by Jane Porter
Chapter XLIII.
The Carse of Stirling.
Daybreak gleamed over the sky before the wondering spectators of thelate extraordinary scene had dispersed to their quarters.
De Warenne was so well convinced by what had dropped from De Valence,of his having been the assassin, that when they met at sunrise to takehorse for the borders, he made him no other salutation than anexclamation of surprise, "not to find him under an arrest for the lastnight's work!"
"The wily Scot knew better," replied De Valence, "than so to expose thereputation of the lady. He knew that she received the wound in hisarms, and he durst not seize me, for fear I should proclaim it."
"He cannot fear that," replied De Warenne, "for he has proclaimed ithimself. He has told every particular of his meeting with Lady Helenin the chapel, even her sheltering him with her arms; so there isnothing for you to declare but your own infamy. For infamous I mustcall it, Lord Aymer; and nothing but the respect I owe my country,prevents me pointing the eyes of the indignant Scots to you; nothingbut the stigma your exposure would bring upon the English name, couldmake me conceal the dead."
De Valence laughed at this speech of De Warenne's. "Why, my lordwarden," said he, "have you been taking lessons of this doughty Scot,that you talk thus? It was not with such sentiments you overthrew theprinces of Wales, and made the kings of Ireland fly before you! Youwould tell another story were your own interest in question; and I cantell you that any vengeance is not satisfied, I will yet see thebrightness of those eyes on which the proud daughter of Mar hangs sofondly, extinguished in death. Maid, or wife, Helen shall be torn fromhis arms, and if I cannot make her a virgin bride, she shall at leastbe mine as his widow; for I swear not to be disappointed."
"Shame, De Valence! I should blush to owe my courage to rivalry, or myperseverance in the field to a licentious passion! You know what youhave confessed to me were once your designs on Helen Mar."
"Every man according to his nature!" returned De Valence; and shrugginghis shoulders, he mounted his horse.
The cavalcade of Southrons now appeared. They were met on the Carse bythe regent, who, not regarding the smart of a closing wound, advancedat the head of ten thousand men to see his prisoners over the borders.By Helen's desire, Lord Mar had informed Wallace what had been thethreats of De Valence, and that she suspected him to be the assassin.But this suspicion was put beyond a doubt by the evidence of thedagger, which Edwin had found in the chapel; its hilt was enameled withthe martlets of De Valence.
At sight of it a general indignation filled the Scottish chiefs, andassembling round their regent, with one breath they demanded that thefalse earl should be detained and punished as became the honor ofnations, for so execrable a breach of all laws, human and divine.Wallace replied that he believed the attack to have been instigated bya personal motive, and therefore, as he was the object, not the stateof Scotland, he should merely acquaint the earl that his villainy wasknown, and let the shame of disgrace be his punishment.
"Ah," observed Lord Bothwell, "men who trample on conscience soon getover shame."
"True," replied Wallace, "but I suit my actions to my mind, not to myenemy's; and if he cannot feel dishonor, I will not so far disparagemyself as to think one so base worthy my resentment."
While he was quieting the reawakened indignation of his nobles, whoseblood began to boil afresh at sight of the assassin, the Southronlords, conducted by Lord Mar, approached. When that nobleman drewnear, Wallace's first inquiry was for Lady Helen. The earl informedhim he had received intelligence of her having slept without fever, andthat she was not awake when the messenger came off with his goodtidings. That all was likely to be well with her was comfort toWallace; and, with an unruffled brow, riding up to the squadron ofSouthrons which was headed by De Warenne and De Valence, he immediatelyapproached the latter, and drawing out the dagger, held it toward him:"The next time, sir earl," said he, "that you draw this dagger, let itbe with a more knightly aim than assassination!"
De Valence, surprised, took it in confusion, and without answer; buthis countenance told the state of his mind. He was humbled by the manhe hated; and while a sense of the disgrace he had incurred tore hisproud soul, he had not dignity enough to acknowledge the generosity ofhis enemy in again giving him a life which his treachery had so oftenforfeited. Having taken the dagger, he wreaked the exasperatedvengeance of his malice upon the senseless steel, and breaking itasunder, threw the pieces into the air; while turning from Wallace withan affected disdain, he exclaimed to the shivered weapon, "You shallnot betray me again!"
"Nor you betray our honors, Lord de Valence," exclaimed Earl deWarenne; "and therefore, though the nobleness of the William Wallaceleaves you at large after this outrage on his person, we will assentour innocence of connivance with the deed; and, as lord warden of thisrealm, I order you under arrest till we pass the Scottish lines."
"'Tis well," cried Hilton, "that such is your determination, my lord,else no honest man could have continued in the same company with onewho has so tarnished the English name."
"No!" cried his brother baron, venerable Blenkinsopp, reining up hissteed; "I would forfeit house and lands first."
De Valence, with an ironical smile, looked toward the squadron, whichapproached to obey De Warenne, and haughtily answered, "Though it bedishonor to march with me out of Scotland, the proudest of you all willdeem it an honor to be allowed to return with me hither. I have an eyeon those who stand with cap in hand to rebellion. And for you, SirWilliam Wallace," added he, turning to him, who was also curbing hisimpatient charger, "I hold no terms with a rebel; and deem all honorthat would rid my sovereign and the earth of such low-born arrogance."
Before Wallace could answer he saw De Valence struck from his horse bythe Lochaberax of Edwin. Indignant at the insult offered to hisbeloved commander, he had suddenly raised his arm, and aiming a blowwith all his strength, the earl was immediately stunned andprecipitated to the ground.
At sight of the fall of the Southron chief, the Scottish troops, awareof there being some misunderstanding between their regent and theEnglish lords, uttered a shout. Wallace, to prevent accidents, sentinstantly to the lines, to appease the tumult, and throwing himself offhis horse, hastened to the prostrate earl. A fearful pause reignedthroughout the Southron ranks. They did not know but that the enragedScots would now fall on them, and, in spite of their regent,exterminate them on the spot. The troops were running forward whenWallace's messengers arrived and checked them, and himself, calling toEdwin, stopped his further chastisement of the recovering earl.
"Edwin, you have done wrong," cried he; "give me that weapon which youhave sullied by raising it against a prisoner totally in our power."
With a vivid blush the noble boy resigned the weapon to his general;yet, with an unappeased glance on the prostrate De Valence, heexclaimed, "But have you not granted life twice to this prisoner? andhas he not, in return, raised his hand against his life and Lady Helen?You pardon him again! and in the moment of your clemency, he insultsthe Lord Regent of Scotland in the face of both nations! I could nothear this and live without making him feel that you have those aboutyou who will not forgive such crimes."
"Edwin," returned Wallace, "had not the lord regent power to punish?And if he see right to hold his hand, those who strike for him invadehis dignity. I should be unworthy the honor of protecting a bravenation, did I stoop to tread on every reptile that stings me in mypath. Leave Lord de Valence to the sentence his commander haspronounced, and as an expiation for your having offended both militaryand moral law this day, you must remain at Stirling till I return intoScotland."
De Valence, hardly awake from the stupor which the blow of thebattle-ax had occasioned (for indignation had given to the youngwarrior the strength of manhood), was raised from the ground; and soonafter coming to himself and being made sensible of what had happened,he was taken, foaming with rage and mortification, into the center ofthe Southron lines.
Al
armed at the confusion he saw at a distance, Lord Montgomery orderedhis litter round from the rear to the front, and hearing all that hadpassed, joined with De Warenne in pleading for the abashed Edwin.
"His youth and zeal," cried Montgomery, "are sufficient to excuse theintemperance of the deed."
"No!" interrupted Edwin; "I have offended and I will explate. Only, myhonored lord," said he, approaching Wallace, while he checked theemotion which would have flowed from his eyes, "when I am absent,sometimes remember that it was Edwin's love which hurried him to thisdisgrace."
"My dear Edwin," returned Wallace, "there are many impetuous spirits inScotland who need the lesson I now enforce upon you; and they will bebrought to maintain the law of honor when they see that their regentspares not its slightest violation, even when committed by his bestbeloved friend. Farewell till we meet again!"
Edwin kissed Wallace's hand in silence--it was not wet with histears--and drawing his bonnet hastily over his eyes, he retired into therear of Lord Mar's party. That nobleman soon after took leave of theregent, who, placing himself at the head of his legions, the trumpetsblew the signal of march. Edwin, at the sound which a few minutesbefore he would have greeted with so much joy, felt his grief-swollenheart give way; he sobbed aloud, and striking his heel on the side ofhis horse, galloped to a distance, to bide from all eyes the violenceof his regrets. The trampling of the departing troops rolled over theground like receding thunder. Edwin at last stole a look toward theplain; he beheld a vast cloud of dust, but no more the squadrons of hisfriend.