They obeyed; but Lady mar remonstrating with
him, he smilingly said, it was an ill omen to sing a warrior's actions
till he were incapable of performing more; and therefore he begged she
would excuse him from hearkening to his.
"Then let us change their strains to a dance," replied the countess.
"A hall! a hall!" cried Murray, springing from his seat, delighted with
the proposal.
"I have no objection," answered Wallace; and putting the hand she
presented to him into that of Lord de Warenne, he added, "I am not of a
sufficiently gay temperament to grace the change; but this earl may not
have the same reason for declining so fair a challenge!"
Lady Mar colored with mortification, for she had thought that Wallace
would not venture to refuse before so many; but following the impulse
of De Warenne's arm, she proceeded to the other end of the hall, where,
by Murray's quick arrangement, the younger lords of both countries had
already singled out ladies, and were marshaled for the dance.
As the hours moved on, the spirits of Wallace subsided from their usual
cheering tone into a sadness which he thought might be noticed; and
wishing to escape observation (for he could not explain to those gay
ones why scenes like these ever made him sorrowful), and whispering to
Mar that he would go for an hour to visit Montgomery, he withdrew,
unnoticed by all but his watchful enemy.
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