Nor was the Bruce himself much less agitated.
"She did wrong, she did wrong," he said, "to leave herself so long unguarded; yet who was there to commit this outrage?
There is some treachery here, which we must sift; we must not leave our noble countrywoman in the hands of these marauders.

Trust me, Alan, we shall recover her yet." But the night promised ill for the fulfilment of this trust.

Many hours passed in an utterly fruitless search, and about one hour before midnight a thick fog increased the dense gloom, and even prevented all assistance from the torches, for not ten yards before them was distinguishable.

Dispirited and disappointed, the king and his companions threw themselves around the watchfires, in gloomy meditation, starting at the smallest sound, and determined to renew their search with the first gleam of dawn; the hurried pace of Alan, as he strode up and down, for he could not rest, alone disturbing the stillness all around..