In
short, a libertine heart is the same in all ages of the world. De
Valence, therefore, seeing the anguish of her fears for her father, and
hearing the fervor with which she implored for his life, adopted the
plan of granting the earl reprieves from day to day; and in spite of
the remonstrances of Cressingham, he intended (after having worked upon
the terrors of Helen), to grant to her her father's release, on
condition of her yielding herself to be his. He had even meditated
that the accomplishment of this device should have taken place the very
night in which Wallace's first appearance before Stirling had called
its garrison to arms.
Impelled by vengeance against the man who had driven him from Dumbarton
and from Ayr, and irritated at being delayed in the moment when his
passion was to seize its object, De Valence thought to end all by a
coup de main-and rushing out of the gates, was taken prisoner. Such
was the situation of things, when Wallace first became master of the
place.
Now when the whole of the English army were in the same captivity with
himself, when he saw the lately proscribed Lord Mar, Governor of
Stirling, and that the Scottish cause seemed triumphant on every side,
De Valence changed his former illicit views on Helen, and bethought him
of making her his wife.
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