“Be it so, sir,” replied Mr. Vere; “you are entirely safe from my resentment, because you are beneath it, and not because I am afraid of your disclosing my family secrets, although, for your own sake, I warn you to beware how you do so.  Your agency and intermediation can be of little consequence to one who will win or lose all, as lawful right or unjust usurpation shall succeed in the struggle that is about to ensue.  Farewell, sir.”

Ratcliffe arose, and cast upon him a look, which Vere seemed to sustain with difficulty, and, bowing to those around him, left the room.

This conversation made an impression on many of the company, which Ellieslaw hastened to dispel, by entering upon the business of the day.  Their hasty deliberations went to organize an immediate insurrection.  Ellieslaw, Mareschal, and Sir Frederick Langley were chosen leaders, with powers to direct their farther measures.  A place of rendezvous was appointed, at which all agreed to meet early on the ensuing day, with such followers and friends to the cause as each could collect around him.  Several of the guests retired to make the necessary preparations; and Ellieslaw made a formal apology to the others, who, with Westburnflat and the old smuggler, continued to ply the bottle stanchly, for leaving the head of the table, as he must necessarily hold a separate and sober conference with the coadjutors whom they had associated with him in the command.  The apology was the more readily accepted, as he prayed them, at the same time, to continue to amuse themselves with such refreshments as the cellars of the castle afforded.  Shouts of applause followed their retreat; and the names of Vere, Langley, and, above all, of Mareschal, were thundered forth in chorus, and bathed with copious bumpers repeatedly, during the remainder of the evening.

When the principal conspirators had retired into a separate apartment, they gazed on each other for a minute with a sort of embarrassment, which, in Sir Frederick’s dark features, amounted to an expression of discontented sullenness.  Mareschal was the first to break the pause, saying, with a loud burst of laughter,

—­“Well! we are fairly embarked now, gentlemen—­vogue La GALERE!”

“We may thank you for the plunge,” said Ellieslaw.

“Yes; but I don’t know how far you will thank me,” answered Mareschal, “when I show you this letter which I received just before we sat down.  My servant told me it was delivered by a man he had never seen before, who went off at the gallop, after charging him to put it into my own hand.”

Ellieslaw impatiently opened the letter, and read aloud—­

Edinburgh,—­