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.
465
ACT IV.
Scene I. — A small Gothic hall, or ante-room, in Ar-
gyle's castle; a door at the bottom of the stage,
leading to the apartment of the earl, before which is
discovered thepiper, pacing backxvard and forward,
playing on his bagpipe.
(Enter Dugald.)
Dug. Now, pray thee, piper, cease! That stun-
ning din
Might do good service by the ears to set
Two angry clans; but for a morning's rouse,
Here at an old man's door, it does, good sooth.
Exceed all reasonable use. The earl
Has pass'd a sleepless night: I pray thee now
Give o'er, and spare thy pains.
Piper. And spare ray pains, say'st thou? — I'll do
mine oflice,
As long- as breath within my body is.
Dug. Then mercy on usalll if wind thou mean'st,
There is within that sturdy trunk of thine.
Old as it is, a still exhaustless store.
A Lapland witch's bag could scarcely match it.
Thou could'st, I doubt not, belly out the sails
Of a three-masted vessel with thy mouth:
But be thy mercy equal to thy might!
I pray thee now give o'er: in faith the earl
Has pass'd a sleepless night.
Piper. Think'st thou I am a Lowland, day-hired
minstrel,
To play or stop at bidding? Is Argyle
The lord and chieftain of our ancient clan,
More certainly than I to him, as such,
The high hereditary piper am?
A sleepless night, forsooth! He's slept full oft
On the hard heath, with fifty harness'd steeds
Champing their fodder round him ;— soundly too.
I'll do mine office, loun, chafe as thou wilt.
(Continuing to pace up and down, and play as be-
fore.)
Dug. Nay, thou the chafer art, red-crested cock!
The lord of Lorn has spoilt thee with indulging
Thy willful humors. Cease thy cursed din!
See; here the earl himself comes fortn to chide
thee. (Exit.)
(Enter Argyle, attended, from the chamber.)
Arg. Good morrow, piper! thou hast roused me
bravely:
A younger man might gird his tartans on
With lightsome heart to martial sounds like the-se.
But I am old.
Piper. O no, my noble chieftain!
It is not age subdues you.
Arg. No; what else?
Piper. Alack' the flower and blossom of your
house
The wind hath blown away to other towers.
When she was here, and gladsome faces brighten'd
With lookiTig on her, and around your board
Sweet lays were snng. and gallants in the hall
Footed it trimly to our varied measures,
There might, indeed, be found beneath your roof
Those who might reckon years fourscore and
odds,
But of old folks, T warrant, ne'er a soul.
No; we were all young then.
Arg. (Sighing deeply.) 'Tis true, indeed,
It was even as thou say'st. Our earthly Joys
Fly like the blossoms scattered by the wind.
(Enter a servant,)
Ser. Please ye, my lord.
Some score of vassals in the hall attend
To bid good morrow to you, and the hour
Wears late: the chamberlain hath bade me say
He will dismiss them, if it please your honor.
Arg. Nay, many a mile hath some of them, I
know,
With suit or purpose lurking in their minds,
Rode o'er rough paths to see me; disappointed
Shall none of them return. — I'm better now.
I have been rather weary than unwell.
Say, I will see them present!^'. (Exit servant.)
(Re-enter Dugald in haste.)
(To Dugald.) Thou comest with a busy face; what
tidings?
Dug. The lord of Lorn's arrived, an' please your
honor;
Sir Hubert too, and all their jolly train ;
And with them have they brought a lady, closely
In hood and mantle muffled: ne'er a glimpse
May of her face be seen.
Arg. A lady, say'st thou?
Dug. Yes; closely muffled up.
Arg. (Pacing up and down, somewhat disturbed.)
I like not this. — It can not surely be —
(Stopping short, and looking hard at Dugald.)
Whence comes he?
Dug. He a hunting went. I know.
To Cromack's ancient laird, whoae youthful dame
So famed for beauty is; but whence he comes
I can not tell, my lord.
Ai-g. (Pacing up and down, as he speaks to him-
self in broken sentences, very much disturbed.)
To Cromack's ancient laird!— If that indeed —
Beshrew me, if it be!— I'd rather lose
Half of my lands, than son of mine such wrong,
Such shameful wrong, should do. This sword I've
drawn
Like robb'ry to revenge, ne'er to abet it:
And shall I now with hoary locks— No, no! —
My noble Lorn! he can not be so base.
(Enter Lorn, going up to Argyle with agitation.)
Arg. (Eyeing him suspiciously.) Well, John,
how is it? Welcome art thou home.
If thou return'st, as well I would believe,
Deserving of a welcome.
Lorn.. Doubts my lord
That X am so returned?
(Aside to Argyle, endeavoring to draw him apart
from his attendants.)
Your ear my father.—
Let these withdraw: I have a thing to tell you.
Arg. (Looking still more suspiciously upon Lorn,
from seeing the eagerness and agitation with
which he speaks, and turning from him indig-
nantly.)
No, if by this honest blade! if wrong thoii'st done.
Thou hast no shelter here. In open day.
Before th' assembled vassals shalt thou tell it;
And he, whom thou hast injured, be redress'd.
While I have power to bid my Campbells fight
I' the fair and honor'd cause.