THE CHIEFTAIN AND HIS VASSAL. 469 



the Scotti^^h Court, wliere, they vveie convinced, lie would virtually 

 acquire all the power and honour of a monarch until the young king 

 should attain the years of maturity recognised by the constitution of 

 the country. 



This advice, it is unnecessary to remark, was eminently congenial 

 to the mind of the young chieftain, in consequence, as has just been 

 observed, of the wide scope it sanguinely promised to his ambitious 

 views. Most willingly would he have acted in accordance with the 

 advice which his more respectable vassals had thus tendered to him 

 but for a cause which bound him to his home — he was in love, in 

 love, too, with Albertina, the only daughter of one of his own superior 

 retainers. 



This young lady was possessed of a combination of mental and 

 personal attractions which can scarcely be expected to be witnessed 

 above once in an age. She was, too, at that interesting epoch of her 

 life when the period of her teens was on the eve of its expiration. 

 The charms of Albertina had operated like a spell on the mind of the 

 young chieftain. A violent struggle ensued in his breast between 

 love and pride : he thought of his illustrious birth and present glory 

 and power; he ruminated on the long line and wide-spread reputa- 

 tion of his ancestors; and his haughty mind brooked not the idea of 

 marrying the daughter of his own vassal. The united influence of 

 pride and ambition obtained a temporary triumph over his love, and 

 by a desperate effort he left his baronial mansion and repaired to 

 Edinburgh, under the fond hope that, by witnessing the splendour and 

 mingling in the gay amusements of the Scottish court, he should 

 be able to banish from his mind the image of Albertina. 



Vain hope ! Although he plunged into the voxtex of pleasure, 

 and forgot every thing else amid the festivities and magnificence of 

 the court, the image of Albertina still haunted his mind, her half 

 angelic countenance still flitted before his fancy, rendering him 

 miserable throughout the day, and " spoiling his rest" in the night. 



A few months subsequent to his arrival in the Scottish metropolis, 

 the twenty-fifth aimiversary of his birth-day returned; and his 

 brother, who had been left at home with instructions to support the 

 hospitable fame of limes Castle during the chieftain's absence, gave 

 a feast or ball, to participate in the festivities of which the population 

 of the surrounding country, as well as Innes' own vassals, were invited. 

 On this, as on every similar occasion, a tournament was announced, 

 at which it was customary for every champion to challenge to single 

 combat, by the mouth of a herald, any individual present who ven- 

 tured to dispute the superiority of her whom he loved to any other 

 member of the female sex. The lists were accordingly prepared; 

 and every spectator awaited with the deepest anxiety until he should 

 see whether there were any youth present sufficiently chivalrous thus 

 publicly to proclaim, at the hazard of his life, the superior charms of 

 his mistress. 



In a few moments appeared the gallant Henry Lindsay, armed 

 with a richly ornamented coat of mail, and riding on a beautiful and 

 spirited sted. He was one of Innes' superior vassals, and his father 

 liad received special marks of favour from the preceding chieftain of 



