was still asleep. A ray of light streamed on his uncurtained couch, and
showed to Morton the working of his harsh features, which seemed agitated
by some strong internal cause of disturbance. He had not undressed. Both
his arms were above the bed-cover, the right hand strongly clenched, and
occasionally making that abortive attempt to strike which usually attends
dreams of violence; the left was extended, and agitated, from time to
time, by a movement as if repulsing some one. The perspiration stood on
his brow, "like bubbles in a late disturbed stream," and these marks of
emotion were accompanied with broken words which escaped from him at
intervals--"Thou art taken, Judas--thou art taken--Cling not to my
knees--cling not to my knees--hew him down!--A priest? Ay, a priest of
Baal, to be bound and slain, even at the brook Kishon.--Fire arms will
not prevail against him--Strike--thrust with the cold iron--put him out
of pain--put him out of pain, were it but for the sake of his grey
hairs."

Much alarmed at the import of these expressions, which seemed to burst
from him even in sleep with the stern energy accompanying the
perpetration of some act of violence, Morton shook his guest by the
shoulder in order to awake him. The first words he uttered were, "Bear me
where ye will, I will avouch the deed!"

His glance around having then fully awakened him, he at once assumed all
the stern and gloomy composure of his ordinary manner, and throwing
himself on his knees, before speaking to Morton, poured forth an
ejaculatory prayer for the suffering Church of Scotland, entreating that
the blood of her murdered saints and martyrs might be precious in the
sight of Heaven, and that the shield of the Almighty might be spread over
the scattered remnant, who, for His name's sake, were abiders in the
wilderness. Vengeance--speedy and ample vengeance on the oppressors, was