While walking on the cliffs at some distance from the castle to observe
the weather, he met Wallace and Edwin. They had already been across
the valley to the haven, and ordered a boat round, to convey them back
to Gourock. "Postpone your flight, for pity's sake!" cried Murray, "if
you would not, by discourtesy, destroy what your gallantry has
preserved!" He then told them that Lady Mar was preparing a feast in
the glen, behind the castle; "and if you do not stay to partake it,"
added he, "we may expect all the witches in the isle will be bribed to
sink us before we reach the shore."

After this the general meeting of the morning was not less cordial than
the separation of the night before; and when Lady Mar withdrew to give
orders for her rural banquet, that time was seized by the earl for the
arrangement of matters of more consequence. In a private conversation
with Murray the preceding evening he had learned that, just before the
party left Dumbarton, a letter had been sent to Helen at St. Filan's,
informing her of the taking of the castle, and of the safety of her
friends. This having satisfied the earl he did not advert to her at
all in his present discourse with Wallace, but rather avoided
encumbering his occupied mind with anything but the one great theme.

While the earl and his friends were marshaling armies, taking towns,
and storming castles, the countess, intent on other conquests, was
meaning to beguile and destroy that manly spirit by soft delights,
which a continuance in war's rugged scenes, she thought, was too likely
to render invulnerable.

When her lord and his guests were summoned to the feast, she met them
at the mouth of the glen. Having tried the effect of splendor, she now