Part 64 (1/2)
Bruce turned on him an eye of fire.
”Buchan,” replied he, ”I will answer you on other ground. Meanwhile, remember that the secrets of good men are open to every virtuous heart; those of the wicked they would be glad to conceal from themselves.”
”Robert Bruce,” cried the king, ”before I came this northern journey I ever found you one of the most devoted of my servants, the gentlest youth in my court; and how do I see you at this moment? Braving my n.o.bles to my face! How is it that until now this spirit never broke forth?”
”Because,” answered the prince, ”until now I have never seen the virtuous friend whom you call upon me to betray.”
”Then you confess,” cried the king, ”that he was an instigator to rebellion?”
”I avow,” answered Bruce, ”that I never knew what true loyalty was till he taught it me; I never knew the nature of real chast.i.ty till he explained it to me; nor comprehended what virtue might be till he allowed me to see in himself incorruptible fidelity, bravery undaunted, and a purity of heart not to be contaminated! And this is the man on whom these lords would fasten a charge of treason and adultery! But out of the filthy depths of their own breast arise the streams from which they would blacked his fairness.”
”Your vindication,” cried the king, ”confirms his guilt. You admit that he is not a minstrel in reality. Wherefore, then, did he steal in ambuscade into my palace, but to betray either my honor or my life--perhaps both?”
”His errand here was to see me.”
”Rash boy!” cried Edward; ”then you acknowledge yourself a premeditated conspirator against me?”
Soulis now whispered in the king's ear, but so low that Bruce did not hear him.
”Penetrate further, my liege; this may be only a false confession to s.h.i.+eld the queen's character. She who has once betrayed her duty, finds it easy to reward such handsome advocates.”
The scarlet of inextinguishable wrath now burned on the face of Edward.
”I will confront them,” returned he; ”surprise them into betraying each other.”
By his immediate orders the queen was brought in. She leaned on the Countess of Gloucester.
”Jane,” cried the king, ”leave that woman; let her impudence sustain her.”
”Rather her innocence, my lord,” said the countess, bowing, and hesitating to go.
”Leave her to that,” returned the incensed husband, ”and she would grovel on the earth like her own base pa.s.sions. But stand before me she shall, and without other support than the devils within her.”
”For pity!” cried the queen, extending her clasped hands toward Edward, and bursting into tears; ”have mercy on me, for I am innocent!”
”Prove it then,” cried the king, ”by agreeing with this confidant of your minstrel, and at once tell me by what name you addressed him when you allured him to my court? Is he French, Spanish, or English?”
”By the Virgin's holy purity, I swear!” cried the queen, sinking on her knees, ”that I never allured him to this court; I never beheld him till I saw him at the bishop's banquet; and for his name, I know it not.”
”Oh, vilest of the vile!” cried the king, fiercely grasping his couch; ”and didst thou become a wanton at a glance? From my sight this moment, or I shall blast thee!”
The queen dropped senseless into the arms of the Earl of Gloucester, who at that moment entered from seeing Wallace through the cavern. At sight of him, Bruce knew that his friend was safe; and fearless for himself when the cause of outraged innocence was at stake, he suddenly exclaimed:
”By one word, King Edward, I will confirm the blamelessness of this injured queen. Listen to me, not as a monarch and an enemy, but with the unbiased judgment of man with man; and then ask your own brave heart if it would be possible for Sir William Wallace to be a seducer.”
Every mouth was dumb at the enunciation of that name. None dared open a lip in accusation; and the king himself, thunderstruck alike with the boldness of the conqueror venturing within the grasp of his revenge and at the daringness of Bruce in thus declaring his connection with him, for a few minutes he knew not what to answer; only he had received conviction of his wife's innocence! He was too well acquainted with the history and uniform conduct of Wallace to doubt his honor in this transaction; and though a transient fancy of the queen's might have had existence, yet he had now no suspicion of her actions. ”Bruce,” said he, ”your honesty has saved the Queen of England. Though Wallace is my enemy, I know him to be of an integrity which neither man nor woman can shake; and therefore,” added he, turning to the lords, ”I declare before all who have heard me so fiercely arraign my injured wife, that I believe her innocent of every offense against me. And whoever, after this, mentions one word of what has pa.s.sed in these investigations, or even whispers that they have been held, shall be punished as guilty of high treason.”
Bruce was then ordered to be reconducted to the round-tower; and the rest of the lords withdrawing by command, the king was left with Gloucester, his daughter Jane, and the now reviving queen to make his peace with her, even on his knees.
Burce was more closely immured than ever. Not even his senachie was allowed to approach him; and double guards were kept constantly around his prison. On the fourth day of his seclusion an extra row of iron bars was put across his windows. He asked the captain of the party the reason for this new rivet on his captivity; but he received no answer.
His own recollection, however, solved the doubt; for he could not but see that his own declaration respecting his friends.h.i.+p with Wallace had increased the alarm of Edward respecting their political views. One of the warders, on having the same inquiry put to him which Bruce had addressed to his superior, in a rough tone replied: