Itiswell，’’saidDeVaux，slowlyandsolemnly；foritirksmesomewhattosaythatwhichsumsmymessage。ItisKingRichard’spleasurethatyouprepareforinstantdeath。’’
God’spleasureandtheking’sbedone，’’repliedtheknight，patiently。Ineithercontestthejusticeofthesentence，nordesiredelayoftheexecution。’’
DeVauxbegantoleavethetent，butveryslowly-pausedatthedoor，andlookedbackattheScot，fromwhoseaspectthoughtsoftheworldseemedbanished，asifhewascomposinghimselfintodeepdevotion。ThefeelingsofthestoutEnglishBaronwereingeneralnoneofthemostacute，andyet，onthepresentoccasion，hissympathyoverpoweredhiminanunusualmanner。Hecamehastilybacktothebundleofreedsonwhichthecaptivelay，tookoneofhisfetteredhands，andsaid，withasmuchsoftnessashisroughvoicewascapableofexpressing，SirKenneth，thouartyoung-yetthouhastafather。MyRalph，whomIlefttraininghislittlegallowaynagonthebanksoftheIrthing，mayonedayattainthyyears-and，butforlastnight，IwouldtoGodIsawhisyouthbearsuchpromiseasthine！-Cannothingbesaidordoneinthybehalf？’’
Nothing，’’wasthemelancholyanswer。Ihavedesertedmycharge-thebannerintrustedtomeislost-whentheheadsmanandblockareprepared，theheadandtrunkarereadytopartcompany。’’
Nay，then，Godhavemercy！’’saidDeVaux；yetwouldIratherthanmybesthorseIhadtakenthatwatchmyself。