"That is well," said he; "so bring her to any private protection
would only spread calamity. She might be traced, and her protector put
in danger; none but the church, with safety to itself, can grant asylum
to the daughter of a state prisoner."
"Then I doubly rejoice she is there," replied Murray, "and there she
will remain, till your generous assistance empowers me to rescue her
father."
"Lord Mar has been very rash, nephew," returned Drumshargard. "What
occasion was there for him to volunteer sending men to support Sir
William Wallace? and how durst he bring ruin on Bothwell Castle, by
collecting unauthorized by my brother, its vassals for so dangerous an
experiment?"
Murray started at these unexpected observations. He knew his uncle was
timid, but he had never suspected him of meanness; however, in
consideration of the respect he owed to him as his father's brother, he
smothered his disgust, and gave him a mild answer. But the old man
could not approve of a nobleman of his rank running himself, his
fortune, and his friends into peril, to pay any debt of gratitude; and,
as to patriotic sentiments being a stimulus, he treated the idea with
contempt.
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