He was feared by
the common people as a sorcerer; and avoided by the virtuous of his own
rank, as an enemy to all public law, and the violator of every private
tie. Helen Mar had twice refused his hand: first, during the contest
for the kingdom, when his pretended claim to the crown was disallowed.
She was then a mere child, hardly more than fourteen; but she rejected
him with abhorrence. Though stung to the quick at being denied the
objects both of his love and ambition at the same moment, he did not
hesitate at another period to renew his offer to her. At the fall of
Dunbar, 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 hastened
to Thirlestane, to throw himself a second time at the feet of Lady
Helen. Her ripened judgment confirmed her youthful dislike of his
ruffian qualities, and again he was rejected.
"By the powers of hell," exclaimed he, when the project of surprising
Bothwell was imparted to him, "if I once get that proud minion into my
grasp, she shall be mine as I will, and learn to beg for even a look
from the man who has humbled her!"
Helen knew not half the afflictions with which his resentful heart had
meditated to subdue and torture her; and therefore, though she shrunk
at the sound of a name so generally infamous, yet, not aware of all the
evils she had escaped, she replied with languor, though with gratitude,
to the almost rapturous congratulations of her cousin on her timely
flight.
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