THK CHIEFTAIN AND HIS VASSAL. 4? 1 



heart that might entirely and for ever exclude .him from even a 

 share of it, while he aspired at its entire possession. It was with a 

 view to satisfy himself on this point — to him the most momentous 

 one on earth — that he had suddenly left the Scottish court, and had 

 appeared on his own estates, clad in disguised armour. Had no one 

 avowed himself the champion of Albertina, the young Chieftain 

 would have returned to Edinburgh immediately on the breaking up 

 of the vast assemblage met to celebrate his birth-day anniversary, 

 without any of his relations or vassals being aware of his presence 

 on the occasion. 



On perceiving that he was recognised by the whole company, 

 and that too under the mortifying character of a vanquished comba- 

 tant, his countenance betrayed the direst rage — he remounted his 

 horse — and sullenly rode off the field. 



The spectators, on discovering that the foe of the brave young 

 Lindsay was the Chieftain of Innes castle, felt apprehensive that 

 the former would have cause deeply to rue the gallant conduct he 

 had that day displayed. But here was one present who felt a peculiar 

 interest in the result of the combat — Albertina was there. The 

 passionate attachment which Henry cherished towards her she re- 

 turned with corresponding warmth and sincerity. When Albertina 

 saw her lover lay his antagonist prostrate on the ground, her gentle 

 bosom felt a thrill of indescribable joy; but that exultation was only 

 of temporary durat'on — it was soon converted, by the discovery of 

 the person of his foe, into a feeling of deep alarm. 



She feared that the indignant and deeply mortified Chieftain 

 would, agreeably to the barbarous custom of the times, have recourse 

 to the summary process of severing Lindsay's head from his body, 

 as the price of his gallant conduct. 



The mind of Albertina was also agitated by considerations which 

 yet more nearly concerned herself. What inducement could the 

 young Chieftain have thus to endanger his life solely on her account 

 was a question which sug-gested itself notwithstanding the confusion 

 and alarm under which she laboured. While she ruminated for a 

 few moments on the circumstance of Innes thus hazarding his life — 

 and his reputation too— for her sake, she recalled to her recollection 

 several circumstances, connected with his former conduct to her, 

 which, though she never viewed them in the same light before, now 

 served, in conjunction with what she had that day witnessed, to con- 

 vince her that she had to some extent obtained a place in his affec- 

 tions. This conviction was a most painful, a most appalling one. 

 She had already pledged her acceptance of the hand of Henry Lind- 

 say — the marriage day was appointed — preparations for their public 

 union together were already all but completed — and she felt tear- 

 fully api)rehensive that the proud Chieftain, if he should prove 

 sufficiently clement to spare the life of his victorious foe, would at 

 all events wreak his vengeance on him by prohibiting the celebra- 

 tion of their nuptials. 



Henry Lindsay, though he had no cause to reproach himself, 

 either for his conduct that day, or for his attachment to her on whose 

 account he had entered the lists, was neverlhelcsf: uneasy at ths 



