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

Poetry on or About the MacLeans.
455
Loch, But now for your petition: see we now
How he receives your suit.
(Enter MacLean and Helen.)
Ben. (Eyeing her attentively as she enters.) A
potent foe it is; ay, by my faith,
A fair and goodly creature!
Mac. Again,, good raorningtoye, gallant kinsmen:
Come ye to say. I can with any favor
The right good liking prove, and high regard
I bear to you, who are my chicfest strength, —
The pillars of my clan?
Ben. Yes, we are come, MacLean, a boon to beg.
Loch. A boon that granted, will yourself enrich.
Mac. Myself enrich?
Loch. Yes; thereby wilt thou be ^
One gallant man the richer. Hear us out.
Allen of Dura, from his banishment —
Mac. False reaver! name him not. — Ishereturn'd?
Dares he again set foot upon this isle?
Ben. Yes, chief; upon this isle set foot he hath:
And on nor isle nor mainland doth there stop
A braver man than he. — Lady, forgive me:
The boldest Campbell never saw his back.
Hel. Nay, good Benlora, ask not my forgiveness:
I love to hear thee praise, with honest warmth.
The valiant of thy name, which now is mine.
Ben. (Aside.) Ha! good Benlora! this is queenly
pride.
(Aloud.) Madam, yon honor us.
Hel. If so, small thanks be to my courtesy,
Sharing myself with pride the honest fame
Of every brave MacLean.— I'll henceforth keep
A proud account of all my gallant friends:
And every valiant Campbell therein noted.
On the opposing leaf, in letters fair,
Shall with a brave MacLean be proudly matched.
(Benlora and Glenfadden bow in silence.)
Loch. Madam, our grateful duty waits upon you.
(Aside to Benlora.) What think'st thou of her,
friend?
Ben, (Aside to Lochtarish.) What think I of
her?
Incomparable hypocrite!
Loch. (Aloud.) But to our suit: for words of
courtesy
It must not be forgotten. — Chief, vouchsafe:
Benlora here, who from his loathly prison.
Which for your sake he hatli endured,
Begs earnestly this grace for him we mention'd,
Allen of Dura.
(Aside to Benlora.) Kneel, man ; be more pressing.
Ben. (Aside to Lochtarish.) Nay, by my fay! if
crouching pleaseth thee.
Do it thyself. (Going up proudly to MacLean.)
MacLean, thy father put it into these hands
The government and guidance of thy nonage.
How I the trust fulfiU'd, this castle strcngtheu'd
With walls and added towers, and stored, besides,
With arms and trophies, in rough warfare won
From cv'n the bravest of our western clans.
Will testify. What I in recompense
Have for my service earn'd, these galled wrists
(Pushing vip the sleeve from his arm.)
Do also testify. — Such as I am,
For an old friend I plainly beg this grace:
Say it my boon be granted or denied.
Mac. The man for whom thou pleads't is most
unworthy:
Yet let him safely from my shores depart:
I harm him not.
Ben. (Turning from him indignantly). My suit is
then denied.
(To Lochtarish and Glenfadden.) Go ye to
Dura's Allen; near the shore
He harbors in his aged mother's cot;
Bid him upon the ocean drift again
His shatter'd boat, and be a wanderer still,
Hel. (Coming forward eagerly). His aged
mother.
(ToMacLean.) Oh! and shall he go?
No, no, he shall not! On this day of joy.
Wilt thou to me refuse it ?
(Hanging upon him with looks of entreaty, till, see-
ing him relent, she then turns joyfully to Ben-
lora.)
Bid your wanderer
Safe with his aged mother still remain, —
A banish'd man no more.
Mac. This is not well; but be it as thou wilt;
Thou hast prcvail'd, my Helen.
Loch, and Glen. (Bowing low.) We thank thee,
lady.
(Benlora bows slightly, in sullen silence.)
Mac. (To Benlora.) Then let thy friend remain;
he has my pardon.
(Benlora bows again in silence.)
Clear up thy brow, Benlora; he is pardon'd.
(Pauses, but Benlora is still silent.)
We trust to meet you shortly in the liall ;
And there, my friends, shall think our happy feast
More happy for your presence. —
(Going up again, with anxious courtesy, to Ben-
lora.)
Thy past services.
Which great and many are, my brave Benlora,
Shall be remember'd well. Thou hast my honor.
And high regard.
Hel. And mine to boot, good kinsman, if the
value
You put upon thom makes them worth the
having.
Ben. (Bows sullenly and retires; then muttering
aside to himself as he goes out.) Good kins-
man! Good Benlora! gracious words
From this most high and potent dame, vouchsafed
To one so poor and humble as myself. (Exit.)
Loch. (Aside to Glenfadden.) But thou for-
gettest—
Qlen. (Aside to Lochtarish.) No: I'll stay
behind.
And move MacLean to join our mighty meeting.
Midnight the hour when you desire his presence ?
Loch. Yes, even so: then will we be prepared.
(Exit.)
Glen. (Returning to MacLean.) Chieftain, I
would some words of privacy
Speak with you, should your leisure now permit.
Mac. Come to my closet then, I'll hear thee
gladly.
• (Exeunt MacLean and Glenfadden.)
Hel. (To Rosa, who now comes forward.) Where
hast thou been, my Rosa? With my boy?
Have they with wild flowers deck'd his cradle
round ?
«