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den must obey, but it is no violation || ines of a love romance; but we hope to shew, that even in some barbarous times, a rational, well-principled daughter formed the happiness of her parent, and was a blessing to all her connections.

of the oath, that this parchment beseeches the Lady Wilmina to wear, by day and night, a whistle hallowed by a benediction from the infallible head of the church militant. The whistle was bestowed by father Roderick; and in these troubled times he foresaw, that its singular note should be well known to the trusty retainers of the Lady Wilmina."

It is difficult, perhaps impracticable, to confer extensive public benefits without a mixture of alloy, espécially in times of extreme distress. Rude natures, irritated by misery, Wilmina read these lines with alarm, are apt to abuse liberality. Men, who the greater as she knew not what in their happier days were accounted might be feared. She rightly con- peaceable and compassionate, and jectured that Gabriel must have dis- whose families were saved from death covered, or supposed, some design with the provisions furnished from against her. Her first impulse was Balveny Castle, seemed to assume a to take the parchment to her father, right to the relief gratuitously be but her brothers were known to have stowed; murmuring loudly when dobeen lately at Ormond Castle; Hos- nations, however small, were given sack was in the service of Sylvester, to strangers. They went so far as and some suspicion might arise in to threaten forcibly to repel every Lord Balveny's mind, which she such intruder; for they relied on could not believe they deserved. She Lord Balveny's goodness in making decided against giving his lordship allowances for the effects of desperauneasiness, for a cause which per- tion, and if strangers were excluded, haps originated only in some misap- they must of course have larger sup prehension of the dwarf; and by li- plies among themselves. Besides, terally complying with his request, Lord Balveny was always averse to she might do all that circumstances stir up commotion, and they could admitted. This was the first time not believe he would provoke his own she had acted without consulting pa- people to disturbance, for the sake of ternal experience, and she shudder-beggars he never saw before, and ne ed at her own bold determination; ver might see again. They were misbut to occasion the least suspicion of her brothers seemed to her the greatest of evils, and if she could spare her father so much pain, was it not her duty? With these reflections she humbly committed herself to the protection of the Almighty Guardian; she invoked the Virgin and the saints, and the sleep of innocence composed her mind.

→In the conduct of Wilmina of Balveny we shall not find the extravagant performances ascribed to hero

taken. Lord Balveny loved peace; but he knew that to preserve it the first symptoms of tumult must be sup pressed. Wilmina saved him the pain of hearing all the tales of discontent related to her, and by expostulating with the crowd, and attending early and late while provisions were distributed, she prevented annoyance to the strangers, who were served only as passengers to other districts. Her authority conciliated even in restraining the multitude, and

Lord Balveny's estates were exempt-rein, and telling her, if she made any ed from disorder, though all around resistance her life must be the fort the lower classes extorted benefac- feit, led her from the place where his tions from their lords, or subsisted by accomplices were combating her few plunder. Thus, in doing good to remaining attendants. She recollectothers, Wilmina ensured the highest ed that if she touched her palfreyd advantages to her father and to her- between the ears he would plunge self.2017 M and kick, and therefore tamely subAmong the applicants for charity,mitted to be drawn a few yards to the several friars craved food for twenty-north-east; but having provoked the four hours, to help them forward to horse to make a sudden spring, and their own country. They were boun- to rear and struggle with the leader, tifully served, and begged to escort he stretched out his sword-arm to the Lady Wilmina past a wood, near grasp at some part of the saddle. which they purposed to lodge for the Wilmina wrenched the sword from night. They were foreigners; but his hand, and cut his shoulder sethe lady understood Latin, French, verely; he fell, calling to his band to and Italian. She moved slowly, to suit earn their reward by securing the the heavy pace of the pilgrims, who lady. She gave herself up for lost; complained that their strength had but two hunters appeared to her resgreatly failed since they had lived on cue. The fight was renewed; one of a very scanty fare, till they came into the hunters fainted with loss of blood, Lord Balveny's domain. They press- and the other must have been over-! ed near to Wilmina, telling their ad- powered, if a shouting crowd had not ventures, and they were about fifteen rushed upon the foe. The hunter in number. Wilmina had an escort of who survived called to the people to four horsemen and twelve running at- take the ruffians prisoners, and to tendants. As they approached where spare them to make confession of the road diverged across an open their instigators: but the admonition moor, the strangers faced about, and came too late; they were all dead or drawing loaded pistols from beneath dying, for the people in fury attack/ their cassocks, mortally wounded se- ed them before the hunter could mo veral of Wilmina's train before they derate their resentment. could unsheath their weapons. All Some of the men from the hamlet that were still able to wield a brand had galloped to Balveny Castle, and defended their lady with determined Lord Balvenywas soon on the ground, courage, and she blew Gabriel Hos- embracing his daughter, and thanksack's whistle with all her might. ing her deliverers. He found her Two lads, who happened to be cut-busied in binding up the wounds of ting faggots in the wood, ran to the such combatants as shewed any symp→ nearest hamlet to alarm the inhabit- toms of vitality. A number of as ants; but ere that assistance could sistants from the castle presently ap arrive, Wilmina must have been car-peared, with proper dressings, and ried off, had not her own presence of with litters to remove the wounded, mind, and the valour of a young and biers to transport the dead. huntsman, defeated the attempt.- Lord Balveny addressed the hunter, One of the ruffians seized her bridle-who stood erect against a tree, and

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receiving no reply, drew nearer: his face was pale, his eyes fixed, and on examining his person, it appeared he had four thrusts of a poniard in his limbs, and a more dangerous stab in his body. He was carried to Balveny Castle. His name and quality were unknown, but Lord Balveny had no doubt he was of high descents for though his hunter's dress was of homespun grey, the under tunic was of fine linen, a rare luxury at that time; and in his pouch were found a large sum in gold and three badges of knighthood.

lady in the most critical situation im-I pelled him to her rescue; but he had communications for the royal ear, which, as he might be for some time unable to travel, it was necessary to impart by a messenger properly war↓ › ranted to receive them tazen saia

Lord Balveny sent an express to the king with this intelligence; and the gude man of Ballengeith came with all expedition to Balveny Cas-1 tle. He held a long conference with Drummond. Lord Balveny was, after two hours, called to assist; butt we are not to divulge state secrets. The king said he forgave Drummond for losing all recollection that he was a secret envoy, when he beheld a fair heroine in peril; he expressed high: indignation against her assailants, and regretted that not one survived to afford means to detect their insti

his concern for Drummond's faithful servant, who had so often escaped in war, and fell at length by the handi of ruffians, but he died bravely fights ing in a good cause.

During eight days he could make no effort to articulate, or even to move, except the feeble indication of a wish to change his posture. Wilmina administered cordials or nourishing liquids with her own hand. Her attendance was incessant, and Lord Balveny left him only to inves-gators; nor did he forget to testify tigate the late outrage against his daughter, and to reward those that came to her aid. The ruffians were all dead, and nothing was found upon them to furnish a clue to their employers. In about a fortnight, the patient was able to inform Lord Balveny that his name was Auriol Drummond. He obtained one badge of knighthood, in his seventeenth year, from Henry VIII. of England, for services in the civil wars, which were kindled by the destruction of the monasteries; another badge was conferred, along with golden spurs, by the hand of Francis I. of France, under whose banner he engaged against Spain, the third badge was the gift of King James, in recompence of his success against the northern insurgents. He was just returned from France, and was making the best of his way to Edinburgh, with one trusty attendant, when the sight of a

The knight of Drummond reco-1 vered daily after disburthening his mind of anxiety regarding his miss sion to France. His convalescence banished Wilmina from his chamber, unless to come with her father to ask for him. He grew impatient to re gain the use of his limbs, that he might remove to the hall, and he was sensible that Wilmina's disappear ance increased his disquietude. She, on the other hand, caught herself wishing for his society, with a solici tude that covered her cheeks with: blushes, and filled her mind with disquiet and self-reprehension. By pain ful efforts, however, she concealed her listless or perturbed feelings from every eye. Lord Balveny divided

whose presence depended all that gave value to existence, restrained the inquiries that almost rose to his lips while Lord Balveny slumbered in his chair. But this self-denial could not be long endured. Drummond had a very restless night. At an early hour, Lord Balveny and Wilmina sent his attendants to rest. Drummond lay quiet. Wilmina hoped he was enjoying repose; she softly laid a coverlet over Lord Balveny, who slept soundly, and returned to her seat near the patient. Her eyes were fixed on his wan visage, tears flowed, and she laboured to suppress her sobbing woe. It was the end of November; the earth was covered by snow, and a calm, frosty, undawned morning approached; while Nature, hushed in profound silence, seemed to rest from her labours: the

his assiduities between her and Drummond, and ascribed to the exhaustion caused by loss of blood, that anxiety and sadness which his patient vainly struggled to disguise. When his lordship mentioned those symptoms to Wilmina, it required her utmost self-command to repress the agitations of joyful hope; but she soon reflected upon the uncertainty that she was the object of susceptibilities, that experience had now painfully taught her to understand. Could Drummond have known her meditations, his illness had not been so protracted. He was in France when she appeared at court; but the fame of her beauty, attainments, and virtues, had reached him through the reports of his countrymen whom he met on the Continent. Would Lord Balveny bestow this gifted daughter on a younger brother, when the re-wide and lofty chamber had no light presentatives of the first families in the kingdom must be happy to lay their titles and wealth at her feet, both for her own sake, and on account of her noble alliance? True love and true merit are always diffident; and Wilmina's guarded behaviour had so much the aspect of indifference, that her lover sunk in despair.

The fever recurred with violence; his life was pronounced in danger, and again Wilmina resumed her station near his pillow: the fever abated; and though Drummond was reduced to the lowest debility, he could notice Wilmina's tender vigilance on his behalf. Was this merely in acknowledgment for the service he had been so happy as to render her? or was he blest by an interest in her heart? Oh that he could solve this question! but the dread of offending, of estranging the lovely being on

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but from a few faggots of splintered pine, emitting on the hearth a flickering ray; but Drummond's sight, accustomed for weeks to obscurity, could mark in the features of Wilmina involuntary emanations of tenderness, that spoke to his inmost. soul. Lost in anxious thoughts on his account, and shedding the frequent tear, she did not observe the glances he directed to her countenance: her eyes at length met his; she deeply blushed as she wiped the moisture from her cheeks; and no longer master of his feelings, in a voice almost inaudible, he addressed, as he believed, a dying confession of the love that soon should lay him in an untimely grave.

"Does the Lady Wilmina vouchsafe a tear to an unhappy stranger, who dies in hopeless devotion to her charms? It is not a wound of steel that has struck his vitals; but he will

expiate in death his presumptuous passion. I die, Lady Wilmina, and only the certainty that I soon shall be breathless clay, could wring from me, that for you-you alone-I wish to live."

each day brought a visible amendment in his health; yet not unmixed with the bitterness of self-upbraiding could she behold her lover. She had listened to his avowal, she had encouraged his passion without waiting for the sanction of her father:, the load on her spirits could be relieved only by acknowledging her trespass against filial duty, but maidenly bashfulness imposed silence during the few minutes she saw Lord Balveny alone. When his lordship informed her that next day the knight of Drummond would be their companion at dinner, there was fortunately no witness: she threw herself on her knees, and burying her face in Lord Balveny's garment, sobbed out an acknowledgment of her fault, and, implored pardon. His lordship rais

The uncertainty of Auriol Drummond returning her preference had occasioned to Wilmina a state of mortifying suspense, and her fruitless efforts to banish him from her thoughts, or to think of him with cooler gratitude, often agonized her feminine deficacy. She wished sincerely, but with composure, to acknowledge her obligations to the valorous spirit, the warlike arm that rescued her from horrible captivity to an unknown, though unquestionably a base ruffian; her deliverer had suffered the extremity of danger and pain in her behalf; she desired to be grateful-ed and embraced her, with assuralas! her sense of his merits exceeded all bounds—she wept for his danger-she wept for her own weak partiality; but now she was happily assured their sentiments were reciprocal: the predominance of filial duty was for a few moments suspended, and hardly knowing the import of her words, she said, "Live, live for Wilmina: she owes her brave deliverer more than life; think her not ungrateful. Youth will overcome your"-malady, she would have added, but Lord Balveny moved, the coverlet fell, and he awoke. Drum-tirely blocked up by a heavy fall of mond, however, had heard enough to produce a salutary revulsion in his frame before the hospitalities of Christmas occasioned an influx of guests to every castle, the invalid could slowly walk to the hall, impatient for an opportunity to renew his enamoured professions to Wilmina. Since he began to recover, she saw him only to make brief inquiries;

ances not only of forgiveness, but approbation. If Auriol Drummond had not periled his life in her rescue, she and her father might have been most miserable; with his blood he had purchased full right to her dearest affections, and in every respect he deserved her highest esteem. Wilmina's gratitude to her indulgent father may perhaps be imagined, the most emphasic language could not give it expression.

The skies were wrapped in fogs, the winds roared, the roads were en

snow; no neighbour could come to partake of the Christmas feast at Balveny Castle, nor was the absence of guests a disappointment; the noble owner, his ever-pleasing daughter, and accepted son-in-law, were all in all to each other. Wilmina and Drummond were solemnly betrothed in the presence of a few friends, as soon as the roads were opened by a

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