by Jane Porter
Chapter X.
St. Fillan's.
As soon as Murray found her within his arms, he clasped her insensibleform to his breast, and carrying her up the steps, drew the bolt of thedoor. It opened to his pressure, and discovered a large monastic cell,into which the daylight shone through one long narrow window. A strawpallet, an altar, and a marble basin, were the furniture. The cell wassolitary the owner being then at mass in the chapel of the monastery.Murray laid down his death-like burden on the monk's bed. He thenventured (believing, as it was to restore so pure a being to life, itcould not be sacrilege) to throw some of the holy water upon hiscousin's face; and by means of a little chalice, which stood upon thealtar, he poured some into her mouth. At last opening her eyes, sherecognized the figure of her young kinsman leaning over her. Thealmost paralyzed Halbert stood at her feet. "Blessed Virgin! am I yetsafe, and with my dear Andrew! Oh! I feared you were slain!" criedshe, bursting into tears.
"Thank God, we are both safe," answered he; "comfort yourself, mybeloved cousin! you are now on holy ground; this is the cell of theprior of St. Fillan. None but the hand of an infidel dare wrest youfrom this sanctuary."
"But my father, and Lady Mar?" And again her tears flowed.
"The countess, my gracious lady," answered Halbert, "since you couldnot be found in the castle, is allowed to accompany your father toDumbarton Castle, there to be treated with every respect, until DeValence receives further orders from King Edward."
"But for Wallace!" cried she, "ah, where are now the succors that wereto be sent to him! And without succors, how can he, or you, dearestAndrew, rescue my father from this tyranny!"
"Do not despair," replied Murray; "look but at the banner you heldfast, even while insensible; your own hands have engraven my answer--Godarmeth the patriot! Convinced of that, can you still fear for youfather? I will join Wallace to-morrow. Your own fifty warriors awaitme at the bottom of Cartlane Craigs; and if any treachery should bemeditated against my uncle, that moment we will make the towers ofDumbarton shake to their foundation."
Helen's reply was a deep sigh: she though it might be Heaven's willthat her father, like the good Lord Douglas, should fall a victim toroyal revenge; and so sad were her forebodings, that she hardly daredto hope what the sanguine disposition of her cousin promised. Grimsbynow came forward; and unloosing an iron box from under his arm, put itinto the hands of Lord Murray.
"This fatal treasure," said he, "was committed to my care by the earl,your uncle, to deliver to the prior of St. Fillan's."
"What does it contain?" demanded Murray; "I never saw it before."
"I know not its contents," returned the soldier; "it belongs to SirWilliam Wallace."
"Indeed!" ejaculated Helen. "If it be treasure, why was it not rathersent to him!"
"But how, honest soldier," asked Murray, "did you escape with it, andHalbert, too! I am at a loss to conjecture, but by miracle."
He replied, that as soon as the English, and their Scottish partisansunder Lord Soulis, had surprised the castle, he saw that his onlychance of safety was to throw off the bonnet and plaid, and mix amongstthe numerous soldiers who had taken possession of the gates. Hisarmor, and his language, showed he was their countryman; and theyeasily believed that he had joined the plunderers as a volunteer fromthe army, which at a greater distance beleaguered the castle. Thestory of his desertion from the Lanark garrison had not yet reachedthose of Glasgow and Dumbarton; and one or two men, who had known himin former expeditions, readily reported that he had been drafted intothe present one. Their recognition warranted his truth; and he had nodifficulty, after the carnage in the state apartment, to make his wayto the bed-chamber where Lord Aymer de Valence had ordered Lord Mar tobe carried. He found the earl alone, and lost in grief. He knew notbut that his nephew, and even his daughter and wife, had fallen beneaththe impetuous swords of the enemy. Astonished at seeing the soldierwalking at large, he expressed his surprise with some suspicions. ButGrimsby told him the strategem he had used, and assured him Lord Andrewhad not been seen since the onset. This information inspired the earlwith a hope that his nephew might have escaped: and when the soldieralso said, that he had seen the countess led by Lord Soulis across thehall toward the Lady Helen's apartments, while he overheard himpromising them every respect, the earl seemed comforted. "But how,"inquired he of Grimsby, "has this hard fate befallen us? Have youlearned how De Valence knew that I meant to take up arms for mycountry?"
When the soldier was relating this part of the conference, Murrayinterrupted him with the same demand.
"On that head I cannot fully satisfy you," replied he; "I could onlygather from the soldiers that a sealed packet had been delivered to LorAymer de Valence late last night at Dumbarton Castle. Soulis was thenthere; and he immediately set off to Glasgow, for the followers he hadleft in that town. Early this morning he joined De Valence and hislegions on Bothwell Moor. The consequences there you know. But theydo not end at Bothwell. The gallant Wallace-"
At that name, so mentioned, the heart of Helen grew cold.
"What of him?" exclaimed Murray.
"No personal harm yet happened to Sir William Wallace," repliedGrimsby; "but at the same moment in which De Valence gave orders forhis troops to march on Bothwell, he sent others to intercept thatpersecuted knight's escape from the Cartlane Craigs."
"That accursed sealed packet," cried Murray, "has been the traitor!Some villian in Bothwell Castle must have written it. Whence elsecould have come the double information? And if so," added he, withtremendous emphasis, "may the blast of slavery ever pursue him and hisposterity!"
Helen shuddered, as the amen to this frightful malediction was echoedby the voices of Halbert and the soldier. The latter continued:
"When I informed Lord Mar of these measures against Wallace, heexpressed a hope that your first detachment to his assistance might,with yourself, perhaps, at its head, elude their vigilance, and joinhis friend. This discourse reminded him of the iron box. 'It is inthat closet,' said his lordship, pointing to an opposite door; you willfind it beneath the little altar, before which I pay my daily duties tothe allwise Dispenser of the fates of men; else where would be myconfidence now? Take it thence, and buckle it to your side."
"I obeyed, and he then proceeded: 'There are two passages in this housewhich lead to the sanctuary. The one nearest to us is the safest foryou. A staircase from the closet you have just left will lead youdirectly into the chapel. When there hasten to the image of theVirgin, and slip aside the marble tablet on the back of the pedestal:it will admit you to a flight of steps; descend them, and at the bottomyou will find a door, that will convey you into a range of cellars.Lift up the largest flag-stone in the second, and you will be conductedthrough a dark vault to an iron door; draw the bolt, and remain in thecell it will open to you till the owner enters. He is the prior of St.Fillan's and a Murray. Give him this golden cross, which he wellknows, as a mark you come from me; and say it is my request that heassist you to gain the sea-shore. As for the iron box, tell him topreserve it as he would his life; and never to give it up, but tomyself, my children, or to Sir William Wallace, it's rightful master.'"
"Alas!" cried Halbert, "that he had never been its owner! that he hadnever brought it to Ellerslie, to draw down misery on his head!Ill-omened trust! whatever it contains, its presence carried blood andsorrow in its train. Wherever it has been deposited war and murderhave followed: I trust my dear master will never see it more!"
"He may indeed never see it more!" murmured Helen, in a low voice."Where are now my proud anticipations of freedom to Scotland? Alas,Andrew," said she, taking his hand, and weeping over it. "I have beentoo presumptuous; my father is a prisoner, and Sir William Wallace islost!"
"Cease, my dear Helen," cried he, "cease to distress yourself! Theseare merely the vicissitudes of the great contention we are engaged in.We must expect occasional disappointments, or look for miracles everyday. Such disasters are sent as le
ssons to teach us precaution,proptitude and patience--these are the soldier's graces, my sweetcousin, and depend on it, I will pay them due obedience."
"But why," asked Helen, taking comfort from the unsubdued spirits ofher cousin, "why, my good soldier, did not my dear father takeadvantage of this sanctuary?"
"I urged the earl to accompany me," returned Grimsby; "but he said sucha proceeding would leave his wife and babes in unprotected captivity.'No,' added he, 'I will await my fate; for the God of those who trustin him knows that I do not fear!'
"Having received such peremptory orders from the earl, I took my leave;and entering the chapel by the way he directed, was agreeably surprisedto find the worthy Halbert, whom, never having seen since the funeralobsequies, I supposed had fallen during the carnage in thestate-chamber. He was still kneeling by the tomb of his buriedmistress. I did not take long to warn him of his danger, and desiredhim to follow me. We descended together beneath the holy statue, andwere just emerging into the cellars when you, sir, met us at theentrance.
"It was while we were yet in the chapel that I heard De Valence andSoulis at high words in the courtyard. The former, in a loud voice,gave orders that, as Lady Helen Mar could nowhere be found, the earland countess, with their two infant children, should not be separated,but be conveyed as his prisoners to Dumbarton Castle."
"That is a comfort," cried Helen; "my father will then be consoled bythe presence of his wife."
"But very different would have been the case, madam, had you appeared,"rejoined the soldier. "One of Lord de Valence's men told me, that LordSoulis intended to have taken you and the countess to Dunglass Castle,near Glasgow, while the sick earl was to have been carried alone toDumbarton, and detained in solitary confinement. Lord Soulis was in sodreadful a rage, when you could not be found, that he accused theEnglish commander of having leagued with Lady Mar to deceived him. Inthe midst of this contention we descended into the vaults."
Helen shuddered at the thought of how near she was to falling into thehands of so fierce a spirit. In his character, he united every qualitywhich could render power formidable; combining prodigious bodilystrength with cruelty, dissimulation, and treachery. He was feared bythe common people as a sorcerer; and avoided by the virtuous of his ownrank, as an enemy to all public law, and the violator of every privatetie. Helen Mar had twice refused his hand: first, during the contestfor the kingdom, when his pretended claim to the crown was disallowed.She was then a mere child, hardly more than fourteen; but she rejectedhim with abhorrence. Though stung to the quick at being denied theobjects both of his love and ambition at the same moment, he did nothesitate at another period to renew his offer to her. At the fall ofDunbar, when he again founded his uprise on the ruins of his country,as soon as he had repeated his oaths of fidelity to Edward, he hastenedto Thirlestane, to throw himself a second time at the feet of LadyHelen. Her ripened judgment confirmed her youthful dislike of hisruffian qualities, and again he was rejected.
"By the powers of hell," exclaimed he, when the project of surprisingBothwell was imparted to him, "if I once get that proud minion into mygrasp, she shall be mine as I will, and learn to beg for even a lookfrom the man who has humbled her!"
Helen knew not half the afflictions with which his resentful heart hadmeditated to subdue and torture her; and therefore, though she shrunkat the sound of a name so generally infamous, yet, not aware of all theevils she had escaped, she replied with languor, though with gratitude,to the almost rapturous congratulations of her cousin on her timelyflight.
At this period the door of the cell opened, and the prior entered fromthe cloisters--he started on seeing his room filled with strangers.Murray took off his helmet, and approached him. On recognizing the sonof his patron, the prior inquired his commands; and expressed somesurprise that such a company, and above all, a lady, could have passedthe convent-gate without his previous notice.
Murray pointed to the recess behind the altar; and then explained tothe good priest the necessity which had compelled them to thus seek theprotection of St. Fillan. "Lady Helen," continued he, "must share yourcare until Heaven empowers the Earl of Mar to reclaim his daughter, andadequately reward this holy church."
The soldier then presented the cross, with the iron box; repeating themessage that confided them also to his keeping.
The prior listened to these recitals with sorrowful attention. He hadnot heard the noise of armed men advancing to the castle; but knowingthat the earl was making warlike preparations, he had no suspicion thatthese were other than the Bothwell soldiers. He took the box, andlaying it on the altar, pressed the cross to his lips. "The Earl ofMar shall find that fidelity here which his faith in the church merits.That mysterious chest, to which you tell me so terrible a denunciationis annexed, shall be preserved sacred as the relics of St. Fillan."
Halbert groaned heavily at these words, but he did not speak. Thefather looked at him attentively, and then proceeded: "But for you,virtuous Southron, I will give you a pilgrim's habit. Travel in thatprivileged garb to Montrose; and there a brother of the church, theprior of Aberbrothick, will, by a letter from me, convey you in avessel to Normandy; thence you may safely find your way to Guienne."
The soldier bowed his head; and the priest, turning to Lady Helen, toldher that a cell should be appointed for her, and some pious womanbrought from the adjoining hamlet to pay her due attendance.
"As for this venerable man," continued he, "his silver hairs alreadyproclaim him near his heavenly country! He had best put on the cowl ofthe holy brotherhood, and, in the arms of religion, repose securely,till he passes through the sleep of death to wake in everlasting life!"
Tears started into the eyes of Halbert. "I thank you, reverend father;I have indeed drawn near the end of my pilgrimage--too old to serve mydear master in fields of blood and hardship, I will at least devote mylast hours to uniting my prayers with his, and all good souls, for therepose of his sainted lady. I accept your invitation thankfully; and,considering it a call from Heaven to give me rest, I welcome the daythat marks the poor harper of Ellerslie with the sacred tonsure."
The sound of approaching trumpets, and, soon after, the clattering ofhorses and the clang of armor, made an instantaneous silence in thecell. Helen looked fearfully at her cousin, and grasped his hand;Murray clasped his sword with a firmer hold. "I will protect you withmy life." He spoke in a low tone, but he soldier heard him: "There isno cause of alarm," rejoined he; "Lord de Valence is only marching byon his way to Dumbarton."
"Alas, my poor father!" cried Helen, covering her face with her hands.
The venerable prior, pitying her affliction, knelt down by her. "Mydaughter, be comforted," said he; "they dare not commit any violence onthe earl. King Edward too well understands his own interest to alloweven a long imprisonment to so popular a nobleman." This assurance,assisted by the consolations of a firm trust in God, caused her toraise her head with a meek smile. He continued to speak of theimpregnable hopes of the Christian who founds his confidence onOmnipotence; and while his words spread a serenity through her soul,that seemed the ministration of a descended saint, she closed her handsover her breast, and silently invoked the protection of the AlmightyJehovah for her suffering parent.
The prior, seeing her composed, recommended leaving her to rest. AndHelen, comforted by holy meditations, allowing her cousin to depart, heled Murray and his companions into the convent library.