"I
will defend you with my life. Waste not another moment--fly!"
But Hugh Calveley regarded him with cold disdain, and though he moved
not his lips, he seemed to say, "You have destroyed me; and I will not
remove the guilt of my destruction from your head."
The Puritan's language and manner had filled James with astonishment and
fresh alarm; but feeling secure in the propinquity of Jocelyn to the
object of his uneasiness, and being closely environed by his retinue,
the foremost of whom had drawn their swords and held themselves in
readiness to defend him from the slightest hostile attempt, it was not
unnatural that even so timorous a person as he, should regain his
confidence. Once more, therefore, he restrained by his gestures the
angry impetuosity of the nobles around him, who were burning to chastise
the rash intruder, and signified his intention of questioning him before
any measures were adopted against him.
"Let him be," he cried. "He is some puir demented creature fitter for
Bedlam than anywhere else; and we will see that he be sent thither; but
molest him not till we hae spoken wi' him, and certified his condition
more fully. Quit not the position ye hae sae judiciously occupied, young
Sir, albeit against our orders," he cried to Jocelyn. "Dinna draw your
blade unless the fellow seeks to come till us. Not that we are under ony
apprehension; but there are bluidthirsty traitors even in our pacific
territories, and as this may be ane of them, it is weel not to neglect
due precaution.
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