Part 27 (1/2)
He practised every pass and ward, To thrust, to strike, to feint, to guard; While less expert, though stronger far, The Gaelstrife they stood, And thrice the Saxon blade drank blood; No stinted draught, no scanty tide, The gushi+ng flood the tartans dyed
Fierce Roderick felt the fatal drain, And showered his blows like wintry rain; And, as firainst the winter shower is proof, The foe, invulnerable still, Foiled his wild rage by steady skill; Till, at advantage ta'en, his brand Forced Roderick's weapon froht the proud Chieftain to his knee
”Now, yield thee, or by Him who made The world, thy heart's blood dyes my blade!”-- ”Thy threats, thy mercy, I defy!
Let recreant yield, who fears to die”
--Like adder darting froh the toil, Like , Full at Fitz-Ja; Received, but recked not of a wound, And locked his arallant Saxon, hold thine own!
No rasp thy frah bars of brass and triple steel!-- They tug, they strain! down, down they go, The Gael above, Fitz-Jaripe his throat compressed, His knee was planted on his breast; His clotted locks he backward threw, Across his brow his hand he drew, Froleaht!-- --But hate and fury ill supplied The streae caleah, Reeled soul and sense, reeled brain and eye, Down ca blade found bloodless sheath
The struggling foe rasp; Unwounded from the dreadful close, But breathless all, Fitz-James arose
Scott: ”The Lady of the Lake”
THE INDIGNATION OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY
(”Nicholas Nickleby” deals with the gross land Squeers, a vulgar, crafty despot, is head of Dotheboys Hall Nicholas is an usher or undermaster in the school; Smike, a little, friendless, starved pupil who has run away to escape froery and harshness)
”He is off,” said Mrs Squeers ”The cow-house and stable are locked up, so he can't be there; and he's not down-stairs anywhere, for the girl has looked He one York way, and by a public road, too”
”Why must he?” inquired Squeers
”Stupid!” said Mrs Squeers, angrily ”He hadn't any money, had he?”
”Never had a penny of his own in his whole life, that I know of,”
replied Squeers
”To be sure,” rejoined Mrs Squeers, ”and he didn't take anything to eat with hihed Squeers
”Then, of course,” said Mrs S, ”hehis way, and he could do that nowhere but on the public road”
”That's true,” exclai his hands
”True! yes; but you would never have thought of it for all that, if I hadn't said so,” replied his wife ”Now, if you take the chaise and go one road, and I borro's chaise and go the other, ith keeping our eyes open, and asking questions, one or other of us is pretty sure to lay hold of him”
The worthy lady's plan was adopted and put in execution without a moment's delay After a hasty breakfast, and the prosecution of soe, the result of which seeht track, Squeers started forth in the pony-chaise, intent upon discovery and vengeance Shortly afterwards, Mrs Squeers, arrayed in the white topcoat and tied up in various shawls and handkerchiefs, issued forth in another chaise in another direction, taking with her a good-sized bludgeon, several odd pieces of strong cord, and a stout labouring man; all provided and carried upon the expedition with the sole object of assisting in the capture, and (once caught) insuring the safe custody of the unfortunate S, sensible that whateverbut painful and deplorable consequences were likely to ensue from it Death, from want and exposure to the weather, was the best that could be expected fros of so poor and helpless a creature, alone and unfriended, through a country of which he holly ignorant There was little, perhaps, to choose between this fate and a return to the tenderhad established a hold upon his sympathy and compassion, whichhe was destined to undergo He lingered on in restless anxiety, picturing a thousand possibilities, until the evening of the next day when Squeers returned alone and unsuccessful
”No news of the sca his legs, on the old principle, not a few ti the journey ”I'll have consolation for this out of soive you fair warning”
”It is not intomanner ”We shall see!”
”We shall,” rejoined Nicholas