Speak to thy son!" The undaunted boy flung himself on his knee before the countess as he spoke.

There was a dark and fearfully troubled expression on her noble features.

She had clasped her hands together, as if to still or hide their unwonted trembling; but when she looked on those bright and glowing features, there came a dark, dread vision of blood, and the axe and cord, and she folded her arms around his neck, and sobbed in all a mother's irrepressible agony.
"My own, my beautiful, to what have I doomed thee!" she cried.

"To death, to woe! aye, perchance, to that heaviest woe--a father's curse! exposing thee to death, to the ills of all who dare to strike for freedom.

Alan, Alan, how can I bid thee forth to death?
and yet it is I have taught thee to love it better than the safety of a slave; longed, prayed for this moment--deemed that for my country I could even give my child--and now, now--oh God of mercy, give me strength!" She bent down her head on his, clasping him to her heart, as thus to still the tempest which had whelmed it.