duty,
and neither imprisonment, nor torture, nor death will bid me retract
those principles, or waver in my acknowledgment of Scotland and her
king. Pardon me, my lord; but there is no rebellion in resisting the
infringement of a tyrant, no disloyalty in raising the standard against
Edward, for there is no treason when there is no lawful authority; and
by what right is Edward of England king of Scotland? Lord of Buchan, I
have done my duty. As my father taught _me_ I have taught my child!"

"Regarding, of course, madam, all which that child's father would have
taught him, particularly that most Christian virtue returning good for
evil, as in the fact of revenging the death of a kinsman with the gift
of a crown. Oh! thou hast done well, most intrinsically well."

"I own no relationship with a traitor," burst impetuously from Alan.
"Sir John Comyn was honored in his death, for the sword of the Bruce was
too worthy a weapon for the black heart of a traitor. Lord of Buchan, we
are in thy power, it is enough. Hadst thou wished thy son to imbibe thy
peculiar principles, to forget his country and her lights, it had been
better perchance hadst thou remembered thou hadst a child--a son. Had
the duty of a father been performed, perchance I had not now forgotten
mine as a son! As it is, we stand as strangers and as foes. Against thee
in truth I will not raise my sword; but further, we are severed and
forever!" He crossed his arms proudly on his bosom, and returned the
dark, scowling glance of his father with a flashing eye, and a mien as
firm and nobler than his own.

"It is well, young man; I thank you for my freedom," returned the earl,
between his teeth. "As my son, I might stand between thee and Edward's
wrath; as a stranger and my foe, why, whatever his sentence be--the axe
and block without doubt--let it work, it will move me little."

"Heed not his rash words, in mercy, heed them not!" exclaimed the
countess, her voice of agony contrasting strangely with its former proud
reserve. "Neglected, forgotten him as thou hast, yet, Lord of Buchan, he
is still thy son. Oh, in mercy, expose him not to the deadly wrath of
Edward! thou canst save him, thou canst give him freedom. It is I--I who
am the attainted traitor, not my child. Give me up to Edward, and he
will heed not, ask not for thy son. It is I who have offended him and
thee, not my child. Art thou not a Scottish noble, descendant of a
house as purely loyal and devoted t