Burned Marmion’s swarthy cheek like fire,
And shook his very frame for ire;
  And—­“This to me!” he said,—­
“An ’t were not for thy hoary beard,
Such hand as Marmion’s had not spared
  To cleave the Douglas’ head! 
And, first, I tell thee, haughty peer,
He who does England’s message here,
Although the meanest in her state,
May well, proud Angus, be thy mate: 
And, Douglas, more, I tell thee here,
  Even in thy pitch of pride,
Here, in thy hold, thy vassals near,
  I tell thee, thou’rt defied! 
And if thou said’st I am not peer
To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,
  Lord Angus, thou hast lied!”

On the Earl’s cheek the flush of rage
O’ercame the ashen hue of age. 
Fierce he broke forth,—­“And dar’st thou then
To beard the lion in his den,
  The Douglas in his hall? 
And hop’st thou hence unscathed to go? 
No, by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no! 
Up drawbridge, grooms,—­what, warder, ho! 
  Let the portcullis fall.” 
Lord Marmion turned,—­well was his need,—­
And dashed the rowels in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung;
The ponderous gate behind him rung: 
To pass there was such scanty room,
The bars, descending, razed his plume.

The steed along the drawbridge flies,
Just as it trembled on the rise;
Nor lighter does the swallow skim
Along the smooth lake’s level brim: 
And when Lord Marmion reached his band
He halts, and turns with clenched hand, [1]
And shout of loud defiance pours,
And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

[Transcriber’s Note 1:  clenched, pronounced “clench-ed".]

“Horse! horse!” the Douglas cried, “and chase!”
But soon he reined his fury’s pace: 
“A royal messenger he came,
Though most unworthy of the name. 
Saint Mary mend my fiery mood! 
Old age ne’er cools the Douglas’ blood;
I thought to slay him where he stood. 
’Tis pity of him, too,” he cried;
“Bold he can speak, and fairly ride;
I warrant him a warrior tried.” 
With this his mandate he recalls,
And slowly seeks his castle halls. 
                                   —­Walter Scott.

[Illustration:  A man in armor on a galloping horse; he is waving a clenched fist at a group behind a closed iron gate to a castle.]

Notes:—­In the poem from which this extract is taken, Marmion is represented as an embassador sent by Henry viii., king of England, to James iv., king of Scotland, with whom he was at war.  Having finished his mission to James, Marmion was intrusted to the protection and hospitality of Douglas, one of the Scottish nobles.  Douglas entertained him, treated him with the respect due to his office and to the honor of his sovereign, yet he despised his private character.  Marmion perceived this, and took umbrage at it, though he attempted to repress his resentment, and desired to part in peace.  Under these circumstances the scene, as described in this sketch, takes place.