Maid, or wife, Helen shall be torn from
his arms, and if I cannot make her a virgin bride, she shall at least
be mine as his widow; for I swear not to be disappointed."
"Shame, De Valence! I should blush to owe my courage to rivalry, or my
perseverance in the field to a licentious passion! You know what you
have confessed to me were once your designs on Helen Mar."
"Every man according to his nature!" returned De Valence; and shrugging
his shoulders, he mounted his horse.
The cavalcade of Southrons now appeared. They were met on the Carse by
the regent, who, not regarding the smart of a closing wound, advanced
at the head of ten thousand men to see his prisoners over the borders.
By Helen's desire, Lord Mar had informed Wallace what had been the
threats of De Valence, and that she suspected him to be the assassin.
But this suspicion was put beyond a doubt by the evidence of the
dagger, which Edwin had found in the chapel; its hilt was enameled with
the martlets of De Valence.
At sight of it a general indignation filled the Scottish chiefs, and
assembling round their regent, with one breath they demanded that the
false earl should be detained and punished as became the honor of
nations, for so execrable a breach of all laws, human and divine.
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