"Take heed," said Michael Wing-the-wind, in a very low tone of voice,
and first glancing cautiously round to see if any one listened--"Take
heed, my young friend, for those who fall on these boards seldom rise
again--Seest thou that," he added, in a still lower voice, pointing
to some dark crimson stains on the floor, on which a ray of light,
shot through a small aperture, and traversing the general gloom of the
apartment, fell with mottled radiance--"Seest thou that, youth?--walk
warily, for men have fallen here before you."
"What mean you?" said the page, his flesh creeping, though he scarce
knew why; "Is it blood?"
"Ay, ay," said the domestic, in the same whispering tone, and dragging
the youth on by the arm--"Blood it is,--but this is no time to
question, or even to look at it. Blood it is, foully and fearfully
shed, as foully and fearfully avenged. The blood," he added, in a
still more cautious tone, "of Seignior David."
Roland Graeme's heart throbbed when he found himself so unexpectedly
in the scene of Rizzio's slaughter, a catastrophe which had chilled
with horror all even in that rude age, which had been the theme of
wonder and pity through every cottage and castle in Scotland, and had
not escaped that of Avenel. But his guide hurried him forward,
permitting no farther question, and with the manner of one who has
already tampered too much with a dangerous subject. A tap which he
made at a low door at one end of the vestibule, was answered by a
huissier or usher, who, opening it cautiously, received Michael's
intimation that a page waited the Regent's leisure, who brought
letters from the Knight of Avenel.
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