his form, which was remarkable both on horseback and on foot. He was
evidently very tall, and by his firm seat in the saddle, had been early
accustomed to equestrian exercises; but his limbs were slight almost to
delicacy, and though completely ensheathed in mail, there was an
appearance of extreme youth about him, that perhaps rendered the absence
of all gayety the more striking. Yet on the battle-field he gave no
evidence of inexperience as a warrior, no sign that he was merely a
scholar in the art of war; there only did men believe he must be older
than he seemed; there only his wonted depression gave place to an
energy, a fire, second to none amongst the Scottish patriots, not even
to the Bruce himself; then only was the naturally melancholy music of
his voice lost in accents of thrilling power, of imperative command, and
the oldest warriors followed him as if under the influence of some
spell. But of his appearance on the field we must elsewhere speak. He
now led his men through the mountain defiles mechanically, as if buried
in meditation, and that meditation not of the most pleasing nature. His
vizor was closed, but short clustering curls, of a raven blackness,
escaped beneath the helmet, and almost concealed the white linen and
finely embroidered collar which lay over his gorget, and was secured in
front by a ruby clasp; a thick plume of black feathers floated from his
helmet, rivalling in color the mane of his gallant charger, which pawed
the ground, and held his head aloft as if proud of the charge he bore. A
shield was slung round the warrior's neck, and its device and motto
seemed in melancholy accordance with the rest of his attire. On a field
argent lay the branch of a tree proper, blasted and jagged, with the
words "_Ni nom ni paren, je suis seul_," rudely engraved in Norman
French beneath; his helmet bore no crest, nor did his war-cry on the
field, "Amiot for the Bruce and freedom," offer any clue to the curious
as to his history, for that there was some history attached to him all
chose to believe, though the age was too full of excitement to allow
much of wonderment or curiosity to be expended upon him. His golden
spurs gave sufficient evidence that he was a knight; his prowess on the
field proclaimed whoever had given him that honor had not bestowed it on
the undeserving. His deeds of daring, unequalled even in that age,
obtained him favor in the eyes of every soldier; and if there were some
in the cou