If from its shade in danger part
The lineage of the Bleeding Heart!
Hear my blunt speech: grant me this maid
To wife, thy counsel to mine aid;
To Douglas, leagued with Roderick Dhu,
Will friends and allies flock enow;
Like cause of doubt, distrust, and grief,
Will bind to us each Western Chief.
When the loud pipes my bridal tell,
The Links of Forth shall hear the knell,
The guards shall start in Stirling's porch;
And when I light the nuptial torch,
A thousand villages in flames
Shall scare the slumbers of King James!-
Nay, Ellen, blench not thus away,
And, mother, cease these signs, I pray;
I meant not all my heat might say.—
Small need of inroad or of fight,
When the sage Douglas may unite
Each mountain clan in friendly band,
To guard the passes of their land,
Till the foiled King from pathless glen
Shall bootless turn him home again.
DOUGLAS.
Roderick, enough! enough!
My daughter cannot be thy bride;
Not that the blush to wooer dear,
Nor paleness that of maiden fear.
It may not be,-forgive her, Chief,
Nor hazard aught for our relief.
Against his sovereign, Douglas ne'er
Will level a rebellious spear.
"T was I that taught his youthful hand
To rein a steed and wield a brand;
I see him yet, the princely boy!
Not Ellen more my pride and joy;
I love him still, despite my wrongs
By hasty wrath and slanderous tongues.
O, seek the grace you well may find,
Without a cause to mine combined!
[ELLEN goes out. MALCOLM starts to follow her.] RODERICK DHU.
Back, minion! holdst thou thus at naught
The lesson I so lately taught?
This roof, the Douglas, and that maid,
Thank thou for punishment delayed.
I hold the first who strikes my foe.-
Madmen, forbear your frantic jar!
What! is the Douglas fallen so far,
His daughter's hand is deemed the spoil
Of such dishonorable broil?
RODERICK DHU. [Speaking to MALCOLM.]
Rest safe till morning; pity 't were
Such cheek should feel the midnight air!
Malise, what ho! [His henchmen came.]
Give our safe-conduct to the Græme.
Fear nothing for thy favorite hold;
The spot an angel deigned to grace
Is blessed, though robbers haunt the place.
Chieftain! we too shall find an hour.
[Passes out with MALISE.]
Tell Roderick Dhu I owed him naught,
Not the poor service of a boat,
To waft me to yon mountain-side.
Where is the Douglas?-he is gone;
And Ellen sits on the gray stone
Fast by the cave, and makes her moan.
He will return-dear lady, trust!—
With joy return;-he will-he must.
ELLEN.
Alas! he goes to Scotland's throne,
Buys his friends' safety with his own;
He goes to do what I had done,
Had Douglas' daughter been his son!
CLASS.
Just as the minstrel sounds were stayed,
A stranger climbed the steepy glade;
His martial step, his stately mien,
His hunting-suit of Lincoln green,
His eagle glance, remembrance claims
"'T is Snowdoun's Knight, 't is James FitzJames.
O stranger! in such hour of fear
What evil hap has brought thee here?
An evil hap, how can it be
That bids me look again on thee?
By promise bound, my former guide
Met me betimes this morning-tide,
And marshaled over bank and bourne
The happy path of my return.
The happy path!-what!-said he naught
Of war, of battle to be fought,
Of guarded pass?
JAMES FITZ-JAMES.
No, by my faith!
Nor saw I aught could augur scathe.
O haste thee, Allan, to the kern:
Yonder his tartans I discern;
Learn thou his purpose, and conjure
That he will guide the stranger sure!-
What prompted thee, unhappy man?
The meanest serf in Roderick's clan
Had not been bribed, by love or fear,
Unknown to him to guide thee here.
JAMES FITZ-JAMES.
Sween Ellen, dear my life must be,
Since it is worthy care from thee;
Yet life I hold but idle breath
When love or honor 's weighed with death.
Then let me profit by my chance,
And speak my purpose bold at once.
I come to bear thee from a wild
Where ne'er before such blossom smiled,
By this soft hand to lead thee far
From frantic scenes of feud and war.
Near Bochastle my horses wait;
They bear us soon to Stirling gate.
I'll place thee in a lovely bower,
I'll guard thee like a tender flower-
O hush, Sir Knight! 't were female art,
To say I do not read thy heart;
Too much, before, my selfish ear
Was idly soothed my praise to hear.
That fatal bait hath lured thee back,
In deathful hour, o'er dangerous track;
And how, O how, can I atone
The wreck my vanity brought on!-
One way remains-I 'll tell him all-
Yes! struggling bosom, forth it shall!
Thou, whose light folly bears the blame,
Buy thine own pardon with thy shame!
But first-my father is a man
Outlawed and exiled under ban;
The price of blood is on his head,
With me 't were infamy to wed.
Still wouldst thou speak?-then hear the truth!
Fitz-James, there is a noble youth-
If yet he is!-exposed for me
And mine to dread extremity
Thou hast the secret of my heart;
Forgive, be generous, and depart!
JAMES FITZ-JAMES.
Hear, lady, yet a parting word!-
It chanced in fight that my poor sword
|