Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

DERMOND. 131
foul treachery of some of our vassals he hath gained a refuge in these
isles. (The eye of Lorn was sternly fixed on Brian the Viking as he
spoke these words.) The vengeance of Heaven and the blood of Comyn
also demand that instant search be made for the Lord of EatUand, and
the shelterer of his unholy head shall be hung with Cyril's carcase by
the heels from the highest tower of his castle,"
" Death to the traitor !" shouted the chieftains.
Brian was silent and looked somewhat startled as every eye was
directed against him.
" Ha ! you start and look pale, good Brian of Dunkerlyne !" exclaimed
jLorn with a malicious chuckle. " Why do you not shout ' Death to the
{traitor ! ' like the rest of my noble vassals 1 "
1 " Your pardon, my lord," said the Viking, recovering himself, " I
feel abashed at your words. I am truly alarmed at what you say regard-
ing some traitor, God knows I am innocent. Day and night I have
,not slept in trying to find the whereabouts of this bloody man, Cyrd of
Eathland. As yet my work has been in vain."
" Methinks, Sir Chief, you have cause enough to perform the mission
1 surely and faithfully. The slayer of your gallant father, Francis, and the
abettor of a sacrilegious regicide make a fit subject for your vengeance."
" They do, my lord," assented the chieftain, suppressing the passion
which boiled within him.
'' Revenge for the death of your noble father, the blessing of the
i Church, and the liberty of your son," exclaimed Lorn, "make a fitting
j reward."
i Brian remained speechless.
" What," said Lorn, " you hesitate. Have I said too little for so
small a deed. Would you have me give you money to bribe your cour-
age 1 Or shall I add to the liberty of your jackanapes of a son the hand
;of a noble lady he covets 1"
j I " Shame upon the mercenary knave," re-echoed through the chamber.
I "To revenge the death of a father," said the swarthy Chief from Col-
[onsay, " would methinks be guerdon enow for the death of a thousand
imen."
" The blessing of the Church," said the holy abbot of lona, " ought,
above all things, to spur you to revenge."
*' Give me the task, my lord," said the fiery Macnab, " and even I
wiU undertake to find and slay the accursed abettor of this murdering
heretic."
"You misunderstand me on all hands," said Brian of Dunkerlyne, ex-
asperated with the insults of Lorn, the goading of the Abbot, and the ex-
clamations of the chieftains. " Hear me, good sirs, and you shall know
what makes me shrink from answering as I should wish your unseemly
taunts. If there be a sire among you Avith love or sympathy in his heart
who knows what it is to have a son, he will not be so ready to fling such
cowardly reproaches. I have a son, an only son, whom I love as I love
my own life. My gallant Dermond lies writhing in chains far down be-
neath this floor in the depths of the dungeons of DunoUy, Grief for his
fate unnerves me and makes me dumb. Set him at liberty; Let him
accompany you in this expedition, and I shall return to the execution of
my duty. Let Heaven and this assembly be my witnesses, while I swear