pression of feature, denoting that
years had changed and steadied the character, even as the form. He then
seemed as one laboring under painful and heavy thought, as one brooding
over some mighty change within, as if some question of weighty import
were struggling with recollections and visions of the past. He had
spoken little, evidently shrinking in pain from all reference to or
information on the late engagement. He tarried not long, departing with
dawn next day, and they did not meet again.

And what had been the emotions of the countess? perhaps her heart had
throbbed, and her cheek paled and flushed, at this unexpected meeting
with one she had fervently prayed never to see again; but not one
feeling obtained ascendency in that heart which she would have dreaded
to unveil to the eye of her husband. She did indeed feel that had her
lot been cast otherwise, it must have been a happy one, but the thought
was transient. She was a wife, a mother, and in the happiness of her
children, her youth, and all its joys and pangs, and dreams and hopes,
were merged, to be recalled no more.

The task of instilling patriotic sentiments in the breast of her son had
been insensibly aided by the countess's independent position amid the
retainers of Buchan. This earldom had only been possessed by the family
of Comyn since the latter years of the reign of William the Lion,
passing into their family by the marriage of Margaret Countess of Buchan
with Sir William Comyn, a knight of goodly favor and repute. This
interpolation and ascendency of strangers was a continual source of
jealousy and ire to the ancient retainers of the olden heritage, and
continually threatened to break out into open feud, had not the soothing
policy of the Countess Margaret and her descendants, by continually
employing them together in subjecting other petty clans, contrived to
keep them in good humor. As long as their lords were loyal to Scotland
and her king, and behaved so as to occasion no unpleasant comparison
between them and former superiors, all went on smoothly; but the haughty
and often outrageous conduct of the present earl, his utter neglect of
their interests, his treasonous politics, speedily roused the slumbering
fire into flame. A secret yet solemn oath went round the clan, by which
every fighting man bound himself to rebel against their master, rather
than betray their country by siding with a foreign tyrant; to desert
their homes, their all, and