e. My counsels here avail not, nay, are so unfavourably
received, that perhaps farther stay were unwholesome for my safety. May
God keep your Highness from open enemies and treacherous friends! I am
for my castle of Dunbar, from whence I think you will soon hear news.
Farewell to you, my Lords of Albany and Douglas; you are playing a high
game, look you play it fairly. Farewell, poor thoughtless prince, who
art sporting like a fawn within spring of a tiger! Farewell, all--George
of Dunbar sees the evil he cannot remedy. Adieu, all."

The King would have spoken, but the accents died on his tongue, as he
received from Albany a look cautioning him to forbear. The Earl of March
left the apartment, receiving the mute salutations of the members of the
council whom he had severally addressed, excepting from Douglas alone,
who returned to his farewell speech a glance of contemptuous defiance.

"The recreant goes to betray us to the Southron," he said; "his pride
rests on his possessing that sea worn hold which can admit the English
into Lothian [the castle of Dunbar]. Nay, look not alarmed, my liege, I
will hold good what I say. Nevertheless, it is yet time. Speak but the
word, my liege--say but 'Arrest him,' and March shall not yet cross the
Earn on his traitorous journey."

"Nay, gallant earl," said Albany, who wished rather that the two
powerful lords should counterbalance each other than that one should
obtain a decisive superiority, "that were too hasty counsel. The Earl of
March came hither on the King's warrant of safe conduct, and it may
not consist with my royal brother's honour to break it. Yet, if your
lordship can bring any detailed proof--"

Here they were interrupted by a flourish of trumpets.

"His Grace of Albany is unwontedly scrupulous today," said Douglas;
"but it skills not wasting words--the time is past--these are March's
trumpets, and I warrant me he rides at flight speed so soon as he passes
the South Port. We shall hear of him in time; and if it be as I
have conjectured, he shall be met with though all England backed his
treachery."

"Nay, let us hope better of the noble earl," said the King, no way
displeased that the quarrel betwixt March and Douglas had seemed to
obliterate the traces of the disagreement betwixt Rothsay and his father
in law; "he hath a fiery, but not a sullen, temper. In some things he
has been--I will not say wronged, but disappointed--and something is to
be allowed to the re