"What large building is that over there?" said Ellen.
"That? that is Holyrood House."
"Holyrood! I have heard of that before; isn't that where Queen
Mary's rooms are? where Rizzio was killed?"
"Yes; would you like to see them?"
"Oh, _very_ much!"
"Drive to the Abbey! So you have read Scottish history, as
well as American, Ellen?"
"Not very much, Sir; only the _Tales of a Grandfather_ yet. But
what made me say that, I have read an account of Holyrood
House somewhere. Uncle —"
"Ellen!"
"I beg your pardon, Sir; I forgot: it seems strange to me,"
said Ellen, looking distressed.
"It must not seem strange to you, my daughter; what were you
going to say?"
"I don't know, Sir; — Oh, I was going to ask if the silver
cross is here now to be seen?"
"What silver cross?"
"That one from which the Abbey was named, Sir; the silver rood
that was given, they pretended, to I forget now what king."
"David First, the founder of the Abbey? No, it is not here,
Ellen; David the Second lost it to the English. But why do you
say _pretended_, Ellen? It was a very real affair; kept in
England for a long time with great veneration."
"Oh yes, Sir; I know the _cross_ was real; I mean, it was
pretended that an angel gave it to King David when he was
hunting here."
"Well, how can you tell but that was so? King David was made a
saint, you know.
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