"
"And a young woman, that's been cruelly made prisoner, that's worth mair
than a' the gear, twice told," said Hobbie.
"And I warn you." continued Earnscliff, "that your only way to prove
your son's innocence is to give us quiet admittance to search the
house."
"And what will ye do, if I carena to thraw the keys, or draw the bolts,
or open the grate to sic a clamjamfrie?" said the old dame, scoffingly.
"Force our way with the king's keys, and break the neck of every living
soul we find in the house, if ye dinna gie it ower forthwith!" menaced
the incensed Hobbie.
"Threatened folks live lang," said the hag, in the same tone of irony;
"there's the iron grate--try your skeel on't, lads--it has kept out as
gude men as you or now."
So saying, she laughed, and withdrew from the aperture through which she
had held the parley.
The besiegers now opened a serious consultation. The immense thickness
of the walls, and the small size of the windows, might, for a time, have
even resisted cannon-shot.
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