'I come,' said Fergus. Accordingly,
supporting Edward by the arm, and followed by Evan Dhu and the priest,
he moved down the stairs of the tower, the soldiers bringing up the
rear. The court was occupied by a squadron of dragoons and a battalion
of infantry, drawn up in hollow square. Within their ranks was the
sledge, or hurdle, on which the prisoners were to be drawn to the place
of execution, about a mile distant from Carlisle. It was painted
black, and drawn by a white horse. At one end of the vehicle sat the
Executioner, a horrid-looking fellow, as beseemed his trade, with the
broad axe in his hand; at the other end, next the horse, was an empty
seat for two persons. Through the deep and dark Gothic archway that
opened on the drawbridge, were seen on horseback the High Sheriff and
his attendants, whom the etiquette betwixt the civil and military powers
did not permit to come farther. 'This is well GOT UP for a closing
scene,' said Fergus, smiling disdainfully as he gazed around upon the
apparatus of terror. Evan Dhu exclaimed with some eagerness, after
looking at the dragoons, 'These are the very chields that galloped
off at Gladsmuir, before we could kill a dozen o' them.
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