"I never believe a word that you warlocks say," replied the knight; "but I like aye to hear what you _will_ say about matters; though it is merely to laugh at ye, for I dinna gie credit to ane o' your predictions. Sin' the Rhymer's days, the spirit o' true warlockry is gane. He foretauld muckle that has turned out true; an' something that I hope _will_ turn out true: But ye're a' bairns to him." "Knight," said the stranger, "I can tell you more than ever the Rhymer conceived, or thought upon; and, moreover, I can explain the words of True Thomas, which neither you nor those to whom they relate in the smallest degree comprehend. Knowest thou the prophecy of the Hart and the Deer, as it is called? 'Quhere the hearte heavit in het blude over hill and howe, There shall the dinke deire droule for the dowe: Two fleite footyde maydenis shall tredde the greine, And the mone and the starre shall flashe betweine. Quhere the proude hiche halde and heveye hande beire Ane frenauch shall feide on ane faderis frene feire, In dinging at the starris the D shall doupe down, But the S shall be S quhane the heide S is gone.'" "I hae heard the reide often and often," said the knight, "but the man's unborn that can understand that. Though the prophecies and the legends of the Rhymer take the lead i' my lear, I hae always been obliged to make that a passover." "There is not one of all his sayings that relates as much to you and your house, knight. It foretels that the arms of your family shall supersede those of Douglas, which you know are the bloody heart; and that in endeavouring to exalt himself to the stars, the D, that is the Douglas, shall fall, but that your house and name shall remain when the Stuarts are no more." "By the horned beasts of Old England, my father's portion, and my son's undiminished hope," exclaimed the knight,--"Thou art a cunning man! I now see the bearing o' the prophecy as plainly as I see the hill of Mountcomyn before my e'e; and, as I know Thomas never is wrong, I believe it. Now is the time, auld warlock,--now is the time; he's ettling at a king's daughter, but his neck lies in wad, and the forfeit will be his undoing." "The time is not yet come, valiant knight; nevertheless the prophecy is true. Has thy horse's hoof ever trode, or thine eye journeyed, over the Nine Glens of Niddisdale?" "I hae whiles gotten a glisk o' them." "They are extensive, rich, and beautiful." "They're nae less, auld carle; they're nae less. They can send nine thousand leel men an' stout to the field in a pinch." "It is recorded in the book of fate,--it is written there--" "The devil it is, auld carle; that's mair than I thought o'." "Hold thy peace: lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and be silent till I explain: I say I have seen it in the visions of the night,--I have seen it in the stars of heaven"-- "What? the Nine Glens o' Niddisdale amang the starns o' heaven! by hoof and horn, it was rarely seen, warlock."