ell any of those
tales which buzzed through the land about the ways of Charles, but
which were not fit for a maiden's ears. From time to time, also, as
they walked together in the pleasaunce of the castle, they touched on
deeper things, and Jean marked that, although this man had lived a
soldier's life, and had been much with people who were far removed
from Puritanism, he was free from the coarseness of the day, and that,
although he might be capable of severity and even cruelty, he was of
more fastidious and chivalrous temper than anyone else she had met
among the Covenanters except Henry Pollock. Unconsciously Jean began
to compare the two men, and to weigh their types of character. There
was nothing to choose between them in honor or in manliness, though
the one was a minister of the Evangel and the other a colonel of his
Majesty's Horse, but they were different. Pollock, with all his
narrowness of faith and extravagance of action, was a saint, and no
one could say that of Claverhouse, even though they might admit he was
not the devil of the Covenanting imagination. But John Graham was
more human: he might not see visions, and there never came into his
face that light of the other world which she had seen on Pollock's,
but he knew when a woman was walking by his side, and his eyes
caressed her. His voice never had that indescribable accent of
eternity which thrilled Henry Pollock's hearers, and was to them as a
message from God, but Graham's speech could turn from grave and
courteous mockery, which was very taking in its way, to a gentle
deference and respectful appeal, which, from a strong man with so
dazzling a reputation, was irresistible to a woman's heart. Then, no
one could deny that his person was beautiful--a rare thing to say of a
man--or that his manner was gracious, and Jean began to admit to
herself that if he set himself he would be a successful lover. The
very contradiction of the man--with so graceful a form and so high a
spirit, with so evil a name for persecution and so engaging a
presence, with such a high tone of authority among the men in power
and so modest a carriage towards maidens--made him a captivating guest
and dangerous to women's hearts. There was also a natural sympathy
between John Graham and Jean Cochrane, because, though they had been
brought up under different traditions and were on opposite sides, they
were both resolute, honest, independent, and loyal. No word or hint of
love pass