The face was turned to his, with a solemn yet sorrowful
earnestness of expression, and the mailed hand raised on high, seemed
pointing unto heaven. The flash passed and all was darkness, the more
dense and impenetrable, from the vivid light which had preceded it; but
Nigel stirred not, moved not, his every sense absorbed, not in the
weakness of mortal terror, but in one overwhelming sensation of awe,
which, while it oppressed the spirit well-nigh to pain, caused it to
long with an almost sickening intensity for a longer and clearer view of
that which had come and passed with the lightning flash. Again the vivid
blaze dispersed the gloom, but no shadow met his fixed impassioned gaze.
Vision or reality, the form was gone; there was no trace, no sign of
that which had been. For several successive flashes Nigel remained
gazing on the spot where the mailed form had stood, as if he felt it
would, it must again appear; but as time sped, and he saw but space, the
soul relaxed from its high-wrought mood, the blood, which had seemed
stagnant in his veins, rushed back tumultuously through its varied
channels, and Nigel Bruce prostrated himself before the altar, to
wrestle with his perturbed spirit till it found calm in prayer.

A right noble and glorious scene did the great hall of the palace
present the morning which followed this eventful night. The king,
surrounded by his highest prelates and nobles, mingling indiscriminately
with the high-born dames and maidens of his court, all splendidly
attired, occupied the upper part of the hall, the rest of which was
crowded both by his military followers and many of the good citizens of
Scone, who flocked in great numbers to behold the august ceremony of the
day. Two immense oaken doors at the south side of the hall were flung
open, and through them was discerned the large space forming the palace
yard, prepared as a tilting-ground, where the new-made knights were to
prove their skill. The storm had given place to a soft breezy morning,
the cool freshness of which appearing peculiarly grateful from the
oppressiveness of the night; light downy clouds sailed over the blue
expanse of heaven, tempering without clouding the brilliant rays of the
sun. Every face was clothed with smiles, and the loud shouts which
hailed the youthful candidates for knighthood, as they severally
entered, told well the feeling with which the patriots of Scotland were
regarded.

Some twenty youths received the en