Biographical fiction; Historical fiction; Mary, Queen of Scots, 1542-1587 -- Fiction; Scotland -- History -- Mary Stuart, 1542-1567 -- Fiction
“O yes, I do--I do mind you indeed,” said Roland Graeme; “but hold my
nag a bit--I will be with you in the exchange of a whistle.” So saying,
and ere Adam Woodcock could finish the sermon which was dying on his
tongue, Roland Graeme, to the falconer's utter astonishment, threw him
the bridle of his jennet, jumped off horseback, and pursued down one of
the closes or narrow lanes, which, opening under a vault, terminate upon
the main-street, the very maiden to whom his friend had accused him of
showing so much attention, and who had turned down the pass in question.
“Saint Mary, Saint Magdalen, Saint Benedict, Saint Barnabas!” said the
poor falconer, when he found himself thus suddenly brought to a pause
in the midst of the Canongate, and saw his young charge start off like a
madman in quest of a damsel whom he had never, as Adam supposed, seen in
his life before,--“Saint Satan and Saint Beelzebub--for this would
make one swear saint and devil--what can have come over the lad, with
a wanion! And what shall I do the whilst!--he will have his throat cut,
the poor lad, as sure as I was born at the foot of Roseberry-Topping.
Could I find some one to hold the horses! but they are as sharp here
north-away as in canny Yorkshire herself, and quit bridle, quit titt,
as we say. An I could but see one of our folks now, a holly-sprig were
worth a gold tassel; or could I but see one of the Regent's men--but to
leave the horses to a stranger, that I cannot--and to leave the place
while the lad is in jeopardy, that I wonot.”
We must leave the falconer, however, in the midst of his distress, and
follow the hot-headed youth who was the cause of his perplexity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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