My soul, lady, is not unworthy the
destiny to which he calls me." Had there been light, she would have
seen the flush of conscious virtue that overspread his fine countenance
while he spoke; but the words were sufficient to impress her with that
respect he deserved, and which her answer showed.
"My father taught me to consider the Bruce the rightful heirs of
Scotland; and now that I see the day which he so often wished to hail,
I cannot but regard it as the termination of Scotland's woes. Oh! had
it been before! perhaps--" Here she paused, for tears stopped her
utterance.
"You think," rejoined Bruce, "that much bloodshed might have been
spared! But, dear lady, poison not the comfort of your life by that
belief. No man exists who could have effected so much for Scotland in
so short a time, and with so little loss, as our Wallace has done.
Who, like him, makes mercy the companion of war, and compels even his
enemies to emulate the clemency he shows? Fewer have been slain on the
Scottish side during the whole of his struggle with Edward, than were
lost by Baliol on the fatal day of Dunbar. Then, no quarter was given;
and too many of the wounded were left to perish on the field.
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