But that
officer, well aware of what was going to happen, feared to appear.
From the battlements of the keep he had seen the dreadful conflict on
the banks of the Forth-he had seen the thousands of De Warenne pass
before the conqueror. To punish his treachery, in not only having
suffered Cressingham to steal out under the armistice, but upholding
also the breaking of his word to surrender at sunset, the terrified
officer believed that Wallace was now come to put the whole garrison to
the sword.
At the first sight of Murray's approaching squadron, the lieutenant
hurried to Lord Mar, to offer him immediate liberty if he would go
forth to Wallace and treat with him to spare the lives of the garrison.
Closed up in a solitary dungeon, the earl knew naught of what was
occurring without; and when the Southron entered, he expected it was to
lead him again to the death which had been twice averted. But the pale
and trembling lieutenant had no sooner spoken the first word than Mar
discerned it was a suppliant, not an executioner, he saw before him,
and he was even promising that clemency from Wallace, which he knew
dwelt in his heart, when Murray's trumpet sounded.
Pages:
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494