At the far end of the hall at either side of the portal stood
two Highlanders, armed with drawn swords.
The king, now at the age of three-and-twenty, was dressed in a long robe
of brown velvet, trimmed with fur. He wore a heavy chain of gold about
his neck, with the device of the thistle resting on his jerkin of purple
silk. The jewelled haft of a dagger was seen in his belt of crimson
leather, and a long sword hung at his left side. His long thin legs were
clothed in tight-fitting hose, and his feet -- which were, perhaps, over
large -- were furnished with warm slippers lined with fur. He sat with
his legs stretched out before him, and with his hands clasped behind his
head.
Presently he yawned, stretched his arms aloft, and stood up, walking to
and fro about the apartment with his thumbs stuck in his belt. In person
he was majestic, and although his figure was too tall and his bones
over-large and ill-covered, yet his limbs were well formed, and he bore
himself gracefully. His countenance was handsome, and it beamed with a
manly and sweet expression, which corresponded with the sincerity of his
character.
Pausing abruptly in his pacing, he addressed the English page.
"We will now see this young lord of Bute," he said. "Go, Edwin, and bid
him enter, and with him our friend Sir Piers de Currie."
Edwin went out.
Pages:
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131