He will obey you in making
a weapon, or in wielding one, but he knows nothing of this petticoat
service."
"Hark thee, thou Perthshire mule," said the Prince, yet smiling,
while he spoke, at the sturdy punctilio of the honest burgher; "the
wench is as little to me as she is to thee. But in an idle moment,
as you may learn from those about thee, if thou sawest it not thyself,
I did her a passing grace, which is likely to cost the poor wretch
her life. There is no one here whom I can trust to protect her
against the discipline of belt and bowstring, with which the Border
brutes who follow Douglas will beat her to death, since such is
his pleasure."
"If such be the case, my liege, she has a right to every honest
man's protection; and since she wears a petticoat--though I would
it were longer and of a less fanciful fashion--I will answer
for her protection as well as a single man may. But where am I to
bestow her?"
"Good faith, I cannot tell," said the Prince. "Take her to Sir John
Ramorny's lodging. But, no--no--he is ill at ease, and besides,
there are reasons; take her to the devil if thou wilt, but place
her in safety, and oblige David of Rothsay."
"My noble Prince," said the smith, "I think, always with reverence,
that I would rather give a defenceless woman to the care of the
devil than of Sir John Ramorny. But though the devil be a worker in
fire like myself, yet I know not his haunts, and with aid of Holy
Church hope to keep him on terms of defiance.
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