King. At this
instant a messenger arrives with tidings of an approaching battle
between the clan of Roderick and the King's lieutenant, the Earl of
Mar; and is ordered back to prevent the conflict, by announcing
that both Sir Roderick and Lord Douglas are in the hands of their
sovereign.

"The last canto opens in the guard room of the royal castle at
Stirling, at dawn. While the mercenaries are quarreling and singing
at the close of a night of debauch, the sentinels introduce Ellen
and the minstrel Allan-bane--who are come in search of Douglas.
Ellen awes the ruffian soldiery by her grace and liberality, and is
at length conducted to a more seemly waiting place, until she may
obtain audience with the King. While Allan-bane, in the cell of Sir
Roderick, sings to the dying chieftain of the glorious battle which
has just been waged by his clansmen against the forces of the Earl
of Mar, Ellen, in another part of the palace, hears the voice of
Malcolm Graeme lamenting his captivity from an adjoining turret.
Before she recovers from her agitation she is startled by the
appearance of Fitz-James, who comes to inform her that the court is
assembled, and the King at leisure to receive her suit. He conducts
her to the hall of presence, round which Ellen casts a timid and
eager glance for the monarch. But all the glittering figures are
uncovered, and James Fitz-James alone wears his cap and plume. The
Knight of Snowdoun is the King of Scotland! Struck with awe and
terror, Ellen falls speechless at his feet, pointing to the ring
which he has put upon her finger. The prince raises her with eager
kindness, declares that her father is forgiven, and bids her ask
for a boon for some other person. The name of Graeme trembles on
her lips, but she cannot trust herself to utter it. The King, in
playful vengeance, condemns Malcolm Graeme to fetters, takes a
chain of gold from his own neck, and throwing it over that of the
young chief, puts the clasp in the hand of Ellen."

From this outline, it will be evident that Scott had gained greatly in
narrative power since the production of _The Lay of the Last Minstrel_.
Not only are the elements of the "fable" (to use the word in its
old-fashioned sense) harmonious and probable, but the various incidents
grow out of each other in a natural and ne