On his bold visage middle age Had slightly press'd its signet sage,[51] Yet had not quench'd the open truth And fiery vehemence of youth; Forward and frolic glee was there, The will to do, the soul to dare, The sparkling glance, soon blown to fire, Of hasty love, or headlong ire. His limbs were cast in manly mold, For hardy sports or contest bold; And though in peaceful garb array'd, And weaponless, except his blade, His stately mien as well implied A high-born heart, a martial pride, As if a baron's crest he wore, And sheathed in armor trode the shore. Slighting the petty need[52] he show'd, He told of his benighted road; His ready speech flow'd fair and free, In phrase of gentlest courtesy; Yet seem'd that tone, and gesture bland, Less used to sue than to command. [51] Of wisdom. [52] Need of food. XXII. A while the maid the stranger eyed, And, reassured, at length replied, That Highland halls were open still To wilder'd[53] wanderers of the hill. "Nor think you unexpected come To yon lone isle, our desert home; Before the heath had lost the dew, This morn, a couch[54] was pull'd for you; On yonder mountain's purple head Have ptarmigan[55] and heath cock bled, And our broad nets have swept the mere,[56] To furnish forth your evening cheer."-- "Now, by the rood,[57] my lovely maid, Your courtesy has err'd," he said; "No right have I to claim, misplaced, The welcome of expected guest. A wanderer, here by fortune tost, My way, my friends, my courser lost, I ne'er before, believe me, fair, Have ever drawn your mountain air, Till on this lake's romantic strand I found a fay in fairyland!" [53] Bewildered. [54] Heather, of which the Highlanders' rude couches were made. [55] (_Tär´mĭ-gan._) The white grouse. [56] Lake. [57] Crucifix or cross of Christ. XXIII. "I well believe," the maid replied, As her light skiff approach'd the side,-- "I well believe, that ne'er before Your foot has trod Loch Katrine's shore; But yet, as far as yesternight, Old Allan-Bane foretold your plight,-- A gray-hair'd sire, whose eye intent Was on the vision'd future[58] bent. He saw your steed, a dappled gray, Lie dead beneath the birchen way; Painted exact your form and mien, Your hunting suit of Lincoln green,[59] That tassel'd horn so gayly gilt, That falchion's crooked blade and hilt, That cap with heron plumage trim, And yon two hounds so dark and grim. He bade that all should ready be To grace a guest of fair degree;[60] But light I held his prophecy, And deem'd it was my father's horn Whose echoes o'er the lake were borne." [58] "Vision'd future," i.e., visions of the future. [59] Lincoln green is a kind of cloth made in Lincoln. [60] "Fair degree," i.e., high rank. XXIV.