"
"Not Scotland, but rebellion," replied the old chief. "It was
rebellion against the just gratitude of the nation that invested the
Black Cummin with the regency; and only some similar infatuation has
bestowed the same title on his brother. What did he not lose till you,
Scotland's true champion, have reappeared to rescue her again from
bondage?"
"The present Lord Badenoch is an honest and a brave man," replied
Wallace; "and as I obey the power which gave him his authority, I am
ready, by fidelity to him, to serve Scotland with as vigorous a zeal as
ever; so, noble Sinclair, when our rulers cast not trammels on our
virtue, we must obey them as the vicegerents of Heaven."
Wallace then asked to be conducted to his wounded friend, Sir Thomas de
Longueville, for Sinclair was ignorant of the real rank of his guest.
Eager to oblige him, his noble host immediately led the way through a
gallery, and opening the door of an apartment, discovered to him Bruce,
lying on a couch; and a venerable figure, whose silver beard and
sweeping robes, announced him to be the sage of Ercildown, was bathing
the wounded chief's temples with balsams. A young creature, beautiful
as a ministering seraph, also hung over the prostrate chief.
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