When that is paid, then may my ashes sleep in rescued Scotland! Then may the God of victory and of mercy grant that the seraph spirits of my wife and infant may meet my pardoned soul in paradise." Edwin wept afresh.
"Cease, dear boy!" said he; "these presages are very comforting; they whisper that the path of glory leads thy brother to his home." As he spoke he took the arm of the silent Edwin (whose sensibility locked up the powers of speech), and putting it through his, they descended the hill together.
On the open ground before the great tower they were met by Murray.

"I come to seek you," cried he.

"We have had woe on woe in the citadel since you left it." "Nothing very calamitous," returned Wallace, "if we may guess by the merry aspect of the messenger." "Only a little whirlwind of my aunt's, in which we have had airs and showers enough to wet us through and blow us dry again." The conduct of the lady had been even more extravagant than her nephew chose to describe.

After the knight's departure, when the chiefs entered into conversation respecting his future plans, and Lennox mentioned that when his men should arrive (for whom he had that evening dispatched Ker), it was Wallace's intention to march immediately for Stirling, whither, it could hardly be doubted, Aymer de Valence had fled, "I shall be left here," continued the earl, "to assist you, Lord Mar, in the severer duties attendant on being governor of this place." No sooner did these words reach the ears of the countess than, struck with despair, she hastened toward her husband, and earnestly exclaimed, "You will not suffer this!" "No," returned the earl, mistaking her meaning; "not being able to perform the duties attendant on the responsibilities station with which Wallace would honor me, I shall relinquish it altogether to Lord Lennox, and be amply satisfied in finding myself under his protection." "Ah, where is protection without Sir William Wallace ?" cried she.

"If he go, our enemies will return.