The Scottish Cavalier: An Historical Romance, Volume 3 (of 3)Grant, James
History
The Scottish Cavalier: An Historical Romance, Volume 3 (of 3)
Grant, James
Scotland -- History -- 1649-1660 -- Fiction
"Approach, thou d--ned, round-headed, prick-eared, covenanting, and
rebellious rapscallion!" cried the Doctor in great wrath, urging his
horse towards his clerical antagonist; but the crowd was great
between them, and they were enabled to glare at and menace and
bespatter each other with scriptural abuse and very hard names for
some time before they came within sword's point; for they were both
intoxicated, the one with brandy, and the other with an enthusiasm
that bordered on insanity. "Come on, thou villanous whigamore,"
cried Joram, flourishing his long rapier; "thy glory and thee shall
depart to the devil together!"
"Out upon thee, and the bloody papistical Duke whom thou servest, and
hast blasphemously prayed for; but the curse that fell upon Jeroboam
hath already fallen upon him--he shall die without a son, and be the
last of his persecuting race, despite the brat in the warming pan."
"On thy carcase, foul kite, will I avenge this treason against the
Lord's anointed!" replied Joram, spurring his horse.
"Thou fool!" shrieked Ichabod, with a hollow laugh; "was that
accursed tyrant who fiddled while Rome blazed beneath him the
anointed of the Lord?"
"Have at thee, trumpeter of treason!"
"Caitiff and firebrand of hell, at last I have thee!" and their
swords flashed as they fell upon each other like two mad bulls. The
superior strength and skill of the cavalier chaplain quite failed him
before the ferocious enthusiasm of the Presbyterian, whose long
broadsword, swayed by both hands, was twice driven through his body
at the first onset.
"King and High Kirk for ever!" cried poor Joram, as he fell forward
with the blood gushing from his mouth; but, still unsatisfied,
Ichabod seized him as he sank down, writhing one hand in his hair,
and throwing the body across his saddle-bow, he slashed off the head,
and held it aloft, a grinning and dripping trophy.
"Behold," he exclaimed in an unearthly voice, "behold the head of
Holofernes!"
All was over now. Walter gave a hurried glance around him. The
palace was being sacked by the rabble, who carried off all they could
lay their hands upon; but it was upon the beautiful chapel, that
venerable monument of ancient art and David's pious zeal, that the
whole tide of popular fury was poured. In five minutes it was
completely devastated. The tall windows, with their rich tracery and
stained glass, were destroyed; the magnificent tombs of marble and
brass, the grand organ, the altar with its burning candles and great
silver crucifix, the rich oak stalls of the Thistle, with the swords,
helmets, and banners of the twelve knights,--were all torn down, and
the beautifully variegated pavement was stripped from the floor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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