hare　the　blood；　perhaps　the　features；　of　this　singular　being？Strange　as　it　may　seem；　a　thrill　of　awe；　which　shot　across　my　mind　at　that　instant；　was　not　unmingled　with　a　wild　and　mysterious　feeling　of　wonder；　almost　amounting　to　pleasure。　　I　remembered　the　reflection　of　my　own　face　in　the　mirror　at　one　striking　moment　during　the　singular　interview　of　the　day；　and　I　hastened　to　the　outward　apartment　to　consult　a　glass　which　hung　there；　whether　it　were　possible　for　my　countenance　to　be　again　contorted　into　the　peculiar　frown　which　so　much　resembled　the　terrific　look　of　Herries。　　But　I　folded　my　brows　in　vain　into　a　thousand　complicated　wrinkles；　and　I　was　obliged　to　conclude；　either　that　the　supposed　mark　on　my　brow　was　altogether　imaginary；　or　that　it　could　not　be　called　forth　by　voluntary　effort；　or；　in　fine；　what　seemed　most　likely；　that　it　was　such　a　resemblance　as　the　imagination　traces　in　the　embers　of　a　wood　fire；　or　among　the　varied　veins　of　marble；　distinct　at　one　time；　and　obscure　or　invisible　at　another；　according　as　the　combination　of　lines　strikes　the　eye　or　impresses　the　fancy。
  While　I　was　moulding　my　visage　like　a　mad　player；　the　door　suddenly　opened；　and　the　girl　of　the　house　entered。　　Angry　and　ashamed　at　being　detected　in　my　singular　occupation；　I　turned　round　sharply；　and；　I　suppose；　chance　produced　the　change　on　my　features　which　I　had　been　in　vain　labouring　to　call　forth。
  The　girl　started　back；　with　her　'Don't　ya　look　so　nowdon't　ye；　for　love's　sakeyou　be　as　like　the　ould　squoire　asBut　here　a　comes；'　she　said；　huddling　away　out　of　the　room；　'and　if　you　want　a　third；　there　is　none　but　ould　Harry；　as　I　know　of；　that　can　match　ye　for　a　brent　broo！'
  As　the　girl　muttered　this　exclamation；　and　hastened　out　of　the　room；　Herries　entered。　　He　stopped　on　observing　that　I　had　looked　again　to　the　mirror；　anxious　to　trace　the　look　by　which　the　wench　had　undoubtedly　been　terrified。　　He　seemed　to　guess　what　was　passing　in　my　mind；　for；　as　I　turned　towards　him；　he　observed；　'Doubt　not　that　it　is　stamped　on　your　foreheadthe　fatal　mark　of　our　race；　though　it　is　not　now　so　apparent　as　it　will　become　when　age　and　sorrow；　and　the　traces　of　stormy　passions　and　of　bitter　penitence；　shall　have　drawn　their　furrows　on　your　brow。'
  'Mysterious　man；'　I　replied；　'I　know　not　of　what　you　speak；　your　language　is　as　dark　as　your　purposes！'
  'Sit　down；　then；'　he　said；　'and　listen；　thus　far；　at　least；　must　the　veil　of　which　you　complain　be　raised。　　When　withdrawn；　it　will　only　display　guilt　and　sorrowguilt　followed　by　strange　penalty；　and　sorrow　which　Providence　has　entailed　upon　the　posterity　of　the　mourners。'
  He　paused　a　moment；　and　commenced　his　narrative；　which　he　told　with　the　air　of　one；　who；　remote　as　the　events　were　which　he　recited；　took　still　the　deepest　interest　in　them。　　The　tone　of　his　voice；　which　I　have　already　described　as　rich　and　powerful；　aided　by　its　inflections　the　effects　of　his　story；　which　I　will　endeavour　to　write　down；　as　nearly　as　possible；　in　the　very　words　which　he　used。
  'It　was　not　of　late　years　that　the　English　learned　that　their　best　chance　of　conquering　their　independent　neighbours　must　be　by　introducing　amongst　them　division　and　civil　war。　　You　need　not　be　reminded　of　the　state　of　thraldom　to　which　Scotland　was　reduced　by　the　unhappy　wars　betwixt　the　domestic　factions　of　Bruce　and　Baliol；　nor　how；　after　Scotland　had　been　emancipated　from　a　foreign　yoke　by　the　conduct　and　valour　of　the　immortal　Bruce；　the　whole　fruits　of　the　triumphs　of　Bannockburn　were　lost　in　the　dreadful　defeats　of　Dupplin　and　Halidon；　and　Edward　Baliol；　the　minion　and　feudatory　of　his　namesake　of　England；　seemed；　for　a　brief　season；　in　safe　and　uncontested　possession　of　the　throne　so　lately　occupied　by　the　greatest　general　and　wisest　prince　in　Europe。　　But　the　experience　of　Bruce　had　not　died　with　him。　There　were　many　who　had　shared　his　martial　labours；　and　all　remembered　the　successful　efforts　by　which；　under　circumstances　as　disadvantageous　as　those　of　his　son；　he　had　achieved　the　liberation　of　Scotland。
  'The　usurper；　Edward　Baliol；　was　feasting　with　a　few　of　his　favourite　retainers　in　the　castle　of　Annan；　when　he　was　suddenly　surprised　by　a　chosen　band　of　insurgent　patriots。　　Their　chiefs　were；　Douglas；　Randolph；　the　young　Earl　of　Moray；　and　Sir　Simon　Fraser；　and　their　success　was　so　complete；　that　Baliol　was　obliged　to　fly　for　his　life　scarcely　clothed；　and　on　a　horse　which　there　was　no　leisure　to　saddle。　　It　was　of　importance　to　seize　his　person；　if　possible；　and　his　flight　was　closely　pursued　by　a　valiant　knight　of　Norman　descent；　whose　family　had　been　long　settled　in　the　marches　of　Dumfriesshire。　　Their　Norman　appellation　was　Fitz…Aldin；　but　this　knight；　from　the　great　slaughter　which　he　had　made　of　the　Southron；　and　the　reluctance　which　he　had　shown　to　admit　them　to　quarter　during　the　former　war　of　that　bloody　period；　had　acquired　the　name　of　Redgauntlet；　which　he　transmitted　to　his　posterity'
  'Redgauntlet！'　　I　involuntarily　repeated。
  'Yes；　Redgauntlet；'　said　my　alleged　guardian；　looking　at　me　keenly；　'does　that　name　recall　any　associations　to　your　mind？'
  'No；'　I　replied；　'except　that　I　had　lately　heard　it　given　to　the　hero　of　a　supernatural　legend。'
  'There　are　many　such　current　concerning　the　family；'　he　answered；　and　then　proceeded　in　his　narrative。
  'Alberick　Redgauntlet；　the　first　of　his　house　so　termed；　was；　as　may　be　supposed　from　his　name；　of　a　stern　and　implacable　disposition；　which　had　been　rendered　more　so　by　family　discord。　An　only　son；　now　a　youth　of　eighteen；　shared　so　much　the　haughty　spirit　of　his　father；　that　he　became　impatient　of　domestic　control；　resisted　paternal　authority；　and　finally　fled　from　his　father's　house；　renounced　his　political　opinions；　and　awakened　his　mortal　displeasure　by　joining　the　adherents　of　Baliol。　　It　was　said　that　his　father　cursed；　in　his　wrath；　his　degenerate　offspring；　and　swore　that　if　they　met　he　should　perish　by　his　hand。　　Meantime；　circumstances　seemed　to　promise　atonement　for　this　great　deprivation。　　The　lady　of　Alberick　Redgauntlet　was　again；　after　many　years；　in　a　situation　which　afforded　her　husband　the　hope　of　a　more　dutiful　heir。
  'But　the　delicacy　and　deep　interest　of　his　wife's　condition　did　not　prevent　Alberick　from　engaging　in　the　undertaking　of　Douglas　and　Moray。　　He　had　been　the　most　forward　in　the　attack　of　the　castle；　and　was　now　foremost　in　the　pursuit　of　Baliol；　eagerly　engaged　in　dispersing　or　cutting　down　the　few　daring　followers　who　endeavoured　to　protect　the　usurper　in　his　flight。
  'As　these　were　successively　routed　or　slain；　the　formidable　Redgauntlet；　the　mortal　enemy　of　the　House　of　Baliol；　was　within　two　lances'　length　of　the　fugitive　Edward　Baliol；　in　a　narrow　pass；　when　a；　youth；　one　of　the　last　who　attended　the　usurper　in　his　flight；　threw　himself　between　them；　received　the　shock　of　the　pursuer；　and　was　unhorsed　and　overthrown。　　The　helmet　rolled　from　his　head；　and　the　beams　of　the　sun；　then　rising　over　the　Solway；　showed　Redgauntlet　the　features　of　his　disobedient　son；　in　the　livery；　and　wearing　the　cognizance；　of　the　usurper。
  'Redgauntlet　beheld　his　son　lying　before　his　horse's　feet；　but　he　also　saw　Baliol；　the　usurper　of　the　Scottish　crown；　still；　as　it　seemed；　within　his　grasp；　and　separated　from　him　only　by　the　prostrate　body　of　his　overthrown　adherent。　　Without　pausing　to　inquire　whether　young　Edward　was　wounded；　he　dashed　his　spurs　into　his　horse；　meaning　to　leap　over　him；　but　was　unhappily　frustrated　in　his　purpose。　　The　steed　made　indeed　a　bound　forward；　but　was　unable　to　clear　the　body　of　the　youth；　and　with　its　hind　foot　struck　him　in　the　forehead；　as　he　was　in　the　act　of　rising。　　The　blow　was　mortal。　　It　is　needless　to　add；　that　the　pursuit　was　checked；　and　Baliol　escaped。
  'Redgauntlet；　ferocious　as　he　is　described；　was　yet　overwhelmed　with　the　thoughts　of　the　crime　he　had　committed。　　When　he　returned　to　his　castle；　it　was　to　encounter　new　domestic　sorrows。　His　wife　had　been　prematurely　seized　with　the　pangs　of　labour　upon　hearing　the　dreadful　catastrophe　which　had　taken　place。　　The　birth　of　an　infant　boy　cost　her　her　life。　　Redgauntlet　sat　by　her　corpse　for　more　than　twenty…four　hours　without　changing　either　feature　or　posture；　so　far　as　his　terrified　domestics　could　observe。　　The　Abbot　of　Dundrennan　preached　consolation　to　him　in　vain。　　Douglas；　who　came　to　visit　in　his　affliction　a　patriot　of　such　distinguished　zeal；　was　more　successful　in　rousing　his　attention。　　He　caused　the　trumpets　to　sound　an　English　point　of　war　in　the　courtyard；　and　Redgauntlet　at　once　sprang　to　his　arms；　and　seemed　restored　to　the　recollection　which　had　been　lost　in　the　extent　of　his　misery。
  'From　that　moment；　whatever　he　might　feel　inwardly；　he　gave　way　to　no　outward　emotion。　　Douglas　caused　his　infant　to　be　brought；　but　even　the　iron…hearted　soldiers　were　struck　with　horror　to　observe　that；　by　the　mysterious　law　of　nature；　the　cause　of　his　mother's　death；　and　the　evidence　of　his　father's　guilt；　was　stamped　on　the　innocent　face　of　the　babe；　whose　brow　was　distinctly　marked　by　the　miniature　resemblance　of　a　horseshoe。　Redgauntlet　himself　pointed　it　out　to　Douglas；　saying；　with　a　ghastly　smile；　〃It　should　have　been　bloody。〃
  'Mov