All but the
poor old lieges whom you see, and who had been faithful to me through
every change of my life, instantly deserted the forlorn Baliol. In
vain I remonstrated with Philip. Either my letters never reached him,
or he disdained to answer the man whose claims he had abandoned.
Things were in this state when, the other day, and English lord found
it convenient to bring his suit to my castle. I received him with
hospitality, but soon found that what I gave in courtesy he seized as a
right. In the true spirit of his master Edward he treated me more like
the keeper of an hostel than a generous host. And on my attempting to
plead with him for a Scottish lady whom his turbulent passions have
forced from her country and reduced to a pitiable state of illness, he
derided my arguments, sarcastically telling me that had I taken care of
my kingdom, the door would not have been left open for him to steal its
fairest prize--"
Wallace interrupted him: "Heaven grant you may be speaking of Lord de
Valence and Lady Helen Mar."
"I am," replied Baliol. "They are now at Galliard, and as her illness
seems a lingering one, De Valence declared to me his intentions of
continuing there.
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