ir way
together through the heaps of the dying and the dead, through many a
group of rude soldiery, who scowled on Nigel with no friendly eye, for
they only recognized him as the destroyer of hundreds of their
countrymen, not the chivalric champion who had won the enthusiastic
admiration of their leaders, and soon found themselves in the
castle-hall, in the presence of the Earl of Hereford, who was surrounded
by his noblest officers, Sir Christopher and Lady Seaton, and some few
other Scottish prisoners, most of whom were badly wounded. He advanced
to meet Sir Nigel, courteously, though gravely.

"It grieves me," he said, "to receive as a prisoner a knight of such
high renown and such chivalric bearing as Sir Nigel Bruce; I would he
had kept those rare qualities for the sovereign to whom they were
naturally due, and who would have known how to have appreciated and
honor them, rather than shed such lustre on so weak a cause."

"Does your lordship regard the freedom of an oppressed country so weak
a cause?" replied Nigel, the hot blood mounting to his cheek; "the
rising in defence of a rightful king, in lieu of slavishly adhering to
one, who, though so powerful, all good men, aye, even all good
Englishmen, must look on, in his claims to Scotland, as an ambitious
usurper. My lord, my lord, the spirit of Hereford spoke not in those
words; but I forgive them, for I have much for which to proffer thanks
unto the noble Hereford, much, that his knightly soul scorned treachery
and gave us a fair field. Durance is but a melancholy prospect, yet an
it must be I would not nobler captors."

"Nor would I forfeit the esteem in which you hold me, gallant sir,"
replied the earl, "and therefore do I pray you, command my services in
aught that can pleasure you, and an it interfere not with my duty to my
sovereign, I shall be proud to give them. Speak, I pray you."

"Nay, I can ask naught which the Earl of Hereford hath not granted of
himself," said Sir Nigel. "I would beseech you to extend protection to
all the females of this unhappy castle; to part not my sister from her
lord, for, as you see, his wounds and weakness call for woman's care; to
grant the leech's aid to those who need it; and if there be some unhappy
men of my faithful troop remaining, I would beseech you show mercy unto
them, and let them go free--they can work no further ill to Edward; they
can fight no more for Scotland, for she lieth chained; they have no head
and