Sir Alex.—To-day, my townsmen, I shall be your leader;
And though my arms may lack their wonted vigour,
Here are my pledges [pointing to his sons] placed on either side,
That seal a triumph youth could never reap.
To-day, my sons, beneath a father's eye,
Oh give such pride of feeling to his heart
As shall outshame the ardour of his youth,
And nerve his arm with power strong as his zeal!
[Exeunt all save HUGH ELLIOT.
Elliot.—Thanks to my destiny!—the hour is come—
The wished-for hour of vengeance on mine enemy!—
Heavens! there is neither nobleness nor virtue.
Nor any quality that beggars boast not,
But he and his smooth sons have swallowed up;
And all the world must mouth their bravery!—-
I owe a debt to Scotland and to him,
And I'll repay it—I'll repay it now!
This letter will I shoot to Edward's camp;
And now, ere midnight, I'm revenged—revenged!
[LADY SETON appears from the window of the castle, as
ELLIOT is fixing a letter on an arrow.
Lady Seton [from the window].—Hold, traitor! hold,
Or, by the powers above us, this very hour
Your body o'er these battlements shall hang
For your fair friends to shoot at!
[ELLIOT drops the bow.
Elliot [aside].—Now fleet destruction seize the lynx-eyed fiend— Trapped in the moment that insured success! Thank fate—my dagger's left!—she has a son!
Lady Seton.—Go, worthless recreant, and in thickest fight
Blot out thy guilty purpose: know thy life
Depends on this day's daring; and its deeds
And wounds alone, won in the onset's brunt,
Secures my silence.
Elliot.—You wrong me, noble lady.
Lady Seton.—Away! I'll hear thee not, nor let my ears List to the accents of a traitor's tongue. [Exit ELLIOT.