Ghost irony

"The Eve of St. John" by Sir Walter Scott was an ironic poem to say the least.  In popular tradition, bonfires are made to symbolize the warding off of evil and giving thanks for bountiful harvests.  Thus introducing the paranormal spirits into the gothic genre of the tale.
The poem begins with the Baron of Smaylho'me returning home, there he converses with his foot-page of his fair lady's actions.  The foot-page describes to his Lord of a knight who met with the lady the last two nights speaking of a lover's meeting.  Unaware of the true existence of the knight and claiming the union as a fated meeting between lovers, the Lady calls upon the knight into her bower upon midnight.  The Baron's foot-page describes the colors and crest of the knight and the Baron remembers the identity of Sir Richard of Coldinghame, the knight he'd slain nights before.  The Baron is pale and shocked thus he meets his Lady and tells her of the knight's slaying.  Later during the night, Sir Richard appears before the Lady in her bower as she insisted earlier in their meetings but instead of returning for the love of the Lady, he comes to leave a mark of infidelity. "Who spilleth life, shall forfeit life; / So bid thy Lord believe; / That lawless love is guilt above, / This awful sign receive."  It is next revealed that the lady became a nun who avoided the day and her husband, the Baron, a mute monk who spoke none of the ghostly sprite.
There is some good use of blending para-normalcy with character in developing Sir Richard as well as the finale of irony when in fact the lady loves the spirit of the slain knight that her Baron struck down.  Hope this makes some sense.