hort passage from life to the grave will now present. Look at my hectic
cheek; feel, if you will, my intermitting pulse; and pity me and excuse
me if I, whose rights as a prince and as a man have been trampled upon
and usurped, feel occasional indifference towards the rights of others,
and indulge a selfish desire to gratify the wish of the passing moment."

"Oh, my lord!" exclaimed Catharine, with the enthusiasm which belonged
to her character--"I will call you my dear lord, for dear must the heir
of Bruce be to every child of Scotland--let me not, I pray, hear you
speak thus! Your glorious ancestor endured exile, persecution, the night
of famine, and the day of unequal combat, to free his country; do you
practise the like self denial to free yourself. Tear yourself from those
who find their own way to greatness smoothed by feeding your follies.
Distrust yon dark Ramorny! You know it not, I am sure--you could not
know; but the wretch who could urge the daughter to courses of shame by
threatening the life of the aged father is capable of all that is vile,
all that is treacherous!"

"Did Ramorny do this?" said the Prince.

"He did indeed, my lord, and he dares not deny it."

"It shall be looked to," answered the Duke of Rothsay. "I have ceased
to love him; but he has suffered much for my sake, and I must see his
services honourably requited."

"His services! Oh, my lord, if chronicles speak true, such services
brought Troy to ruins and gave the infidels possession of Spain."

"Hush, maiden--speak within compass, I pray you," said the Prince,
rising up; "our conference ends here."

"Yet one word, my Lord Duke of Rothsay," said Catharine, with animation,
while her beautiful countenance resembled that of an admonitory angel.
"I cannot tell what impels me to speak thus boldly; but the fire burns
within me, and will break out. Leave this castle without an hour's
delay; the air is unwholesome for you. Dismiss this Ramorny before the
day is ten minutes older; his company is most dangerous."

"What reason have you for saying this?"

"None in especial," answered Catharine, abashed at her own
eagerness--"none, perhaps, excepting my fears for your safety."

"To vague fears the heir of Bruce must not listen. What, ho! who waits
without?"

Ramorny entered, and bowed low to the Duke and to the maiden, whom,
perhaps, he considered as likely to be preferred to the post of
favourite sultana, and therefore entitled to a courte