The Lady of the Lake Part 15

III

At length they came where, stern and steep, The hill sinks down upon the deep.

Here Vennachar in silver flows, There, ridge on ridge, Benledi rose; Ever the hollow path twined on, 40 Beneath steep bank and threatening stone; An hundred men might hold the post With hardihood against a host.

The rugged mountain's scanty cloak Was dwarfish shrubs of birch and oak, 45 With s.h.i.+ngles bare, and cliffs between, And patches bright of bracken green, And heather black, that waved so high, It held the copse in rivalry.

But where the lake slept deep and still, 50 Dank osiers fringed the swamp and hill; And oft both path and hill were torn, Where wintry torrents down had borne, And heaped upon the c.u.mbered land Its wreck of gravel, rocks and sand. 55 So toilsome was the road to trace, The guide, abating of his pace, Led slowly through the pa.s.s's jaws, And asked Fitz-James, by what strange cause He sought these wilds, traversed by few, 60 Without a pa.s.s from Roderick Dhu.

IV

"Brave Gael, my pa.s.s, in danger tried, Hangs in my belt, and by my side; Yet, sooth to tell," the Saxon said, "I dreamt not now to claim its aid. 65 When here, but three days since, I came, Bewildered in pursuit of game, All seemed as peaceful and as still As the mist slumbering on yon hill; Thy dangerous Chief was then afar, 70 Nor soon expected back from war.

Thus said, at least, my mountain-guide, Though deep perchance the villian lied."

"Yet why a second venture try?"

"A warrior thou, and ask me why! 75 Moves our free course by such fixed cause As gives the poor mechanic laws?

Enough, I sought to drive away The lazy hours of peaceful day; Slight cause will then suffice to guide 80 A Knight's free footsteps far and wide-- A falcon flown, a greyhound strayed, The merry glance of mountain maid; Or, if a path be dangerous known, The danger's self is lure alone." 85

V

"Thy secret keep, I urge thee not;-- Yet, ere again ye sought this spot, Say, heard ye nought of Lowland war, Against Clan-Alpine, raised by Mar?"

"No, by my word--of bands prepared 90 To guard King James's sports I heard; Nor doubt I aught, but, when they hear This muster of the mountaineer, Their pennons will abroad be flung, Which else in Doune had peaceful hung." 95 "Free be they flung!--for we were loath Their silken folds should feast the moth.

Free be they flung!--as free shall wave Clan-Alpine's pine in banner brave.

But, Stranger, peaceful since you came, 100 Bewildered in the mountain game, Whence the bold boast by which you show Vich-Alpine's vowed and mortal foe?"

"Warrior, but yester-morn, I knew Naught of thy Chieftain, Roderick Dhu, 105 Save as an outlawed desperate man, The chief of a rebellious clan, Who, in the Regent's court and sight, With ruffian dagger stabbed a knight; Yet this alone might from his part 110 Sever each true and loyal heart."

VI

Wrathful at such arraignment foul, Dark lowered the clansman's sable scowl.

A s.p.a.ce he paused, then sternly said, "And heard'st thou why he drew his blade? 115 Heard'st thou that shameful word and blow Brought Roderick's vengeance on his foe?

What recked the Chieftain if he stood On Highland heath, or Holy-Rood?

He rights such wrong where it is given, 120 If it were in the court of heaven."

"Still was it outrage--yet, 'tis true, Not then claimed sovereignty his due; While Albany, with feeble hand, Held borrowed truncheon of command, 125 The young King, mewed in Stirling tower, Was stranger to respect and power.

But then, thy Chieftain's robber life!

Winning mean prey by causeless strife, Wrenching from ruined Lowland swain 130 His herds and harvest reared in vain-- Methinks a soul, like thine, should scorn The spoils from such foul foray borne."

VII

The Gael beheld him grim the while, And answered with disdainful smile-- 135 "Saxon, from yonder mountain high, I marked thee send delighted eye Far to the south and east, where lay, Extended in succession gay, Deep waving fields and pastures green, 140 With gentle slopes and groves between; These fertile plains, that softened vale, Were once the birthright of the Gael; The stranger came with iron hand, And from our fathers reft the land. 145 Where dwell we now! See, rudely swell Crag over crag, and fell o'er fell.

Ask we this savage hill we tread For fattened steer or household bread; Ask we for flocks these s.h.i.+ngles dry, 150 And well the mountain might reply, 'To you, as to your sires of yore, Belong the target and claymore!

I give you shelter in my breast, Your own good blades must win the rest.' 155 Pent in this fortress of the North, Think'st thou we will not sally forth, To spoil the spoiler as we may, And from the robber rend the prey?

Aye, by my soul! While on yon plain 160 The Saxon rears one shock of grain; While, of ten thousand herds, there strays But one along yon river's maze, The Gael, of plain and river heir, Shall, with strong hand, redeem his share. 165 Where live the mountain Chiefs who hold That plundering Lowland field and fold Is aught but retribution true?

Seek other cause 'gainst Roderick Dhu."

VIII

Answered Fitz-James, "And if I sought, 170 Think'st thou no other could be brought?

What deem ye of my path waylaid?

My life given o'er to ambuscade?"

"As of a meed to rashness due: Hadst thou sent warning fair and true-- 175 I seek my hound, or falcon strayed, I seek, good faith, a Highland maid-- Free hadst thou been to come and go; But secret path marks secret foe.

Nor yet, for this, even as a spy, 180 Hadst thou, unheard, been doomed to die.

Save to fulfill an augury."

"Well, let it pa.s.s; nor will I now Fresh cause of enmity avow, To chafe thy mood and cloud thy brow. 185 Enough, I am by promise tied To match me with this man of pride: Twice have I sought Clan-Alpine's glen In peace; but when I come again, I come with banner, brand, and bow, 190 As leader seeks his mortal foe.

For love-lorn swain, in lady's bower, Ne'er panted for the appointed hour, As I, until before me stand This rebel Chieftain and his band!" 195

IX

"Have, then, thy wis.h.!.+" He whistled shrill, And he was answered from the hill; Wild as the scream of the curlew, From crag to crag the signal flew.

Instant, through copse and heath, arose 200 Bonnets and spears and bended bows; On right, on left, above, below, Sprung up at once the lurking foe; From s.h.i.+ngles gray their lances start, The bracken bush sends forth the dart, 205 The rushes and the willow-wand Are bristling into ax and brand, And every tuft of broom gives life To plaided warrior armed for strife.

That whistle garrisoned the glen 210 At once with full five hundred men, As if the yawning hill to heaven A subterranean host had given.

Watching their leader's beck and will, All silent there they stood, and still. 215 Like the loose crags whose threatening ma.s.s Lay tottering o'er the hollow pa.s.s, As if an infant's touch could urge Their headlong pa.s.sage down the verge, With step and weapon forward flung, 220 Upon the mountain-side they hung.

The Mountaineer cast glance of pride Along Benledi's living side, Then fixed his eye and sable brow Full on Fitz-James--"How say'st thou now? 225 These are Clan-Alpine's warriors true; And, Saxon--I am Roderick Dhu!"

X

Fitz-James was brave. Though to his heart The life-blood thrilled with sudden start, He manned himself with dauntless air, 230 Returned the Chief his haughty stare, His back against a rock he bore, And firmly placed his foot before: "Come one, come all! this rock shall fly From its firm base as soon as I." 235 Sir Roderick marked--and in his eyes Respect was mingled with surprise, And the stern joy which warriors feel In foemen worthy of their steel.

Short s.p.a.ce he stood--then waved his hand; 240 Down sunk the disappearing band; Each warrior vanished where he stood, In broom or bracken, heath or wood; Sunk brand and spear and bended bow, In osiers pale and copses low; 245 It seemed as if their mother Earth Had swallowed up her warlike birth.

The wind's last breath had tossed in air, Pennon, and plaid, and plumage fair; The next but swept a lone hill-side, 250 Where heath and fern were waving wide.

The sun's last glance was glinted back, From spear and glaive, from targe and jack, The next, all unreflected, shone On bracken green, and cold gray stone. 255

XI

Fitz-James looked round--yet scarce believed The witness that his sight received; Such apparition well might seem Delusion of a dreadful dream.

Sir Roderick in suspense he eyed, 260 And to his look the Chief replied, "Fear naught--nay, that I need not say-- But--doubt not aught from mine array.

Thou art my guest--I pledged my word As far as Coilantogle ford; 265 Nor would I call a clansman's brand For aid against one valiant hand, Though on our strife lay every vale Rent by the Saxon from the Gael.

So move we on--I only meant 270 To show the reed on which you leant, Deeming this path you might pursue Without a pa.s.s from Roderick Dhu."

They moved--I said Fitz-James was brave, As ever knight that belted glaive; 275 Yet dare not say, that now his blood Kept on its wont and tempered flood, As, following Roderick's stride, he drew That seeming lonesome pathway through, Which yet, by fearful proof, was rife 280 With lances, that, to take his life, Waited but signal from a guide, So late dishonored and defied.

Ever, by stealth, his eye sought round The vanished guardians of the ground, 285 And still, from copse and heather deep, Fancy saw spear and broadsword peep, And in the plover's shrilly strain, The signal whistle heard again.

Nor breathed he free till far behind 290 The pa.s.s was left; for then they wind Along a wide and level green, Where neither tree nor tuft was seen, Nor rush nor bush of broom was near, To hide a bonnet or a spear. 295

XII

The Chief in silence strode before, And reached that torrent's sounding sh.o.r.e, Which, daughter of three mighty lakes, From Vennachar in silver breaks, Sweeps through the plain, and ceaseless mines 300 On Bochastle the moldering lines, Where Rome, the Empress of the world, Of yore her eagle wings unfurled.

And here his course the Chieftain stayed, Threw down his target and his plaid, 305 And to the Lowland warrior said-- "Bold Saxon! to his promise just, Vich-Alpine has discharged his trust.

This murderous Chief, this ruthless man, This head of a rebellious clan, 310 Hath led thee safe, through watch and ward, Far past Clan-Alpine's outmost guard.

Now, man to man, and steel to steel.

A Chieftain's vengeance thou shalt feel.

See, here, all vantageless I stand, 315 Armed, like thyself, with single brand; For this is Coilantogle ford, And thou must keep thee with thy sword."

XIII