Heaven shield our prince! I dread that Badenoch's next shaft may be at
him!"
"No," cried Bothwell, "all is leveled at his best friend. In a low
voice, I taxed the regent with disloyalty for permitting this outrage
on you, and his basely envious answer was: 'Wallace's removal is
Bruce's security; who will acknowledge him when they know that this man
is his dictator?'"
Wallace sighed at this reply, which only confirmed him in his
resolution, and he told Bothwell that he saw no alternative, if he
wished to still the agitations of his country, and preserve its prince
from premature discovery, but to indeed remove the subject of all these
contentions from their sight.
"Attempt it not!" exclaimed Bothwell; "propose but a step toward that
end, and you will determine me to avenge my country, at the peril of my
own life, on all in that accursed assembly who have menaced yours!" In
short, the young earl's denunciations were so earnest against the lords
in Stirling, that Wallace, thinking it dangerous to exasperate him
further, consented to remain in his camp till the arrival of Ruthven
should bring him the advantage of his counsel.
The issue showed that Bothwell was not mistaken.
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