[LADY SETON advances forward.

Lady Seton.—­Spoke like thyself, my husband!  Out on thee, slave! [To ELLIOT.  Or shall I call thee traitor?  What didst thou, On finishing thy funeral service, whisper In my Lord Percy’s ear?

Elliot.—­I whisper, lady?

Lady Seton.—­You whisper, smooth-tongued sir!

Percy [aside].—­Zounds! by the coronet of broad Northumberland, Could I exchange it for fair England’s crown, I’d have my bodyguard of woman’s eyes, And make the whole sex sharpshooters!

Provost Ramsay.—­Wae’s me! friend Elliot, but you have an unco dumfoundered-like look after that speech o’ yours in defence o’ liberty, and infants, and fair bosoms, maiden screams, and grey hairs, and what not.

Sir Alex.—­Percy, we hear no terms but death or liberty.  This is our answer.

Percy.—­Well, cousins, be it so.  The wilful dog—­ As runs the proverb.  Lady, fare-ye-well. [Exit.

Sir Alex.—­On with me, friends—­on to the southern ramparts!  There, methinks, they meditate a breach.  On, Scotsmen! on—­ For Freedom and for Scotland! [Exeunt.

SCENE II.—­Town Ramparts.

Enter SIR ALEXANDER, RICHARD, HENRY, PROVOST RAMSAY, HUGH ELLIOT, and Populace.

Sir Alex.—­To-day, my townsmen, I shall be your leader; And though my arms may lack their wonted vigour, Here are my pledges [pointing to his sons] placed on either side, That seal a triumph youth could never reap.  To-day, my sons, beneath a father’s eye, Oh give such pride of feeling to his heart As shall outshame the ardour of his youth, And nerve his arm with power strong as his zeal!

[Exeunt all save HUGH ELLIOT.

Elliot.—­Thanks to my destiny!—­the hour is come—­ The wished-for hour of vengeance on mine enemy!—­ Heavens! there is neither nobleness nor virtue.  Nor any quality that beggars boast not, But he and his smooth sons have swallowed up; And all the world must mouth their bravery!—–­ I owe a debt to Scotland and to him, And I’ll repay it—­I’ll repay it now!  This letter will I shoot to Edward’s camp; And now, ere midnight, I’m revenged—­revenged!

[LADY SETON appears from the window of the castle, as ELLIOT is fixing a letter on an arrow.

Lady Seton [from the window].—­Hold, traitor! hold, Or, by the powers above us, this very hour Your body o’er these battlements shall hang For your fair friends to shoot at!

[ELLIOT drops the bow.

Elliot [aside].—­Now fleet destruction seize the
  lynx-eyed fiend—­
Trapped in the moment that insured success! 
Thank fate—­my dagger’s left!—­she has a son!

Lady Seton.—­Go, worthless recreant, and in thickest fight Blot out thy guilty purpose:  know thy life Depends on this day’s daring; and its deeds And wounds alone, won in the onset’s brunt, Secures my silence.