"
Bruce was so confounded with this stoppage of all their plans, and at
the imminent peril of Wallace, that he could not speak. Gloucester
proceeded:
"My dear Bruce, from the circumstance of his being with you, I cannot
but suppose that you know more than you think proper to disclose.
Whoever he may be, whether he came from France, or really from
Scotland, as he says, his life is now forfeited. And that, by
attempting to screen him, you may not seem to share his imputed guilt,
I come to warn you of this discovery. A double guard is set around the
keep; so no visible means are left for his escape."
"Then what will become of him?" exclaimed Bruce, forgetting all caution
in dismay for his friend. "Am I to see the bravest of men, the savior
of my country, butchered before my eyes by a tyrant? I may die,
Gloucester, in his defense, but I will never surrender him to his
enemy!"
Gloucester stood aghast at this disclosure. He came to accuse the
friend of Bruce, that Bruce might be prepared to clear himself of
connivance with so treasonable a crime; but now that he found this
friend to be Wallace, the preserver of his own life, the restorer of
his honor at Berwick, he immediately resolved to give him freedom.
Pages:
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874