to him, as I cannot, that we come
instantly to attend his commands, and do it clerkly. He reads well, and
that he owes to me."

"He will be your valiancie's debtor for more knowledge before he
dies--he! he! he! But is your bargain sure with the Duke of Albany?"

"Enough to gratify my ambition, thy avarice, and the revenge of both.
Aboard--aboard, and speedily; let Eviot throw in a few flasks of the
choicest wine, and some cold baked meats."

"But your arm, my lord, Sir John? Does it not pain you?"

"The throbbing of my heart silences the pain of my wound. It beats as it
would burst my bosom."

"Heaven forbid!" said Dwining; adding, in a low voice--"It would be a
strange sight if it should. I should like to dissect it, save that its
stony case would spoil my best instruments."

In a few minutes they were in the boat, while a speedy messenger carried
the note to the Prince.

Rothsay was seated with the Constable, after their noontide repast. He
was sullen and silent; and the earl had just asked whether it was his
pleasure that the table should be cleared, when a note, delivered to the
Prince, changed at once his aspect.

"As you will," he said. "I go to the pavilion in the garden--always
with permission of my Lord Constable--to receive my late master of the
horse."

"My lord!" said Lord Errol.

"Ay, my lord; must I ask permission twice?"

"No, surely, my lord," answered the Constable; "but has your Royal
Highness recollected that Sir John Ramorny--"

"Has not the plague, I hope?" replied the Duke of Rothsay. "Come, Errol,
you would play the surly turnkey, but it is not in your nature; farewell
for half an hour."

"A new folly!" said Errol, as the Prince, flinging open a lattice of
the ground parlour in which they sat, stept out into the garden--"a new
folly, to call back that villain to his counsels. But he is infatuated."

The Prince, in the mean time, looked back, and said hastily:

"Your lordship's good housekeeping will afford us a flask or two of
wine and a slight collation in the pavilion? I love the al fresco of the
river."

The Constable bowed, and gave the necessary orders; so that Sir John
found the materials of good cheer ready displayed, when, landing from
his barge, he entered the pavilion.

"It grieves my heart to see your Highness under restraint," said
Ramorny, with a well executed appearance of sympathy.

"That grief of thine will grieve mine," said the Prince. "I am sure here
has