"
"I do not understand commiserating the wolves who have so long made
havoc in our country," cried Kirkpatrick; "methinks such maidenly mercy
is rather or of place."
Wallace turned to him with a smile: "I will answer you, my valiant
friend, by adopting your own figure. It is that these Southron wolves
may not confound us with themselves, that I wish to show in our conduct
rather the generous ardor of the faithful guardian of the fold, than
the rapacious fierceness which equals them with the beasts of the
desert. As we are men and Scots, let the burden of our prayers be, the
preservation of our country, not the slaughter of our enemies! The one
is an ambition, with which angels may sympathize; the other, a horrible
desire, which speaks the nature of fiends."
"In some cases this may be," replied Sir Roger, a little reconciled to
the argument, "but not in mine. My injury yet burns upon my cheek; and
as nothing but the life blood of Cressingham can quench it, I will
listen no more to your doctrine till I am avenged. That done, I shall
not forget your lesson."
"Generous Kirkpatrick!" exclaimed Wallace, "nothing that is really
cruel can dwell with such manly candor.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293