of Ramorny's unparalleled
cruelty to his misled and betrayed patron.

This wretch revisited the dungeon at the time when the Prince's lethargy
began to wear off, and when, awaking to sensation, he felt himself
deadly cold, unable to move, and oppressed with fetters, which scarce
permitted him to stir from the dank straw on which he was laid. His
first idea was that he was in a fearful dream, his next brought a
confused augury of the truth. He called, shouted, yelled at length in
frenzy but no assistance came, and he was only answered by the vaulted
roof of the dungeon. The agent of hell heard these agonizing screams,
and deliberately reckoned them against the taunts and reproaches with
which Rothsay had expressed his instinctive aversion to him. When,
exhausted and hopeless, the unhappy youth remained silent, the savage
resolved to present himself before the eyes of his prisoner. The locks
were drawn, the chain fell; the Prince raised himself as high as his
fetters permitted; a red glare, against which he was fain to shut his
eyes, streamed through the vault; and when he opened them again, it was
on the ghastly form of one whom he had reason to think dead. He sunk
back in horror.

"I am judged and condemned," he exclaimed, "and the most abhorred fiend
in the infernal regions is sent to torment me!"

"I live, my lord," said Bonthron; "and that you may live and enjoy life,
be pleased to sit up and eat your victuals."

"Free me from these irons," said the Prince, "release me from this
dungeon, and, dog as thou art, thou shalt be the richest man in
Scotland."

"If you would give me the weight of your shackles in gold," said
Bonthron, "I would rather see the iron on you than have the treasure
myself! But look up; you were wont to love delicate fare--behold how I
have catered for you."

The wretch, with fiendish glee, unfolded a piece of rawhide covering the
bundle which he bore under' his arm, and, passing the light to and fro
before it, showed the unhappy Prince a bull's head recently hewn from
the trunk, and known in Scotland as the certain signal of death. He
placed it at the foot of the bed, or rather lair, on which the Prince
lay.

"Be moderate in your food," he said; "it is like to be long ere thou
getst another meal."

"Tell me but one thing, wretch," said the Prince. "Does Ramorny know of
this practice?"

"How else hadst thou been decoyed hither? Poor woodcock, thou art
snared!" answered the murderer.