I stood, I deemed, alone in my enthusiast dreams; those I loved best, acknowledged, bowed before the man my very spirit loathed; and how dared I, a boy, a child, stand forth arraigning and condemning?
But wherefore art thou thus, Robert?
oh, what has thus moved thee ?" Wrapped in his own earnest words and thoughts, Nigel had failed until that moment to perceive the effect of his words upon his brother.
Robert's head had sunk upon his hand, and his whole frame shook beneath some strong emotion; evidently striving to subdue it, some moments elapsed ere he could reply, and then only in accents of bitter self-reproach.

"Why, why did not such thoughts come to me, instead of thee ?" he said.

"My youth had not wasted then in idle folly--worse, oh, worse--in slavish homage, coward indecision, flitting like the moth around the destructive flame; and while I deemed thee buried in romantic dreams, all a patriot's blood was rushing in thy veins, while mine was dull and stagnant." "But to flow forth the brighter, my own brother," interrupted Nigel, earnestly.

"Oh, I have watched thee, studied thee, even as I loved thee, long; and I have hoped, felt, _known_ that this day would dawn; that thou _wouldst_ rise for Scotland, and she would rise for thee.

Ah, now thou smilest as thyself, and I will to my tale.