lt indeed there was no need to
impose conditions on them. Those of the traitors who remained,
endeavored by cringing humility, to gain the favor of the English; but
finding themselves shunned and despised, for the commonest English
soldier was of a nature too noble to bear with aught of treachery, they
dispersed over the country, finding little in its miserable condition to
impart enjoyment to the lives they had enacted so base a part to
preserve. It may be well to state, ere we entirely leave the subject,
that the execution of Evan Roy exciting every evil passion in their
already rebellious hearts, had determined them to conspire for a signal
revenge, the ravings of Jean Roy and the desperate counsels of her
mother-in-law urging them to the catastrophe we have related; the murder
of Nigel had been first planned, but dismissed as likely to be
discovered and thwarted, and bring vengeance on their own heads instead
of his. Before the execution of their comrade and head of the
conspiracy, they had only been desirous of shunning the horrors of a
prolonged siege; but afterwards, revenge became stronger than mere
personal safety, and therefore was it they refused to take advantage of
the safe conduct demanded by Nigel, and granted, as we have said.

The Scottish prisoners were removed from the castle a few hours after
its capitulation, and placed in honorable restraint, in separate
pavilions. Lancaster, whose romantic admiration for his antagonist had
not been in the least diminished by Sir Nigel's bearing in captivity and
the lofty tone of the young knight's society and conversation, which he
frequently courted, absolutely made him shrink from heading the force
which was to conduct him a prisoner to England, for he well knew those
very qualities, calling forth every spark of chivalry in his own bosom,
would be only so many incitements to Edward for his instant execution.
He therefore demanded that the superintending the works of the garrison
and keeping a strict watch upon the movements of the adjoining country
should devolve on him, and Hereford, as the older and wiser, should
conduct his prisoners to the border, and report the events of the siege
to his sovereign. His colleague acceded, and the eighth day from the
triumph of the besiegers was fixed on to commence their march.

It was on the evening of the seventh day that the Earl of Hereford, then
engaged in earnest council with Lancaster, on subjects relating to their
m