History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

442
Appendix.
Then her winsome self she re-arrayed,
And fell on her trembling knees and prayed.
She muttered many an Ave then,
And told off many a bead,
Till her passion sealed her lips, for words
But mocived so sore a need;
Then she stopped and listened beside the
breeze.
And only waited upon her knees.
And as she listened, the distant sound
Of wassail ceased, and all
Her soul rushed armed into her ears
At sound of a dull foot-fall
Which wound its way to the topmost tower
Where was the lady's bridal bower.
The wind was piping through lock and loop,
But of nothing was she 'ware.
There was no sound in all the world
But that foot upon the stair; —
And as she listened, and heard it rise,
Her soul rushed armed into her eyes.
She stood up white in her snowy pall,
A breathing image of death,
The torch-light crowning her radiant hair.
Her sombre face beneath.
"As I am a virgin pure this nisjht,
So keep me, God, through dark to light;
As I am a child of the deep Argyle,
Souls of my fathers ! teach me wile."
The iron door on its hinges turned
And closed on the married twain,
And redder yet from his deep carouse
There stood the red Mac Lean;
And their four eyes met, and no word was
said
Till his glance fell off on the vacant bed.
Then she: "I have prayed of Marj''s grace
That she would us assoil
For that this day with lips forsworn
We sought to cut the coil
Of mortal hate that has ever lain
Betwixt the Argyle and MacLean."
Then low he laughed; " To kneel and pray,
Lady, beseemeth thee,
But to make of our false oath a true
Is the task that fitteth me;
My word, before the morrow's sun.
You shall avouch the work well done."
He moved a step to where she stood.
And she recoiled a pace;
His wandering eyes again were set
In wonder on her face.
They paused, they made a mutual stand;
His breath fell hot upon her hand.
"Xpu are a lord of the Isles," quoth she,
"And the Isleraen's mood is light,
But I am a child of the firm mainland.
And I change not in a night.
There is nought of me that a man may win
And 1 think not to overlay sin with sin.
"Now nothing could hap that would make us
twain
But false as woman and man.
Yet by grace of God we may still be true
Each to our name and clan.
And each to each in a sidelong way
True to the bond we have sealed this day.
" You asked for a gage of my feudal chief.
But of me nor word nor smile;
You sought but to better the strength you had
With the strength of the deep Argyle;
You shall have your due but no more of me,
Than a contract's seal and warranty."
He laughed in his beard; "Ay, many have
tried,
But all have tried in vain.
To mete with a measure that was not his
The due of the rod MacLean ;
Still with iron hand he has held his right,
But never so close as he will this night."
She set herself as a hind at bay.
She straightened her back to the wall;
" I that am come as a hostage here.
Would you use me as a thrall?"
"Not so," quoth he, "but by limb and life,
I'll use you as my wedded wife."
"I am an earl's daughter," she said,
"And my oath is worth a knight's.
And I swear by the health of my mother's soul,
That the kiss which first alights
On me as we two lie in bed.
Shall have the force to strike me dead."
" You are an earl's daughter," he said,
"And a maid without a stain;
But as you are here in Castle Duard,
And I the red MacLean,
That oath shall no more be your screen
Than if you were the veriest quean."
She shrunk as into the granite wall,
She parried his rude embrace;