The　heart…sick　lay　was　hardly　said；　The　listener　had　not　turned　her　head；　It　trickled　still；　the　starting　tear；　When　light　a　footstep　struck　her　ear；　And　Snowdoun's　graceful　Knight　was　near。　She　turned　the　hastier；　lest　again　The　prisoner　should　renew　his　strain。　'O　welcome；　brave　Fitz…James！'　she　said；　'How　may　an　almost　orphan　maid　　Pay　the　deep　debt'　'O　say　not　so！　To　me　no　gratitude　you　owe。　Not　mine；　alas！　the　boon　to　give；　And　bid　thy　noble　father　live；　I　can　but　be　thy　guide；　sweet　maid；　With　Scotland's　King　thy　suit　to　aid。　No　tyrant　he；　though　ire　and　pride　May　lay　his　better　mood　aside。　Come；　Ellen；　come！　'tis　more　than　time；　He　holds　his　court　at　morning　prime。'　With　heating　heart；　and　bosom　wrung；　As　to　a　brother's　arm　she　clung。　Gently　he　dried　the　falling　tear；　And　gently　whispered　hope　and　cheer；　Her　faltering　steps　half　led；　half　stayed；　Through　gallery　fair　and　high　arcade；　Till　at　his　touch　its　wings　of　pride　A　portal　arch　unfolded　wide。
  XXVI。
  Within　't　was　brilliant　all　and　light；　A　thronging　scene　of　figures　bright；　It　glowed　on　Ellen's　dazzled　sight；　As　when　the　setting　sun　has　given　Ten　thousand　hues　to　summer　even；　And　from　their　tissue　fancy　frames　Aerial　knights　and　fairy　dames。　Still　by　Fitz…James　her　footing　staid；　A　few　faint　steps　she　forward　made；　Then　slow　her　drooping　head　she　raised；　And　fearful　round　the　presence　gazed；　For　him　she　sought　who　owned　this　state；　The　dreaded　Prince　whose　will　was　fate！　She　gazed　on　many　a　princely　port　Might　well　have　ruled　a　royal　court；　On　many　a　splendid　garb　she　gazed；　Then　turned　bewildered　and　amazed；　For　all　stood　bare；　and　in　the　room　Fitz…James　alone　wore　cap　and　plume。　To　him　each　lady's　look　was　lent；　On　him　each　courtier's　eye　was　bent；　Midst　furs　and　silks　and　jewels　sheen；　He　stood；　in　simple　Lincoln　green；　The　centre　of　the　glittering　ring；　And　Snowdoun's　Knight　is　Scotland's　King！
  XXVII。
  As　wreath　of　snow　on　mountain…breast　Slides　from　the　rock　that　gave　it　rest；　Poor　Ellen　glided　from　her　stay；　And　at　the　Monarch's　feet　she　lay；　No　word　her　choking　voice　commands；　She　showed　the　ring；she　clasped　her　hands。　O；　not　a　moment　could　he　brook；　The　generous　Prince；　that　suppliant　look！　Gently　he　raised　her；and；　the　while；　Checked　with　a　glance　the　circle's　smile；　Graceful；　but　grave；　her　brow　he　kissed；　And　bade　her　terrors　be　dismissed：　　'Yes；　fair；　the　wandering　poor　Fitz…James　The　fealty　of　Scotland　claims。　To　him　thy　woes；　thy　wishes；　bring；　He　will　redeem　his　signet　ring。　Ask　naught　for　Douglas；yester　even；　His　Prince　and　he　have　much　forgiven；　Wrong　hath　he　had　from　slanderous　tongue；　I；　from　his　rebel　kinsmen；　wrong。　We　would　not；　to　the　vulgar　crowd；　Yield　what　they　craved　with　clamor　loud；　Calmly　we　heard　and　judged　his　cause；　Our　council　aided　and　our　laws。　I　stanched　thy　father's　death…feud　stern　With　stout　De　Vaux　and　gray　Glencairn；　And　Bothwell's　Lord　henceforth　we　own　The　friend　and　bulwark　of　our　throne。　　But；　lovely　infidel；　how　now？　What　clouds　thy　misbelieving　brow？　Lord　James　of　Douglas；　lend　shine　aid；　Thou　must　confirm　this　doubting　maid。'
  XXVIII。
  Then　forth　the　noble　Douglas　sprung；　And　on　his　neck　his　daughter　hung。　The　Monarch　drank；　that　happy　hour；　The　sweetest；　holiest　draught　of　Power；　When　it　can　say　with　godlike　voice；　Arise；　sad　Virtue；　and　rejoice！　Yet　would　not　James　the　general　eye　On　nature's　raptures　long　should　pry；　He　stepped　between'　Nay；　Douglas；　nay；　Steal　not　my　proselyte　away！　The　riddle　'tis　my　right　to　read；　That　brought　this　happy　chance　to　speed。　Yes；　Ellen；　when　disguised　I　stray　In　life's　more　low　but　happier　way；　'Tis　under　name　which　veils　my　power　Nor　falsely　veils；for　Stirling's　tower　Of　yore　the　name　of　Snowdoun　claims；　And　Normans　call　me　James　Fitz…James。　Thus　watch　I　o'er　insulted　laws；　Thus　learn　to　right　the　injured　cause。'　Then；　in　a　tone　apart　and　low；　'Ah；　little　traitress！　none　must　know　What　idle　dream；　what　lighter　thought　What　vanity　full　dearly　bought；　Joined　to　shine　eye's　dark　witchcraft；　drew　My　spell…bound　steps　to　Benvenue　In　dangerous　hour；　and　all　but　gave　Thy　Monarch's　life　to　mountain　glaive！'　Aloud　he　spoke：　'Thou　still　cost　hold　That　little　talisman　of　gold；　Pledge　of　my　faith；　Fitz…James's　ring；　What　seeks　fair　Ellen　of　the　King？'
  XXIX。
  Full　well　the　conscious　maiden　guessed　He　probed　the　weakness　of　her　breast；　But　with　that　consciousness　there　came　A　lightening　of　her　fears　for　Graeme；　And　more　she　deemed　the　Monarch's　ire　Kindled　'gainst　him　who　for　her　sire　Rebellious　broadsword　boldly　drew；　And；　to　her　generous　feeling　true；　She　craved　the　grace　of　Roderick　Dhu。　'Forbear　thy　suit；the　King　of　kings　Alone　can　stay　life's　parting　wings。　I　know　his　heart；　I　know　his　hand；　Have　shared　his　cheer；　and　proved　his　brand；　My　fairest　earldom　would　I　give　To　bid　Clan…　Alpine's　Chieftain　live！　Hast　thou　no　other　boon　to　crave？　No　other　captive　friend　to　save？'　Blushing；　she　turned　her　from　the　King；　And　to　the　Douglas　gave　the　ring；　As　if　she　wished　her　sire　to　speak　The　suit　that　stained　her　glowing　cheek。　'Nay；　then；　my　pledge　has　lost　its　force；　And　stubborn　justice　holds　her　course。　Malcolm；　come　forth！　'and；　at　the　word；　Down　kneeled　the　Graeme　to　Scotland's　Lord。　'For　thee；　rash　youth；　no　suppliant　sues；　From　thee　may　Vengeance　claim　her　dues；　Who；　nurtured　underneath　our　smile；　Hast　paid　our　care　by　treacherous　wile；　And　sought　amid　thy　faithful　clan　A　refuge　for　an　outlawed　man；　Dishonoring　thus　thy　loyal　name。　Fetters　and　warder　for　the　Graeme！'　His　chain　of　gold　the　King　unstrung；　The　links　o'er　Malcolm's　neck　he　flung；　Then　gently　drew　the　glittering　band；　And　laid　the　clasp　on　Ellen's　hand。
  Harp　of　the　North；　farewell！　The　hills　grow　dark；　　　　　　On　purple　peaks　a　deeper　shade　descending；　In　twilight　copse　the　glow…worm　lights　her　spark；　　　　　　The　deer；　half　seen；　are　to　the　covert　wending。　Resume　thy　wizard　elm！　the　fountain　lending；　　　　　　And　the　wild　breeze；　thy　wilder　minstrelsy；　Thy　numbers　sweet　with　nature's　vespers　blending；　　　　　　With　distant　echo　from　the　fold　and　lea；　And　herd…boy's　evening　pipe；　and　hum　of　housing　bee。
  Yet；　once　again；　farewell；　thou　Minstrel　Harp！　　　　　　Yet；　once　again；　forgive　my　feeble　sway；　And　little　reck　I　of　the　censure　sharp　　　　　　May　idly　cavil　at　an　idle　lay。　Much　have　I　owed　thy　strains　on　life's　long　way；　　　　　　Through　secret　woes　the　world　has　never　known；　When　on　the　weary　night　dawned　wearier　day；　　　　　　And　bitterer　was　the　grief　devoured　alone。　That　I　o'erlive　such　woes；　Enchantress！　is　shine　own。
  Hark！　as　my　lingering　footsteps　slow　retire；　　　　　　Some　Spirit　of　the　Air　has　waked　thy　string！　'Tis　now　a　seraph　bold；　with　touch　of　fire；　　　　　　'Tis　now　the　brush　of　Fairy's　frolic　wing。　Receding　now；　the　dying　numbers　ring　　　　　　Fainter　and　fainter　down　the　rugged　dell；　And　now　the　mountain　breezes　scarcely　bring　　　　　　A　wandering　witch…note　of　the　distant　spell　And　now；　'tis　silent　all！Enchantress；　fare　thee　well！
  Abbreviations　Used　In　The　Notes。
  Cf。　（confer）；　compare。　F。Q。；　Spenser's　Faerie　Queene。　Fol。；　following。　Id。　（idem）；　the　same。　Lockhart；　J。　G。　Lockhart's　edition　of　Scott's　poems　（various　issues）。　P。L。；　Milton's　Paradise　Lost。　Taylor；　R。　W。　Taylor's　edition　of　The　Lady　of　the　Lake　（London；　1875）。　Wb。；　Webster's　Dictionary　（revised　quarto　edition　of　1879）。　Worc。；　Worcester's　Dictionary　（quarto　edition）。　The　abbreviations　of　the　names　of　Shakespeare's　plays　will　be　readily　understood。　　The　line…numbers　are　those　of　the　〃Globe〃　edition。
  The　references　to　Scott's　Lay　of　the　Last　Minstrel　are　to　canto　and　line；　those　to　Marmion　and　other　poems　to　canto　and　stanza。
  NOTES。
  Introduction。
  The　Lady　of　the　Lake　was　first　published　in　1810；　when　Scott　was　thirty…nine；　and　it　was　dedicated　to　〃the　most　noble　John　James；　Marquis　of　Abercorn。〃　　Eight　thousand　copies　were　sold　between　June　2d　and　September　22d；　1810；　and　repeated　editions　were　subsequently　called　for。　　In　1830；　the　following　〃Introduction〃　was　prefixed　to　the　poem　by　the　author：
  After　the　success　of　Marmion；　I　felt　inclined　to　exclaim　with　Ulysses　in　the　Odyssey：
  Odys。　X。　5。
  〃One　venturous　game　my　hand　has　won　to…day　　　　　　Another；　gallants；　yet　remains　to　play。〃
  The　ancient　manners；　the　habits　and　customs　of　the　aboriginal　race　by　whom　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　were　inhabited；　had　always　appeared　to　me　peculiarly　adapted　to　poetry。　　The　change　in　their　manners；　too；　had　taken　place　almost　within　my　own　time；　or　at　least　I　had　learned　many　particulars　concerning　the　ancient　state　of　the　Highlands　from　the　old　men　of　the　last　generation。　　I　had　always　thought　the　old　Scottish　Gael　highly　adapted　for　poetical　composition。　　The　feuds　and　political　dissensions　which；　half　a　century　earlier；　would　have　rendered　the　richer　and　wealthier　part　of　the　kingdom　indisposed　to　countenance　a　poem；　the　scene　of　which　was　laid　in　the　Highlands；　were　now　sunk　in　the　generous　compassion　which　the　English；　more　than　any　other　nation；　feel　for　the　misfortunes　of　an　honourable　foe。　　The　Poems　of　Ossian　had　by　their　popularity　sufficiently　shown　that；　if　writings　on　Highland　subjects　were　qualified　to　interest　the　reader；　mere　national　prejudices　were；　in　the　pr