When Bruce leaped upon the beach, he turned to Wallace and said with exultation1, though in a low voice, “Scotland now receives her king! This earth shall cover me, or support my throne!”
“It shall support your throne, and bless it too,” replied Wallace; “you are come in the power of justice, and that is the power of God. I know Him in whom I bid you confide2; for He has been my shield and sword, and never yet have I turned my back upon my enemies. Trust, my dear prince, where I have trusted; and while virtue3 is your incense4, you need not doubt the issue of your prayers.”
Had Wallace seen the face of Bruce at that moment, but the visor concealed5 it, he would have beheld6 an answer in his eloquent7 eyes which required not words to explain. He grasped the hand of Wallace with fervor8, and briefly9 replied, “Your trust shall be my trust!”
The chiefs did not stay longer at Dundee than was requisite10 to furnish them with horses to convey them to Perth, where Ruthven still bore sway. When they arrived, he was at Huntingtower, and thither11 they went. The meeting was fraught12 with many mingled13 feelings. Helen had not seen her uncle since the death of her father; and, as soon as the first gratulations were over, she retired14 to an apartment to weep alone.
On Cummin’s being presented to Lord Ruthven, the earl told him he must now salute15 him as Lord Badenoch, his brother having been killed a few days before in a skirmish on the skirts of Ettrick Forest. Ruthven then turned to welcome the entrance of Bruce, who, raising his visor, received from the loyal chief the homage16 due to his sovereign dignity. Wallace and the prince soon engaged him in a discourse17 immediately connected with the design of their return; and learned that Scotland did indeed require the royal arm, and the counsel of its best and lately almost banished18 friend. Much of the eastern part of the country was again in possession of Edward’s generals. They had seized on every castle in the Lowlands; none having been considered too insignificant19 to escape their hands. Nor could the quiet of reposing20 age elude21 the general devastation22; and after a dauntless defense23 of his castle, the veteran Knight24 of Thirlestane had fallen, and with him his only son. On hearing this disaster, the sage25 of Ercildown, having meanwhile protected Lady Isabella mar26 at Learmont, conveyed her northward27; but falling sick at Roslyn, he had stopped there; and the messenger he dispatched to Huntingtower with these calamitous28 tidings (who happened to be that brave young Gordon whose borrowed breastplate had been that of Bruce’s, in his first battle for Scotland!), bore also information that besides several parties of the enemy which were hovering29 on the heights near Roslyn, an immense army was approaching from Northumberland. Ercildown said he understood Sir Simon Fraser was hastening forward with a small body to attempt cutting off these advanced squadrons; but, he added, while the contentions30 continued between Athol and Soulis for the vacant regency, no man could have hope of any steady stand against England.
At this communication, Cummin bluntly proposed himself as the terminator of this dispute. “If the regency were allowed to my brother as head of the house of Cummin, that dignity now rests with me. Give the word, my sovereign,” said he, addressing Bruce, “and none there shall dare oppose my rights.” Ruthven approved this proposal; and Wallace, deeming it not only the best way of silencing the pretensions31 of those old disturbers of the public tranquility, but a happy opportunity of putting the chief magistracy into the hands of a confidant of their design, seconded the advice of Ruthven. Thus John Cummin, Lord Badenoch, was invested with the regency, and immediately dispatched to the army, to assume it as if in right of his being the next heir to the throne in default of the Bruce.
Wallace sent Lord Douglas privately32 into Clydesdale, to inform Earl Bothwell of his arrival, and to request his instant presence with the Lanark division and his own troops on the banks of the Eske. Ruthven ascended33 the Grampians, to call out the numerous clans34 of Perthshire, and Wallace, with his prince, prepared themselves for meeting the auxiliaries35 before the towers of Roslyn. Meanwhile, as Huntingtower would be an insecure asylum36 for Helen, when it must be left to domestics alone, Wallace proposed to Edwin that he should escort his cousin to Braemar, and place her under the care of his mother and the widowed countess. “Thither,” continued he, “we will send Lady Isabella also, should Heaven bless our arms at Roslyn.” Edwin acquiesced37, as he was to return with all speed to join his friend on the southern bank of the Forth38; and Helen, aware that scenes of blood were no scenes for her, while her heart was wrung39 to agony at the thought of relinquishing40 Wallace to new dangers, yielded a reluctant assent41, not merely to go, but to take that look of him which might be the last.
The sight of her uncle, and the objects around, had so recalled the image of her father, that ever since her arrival a foreboding sadness had hung over her spirits. She remembered that a few months ago she had seen that beloved parent go out to battle, whence he never returned. Should the same doom42 await her with regard to Wallace! The idea shook her frame with an agitation43 that sunk her, in spite of herself, on the bosom44 of this trust of friends, when Edwin approached to lead her to her horse. Her emotions penetrated45 the heart against which she leaned.
“My gentle sister,” said Wallace, “do not despair of our final success; of the safety of all whom you regard.”
“Ah! Wallace,” faltered46 she, in a voice rendered hardly audible by tears, “but did I not lose my father?”
“Sweet Helen,” returned he, tenderly grasping her trembling hand, “you lost him, but he gained by the exchange. And should the peace of Scotland be purchased by the lives of your friends — if Bruce survives, you must still think your prayers blessed. Were I to fall, my sister, my sorrows would be over; and from the region of universal blessedness I should enjoy the sight of Scotland’s happiness.”
“Were we all to enter those regions at one time,” faintly replied Helen, “there would be comfort in such thoughts; but as it is —” Here she paused; tears stopped her utterance47. “A few years is a short separation,” returned Wallace, “when we are hereafter to be united to all eternity48. This is my consolation49, when I think of Marion — when memory dwells with the friends lost in these dreadful conflicts; and whatever may be the fate of those who now survive, call to remembrance my words, dear Helen, and the God who was my instructor50 will send you comfort.”
“Then farewell, my friend, my brother!” cried she, forcibly tearing herself away, and throwing herself into the arms of Edwin; “leave me now; and the angel of the just will bring you in glory, here or hereafter, to your sister Helen.” Wallace fervently51 kissed the hand she again extended to him; and, with an emotion which he had thought he would never feel again for mortal woman, left the apartment.
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1
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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7
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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10
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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13
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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15
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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16
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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18
banished
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| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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elude
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| v.躲避，困惑 | |
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devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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23
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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mar
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| vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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calamitous
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| adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重 | |
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29
hovering
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| 鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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30
contentions
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| n.竞争( contention的名词复数 )；争夺；争论；论点 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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clans
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| 宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派 | |
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35
auxiliaries
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| n.助动词 ( auxiliary的名词复数 )；辅助工，辅助人员 | |
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36
asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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acquiesced
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| v.默认，默许( acquiesce的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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39
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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40
relinquishing
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的现在分词 )； 放弃 | |
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41
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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42
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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43
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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44
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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45
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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46
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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47
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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48
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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49
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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50
instructor
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| n.指导者，教员，教练 | |
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51
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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