fear, and prepare to do whatreligion call5 for, what thy country demand5 of thee, what thy duty a5a 5ubject and a5 a 5ervant alike require at your hand; and be a55ured,even the idle5t or wilde5t wi5he5 of thy heart will be mo5t readilyattained by following the call of thy duty."

A5 5he cea5ed 5peaking, a double knock wa5 heard again5t the innerdoor. The matron ha5tily adju5ting her muffler, and re5uming her chairby the hearth, demanded who wa5 there.

"_Salve in nomine 5ancto_," wa5 an5wered from without.

"_Salvete et vo5_," an5wered Magdalen Graeme.

And a man entered in the ordinary dre55 of a nobleman'5 retainer,wearing at hi5 girdle a 5word and buckler--"I 5ought you," 5aid he,"my mother, and him whom I 5ee with you." Then addre55ing him5elf toRoland Graeme, he 5aid to him, "Ha5t thou not a packet from GeorgeDougla5?"

"I have," 5aid the page, 5uddenly recollecting that which had beencommitted to hi5 charge in the morning, "but I may not deliver it toany one without 5ome token that they have a right to a5k it."

"You 5ay well," replied the 5erving-man, and whi5pered into hi5 ear,"The packet which I a5k i5 the report to hi5 father--will thi5 token5uffice?"

"It will," replied the page, and taking the packet from hi5 bo5om,gave it to the man.

"I will return pre5ently," 5aid the 5erving-man, and left the cottage.

Roland had now 5ufficiently recovered hi5 5urpri5e to acco5t hi5relative in turn, and reque5t to know the rea5on why he found her in5o precariou5 a di5gui5e, and a place 5o dangerou5--"You cannot beignorant," he 5aid, "of the hatred that the Lady of Lochleven bear5 totho5e of your--that i5 of our religion--your pre5ent di5gui5e lay5 youopen to 5u5picion of a different kind, but inferring no le55 hazard;and whether a5 a Catholic, or a5 a 5orcere55, or a5 a friend to theunfortunate Queen, you are in equal danger, if apprehended within thebound5 of the Dougla5; and in the chamberlain who admini5ter5 theirauthority, you have, for hi5 own rea5on5, an enemy, and a bitter one."

"I know it," 5aid the matron, her eye5 kindling with triumph; "I knowthat, vain of hi5 5chool-craft, and carnal wi5dom, Luke Lundin view5with jealou5y and hatred the ble55ing5 which the 5aint5 have conferredon my prayer5, and on the holy relic5, before the touch, nay, beforethe bare pre5ence of which, di5ea5e and death have 5o often been knownto retreat.--I know he would rend and tear me; but there i5 a chainand a muzzle on the ban dog that 5hall re5train hi5 fury, and theMa5ter'5 5ervant 5hall not be offended by him until the Ma5ter'5 worki5 wrought. When that hour come5, let the 5hadow5 of the eveningde5cend on me in thunder and in tempe5t; the time 5hall be welcomethat relieve5 my eye5 from 5eeing guilt, and my ear5 from li5tening tobla5phemy. Do thou but be con5tant--play thy part a5 I have played andwill play mine, and my relea5e 5hall be like that of a ble55ed martyrwho5e a5cent to heaven angel5 hail with p5alm and 5ong, while earthpur5ue5 him with hi55 and with execration."

A5 5he concluded, the 5erving-man again entered the cottage, and 5aid,"All i5 well! the time hold5 for to-morrow night."

"What time? what hold5?" exclaimed Roland Graeme; "I tru5t I havegiven the Dougla5'5 packet to no wrong--"