The Fair Maid of Perth | Page 4

by visitors, instead
of hiding it behind the traverse in this manner. The existence of the said
traverse, or temporary partition, is also extremely difficult to be
accounted for, if the common and ordinary tradition be rejected. In
short, all the rest of this striking locality is so true to the historical fact,
that I think it may well bear out the additional circumstance of the
blood on the floor."
"I profess to you," answered Mrs. Baliol, "that I am very willing to be
converted to your faith. We talk of a credulous vulgar, without always
recollecting that there is a vulgar incredulity, which, in historical
matters as well as in those of religion, finds it easier to doubt than to
examine, and endeavours to assume the credit of an esprit fort, by
denying whatever happens to be a little beyond the very limited
comprehension of the sceptic. And so, that point being settled, and you
possessing, as we understand, the open sesamum into these secret
apartments, how, if we may ask, do you intend to avail yourself of your
privilege? Do you propose to pass the night in the royal bedchamber?"
"For what purpose, my dear lady? If to improve the rheumatism, this
east wind may serve the purpose."

"Improve the rheumatism! Heaven forbid! that would be worse than
adding colours to the violet. No, I mean to recommend a night on the
couch of the nose of Scotland, merely to improve the imagination. Who
knows what dreams might be produced by a night spent in a mansion of
so many memories! For aught I know, the iron door of the postern stair
might open at the dead hour of midnight, and, as at the time of the
conspiracy, forth might sally the phantom assassins, with stealthy step
and ghastly look, to renew the semblance of the deed. There comes the
fierce fanatic Ruthven, party hatred enabling him to bear the armour
which would otherwise weigh down a form extenuated by wasting
disease. See how his writhen features show under the hollow helmet,
like those of a corpse tenanted by a demon, whose vindictive purpose
looks out at the flashing eyes, while the visage has the stillness of death.
Yonder appears the tall form of the boy Darnley, as goodly in person as
vacillating in resolution; yonder he advances with hesitating step, and
yet more hesitating purpose, his childish fear having already overcome
his childish passion. He is in the plight of a mischievous lad who has
fired a mine, and who now, expecting the explosion in remorse and
terror, would give his life to quench the train which his own hand
lighted. Yonder-- yonder--But I forget the rest of the worthy cutthroats.
Help me if you can."
"Summon up," said I, "the postulate, George Douglas, the most active
of the gang. Let him arise at your call--the claimant of wealth which he
does not possess, the partaker of the illustrious blood of Douglas, but
which in his veins is sullied with illegitimacy. Paint him the ruthless,
the daring, the ambitious--so nigh greatness, yet debarred from it; so
near to wealth, yet excluded from possessing it; a political Tantalus,
ready to do or dare anything to terminate his necessities and assert his
imperfect claims."
"Admirable, my dear Croftangry! But what is a postulate?"
"Pooh, my dear madam, you disturb the current of my ideas. The
postulate was, in Scottish phrase, the candidate for some benefice
which he had not yet attained. George Douglas, who stabbed Rizzio,
was the postulate for the temporal possessions of the rich abbey of
Arbroath."
"I stand informed. Come, proceed; who comes next?" continued Mrs.
Baliol.

"Who comes next? Yon tall, thin made, savage looking man, with the
petronel in his hand, must be Andrew Ker of Faldonside, a brother's son,
I believe, of the celebrated Sir David Ker of Cessford; his look and
bearing those of a Border freebooter, his disposition so savage that,
during the fray in the cabinet, he presented his loaded piece at the
bosom of the young and beautiful Queen, that queen also being within
a few weeks of becoming a mother."
"Brave, beau cousin! Well, having raised your bevy of phantoms, I
hope you do not intend to send them back to their cold beds to warm
them? You will put them to some action, and since you do threaten the
Canongate with your desperate quill, you surely mean to novelise, or to
dramatise, if you will, this most singular of all tragedies?"
"Worse--that is less interesting--periods of history have been, indeed,
shown up, for furnishing amusement to the peaceable ages which, have
succeeded but, dear lady, the events are too well known in Mary's days
to be used as vehicles of romantic fiction. What can a better writer than
myself