r offered the least
resistance.

"My life begged of him, and by her!--ay--ay--put on the irons--my limbs
shall not refuse to bear what has entered into my very soul--My life
begged by Edith, and begged of Evandale!"

"Ay, and he has power to grant it too," said Bothwell--"He can do more
with the Colonel than any man in the regiment."

And as he spoke, he and his party led their prisoner towards the hall. In
passing behind the seat of Edith, the unfortunate prisoner heard enough,
as he conceived, of the broken expressions which passed between Edith and
Lord Evandale, to confirm all that the soldier had told him. That moment
made a singular and instantaneous revolution in his character. The depth
of despair to which his love and fortunes were reduced, the peril in
which his life appeared to stand, the transference of Edith's affections,
her intercession in his favour, which rendered her fickleness yet more
galling, seemed to destroy every feeling for which he had hitherto lived,
but, at the same time, awakened those which had hitherto been smothered
by passions more gentle though more selfish. Desperate himself, he
determined to support the rights of his country, insulted in his person.
His character was for the moment as effectually changed as the appearance
of a villa, which, from being the abode of domestic quiet and happiness,
is, by the sudden intrusion of an armed force, converted into a
formidable post of defence.

We have already said that he cast upon Edith one glance in which reproach
was mingled with sorrow, as if to bid her farewell for ever; his next
motion was to walk firmly to the table at which Colonel Grahame was
seated.

"By what right is it, sir," said he firmly, and without waiting till he
was questioned,--"By what right is it that these soldiers have dragged me
from my family, and put fetters on the limbs of a free man?"

"By my commands," answered Claverhouse; "and I now lay my commands on you
to be silent and hear my questions."

"I will not," replied Morton, in a determined tone, while his boldness
seemed to electrify all around him. "I will know whether I am in lawful
custody, and before a civil magistrate, ere the charter of my country
shall be forfeited in my person."

"A pretty springald this, upon my honour!" said Claverhouse.

"Are you mad?" said Major Bellenden to his young friend. "For God's sake,
Henry Morton," he continued, in a tone between rebuke and entreaty,
"remember you a