Part 84 (2/2)
”Gude-vera gude,” rejoined the King. ”But, entertaining this feeling, how conies it you screen so heinous an offender frae justice? Nae natural feeling should be allowed to weigh in sic a case.”
”Nor should it, sire, with me,” replied Alizon-”because I believe my poor mother's eternal welfare would be best consulted if she underwent temporal punishment. Neither is she herself anxious to avoid it.”
”Then why does she keep out of the way-why does she not surrender herself?” cried the King.
”Because-” and Alizon stopped.
”Because what?” demanded James.
”Pardon me, sire, I must decline answering further questions on the subject,” replied Alizon. ”Whatever concerns myself or my mother alone, I will state freely, but I cannot compromise others.”
”Aha! then there are others concerned in it?” cried James. ”We thought as much. We will interrogate you further hereafter-but a word mair. We trust ye are devout, and constant in your religious exercises, damsel.”
”I will answer for that, sire,” interposed Sir Richard a.s.sheton. ”Alizon's whole time is spent in prayer for her unfortunate mother. If there be a fault it is that she goes too far, and injures her health by her zeal.”
”A gude fault that, Sir Richard,” observed the King, approvingly.
”It beseems me not to speak of myself, sire,” said Alizon, ”and I am loth to do so-but I beseech your majesty to believe, that if my life might be offered as an atonement for my mother, I would freely yield it.”
”I' gude faith she staggers me in my opinion,” muttered James, ”and I maun look into the matter mair closely. The la.s.s is far different frae what I imagined her. But the wiles o' Satan arena to be comprehended, and he will put on the semblance of righteousness when seeking to beguile the righteous. Aweel, damsel,” he added aloud, ”ye speak feelingly and properly, and as a daughter should speak, and we respect your feelings-provided they be sic as ye represent them. And now dispose yourselves for the chase.”
”I must pray your Majesty to dismiss me,” said Alizon. ”It is a sight in which at any time I take small pleasure, and now it is especially distasteful to me. With your permission, I will proceed to Hoghton Tower.”
”I also crave your Majesty's leave to go with her,” said Dorothy.
”I will attend them,” interposed Richard.
”Na, you maun stay wi' us, young sir,” cried the King. ”Your gude father will gang wi' 'em. Sir John Finett,” he added, calling to the master of the ceremonies, and speaking in his ear, ”see that they be followed, and that a special watch be kept over Alizon, and also over this youth,-d'ye mark me?-in fact, ower a' the a.s.sheton clan. And now,” he cried in a loud voice, ”let them blaw the strake.”
The chief huntsman having placed the bugle to his lips, and blown a strike with two winds, a short consultation was held between him and James, who loved to display his knowledge as a woodsman; and while this was going forward, Nicholas and Sherborne having come up, the squire dismounted, and committing Robin to his brother-in-law, approached the monarch.
”If I may be so bold as to put in a word, my liege,” he said, ”I can show you where a hart of ten is a.s.suredly harboured. I viewed him as I rode through the park this morning, and cannot, therefore, be mistaken. His head is high and well palmed, great beamed and in good proportion, well burred and well pearled. He is stately in height, long, and well fed.”
”Did you mark the slot, sir?” inquired James.
”I did, my liege,” replied Nicholas. ”And a long slot it was; the toes great, with round short joint-bones, large s.h.i.+n-bones, and the dew-claws close together. I will uphold him for a great old hart as ever proffered, and one that shall shew your Majesty rare sport.”
”And we'll tak your word for the matter, sir,” said James; ”for ye're as gude a woodman as any we hae in our dominions. Bring us to him, then.”
”Will it please your Majesty to ride towards yon glade?” said Nicholas, ”and, before you reach it, the hart shall be roused.”
James, a.s.senting to the arrangement, Nicholas sprang upon his steed, and, calling to the chief huntsman, they galloped off together, accompanied by the bloodhound, the royal cavalcade following somewhat more slowly in the same direction. A fair sight it was to see that splendid company careering over the plain, their feathered caps and gay mantles glittering in the sun, which shone brightly upon them. The morning was lovely, giving promise that the day, when further advanced, would be intensely hot, but at present it was fresh and delightful, and the whole company, exhilarated by the exercise, and by animated conversation, were in high spirits; and perhaps amongst the huge party, which numbered nearly three hundred persons, one alone was a prey to despair. But though Richard a.s.sheton suffered thus internally, he bore his anguish with Spartan firmness, resolved, if possible, to let no trace of it be visible in his features or deportment; and he so far succeeded in conquering himself, that the King, who kept a watchful eye upon him, remarked to Sir John Finett as they rode along, that a singular improvement had taken place in the young man's appearance.
The cavalcade was rapidly approaching the glade at the lower end of the chase, when the lively notes of a horn were heard from the adjoining wood, followed by the deep baying of a bloodhound.
”Aha! they have roused him,” cried the King, joyfully placing his own bugle to his lips, and sounding an answer. Upon this the whole company halted in anxious expectation, the hounds baying loudly. The next moment, a n.o.ble hart burst from the wood, whence he had been driven by the shouts of Nicholas and the chief huntsman, both of whom appeared immediately afterwards.
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