[Transcriber's Note:I feel that it is important to note that this book is partof the Caledonian series. The Caledonian series is a groupof 50 books comprising all of Sir Walter Scott's works. ]

WAVERLEY

OR 'T IS SIXTY YEARS SINCE

BY SIR WALTER SCOTT

VOLUME I

PUBLISHERS' NOTE

It has long been the ambition of the present publishers to offerto the public an ideal edition of the writings of Sir WalterScott, the great poet and novelist of whom William Hazlitt said, 'His works are almost like a new edition of human nature. ' Securein the belief not only that his writings have achieved a permanentplace in the literature of the world, but that succeedinggenerations will prize them still more highly, we have, after themost careful planning and study, undertaken the publication ofthis edition of the Waverley Novels and the complete poeticalwritings. 

It is evident that the ideal edition of a great classic must bedistinguished in typography, must present the best available text, and must be illustrated in such a way as at once to be beautifulin itself and to add to the reader's pleasure and hisunderstanding of the book. As to the typography and text, littleneed be said here. The format of the edition has been mostcarefully studied, and represents the use of the best resources ofThe Riverside Press. The text has been carefully edited in thelight of Scott's own revisions; all of his own latest notes havebeen included, glossaries have been added, and full descriptivenotes to the illustrations have been prepared which will, we hope, add greatly to the reader's interest and instruction in thereading of the novels and poems. 

Of the illustrations, which make the special feature of thisedition, something more may be said. In the case of an author likeSir Walter Scott, the ideal edition requires that the beautifuland romantic scenery amid which he lived and of which he wroteshall be adequately presented to the reader. No other author everused more charming backgrounds or employed them to betteradvantage. To see Scotland, and to visit in person all the scenesof the novels and poems, would enable the reader fully tounderstand these backgrounds and thereby add materially to hisappreciation of the author. 

Before beginning the preparation of this edition, the head of thedepartment having it in charge made a visit in person to thescenes of the novels and poems, determined to explore all thelocalities referred to by the author, so far as they could beidentified. The field proved even more productive than had been atfirst supposed, and photographs were obtained in sufficientquantity to illustrate all the volumes. These pictures representthe scenes very much as Scott saw them. The natural scenery--mountains, woods, lakes, rivers, seashore, and the like--is nearlythe same as in his day. The ruins of ancient castles and abbeyswere found to correspond very closely with his descriptions, though in many instances he had in imagination rebuilt these ruinsand filled them with the children of his fancy. The scenes of thestories extend into nearly every county in Scotland and through alarge part of England and Wales. All of these were thoroughlyinvestigated, and photographs were made of everything of interest. One of the novels has to do with France and Belgium, one withSwitzerland, one with the Holy Land, one with Constantinople, andone with India. For all of these lands, which Scott did not visitin person, and therefore did not describe with the same attentionto detail as in the case of his own country, interesting picturesof characteristic scenery were secured. By this method thepublishers have hoped to bring before the reader a series ofphotographs which will not only please the eye and give asatisfactory artistic effect to the volumes, but also increase thereader's knowledge of the country described and add a new charm tothe delightful work of the author. In addition to the photographs, old engravings and paintings have been reproduced for theillustration of novels having to do with old buildings, streets, etc. , which have long since disappeared. For this material acareful search was made in the British Museum, the Advocates'Library and City Museum, Edinburgh, the Library at Abbotsford, theBibliotheque Nationale, Paris, and other collections. 

It has been thought, too, that the ideal edition of Scott's workswould not be complete without an adequate portrayal of his morememorable characters. This has been accomplished in a series offrontispieces specially painted for this edition by twenty of themost distinguished illustrators of England. 

4 PARK STREET, BOSTON. 

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE WAVERLEY NOVELS

IT has been the occasional occupation of the Author of Waverley, for several years past, to revise and correct the voluminousseries of Novels which pass under that name, in order that, ifthey should ever appear as his avowed productions, he might renderthem in some degree deserving of a continuance of the publicfavour with which they have been honoured ever since their firstappearance. For a long period, however, it seemed likely that theimproved and illustrated edition which he meditated would be aposthumous publication. But the course of the events whichoccasioned the disclosure of the Author's name having, in a greatmeasure, restored to him a sort of parental control over theseWorks, he is naturally induced to give them to the press in acorrected, and, he hopes, an improved form, while life and healthpermit the task of revising and illustrating them. Such being hispurpose, it is necessary to say a few words on the plan of theproposed Edition. 

In stating it to be revised and corrected, it is not to beinferred that any attempt is made to alter the tenor of thestories, the character of the actors, or the spirit of thedialogue. There is no doubt ample room for emendation in all thesepoints, --but where the tree falls it must lie. Any attempt toobviate criticism, however just, by altering a work already in thehands of the public is generally unsuccessful. In the mostimprobable fiction, the reader still desires some air ofvraisemblance, and does not relish that the incidents of a talefamiliar to him should be altered to suit the taste of critics, orthe caprice of the Author himself. This process of feeling is sonatural, that it may be observed even in children, who cannotendure that a nursery story should be repeated to them differentlyfrom the manner in which it was first told. 

But without altering, in the slightest degree, either the story orthe mode of telling it, the Author has taken this opportunity tocorrect errors of the press and slips of the pen. That such shouldexist cannot be wondered at, when it is considered that thePublishers found it their interest to hurry through the press asuccession of the early editions of the various Novels, and thatthe Author had not the usual opportunity of revision. It is hopedthat the present edition will be found free from errors of thataccidental kind. 

The Author has also ventured to make some emendations of adifferent character, which, without being such apparent deviationsfrom the original stories as to disturb the reader's oldassociations, will, he thinks, add something to the spirit of thedialogue, narrative, or description. These consist in occasionalpruning where the language is redundant, compression where thestyle is loose, infusion of vigour where it is languid, theexchange of less forcible for more appropriate epithets--slightalterations in short, like the last touches of an artist, whichcontribute to heighten and finish the picture, though aninexperienced eye can hardly detect in what they consist. 

The General Preface to the new Edition, and the IntroductoryNotices to each separate work, will contain an account of suchcircumstances attending the first publication of the Novels andTales as may appear interesting in themselves, or proper to becommunicated to the public. The Author also proposes to publish, on this occasion, the various legends, family traditions, orobscure historical facts which have formed the ground-work ofthese Novels, and to give some account of the places where thescenes are laid, when these are altogether, or in part, real; aswell as a statement of particular incidents founded on fact;together with a more copious Glossary, and Notes explanatory ofthe ancient customs and popular superstitions referred to in theRomances. 

Upon the whole, it is hoped that the Waverley Novels, in their newdress, will not be found to have lost any part of theirattractions in consequence of receiving illustrations by theAuthor, and undergoing his careful revision. 

ABBOTSFORD, January, 1829. 

GENERAL PREFACE TO THE WAVERLEY NOVELS

 ---And must I ravel out My weaved-up follies?

 Richard II, Act IV. 

Having undertaken to give an Introductory Account of thecompositions which are here offered to the public, with Notes andIllustrations, the Author, under whose name they are now for thefirst time collected, feels that he has the delicate task ofspeaking more of himself and his personal concerns than mayperhaps be either graceful or prudent. In this particular he runsthe risk of presenting himself to the public in the relation thatthe dumb wife in the jest-book held to her husband, when, havingspent half of his fortune to obtain the cure of her imperfection, he was willing to have bestowed the other half to restore her toher former condition. But this is a risk inseparable from the taskwhich the Author has undertaken, and he can only promise to be aslittle of an egotist as the situation will permit. It is perhapsan indifferent sign of a disposition to keep his word, that, having introduced himself in the third person singular, heproceeds in the second paragraph to make use of the first. But itappears to him that the seeming modesty connected with the formermode of writing is overbalanced by the inconvenience of stiffnessand affectation which attends it during a narrative of somelength, and which may be observed less or more in every work inwhich the third person is used, from the Commentaries of Caesar tothe Autobiography of Alexander the Corrector. 

I must refer to a very early period of my life, were I to pointout my first achievements as a tale-teller; but I believe some ofmy old schoolfellows can still bear witness that I had adistinguished character for that talent, at a time when theapplause of my companions was my recompense for the disgraces andpunishments which the future romance-writer incurred for beingidle himself, and keeping others idle, during hours that shouldhave been employed on our tasks. The chief enjoyment of myholidays was to escape with a chosen friend, who had the sametaste with myself, and alternately to recite to each other suchwild adventures as we were able to devise. We told, each in turn, interminable tales of knight-errantry and battles andenchantments, which were continued from one day to another asopportunity offered, without our ever thinking of bringing them toa conclusion. As we observed a strict secrecy on the subject ofthis intercourse, it acquired all the character of a concealedpleasure, and we used to select for the scenes of our indulgencelong walks through the solitary and romantic environs of Arthur'sSeat, Salisbury Crags, Braid Hills, and similar places in thevicinity of Edinburgh; and the recollection of those holidaysstill forms an oasis in the pilgrimage which I have to look backupon. I have only to add, that my friend still lives, a prosperousgentleman, but too much occupied with graver business to thank mefor indicating him more plainly as a confidant of my childishmystery. 

When boyhood advancing into youth required more serious studiesand graver cares, a long illness threw me back on the kingdom offiction, as if it were by a species of fatality. My indispositionarose, in part at least, from my having broken a blood-vessel; andmotion and speech were for a long time pronounced positivelydangerous. For several weeks I was confined strictly to my bed, during which time I was not allowed to speak above a whisper, toeat more than a spoonful or two of boiled rice, or to have morecovering than one thin counterpane. When the reader is informedthat I was at this time a growing youth, with the spirits, appetite, and impatience of fifteen, and suffered, of course, greatly under this severe regimen, which the repeated return of mydisorder rendered indispensable, he will not be surprised that Iwas abandoned to my own discretion, so far as reading (my almostsole amusement) was concerned, and still less so, that I abusedthe indulgence which left my time so much at my own disposal. 

There was at this time a circulating library in Edinburgh, founded, I believe, by the celebrated Allan Ramsay, which, besidescontaining a most respectable collection of books of everydescription, was, as might have been expected, peculiarly rich inworks of fiction. It exhibited specimens of every kind, from theromances of chivalry and the ponderous folios of Cyrus andCassandra, down to the most approved works of later times. I wasplunged into this great ocean of reading without compass or pilot;and, unless when some one had the charity to play at chess withme, I was allowed to do nothing save read from morning to night. Iwas, in kindness and pity, which was perhaps erroneous, howevernatural, permitted to select my subjects of study at my ownpleasure, upon the same principle that the humours of children areindulged to keep them out of mischief. As my taste and appetitewere gratified in nothing else, I indemnified myself by becoming aglutton of books. Accordingly, I believe I read almost all theromances, old plays, and epic poetry in that formidablecollection, and no doubt was unconsciously amassing materials forthe task in which it has been my lot to be so much employed. 

At the same time I did not in all respects abuse the licensepermitted me. Familiar acquaintance with the specious miracles offiction brought with it some degree of satiety, and I began bydegrees to seek in histories, memoirs, voyages and travels, andthe like, events nearly as wonderful as those which were the workof imagination, with the additional advantage that they were atleast in a great measure true. The lapse of nearly two years, during which I was left to the exercise of my own free will, wasfollowed by a temporary residence in the country, where I wasagain very lonely but for the amusement which I derived from agood though old-fashioned library. The vague and wild use which Imade of this advantage I cannot describe better than by referringmy reader to the desultory studies of Waverley in a similarsituation, the passages concerning whose course of reading wereimitated from recollections of my own. It must be understood thatthe resemblance extends no farther. 

Time, as it glided on, brought the blessings of confirmed healthand personal strength, to a degree which had never been expectedor hoped for. The severe studies necessary to render me fit for myprofession occupied the greater part of my time; and the societyof my friends and companions, who were about to enter life alongwith, me, filled up the interval with the usual amusements ofyoung men. I was in a situation which rendered serious labourindispensable; for, neither possessing, on the one hand, any ofthose peculiar advantages which are supposed to favour a hastyadvance in the profession of the law, nor being, on the otherhand, exposed to unusual obstacles to interrupt my progress, Imight reasonably expect to succeed according to the greater orless degree of trouble which I should take to qualify myself as apleader. 

It makes no part of the present story to detail how the success ofa few ballads had the effect of changing all the purpose and tenorof my life, and of converting a painstaking lawyer of some years'standing into a follower of literature. It is enough to say, thatI had assumed the latter character for several years before Iseriously thought of attempting a work of imagination in prose, although one or two of my poetical attempts did not differ fromromances otherwise than by being written in verse. But yet I mayobserve, that about this time (now, alas! thirty years since) Ihad nourished the ambitious desire of composing a tale ofchivalry, which was to be in the style of the Castle of Otranto, with plenty of Border characters and supernatural incident. Havingfound unexpectedly a chapter of this intended work among some oldpapers, I have subjoined it to this introductory essay, thinkingsome readers may account as curious the first attempts at romanticcomposition by an author who has since written so much in thatdepartment. [Footnote: See Appendix No I. ] And those who complain, not unreasonably, of the profusion of the Tales which havefollowed Waverley, may bless their stars at the narrow escape theyhave made, by the commencement of the inundation, which had sonearly taken place in the first year of the century, beingpostponed for fifteen years later. 

This particular subject was never resumed, but I did not abandonthe idea of fictitious composition in prose, though I determinedto give another turn to the style of the work. 

My early recollections of the Highland scenery and customs made sofavourable an impression in the poem called the Lady of the Lake, that I was induced to think of attempting something of the samekind in prose. I had been a good deal in the Highlands at a timewhen they were much less accessible and much less visited thanthey have been of late years, and was acquainted with many of theold warriors of 1745, who were, like most veterans, easily inducedto fight their battles over again for the benefit of a willinglistener like myself. It naturally occurred to me that the ancienttraditions and high spirit of a people who, living in a civilisedage and country, retained so strong a tincture of mannersbelonging to an early period of society, must afford a subjectfavourable for romance, if it should not prove a curious talemarred in the telling. 

It was with some idea of this kind that, about the year 1805, Ithrew together about one-third part of the first volume ofWaverley. It was advertised to be published by the late Mr. JohnBallantyne, bookseller in Edinburgh, under the name of Waverley;or, 'Tis Fifty Years Since--a title afterwards altered to 'TisSixty Years Since, that the actual date of publication might bemade to correspond with the period in which the scene was laid. Having proceeded as far, I think, as the seventh chapter, I showedmy work to a critical friend, whose opinion was unfavourable; andhaving then some poetical reputation, I was unwilling to risk theloss of it by attempting a new style of composition. I thereforethrew aside the work I had commenced, without either reluctance orremonstrance. I ought to add that, though my ingenious friend'ssentence was afterwards reversed on an appeal to the public, itcannot be considered as any imputation on his good taste; for thespecimen subjected to his criticism did not extend beyond thedeparture of the hero for Scotland, and consequently had notentered upon the part of the story which was finally found mostinteresting. 

Be that as it may, this portion of the manuscript was laid asidein the drawers of an old writing-desk, which, on my first comingto reside at Abbotsford in 1811, was placed in a lumber garret andentirely forgotten. Thus, though I sometimes, among other literaryavocations, turned my thoughts to the continuation of the romancewhich I had commenced, yet, as I could not find what I had alreadywritten, after searching such repositories as were within myreach, and was too indolent to attempt to write it anew frommemory, I as often laid aside all thoughts of that nature. 

Two circumstances in particular recalled my recollection of themislaid manuscript. The first was the extended and well-meritedfame of Miss Edgeworth, whose Irish characters have gone so far tomake the English familiar with the character of their gay andkind-hearted neighbours of Ireland, that she may be truly said tohave done more towards completing the Union than perhaps all thelegislative enactments by which it has been followed up. 

Without being so presumptuous as to hope to emulate the richhumour, pathetic tenderness, and admirable tact which pervade theworks of my accomplished friend, I felt that something might beattempted for my own country, of the same kind with that whichMiss Edgeworth so fortunately achieved for Ireland--somethingwhich might introduce her natives to those of the sister kingdomin a more favourable light than they had been placed hitherto, andtend to procure sympathy for their virtues and indulgence fortheir foibles. I thought also, that much of what I wanted intalent might be made up by the intimate acquaintance with thesubject which I could lay claim to possess, as having travelledthrough most parts of Scotland, both Highland and Lowland, havingbeen familiar with the elder as well as more modern race, andhaving had from my infancy free and unrestrained communicationwith all ranks of my countrymen, from the Scottish peer to theScottish plough-man. Such ideas often occurred to me, andconstituted an ambitious branch of my theory, however far short Imay have fallen of it in practice. 

But it was not only the triumphs of Miss Edgeworth which worked inme emulation, and disturbed my indolence. I chanced actually toengage in a work which formed a sort of essay piece, and gave mehope that I might in time become free of the craft of romance-writing, and be esteemed a tolerable workman. 

In the year 1807-08 I undertook, at the request of John Murray, Esq. , of Albemarle Street, to arrange for publication someposthumous productions of the late Mr. Joseph Strutt, distinguished as an artist and an antiquary, amongst which was anunfinished romance, entitled Queenhoo Hall. The scene of the talewas laid in the reign of Henry VI, and the work was written toillustrate the manners, customs, and language of the people ofEngland during that period. The extensive acquaintance which Mr. Strutt had acquired with such subjects in compiling his laboriousHorda Angel-Cynnan, his Regal and Ecclesiastical Antiquities, andhis Essay on the Sports and Pastimes of the People of England hadrendered him familiar with all the antiquarian lore necessary forthe purpose of composing the projected romance; and although themanuscript bore the marks of hurry and incoherence natural to thefirst rough draught of the author, it evinced (in my opinion)considerable powers of imagination. 

As the work was unfinished, I deemed it my duty, as editor, tosupply such a hasty and inartificial conclusion as could be shapedout from the story, of which Mr. Strutt had laid the foundation. This concluding chapter [Footnote: See Appendix No. II. ] is alsoadded to the present Introduction, for the reason alreadymentioned regarding the preceding fragment. It was a step in myadvance towards romantic composition; and to preserve the tracesof these is in a great measure the object of this Essay. 

Queenhoo Hall was not, however, very successful. I thought I wasaware of the reason, and supposed that, by rendering his languagetoo ancient, and displaying his antiquarian knowledge tooliberally, the ingenious author had raised up an obstacle to hisown success. Every work designed for mere amusement must beexpressed in language easily comprehended; and when, as issometimes the case in QUEENHOO HALL, the author addresses himselfexclusively to the antiquary, he must be content to be dismissedby the general reader with the criticism of Mungo, in the PADLOCK, on the Mauritanian music, 'What signifies me hear, if me nounderstand?'

I conceived it possible to avoid this error; and, by rendering asimilar work more light and obvious to general comprehension, toescape the rock on which my predecessor was shipwrecked. 

But I was, on the other hand, so far discouraged by theindifferent reception of Mr. Strutt's romance as to becomesatisfied that the manners of the middle ages did not possess theinterest which I had conceived; and was led to form the opinionthat a romance founded on a Highland story and more modern eventswould have a better chance of popularity than a tale of chivalry. 

My thoughts, therefore, returned more than once to the tale whichI had actually commenced, and accident at length threw the lostsheets in my way. 

I happened to want some fishing-tackle for the use of a guest, when it occurred to me to search the old writing-desk alreadymentioned, in which I used to keep articles of that nature. 

I got access to it with some difficulty; and, in looking for linesand flies, the long-lost manuscript presented itself. 

I immediately set to work to complete it according to my originalpurpose. 

And here I must frankly confess that the mode in which I conductedthe story scarcely deserved the success which the romanceafterwards attained. 

The tale of WAVERLEY was put together with so little care that Icannot boast of having sketched any distinct plan of the work. Thewhole adventures of Waverley, in his movements up and down thecountry with the Highland cateran Bean Lean, are managed withoutmuch skill. It suited best, however, the road I wanted to travel, and permitted me to introduce some descriptions of scenery andmanners, to which the reality gave an interest which the powers ofthe Author might have otherwise failed to attain for them. Andthough I have been in other instances a sinner in this sort, I donot recollect any of these novels in which I have transgressed sowidely as in the first of the series. 

Among other unfounded reports, it has been said that the copyrightof Waverley was, during the book's progress through the press, offered for sale to various book-sellers in London at a veryinconsiderable price. This was not the case. Messrs. Constable andCadell, who published the work, were the only persons acquaintedwith the contents of the publication, and they offered a large sumfor it while in the course of printing, which, however, wasdeclined, the Author not choosing to part with the copyright. 

The origin of the story of Waverley, and the particular facts onwhich it is founded, are given in the separate introductionprefixed to that romance in this edition, and require no notice inthis place. 

Waverley was published in 1814, and, as the title-page waswithout the name of the Author, the work was left to win its wayin the world without any of the usual recommendations. Itsprogress was for some time slow; but after the first two or threemonths its popularity had increased in a degree which must havesatisfied the expectations of the Author, had these been far moresanguine than he ever entertained. 

Great anxiety was expressed to learn the name of the Author, buton this no authentic information could be attained. My originalmotive for publishing the work anonymously was the consciousnessthat it was an experiment on the public taste which might veryprobably fail, and therefore there was no occasion to take onmyself the personal risk of discomfiture. For this purposeconsiderable precautions were used to preserve secrecy. My oldfriend and schoolfellow, Mr. James Ballantyne, who printed theseNovels, had the exclusive task of corresponding with the Author, who thus had not only the advantage of his professional talents, but also of his critical abilities. The original manuscript, or, as it is technically called, copy, was transcribed under Mr. Ballantyne's eye by confidential persons; nor was there aninstance of treachery during the many years in which theseprecautions were resorted to, although various individuals wereemployed at different times. Double proof-sheets were regularlyprinted off. One was forwarded to the Author by Mr. Ballantyne, and the alterations which it received were, by his own hand, copied upon the other proof-sheet for the use of the printers, sothat even the corrected proofs of the Author were never seen inthe printing office; and thus the curiosity of such eagerinquirers as made the most minute investigation was entirely atfault. 

But although the cause of concealing the Author's name in thefirst instance, when the reception of Waverley was doubtful, wasnatural enough, it is more difficult, it may be thought, toaccount for the same desire for secrecy during the subsequenteditions, to the amount of betwixt eleven and twelve thousandcopies, which followed each other close, and proved the success ofthe work. I am sorry I can give little satisfaction to queries onthis subject. I have already stated elsewhere that I can renderlittle better reason for choosing to remain anonymous than bysaying with Shylock, that such was my humour. It will be observedthat I had not the usual stimulus for desiring personalreputation, the desire, namely, to float amidst the conversationof men. Of literary fame, whether merited or undeserved, I hadalready as much as might have contented a mind more ambitious thanmine; and in entering into this new contest for reputation I mightbe said rather to endanger what I had than to have anyconsiderable chance of acquiring more. I was affected, too, bynone of those motives which, at an earlier period of life, woulddoubtless have operated upon me. My friendships were formed, myplace in society fixed, my life had attained its middle course. Mycondition in society was higher perhaps than I deserved, certainlyas high as I wished, and there was scarce any degree of literarysuccess which could have greatly altered or improved my personalcondition. 

I was not, therefore, touched by the spur of ambition, usuallystimulating on such occasions; and yet I ought to stand exculpatedfrom the charge of ungracious or unbecoming indifference to publicapplause. I did not the less feel gratitude for the public favour, although I did not proclaim it; as the lover who wears hismistress's favour in his bosom is as proud, though not so vain, ofpossessing it as another who displays the token of her grace uponhis bonnet. Far from such an ungracious state of mind, I haveseldom felt more satisfaction than when, returning from a pleasurevoyage, I found Waverley in the zenith of popularity, and publiccuriosity in full cry after the name of the Author. The knowledgethat I had the public approbation was like having the property ofa hidden treasure, not less gratifying to the owner than if allthe world knew that it was his own. Another advantage wasconnected with the secrecy which I observed. I could appear orretreat from the stage at pleasure, without attracting anypersonal notice or attention, other than what might be founded onsuspicion only. In my own person also, as a successful author inanother department of literature, I might have been charged withtoo frequent intrusions on the public patience; but the Author ofWaverley was in this respect as impassible to the critic as theGhost of Hamlet to the partisan of Marcellus. Perhaps thecuriosity of the public, irritated by the existence of a secret, and kept afloat by the discussions which took place on the subjectfrom time to time, went a good way to maintain an unabatedinterest in these frequent publications. There was a mysteryconcerning the Author which each new novel was expected to assistin unravelling, although it might in other respects rank lowerthan its predecessors. 

I may perhaps be thought guilty of affectation, should I allege asone reason of my silence a secret dislike to enter on personaldiscussions concerning my own literary labours. It is in everycase a dangerous intercourse for an author to be dwellingcontinually among those who make his writings a frequent andfamiliar subject of conversation, but who must necessarily bepartial judges of works composed in their own society. The habitsof self-importance which are thus acquired by authors are highlyinjurious to a well-regulated mind; for the cup of flattery, if itdoes not, like that of Circe, reduce men to the level of beasts, is sure, if eagerly drained, to bring the best and the ablest downto that of fools. This risk was in some degree prevented by themask which I wore; and my own stores of self-conceit were left totheir natural course, without being enhanced by the partiality offriends or adulation of flatterers. 

If I am asked further reasons for the conduct I have longobserved, I can only resort to the explanation supplied by acritic as friendly as he is intelligent; namely, that the mentalorganisation of the novelist must be characterised, to speakcraniologically, by an extraordinary development of the passionfor delitescency! I the rather suspect some natural disposition ofthis kind; for, from the instant I perceived the extreme curiositymanifested on the subject, I felt a secret satisfaction inbaffling it, for which, when its unimportance is considered, I donot well know how to account. 

My desire to remain concealed, in the character of the Author ofthese Novels, subjected me occasionally to awkward embarrassments, as it sometimes happened that those who were sufficiently intimatewith me would put the question in direct terms. In this case, onlyone of three courses could be followed. Either I must havesurrendered my secret, or have returned an equivocating answer, or, finally, must have stoutly and boldly denied the fact. Thefirst was a sacrifice which I conceive no one had a right to forcefrom me, since I alone was concerned in the matter. Thealternative of rendering a doubtful answer must have left me opento the degrading suspicion that I was not unwilling to assume themerit (if there was any) which I dared not absolutely lay claimto; or those who might think more justly of me must have receivedsuch an equivocal answer as an indirect avowal. I thereforeconsidered myself entitled, like an accused person put upon trial, to refuse giving my own evidence to my own conviction, and flatlyto deny all that could not be proved against me. At the same timeI usually qualified my denial by stating that, had I been theAuthor of these works, I would have felt myself quite entitled toprotect my secret by refusing my own evidence, when it was askedfor to accomplish a discovery of what I desired to conceal. 

The real truth is, that I never expected or hoped to disguise myconnection with these Novels from any one who lived on terms ofintimacy with me. The number of coincidences which necessarilyexisted between narratives recounted, modes of expression, andopinions broached in these Tales and such as were used by theirAuthor in the intercourse of private life must have been far toogreat to permit any of my familiar acquaintances to doubt theidentity betwixt their friend and the Author of Waverley; and Ibelieve they were all morally convinced of it. But while I wasmyself silent, their belief could not weigh much more with theworld than that of others; their opinions and reasoning wereliable to be taxed with partiality, or confronted with opposingarguments and opinions; and the question was not so much whether Ishould be generally acknowledged to be the Author, in spite of myown denial, as whether even my own avowal of the works, if suchshould be made, would be sufficient to put me in undisputedpossession of that character. 

I have been often asked concerning supposed cases, in which I wassaid to have been placed on the verge of discovery; but, as Imaintained my point with the composure of a lawyer of thirtyyears' standing, I never recollect being in pain or confusion onthe subject. In Captain Medwyn's Conversations of Lord Byron thereporter states himself to have asked my noble and highly giftedfriend, ' If he was certain about these Novels being Sir WalterScott's?' To which Lord Byron replied, 'Scott as much as ownedhimself the Author of Waverley to me in Murray's shop. I wastalking to him about that Novel, and lamented that its Author hadnot carried back the story nearer to the time of the Revolution. Scott, entirely off his guard, replied, "Ay, I might have done so;but--" there he stopped. It was in vain to attempt to correcthimself; he looked confused, and relieved his embarrassment by aprecipitate retreat. ' I have no recollection whatever of thisscene taking place, and I should have thought that I was morelikely to have laughed than to appear confused, for I certainlynever hoped to impose upon Lord Byron in a case of the kind; andfrom the manner in which he uniformly expressed himself, I knewhis opinion was entirely formed, and that any disclamations ofmine would only have savoured of affectation. I do not mean toinsinuate that the incident did not happen, but only that it couldhardly have occurred exactly under the circumstances narrated, without my recollecting something positive on the subject. Inanother part of the same volume Lord Byron is reported to haveexpressed a supposition that the cause of my not avowing myselfthe Author of Waverley may have been some surmise that thereigning family would have been displeased with the work. I canonly say, it is the last apprehension I should have entertained, as indeed the inscription to these volumes sufficiently proves. The sufferers of that melancholy period have, during the last andpresent reign, been honoured both with the sympathy and protectionof the reigning family, whose magnanimity can well pardon a sighfrom others, and bestow one themselves, to the memory of braveopponents, who did nothing in hate, but all in honour. 

While those who were in habitual intercourse with the real authorhad little hesitation in assigning the literary property to him, others, and those critics of no mean rank, employed themselves ininvestigating with persevering patience any characteristicfeatures which might seem to betray the origin of these Novels. Amongst these, one gentleman, equally remarkable for the kind andliberal tone of his criticism, the acuteness of his reasoning, andthe very gentlemanlike manner in which he conducted his inquiries, displayed not only powers of accurate investigation, but a temperof mind deserving to be employed on a subject of much greaterimportance; and I have no doubt made converts to his opinion ofalmost all who thought the point worthy of consideration. [Footnote: Letters on the Author of Waverly; Rodwell and Martin, London, 1822. ] Of those letters, and other attempts of the samekind, the Author could not complain, though his incognito wasendangered. He had challenged the public to a game at bo-peep, andif he was discovered in his 'hiding-hole, ' he must submit to theshame of detection. 

Various reports were of course circulated in various ways; somefounded on an inaccurate rehearsal of what may have been partlyreal, some on circumstances having no concern whatever with thesubject, and others on the invention of some importunate persons, who might perhaps imagine that the readiest mode of forcing theAuthor to disclose himself was to assign some dishonourable anddiscreditable cause for his silence. 

It may be easily supposed that this sort of inquisition wastreated with contempt by the person whom it principally regarded;as, among all the rumours that were current, there was only one, and that as unfounded as the others, which had nevertheless somealliance to probability, and indeed might have proved in somedegree true. 

I allude to a report which ascribed a great part, or the whole, ofthese Novels to the late Thomas Scott, Esq. , of the 70th Regiment, then stationed in Canada. Those who remember that gentleman willreadily grant that, with general talents at least equal to thoseof his elder brother, he added a power of social humour and a deepinsight into human character which rendered him an universallydelightful member of society, and that the habit of compositionalone was wanting to render him equally successful as a writer. The Author of Waverley was so persuaded of the truth of this, thathe warmly pressed his brother to make such an experiment, andwillingly undertook all the trouble of correcting andsuperintending the press. Mr. Thomas Scott seemed at first verywell disposed to embrace the proposal, and had even fixed on asubject and a hero. The latter was a person well known to both ofus in our boyish years, from having displayed some strong traitsof character. Mr. T. Scott had determined to represent hisyouthful acquaintance as emigrating to America, and encounteringthe dangers and hardships of the New World, with the samedauntless spirit which he had displayed when a boy in his nativecountry. Mr. Scott would probably have been highly successful, being familiarly acquainted with the manners of the nativeIndians, of the old French settlers in Canada, and of the Brulesor Woodsmen, and having the power of observing with accuracy whatI have no doubt he could have sketched with force and expression. In short, the Author believes his brother would have made himselfdistinguished in that striking field in which, since that period, Mr. Cooper has achieved so many triumphs. But Mr. T. Scott wasalready affected by bad health, which wholly unfitted him forliterary labour, even if he could have reconciled his patience tothe task. He never, I believe, wrote a single line of theprojected work; and I only have the melancholy pleasure ofpreserving in the Appendix [Footnote: See Appendix No. III. ] thesimple anecdote on which he proposed to found it. 

To this I may add, I can easily conceive that there may have beencircumstances which gave a colour to the general report of mybrother being interested in these works; and in particular that itmight derive strength from my having occasion to remit to him, inconsequence of certain family transactions, some considerable sumsof money about that period. To which it is to be added that if anyperson chanced to evince particular curiosity on such a subject, my brother was likely enough to divert himself with practising ontheir credulity. 

It may be mentioned that, while the paternity of these Novels wasfrom time to time warmly disputed in Britain, the foreignbooksellers expressed no hesitation on the matter, but affixed myname to the whole of the Novels, and to some besides to which Ihad no claim. 

The volumes, therefore, to which the present pages form a Prefaceare entirely the composition of the Author by whom they are nowacknowledged, with the exception, always, of avowed quotations, and such unpremeditated and involuntary plagiarisms as can scarcebe guarded against by any one who has read and written a greatdeal. The original manuscripts are all in existence, and entirelywritten (horresco referens) in the Author's own hand, exceptingduring the years 1818 and 1819, when, being affected with severeillness, he was obliged to employ the assistance of a friendlyamanuensis. 

The number of persons to whom the secret was necessarilyentrusted, or communicated by chance, amounted, I should think, totwenty at least, to whom I am greatly obliged for the fidelitywith which they observed their trust, until the derangement of theaffairs of my publishers, Messrs. Constable and Co. , and theexposure of their account books, which was the necessaryconsequence, rendered secrecy no longer possible. The particularsattending the avowal have been laid before the public in theIntroduction to the Chronicles of the Canongate. 

The preliminary advertisement has given a sketch of the purpose ofthis edition. I have some reason to fear that the notes whichaccompany the tales, as now published, may be thought toomiscellaneous and too egotistical. It maybe some apology for this, that the publication was intended to be posthumous, and stillmore, that old men may be permitted to speak long, because theycannot in the course of nature have long time to speak. Inpreparing the present edition, I have done all that I can do toexplain the nature of my materials, and the use I have made ofthem; nor is it probable that I shall again revise or even readthese tales. I was therefore desirous rather to exceed in theportion of new and explanatory matter which is added to thisedition than that the reader should have reason to complain thatthe information communicated was of a general and merely nominalcharacter. It remains to be tried whether the public (like a childto whom a watch is shown) will, after having been satiated withlooking at the outside, acquire some new interest in the objectwhen it is opened and the internal machinery displayed to them. 

That Waverly and its successors have had their day of favour andpopularity must be admitted with sincere gratitude; and the Authorhas studied (with the prudence of a beauty whose reign has beenrather long) to supply, by the assistance of art, the charms whichnovelty no longer affords. The publishers have endeavoured togratify the honourable partiality of the public for theencouragement of British art, by illustrating this edition withdesigns by the most eminent living artists. [Footnote: Theillustrations here referred to were made for the edition of 1829]

To my distinguished countryman, David Wilkie, to Edwin Landseer, who has exercised his talents so much on Scottish subjects andscenery, to Messrs. Leslie and Newton, my thanks are due, from afriend as well as an author. Nor am I less obliged to Messrs. Cooper, Kidd, and other artists of distinction to whom I am lesspersonally known, for the ready zeal with which they have devotedtheir talents to the same purpose. 

Farther explanation respecting the Edition is the business of thepublishers, not of the Author; and here, therefore, the latter hasaccomplished his task of introduction and explanation. If, like aspoiled child, he has sometimes abused or trifled with theindulgence of the public, he feels himself entitled to full beliefwhen he exculpates himself from the charge of having been at anytime insensible of their kindness. 

ABBOTSFORD, 1st January, 1829. 

WAVERLEY

OR 'T IS SIXTY YEARS SINCE

 Under which King, Bezonian? speak, or die!

 Henry IV, Part II. 

INTRODUCTION

The plan of this edition leads me to insert in this place someaccount of the incidents on which the Novel of Waverley isfounded. They have been already given to the public by my latelamented friend, William Erskine, Esq. (afterwards Lord Kinneder), when reviewing the Tales of My Landlord for the Quarterly Reviewin 1817. The particulars were derived by the critic from theAuthor's information. Afterwards they were published in thePreface to the Chronicles of the Canongate. They are now insertedin their proper place. 

The mutual protection afforded by Waverley and Talbot to eachother, upon which the whole plot depends, is founded upon one ofthose anecdotes which soften the features even of civil war; and, as it is equally honourable to the memory of both parties, we haveno hesitation to give their names at length. When the Highlanders, on the morning of the battle of Preston, 1745, made theirmemorable attack on Sir John Cope's army, a battery of four field-pieces was stormed and carried by the Camerons and the Stewarts ofAppine. The late Alexander Stewart of Invernahylewas one of theforemost in the charge, and observing an officer of the King'sforces, who, scorning to join the flight of all around, remainedwith his sword in his hand, as if determined to the very last todefend the post assigned to him, the Highland gentleman commandedhim to surrender, and received for reply a thrust, which he caughtin his target. The officer was now defenceless, and the battle-axeof a gigantic Highlander (the miller of Invernahyle's mill) wasuplifted to dash his brains out, when Mr. Stewart with difficultyprevailed on him to yield. He took charge of his enemy's property, protected his person, and finally obtained him liberty on hisparole. The officer proved to be Colonel Whitefoord, an Ayrshiregentleman of high character and influence, and warmly attached tothe House of Hanover; yet such was the confidence existing betweenthese two honourable men, though of different politicalprinciples, that, while the civil war was raging, and stragglingofficers from the Highland army were executed without mercy, Invernahyle hesitated not to pay his late captive a visit, as hereturned to the Highlands to raise fresh recruits, on whichoccasion he spent a day or two in Ayrshire among ColonelWhitefoord's Whig friends, as pleasantly and as good-humouredly asif all had been at peace around him. 

After the battle of Culloden had ruined the hopes of CharlesEdward and dispersed his proscribed adherents, it was ColonelWhitefoord's turn to strain every nerve to obtain Mr. Stewart'spardon. He went to the Lord Justice Clerk to the Lord Advocate, and to all the officers of state, and each application wasanswered by the production of a list in which Invernahyle (as thegood old gentleman was wont to express it) appeared 'marked withthe sign of the beast!' as a subject unfit for favour or pardon. 

At length Colonel Whitefoord applied to the Duke of Cumberland inperson. From him, also, he received a positive refusal. He thenlimited his request, for the present, to a protection forStewart's house, wife, children, and property. This was alsorefused by the Duke; on which Colonel Whitefoord, taking hiscommission from his bosom, laid it on the table before his RoyalHighness with much emotion, and asked permission to retire fromthe service of a sovereign who did not know how to spare avanquished enemy. The Duke was struck, and even affected. He badethe Colonel take up his commission, and granted the protection herequired. It was issued just in time to save the house, corn, andcattle at Invernahyle from the troops, who were engaged in layingwaste what it was the fashion to call 'the country of the enemy. 'A small encampment of soldiers was formed on Invernahyle'sproperty, which they spared while plundering the country around, and searching in every direction for the leaders of theinsurrection, and for Stewart in particular. He was much nearerthem than they suspected; for, hidden in a cave (like the Baron ofBradwardine), he lay for many days so near the English sentinelsthat he could hear their muster-roll called. His food was broughtto him by one of his daughters, a child of eight years old, whomMrs. Stewart was under the necessity of entrusting with thiscommission; for her own motions, and those of all her elderinmates, were closely watched. With ingenuity beyond her years, the child used to stray about among the soldiers, who were ratherkind to her, and thus seize the moment when she was unobserved andsteal into the thicket, when she deposited whatever small store ofprovisions she had in charge at some marked spot, where her fathermight find it. Invernahyle supported life for several weeks bymeans of these precarious supplies; and, as he had been wounded inthe battle of Culloden, the hardships which he endured wereaggravated by great bodily pain. After the soldiers had removedtheir quarters he had another remarkable escape. 

As he now ventured to his own house at night and left it in themorning, he was espied during the dawn by a party of the enemy, who fired at and pursued him. The fugitive being fortunate enoughto escape their search, they returned to the house and charged thefamily with harbouring one of the proscribed traitors. An oldwoman had presence of mind enough to maintain that the man theyhad seen was the shepherd. 'Why did he not stop when we called tohim?' said the soldier. 'He is as deaf, poor man, as a peat-stack, ' answered the ready-witted domestic. 'Let him be sent fordirectly. ' The real shepherd accordingly was brought from thehill, and, as there was time to tutor him by the way, he was asdeaf when he made his appearance as was necessary to sustain hischaracter. Invernahyle was afterwards pardoned under the Act ofIndemnity. 

The Author knew him well, and has often heard these circumstancesfrom his own mouth. He was a noble specimen of the old Highlander, far descended, gallant, courteous, and brave, even to chivalry. Hehad been out, I believe, in 1715 and 1745, was an active partakerin all the stirring scenes which passed in the Highlands betwixtthese memorable eras; and, I have heard, was remarkable, amongother exploits, for having fought a duel with the broadsword withthe celebrated Rob Roy MacGregor at the clachan of Balquidder. 

Invernahyle chanced to be in Edinburgh when Paul Jones came intothe Firth of Forth, and though then an old man, I saw him in arms, and heard him exult (to use his own words) in the prospectof drawing his claymore once more before he died. ' In fact, onthat memorable occasion, when the capital of Scotland was menacedby three trifling sloops or brigs, scarce fit to have sacked afishing village, he was the only man who seemed to propose a planof resistance. He offered to the magistrates, if broadswords anddirks could be obtained, to find as many Highlanders among thelower classes as would cut off any boat's crew who might be sentinto a town full of narrow and winding passages, in which theywere like to disperse in quest of plunder. I know not if his planwas attended to, I rather think it seemed too hazardous to theconstituted authorities, who might not, even at that time, desireto see arms in Highland hands. A steady and powerful west windsettled the matter by sweeping Paul Jones and his vessels out ofthe Firth. 

If there is something degrading in this recollection, it is notunpleasant to compare it with those of the last war, whenEdinburgh, besides regular forces and militia, furnished avolunteer brigade of cavalry, infantry, and artillery to theamount of six thousand men and upwards, which was in readiness tomeet and repel a force of a far more formidable description thanwas commanded by the adventurous American. Time and circumstanceschange the character of nations and the fate of cities; and it issome pride to a Scotchman to reflect that the independent andmanly character of a country, willing to entrust its ownprotection to the arms of its children, after having been obscuredfor half a century, has, during the course of his own lifetime, recovered its lustre. 

Other illustrations of Waverley will be found in the Notes at thefoot of the pages to which they belong. Those which appeared toolong to be so placed are given at the end of the chapters to whichthey severally relate. [Footnote: In this edition at the end ofthe several volumes. ]

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION

To this slight attempt at a sketch of ancient Scottish manners thepublic have been more favourable than the Author durst have hopedor expected. He has heard, with a mixture of satisfaction andhumility, his work ascribed to more than one respectable name. Considerations, which seem weighty in his particular situation, prevent his releasing those gentlemen from suspicion by placinghis own name in the title-page; so that, for the present at least, it must remain uncertain whether Waverley be the work of a poet ora critic, a lawyer or a clergyman, or whether the writer, to useMrs. Malaprop's phrase, be, 'like Cerberus, three gentlemen atonce. ' The Author, as he is unconscious of anything in the workitself (except perhaps its frivolity) which prevents its findingan acknowledged father, leaves it to the candour of the public tochoose among the many circumstances peculiar to differentsituations in life such as may induce him to suppress his name onthe present occasion. He may be a writer new to publication, andunwilling to avow a character to which he is unaccustomed; or hemay be a hackneyed author, who is ashamed of too frequentappearance, and employs this mystery, as the heroine of the oldcomedy used her mask, to attract the attention of those to whomher face had become too familiar. He may be a man of a graveprofession, to whom the reputation of being a novel-writer mightbe prejudicial; or he may be a man of fashion, to whom writing ofany kind might appear pedantic. He may be too young to assume thecharacter of an author, or so old as to make it advisable to layit aside. 

The Author of Waverley has heard it objected to this novel, that, in the character of Callum Beg and in the account given by theBaron of Bradwardine of the petty trespasses of the Highlandersupon trifling articles of property, he has borne hard, andunjustly so, upon their national character. Nothing could befarther from his wish or intention. The character of Callum Beg isthat of a spirit naturally turned to daring evil, and determined, by the circumstances of his situation, to a particular species ofmischief. Those who have perused the curious Letters from theHighlands, published about 1726, will find instances of suchatrocious characters which fell under the writer's ownobservation, though it would be most unjust to consider suchvillains as representatives of the Highlanders of that period, anymore than the murderers of Marr and Williamson can be supposed torepresent the English of the present day. As for the plundersupposed to have been picked up by some of the insurgents in 1745, it must be remembered that, although the way of that unfortunatelittle army was neither marked by devastation nor bloodshed, but, on the contrary, was orderly and quiet in a most wonderful degree, yet no army marches through a country in a hostile manner withoutcommitting some depredations; and several, to the extent and ofthe nature jocularly imputed to them by the Baron, were reallylaid to the charge of the Highland insurgents; for which manytraditions, and particularly one respecting the Knight of theMirror, may be quoted as good evidence. [Footnote: A homelymetrical narrative of the events of the period, which containssome striking particulars, and is still a great favourite with thelower classes, gives a very correct statement of the behaviour ofthe mountaineers respecting this same military license; and, asthe verses are little known, and contain some good sense, weventure to insert them. ]

THE AUTHOR'S ADDRESS TO ALL IN GENERAL

 Now, gentle readers, I have let you ken My very thoughts, from heart and pen, 'Tis needless for to conten' Or yet controule, For there's not a word o't I can men'; So ye must thole. 

 For on both sides some were not good; I saw them murd'ring in cold blood, Not the gentlemen, but wild and rude, The baser sort, Who to the wounded had no mood But murd'ring sport!

 Ev'n both at Preston and Falkirk, That fatal night ere it grew mirk, Piercing the wounded with their durk, Caused many cry! Such pity's shown from Savage and Turk As peace to die. 

 A woe be to such hot zeal, To smite the wounded on the fiell! It's just they got such groats in kail, Who do the same. It only teaches crueltys real To them again. 

 I've seen the men call'd Highland rogues, With Lowland men make shangs a brogs, Sup kail and brose, and fling the cogs Out at the door, Take cocks, hens, sheep, and hogs, And pay nought for. 

 I saw a Highlander, 't was right drole, With a string of puddings hung on a pole, Whip'd o'er his shoulder, skipped like a fole, Caus'd Maggy bann, Lap o'er the midden and midden-hole, And aff he ran. 

 When check'd for this, they'd often tell ye, 'Indeed her nainsell's a tume belly; You'll no gie't wanting bought, nor sell me; Hersell will hae't; Go tell King Shorge, and Shordy's Willie, I'll hae a meat. '

 I saw the soldiers at Linton-brig, Because the man was not a Whig, Of meat and drink leave not a skig, Within his door; They burnt his very hat and wig, And thump'd him sore. 

 And through the Highlands they were so rude, As leave them neither clothes nor food, Then burnt their houses to conclude; 'T was tit for tat. How can her nainsell e'er be good, To think on that?

 And after all, O, shame and grief! To use some worse than murd'ring thief, Their very gentleman and chief, Unhumanly! Like Popish tortures, I believe, Such cruelty. 

 Ev'n what was act on open stage At Carlisle, in the hottest rage, When mercy was clapt in a cage, And pity dead, Such cruelty approv'd by every age, I shook my head. 

 So many to curse, so few to pray, And some aloud huzza did cry; They cursed the rebel Scots that day, As they'd been nowt Brought up for slaughter, as that way Too many rowt. 

 Therefore, alas! dear countrymen, O never do the like again, To thirst for vengeance, never ben' Your gun nor pa', But with the English e'en borrow and len', Let anger fa'. 

 Their boasts and bullying, not worth a louse, As our King's the best about the house. 'T is ay good to be sober and douce, To live in peace; For many, I see, for being o'er crouse, Gets broken face. 

WAVERLEY

OR 'TIS SIXTY YEARS SINCE

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY

The title of this work has not been chosen without the grave andsolid deliberation which matters of importance demand from theprudent. Even its first, or general denomination, was the resultof no common research or selection, although, according to theexample of my predecessors, I had only to seize upon the mostsounding and euphonic surname that English history or topographyaffords, and elect it at once as the title of my work and the nameof my hero. But, alas! what could my readers have expected fromthe chivalrous epithets of Howard, Mordaunt, Mortimer, or Stanley, or from the softer and more sentimental sounds of Belmour, Belville, Belfield, and Belgrave, but pages of inanity, similar tothose which have been so christened for half a century past? Imust modestly admit I am too diffident of my own merit to place itin unnecessary opposition to preconceived associations; I have, therefore, like a maiden knight with his white shield, assumed formy hero, WAVERLEY, an uncontaminated name, bearing with its soundlittle of good or evil, excepting what the reader shall hereafterbe pleased to affix to it. But my second or supplemental title wasa matter of much more difficult election, since that, short as itis, may be held as pledging the author to some special mode oflaying his scene, drawing his characters, and managing hisadventures. Had I, for example, announced in my frontispiece, 'Waverley, a Tale of other Days, ' must not every novel-reader haveanticipated a castle scarce less than that of Udolpho, of whichthe eastern wing had long been uninhabited, and the keys eitherlost, or consigned to the care of some aged butler or housekeeper, whose trembling steps, about the middle of the second volume, weredoomed to guide the hero, or heroine, to the ruinous precincts?Would not the owl have shrieked and the cricket cried in my verytitle-page? and could it have been possible for me, with amoderate attention to decorum, to introduce any scene more livelythan might be produced by the jocularity of a clownish butfaithful valet, or the garrulous narrative of the heroine's fille-de-chambre, when rehearsing the stories of blood and horror whichshe had heard in the servants' hall? Again, had my title borne, 'Waverley, a Romance from the German, ' what head so obtuse as notto image forth a profligate abbot, an oppressive duke, a secretand mysterious association of Rosycrucians and Illuminati, withall their properties of black cowls, caverns, daggers, electricalmachines, trap-doors, and dark-lanterns? Or if I had rather chosento call my work a 'Sentimental Tale, ' would it not have been asufficient presage of a heroine with a profusion of auburn hair, and a harp, the soft solace of her solitary hours, which shefortunately finds always the means of transporting from castle tocottage, although she herself be sometimes obliged to jump out ofa two-pair-of-stairs window, and is more than once bewildered onher journey, alone and on foot, without any guide but a blowzypeasant girl, whose jargon she hardly can understand? Or, again, if my Waverley had been entitled 'A Tale of the Times, ' wouldstthou not, gentle reader, have demanded from me a dashing sketch ofthe fashionable world, a few anecdotes of private scandal thinlyveiled, and if lusciously painted, so much the better? a heroinefrom Grosvenor Square, and a hero from the Barouche Club or theFour-in-Hand, with a set of subordinate characters from theelegantes of Queen Anne Street East, or the dashing heroes of theBow-Street Office? I could proceed in proving the importance of atitle-page, and displaying at the same time my own intimateknowledge of the particular ingredients necessary to thecomposition of romances and novels of various descriptions;--butit is enough, and I scorn to tyrannise longer over the impatienceof my reader, who is doubtless already anxious to know the choicemade by an author so profoundly versed in the different branchesof his art. 

By fixing, then, the date of my story Sixty Years before thispresent 1st November, 1805, I would have my readers understand, that they will meet in the following pages neither a romance ofchivalry nor a tale of modern manners; that my hero will neitherhave iron on his. Shoulders, as of yore, nor on the heels of hisboots, as is the present fashion of Bond Street; and that mydamsels will neither be clothed 'in purple and in pall, ' like theLady Alice of an old ballad, nor reduced to the primitivenakedness of a modern fashionable at a rout. From this my choiceof an era the understanding critic may farther presage that theobject of my tale is more a description of men than manners. Atale of manners, to be interesting, must either refer to antiquityso great as to have become venerable, or it must bear a vividreflection of those scenes which are passing daily before oureyes, and are interesting from their novelty. Thus the coat-of-mail of our ancestors, and the triple-furred pelisse of our modernbeaux, may, though for very different reasons, be equally fit forthe array of a fictitious character; but who, meaning the costumeof his hero to be impressive, would willingly attire him in thecourt dress of George the Second's reign, with its no collar, large sleeves, and low pocket-holes? The same may be urged, withequal truth, of the Gothic hall, which, with its darkened andtinted windows, its elevated and gloomy roof, and massive oakentable garnished with boar's-head and rosemary, pheasants andpeacocks, cranes and cygnets, has an excellent effect infictitious description. Much may also be gained by a livelydisplay of a modern fete, such as we have daily recorded in thatpart of a newspaper entitled the Mirror of Fashion, if we contrastthese, or either of them, with the splendid formality of anentertainment given Sixty Years Since; and thus it will be readilyseen how much the painter of antique or of fashionable mannersgains over him who delineates those of the last generation. 

Considering the disadvantages inseparable from this part of mysubject, I must be understood to have resolved to avoid them asmuch as possible, by throwing the force of my narrative upon thecharacters and passions of the actors;--those passions common tomen in all stages of society, and which have alike agitated thehuman heart, whether it throbbed under the steel corslet of thefifteenth century, the brocaded coat of the eighteenth, or theblue frock and white dimity waistcoat of the present day. [Footnote: Alas' that attire, respectable and gentlemanlike in1805, or thereabouts, is now as antiquated as the Author ofWaverley has himself become since that period! The reader offashion will please to fill up the costume with an embroideredwaistcoat of purple velvet or silk, and a coat of whatever colourhe pleases. ] Upon these passions it is no doubt true that thestate of manners and laws casts a necessary colouring; but thebearings, to use the language of heraldry, remain the same, thoughthe tincture may be not only different, but opposed in strongcontradistinction. The wrath of our ancestors, for example, wascoloured gules; it broke forth in acts of open and sanguinaryviolence against the objects of its fury. Our malignant feelings, which must seek gratification through more indirect channels, andundermine the obstacles which they cannot openly bear down, may berather said to be tinctured sable. But the deep-ruling impulse isthe same in both cases; and the proud peer, who can now only ruinhis neighbour according to law, by protracted suits, is thegenuine descendant of the baron who wrapped the castle of hiscompetitor in flames, and knocked him on the head as heendeavoured to escape from the conflagration. It is from the greatbook of Nature, the same through a thousand editions, whether ofblack-letter, or wire-wove and hot-pressed, that I haveventurously essayed to read a chapter to the public. Somefavourable opportunities of contrast have been afforded me by thestate of society in the northern part of the island at the periodof my history, and may serve at once to vary and to illustrate themoral lessons, which I would willingly consider as the mostimportant part of my plan; although I am sensible how short thesewill fall of their aim if I shall be found unable to mix them withamusement--a task not quite so easy in this critical generation asit was 'Sixty Years Since. '

CHAPTER II

WAVERLEY-HONOUR--A RETROSPECT

It is, then, sixty years since Edward Waverley, the hero of thefollowing pages, took leave of his family, to join the regiment ofdragoons in which he had lately obtained a commission. It was amelancholy day at Waverley-Honour when the young officer partedwith Sir Everard, the affectionate old uncle to whose title andestate he was presumptive heir. 

A difference in political opinions had early separated the Baronetfrom his younger brother Richard Waverley, the father of our hero. Sir Everard had inherited from his sires the whole train of Toryor High-Church predilections and prejudices which haddistinguished the house of Waverley since the Great Civil War. Richard, on the contrary, who was ten years younger, beheldhimself born to the fortune of a second brother, and anticipatedneither dignity nor entertainment in sustaining the character ofWill Wimble. He saw early that, to succeed in the race of life, itwas necessary he should carry as little weight as possible. Painters talk of the difficulty of expressing the existence ofcompound passions in the same features at the same moment; itwould be no less difficult for the moralist to analyse the mixedmotives which unite to form the impulse of our actions. RichardWaverley read and satisfied himself from history and soundargument that, in the words of the old song, Passive obedience was a jest, And pshaw! was non-resistance;

yet reason would have probably been unable to combat and removehereditary prejudice could Richard have anticipated that his elderbrother, Sir Everard, taking to heart an early disappointment, would have remained a bachelor at seventy-two. The prospect ofsuccession, however remote, might in that case have led him toendure dragging through the greater part of his life as 'MasterRichard at the Hall, the Baronet's brother, ' in the hope that ereits conclusion he should be distinguished as Sir Richard Waverleyof Waverley-Honour, successor to a princely estate, and toextended political connections as head of the county interest inthe shire where it lay. 

But this was a consummation of things not to be expected atRichard's outset, when Sir Everard was in the prime of life, andcertain to be an acceptable suitor in almost any family, whetherwealth or beauty should be the object of his pursuit, and when, indeed, his speedy marriage was a report which regularly amusedthe neighbourhood once a year. His younger brother saw nopracticable road to independence save that of relying upon his ownexertions, and adopting a political creed more consonant both toreason and his own interest than the hereditary faith of SirEverard in High-Church and in the house of Stuart. He thereforeread his recantation at the beginning of his career, and enteredlife as an avowed Whig and friend of the Hanover succession. 

The ministry of George the First's time were prudently anxious todiminish the phalanx of opposition. The Tory nobility, dependingfor their reflected lustre upon the sunshine of a court, had forsome time been gradually reconciling themselves to the newdynasty. But the wealthy country gentlemen of England, a rankwhich retained, with much of ancient manners and primitiveintegrity, a great proportion of obstinate and unyieldingprejudice, stood aloof in haughty and sullen opposition, and castmany a look of mingled regret and hope to Bois le Due, Avignon, and Italy. [Footnote: Where the Chevalier St. George, or, as he wastermed, the Old Pretender, held his exiled court, as his situationcompelled him to shift his place of residence. ] The accession ofthe near relation of one of those steady and inflexible opponentswas considered as a means of bringing over more converts, andtherefore Richard Waverley met with a share of ministerial favourmore than proportioned to his talents or his political importance. It was, however, discovered that he had respectable talents forpublic business, and the first admittance to the minister's leveebeing negotiated, his success became rapid. Sir Everard learnedfrom the public 'News-Letter, ' first, that Richard Waverley, Esquire, was returned for the ministerial borough of Barterfaith;next, that Richard Waverley, Esquire, had taken a distinguishedpart in the debate upon the Excise Bill in the support ofgovernment; and, lastly, that Richard Waverley, Esquire, had beenhonoured with a seat at one of those boards where the pleasure ofserving the country is combined with other importantgratifications, which, to render them the more acceptable, occurregularly once a quarter. 

Although these events followed each other so closely that thesagacity of the editor of a modern newspaper would have presagedthe two last even while he announced the first, yet they came uponSir Everard gradually, and drop by drop, as it were, distilledthrough the cool and procrastinating alembic of Dyer's 'WeeklyLetter. ' [Footnote: See Note I. ] For it may be observed inpassing, that instead of those mail-coaches, by means of whichevery mechanic at his six-penny club, may nightly learn fromtwenty contradictory channels the yesterday's news of the capital, a weekly post brought, in those days, to Waverley-Honour, aWeekly Intelligencer, which, after it had gratified Sir Everard'scuriosity, his sister's, and that of his aged butler, wasregularly transferred from the Hall to the Rectory, from theRectory to Squire Stubbs's at the Grange, from the Squire to theBaronet's steward at his neat white house on the heath, from thesteward to the bailiff, and from him through a huge circle ofhonest dames and gaffers, by whose hard and horny hands it wasgenerally worn to pieces in about a month after its arrival. 

This slow succession of intelligence was of some advantage toRichard Waverley in the case before us; for, had the sum total ofhis enormities reached the ears of Sir Everard at once, there canbe no doubt that the new commissioner would have had little reasonto pique himself on the success of his politics. The Baronet, although the mildest of human beings, was not without sensitivepoints in his character; his brother's conduct had wounded thesedeeply; the Waverley estate was fettered by no entail (for it hadnever entered into the head of any of its former possessors thatone of their progeny could be guilty of the atrocities laid byDyer's 'Letter' to the door of Richard), and if it had, themarriage of the proprietor might have been fatal to a collateralheir. These various ideas floated through the brain of Sir Everardwithout, however, producing any determined conclusion. 

He examined the tree of his genealogy, which, emblazoned with manyan emblematic mark of honour and heroic achievement, hung upon thewell-varnished wainscot of his hall. The nearest descendants ofSir Hildebrand Waverley, failing those of his eldest son Wilfred, of whom Sir Everard and his brother were the only representatives, were, as this honoured register informed him (and, indeed, as hehimself well knew), the Waverleys of Highley Park, com. Hants;with whom the main branch, or rather stock, of the house hadrenounced all connection since the great law-suit in 1670. 

This degenerate scion had committed a farther offence against thehead and source of their gentility, by the intermarriage of theirrepresentative with Judith, heiress of Oliver Bradshawe, ofHighley Park, whose arms, the same with those of Bradshawe theregicide, they had quartered with the ancient coat of Waverley. These offences, however, had vanished from Sir Everard'srecollection in the heat of his resentment; and had LawyerClippurse, for whom his groom was despatched express, arrived butan hour earlier, he might have had the benefit of drawing a newsettlement of the lordship and manor of Waverley-Honour, with allits dependencies. But an hour of cool reflection is a great matterwhen employed in weighing the comparative evil of two measures toneither of which we are internally partial. Lawyer Clippurse foundhis patron involved in a deep study, which he was too respectfulto disturb, otherwise than by producing his paper and leathernink-case, as prepared to minute his honour's commands. Even thisslight manoeuvre was embarrassing to Sir Everard, who felt it as areproach to his indecision. He looked at the attorney with somedesire to issue his fiat, when the sun, emerging from behind acloud, poured at once its chequered light through the stainedwindow of the gloomy cabinet in which they were seated. TheBaronet's eye, as he raised it to the splendour, fell right uponthe central scutcheon, inpressed with the same device which hisancestor was said to have borne in the field of Hastings, --threeermines passant, argent, in a field azure, with its appropriatemotto, Sans tache. 'May our name rather perish, ' exclaimed SirEverard, 'than that ancient and loyal symbol should be blendedwith the dishonoured insignia of a traitorous Roundhead!'

All this was the effect of the glimpse of a sunbeam, justsufficient to light Lawyer Clippurse to mend his pen. The pen wasmended in vain. The attorney was dismissed, with directions tohold himself in readiness on the first summons. 

The apparition of Lawyer Clippurse at the Hall occasioned muchspeculation in that portion of the world to which Waverley-Honourformed the centre. But the more judicious politicians of thismicrocosm augured yet worse consequences to Richard Waverley froma movement which shortly followed his apostasy. This was no lessthan an excursion of the Baronet in his coach-and-six, with fourattendants in rich liveries, to make a visit of some duration to anoble peer on the confines of the shire, of untainted descent, steady Tory principles, and the happy father of six unmarried andaccomplished daughters. 

Sir Everard's reception in this family was, as it may be easilyconceived, sufficiently favourable; but of the six young ladies, his taste unfortunately determined him in favour of Lady Emily, the youngest, who received his attentions with an embarrassmentwhich showed at once that she durst not decline them, and thatthey afforded her anything but pleasure. 

Sir Everard could not but perceive something uncommon in therestrained emotions which the young lady testified at the advanceshe hazarded; but, assured by the prudent Countess that they werethe natural effects of a retired education, the sacrifice mighthave been completed, as doubtless has happened in many similarinstances, had it not been for the courage of an elder sister, whorevealed to the wealthy suitor that Lady Emily's affections werefixed upon a young soldier of fortune, a near relation of her own. 

Sir Everard manifested great emotion on receiving thisintelligence, which was confirmed to him, in a private interview, by the young lady herself, although under the most dreadfulapprehensions of her father's indignation. 

Honour and generosity were hereditary attributes of the house ofWaverley. With a grace and delicacy worthy the hero of a romance, Sir Everard withdrew his claim to the hand of Lady Emily. He hadeven, before leaving Blandeville Castle, the address to extortfrom her father a consent to her union with the object of herchoice. What arguments he used on this point cannot exactly beknown, for Sir Everard was never supposed strong in the powers ofpersuasion; but the young officer, immediately after thistransaction, rose in the army with a rapidity far surpassing theusual pace of unpatronised professional merit, although, tooutward appearance, that was all he had to depend upon. 

The shock which Sir Everard encountered upon this occasion, although diminished by the consciousness of having actedvirtuously and generously had its effect upon his future life. Hisresolution of marriage had been adopted in a fit of indignation;the labour of courtship did not quite suit the dignified indolenceof his habits; he had but just escaped the risk of marrying awoman who could never love him, and his pride could not be greatlyflattered by the termination of his amour, even if his heart hadnot suffered. The result of the whole matter was his return toWaverley-Honour without any transfer of his affections, notwithstanding the sighs and languishments of the fair tell-tale, who had revealed, in mere sisterly affection, the secret of LadyEmily's attachment, and in despite of the nods, winks, andinnuendos of the officious lady mother, and the grave eulogiumswhich the Earl pronounced successively on the prudence, and goodsense, and admirable dispositions, of his first, second, third, fourth, and fifth daughters. 

The memory of his unsuccessful amour was with Sir Everard, as withmany more of his temper, at once shy, proud, sensitive, andindolent, a beacon against exposing himself to similarmortification, pain, and fruitless exertion for the time to come. He continued to live at Waverley-Honour in the style of an oldEnglish gentleman, of an ancient descent and opulent fortune. Hissister, Miss Rachel Waverley, presided at his table; and theybecame, by degrees, an old bachelor and an ancient maiden lady, the gentlest and kindest of the votaries of celibacy. 

The vehemence of Sir Everard's resentment against his brother wasbut short-lived; yet his dislike to the Whig and the placeman, though unable to stimulate him to resume any active measuresprejudicial to Richard's interest, in the succession to the familyestate, continued to maintain the coldness between them. Richardknew enough of the world, and of his brother's temper, to believethat by any ill-considered or precipitate advances on his part, hemight turn passive dislike into a more active principle. It wasaccident, therefore, which at length occasioned a renewal of theirintercourse. Richard had married a young woman of rank, by whosefamily interest and private fortune he hoped to advance hiscareer. In her right he became possessor of a manor of some value, at the distance of a few miles from Waverley-Honour. 

Little Edward, the hero of our tale, then in his fifth year, wastheir only child. It chanced that the infant with his maid hadstrayed one morning to a mile's distance from the avenue ofBrerewood Lodge, his father's seat. Their attention was attractedby a carriage drawn by six stately long-tailed black horses, andwith as much carving and gilding as would have done honour to mylord mayor's. It was waiting for the owner, who was at a littledistance inspecting the progress of a half-built farm-house. Iknow not whether the boy's nurse had been a Welsh--or a Scotch-woman, or in what manner he associated a shield emblazoned withthree ermines with the idea of personal property, but he no soonerbeheld this family emblem than he stoutly determined onvindicating his right to the splendid vehicle on which it wasdisplayed. The Baronet arrived while the boy's maid was in vainendeavouring to make him desist from his determination toappropriate the gilded coach-and-six. The rencontre was at a happymoment for Edward, as his uncle had been just eyeing wistfully, with something of a feeling like envy, the chubby boys of thestout yeoman whose mansion was building by his direction. In theround-faced rosy cherub before him, bearing his eye and his name, and vindicating a hereditary title to his family, affection, andpatronage, by means of a tie which Sir Everard held as sacred aseither Garter or Blue-mantle, Providence seemed to have granted tohim the very object best calculated to fill up the void in hishopes and affections. Sir Everard returned to Waverley-Hall upon aled horse, which was kept in readiness for him, while the childand his attendant were sent home in the carriage to BrerewoodLodge, with such a message as opened to Richard Waverley a door ofreconciliation with his elder brother. 

Their intercourse, however, though thus renewed, continued to berather formal and civil than partaking of brotherly cordiality;yet it was sufficient to the wishes of both parties. Sir Everardobtained, in the frequent society of his little nephew, somethingon which his hereditary pride might found the anticipated pleasureof a continuation of his lineage, and where his kind and gentleaffections could at the same time fully exercise themselves. ForRichard Waverley, he beheld in the growing attachment between theuncle and nephew the means of securing his son's, if not his own, succession to the hereditary estate, which he felt would be ratherendangered than promoted by any attempt on his own part towards acloser intimacy with a man of Sir Everard's habits and opinions. 

Thus, by a sort of tacit compromise, little Edward was permittedto pass the greater part of the year at the Hall, and appeared tostand in the same intimate relation to both families, althoughtheir mutual intercourse was otherwise limited to formal messagesand more formal visits. The education of the youth was regulatedalternately by the taste and opinions of his uncle and of hisfather. But more of this in a subsequent chapter. 

CHAPTER III

EDUCATION

The education of our hero, Edward Waverley, was of a naturesomewhat desultory. In infancy his health suffered, or wassupposed to suffer (which is quite the same thing), by the air ofLondon. As soon, therefore, as official duties, attendance onParliament, or the prosecution of any of his plans of interest orambition, called his father to town, which was his usual residencefor eight months in the year, Edward was transferred to Waverley-Honour, and experienced a total change of instructors and oflessons, as well as of residence. This might have been remediedhad his father placed him under the superintendence of a permanenttutor. But he considered that one of his choosing would probablyhave been unacceptable at Waverley-Honour, and that such aselection as Sir Everard might have made, were the matter left tohim, would have burdened him with a disagreeable inmate, if not apolitical spy, in his family. He therefore prevailed upon hisprivate secretary, a young man of taste and accomplishments, tobestow an hour or two on Edward's education while at BrerewoodLodge, and left his uncle answerable for his improvement inliterature while an inmate at the Hall. This was in some degreerespectably provided for. Sir Everard's chaplain, an Oxonian, whohad lost his fellowship for declining to take the oaths at theaccession of George I, was not only an excellent classicalscholar, but reasonably skilled in science, and master of mostmodern languages. He was, however, old and indulgent, and therecurring interregnum, during which Edward was entirely freed fromhis discipline, occasioned such a relaxation of authority, thatthe youth was permitted, in a great measure, to learn as hepleased, what he pleased, and when he pleased. This slackness ofrule might have been ruinous to a boy of slow understanding, who, feeling labour in the acquisition of knowledge, would havealtogether neglected it, save for the command of a taskmaster; andit might have proved equally dangerous to a youth whose animalspirits were more powerful than his imagination or his feelings, and whom the irresistible influence of Alma would have engaged infield-sports from morning till night. But the character of EdwardWaverley was remote from either of these. His powers ofapprehension were so uncommonly quick as almost to resembleintuition, and the chief care of his preceptor was to prevent him, as a sportsman would phrase it, from over-running his game--thatis, from acquiring his knowledge in a slight, flimsy, andinadequate manner. And here the instructor had to combat anotherpropensity too often united with brilliancy of fancy and vivacityof talent--that indolence, namely, of disposition, which can onlybe stirred by some strong motive of gratification, and whichrenounces study as soon as curiosity is gratified, the pleasure ofconquering the first difficulties exhausted, and the novelty ofpursuit at an end. Edward would throw himself with spirit upon anyclassical author of which his preceptor proposed the perusal, makehimself master of the style so far as to understand the story, and, if that pleased or interested him, he finished the volume. But it was in vain to attempt fixing his attention on criticaldistinctions of philology, upon the difference of idiom, thebeauty of felicitous expression, or the artificial combinations ofsyntax. 'I can read and understand a Latin author, ' said youngEdward, with the self-confidence and rash reasoning of fifteen, 'and Scaliger or Bentley could not do much more. ' Alas! while hewas thus permitted to read only for the gratification of hisamusement, he foresaw not that he was losing for ever theopportunity of acquiring habits of firm and assiduous application, of gaining the art of controlling, directing, and concentratingthe powers of his mind for earnest investigation--an art far moreessential than even that intimate acquaintance with classicallearning which is the primary object of study. 

I am aware I may be here reminded of the necessity of renderinginstruction agreeable to youth, and of Tasso's infusion of honeyinto the medicine prepared for a child; but an age in whichchildren are taught the driest doctrines by the insinuating methodof instructive games, has little reason to dread the consequencesof study being rendered too serious or severe. The history ofEngland is now reduced to a game at cards, the problems ofmathematics to puzzles and riddles, and the doctrines ofarithmetic may, we are assured, be sufficiently acquired byspending a few hours a week at a new and complicated edition ofthe Royal Game of the Goose. There wants but one step further, andthe Creed and Ten Commandments may be taught in the same manner, without the necessity of the grave face, deliberate tone ofrecital, and devout attention, hitherto exacted from the well-governed childhood of this realm. It may, in the meantime, besubject of serious consideration, whether those who are accustomedonly to acquire instruction through the medium of amusement maynot be brought to reject that which approaches under the aspect ofstudy; whether those who learn history by the cards may not be ledto prefer the means to the end; and whether, were we to teachreligion in the way of sport, our pupils may not thereby begradually induced to make sport of their religion. To our younghero, who was permitted to seek his instruction only according tothe bent of his own mind, and who, of consequence, only sought itso long as it afforded him amusement, the indulgence of his tutorswas attended with evil consequences, which long continued toinfluence his character, happiness, and utility. 

Edward's power of imagination and love of literature, although theformer was vivid and the latter ardent, were so far from affordinga remedy to this peculiar evil, that they rather inflamed andincreased its violence. The library at Waverley-Honour, a largeGothic room, with double arches and a gallery, contained such amiscellaneous and extensive collection of volumes as had beenassembled together, during the course of two hundred years, by afamily which had been always wealthy, and inclined, of course, asa mark of splendour, to furnish their shelves with the currentliterature of the day, without much scrutiny or nicety ofdiscrimination. Throughout this ample realm Edward was permittedto roam at large. His tutor had his own studies; and churchpolitics and controversial divinity, together with a love oflearned ease, though they did not withdraw his attention at statedtimes from the progress of his patron's presumptive heir, inducedhim readily to grasp at any apology for not extending a strict andregulated survey towards his general studies. Sir Everard hadnever been himself a student, and, like his sister, Miss RachelWaverley, he held the common doctrine, that idleness isincompatible with reading of any kind, and that the mere tracingthe alphabetical characters with the eye is in itself a useful andmeritorious task, without scrupulously considering what ideas ordoctrines they may happen to convey. With a desire of amusement, therefore, which better discipline might soon have converted intoa thirst for knowledge, young Waverley drove through the sea ofbooks like a vessel without a pilot or a rudder. Nothing perhapsincreases by indulgence more than a desultory habit of reading, especially under such opportunities of gratifying it. I believeone reason why such numerous instances of erudition occur amongthe lower ranks is, that, with the same powers of mind, the poorstudent is limited to a narrow circle for indulging his passionfor books, and must necessarily make himself master of the few hepossesses ere he can acquire more. Edward, on the contrary, likethe epicure who only deigned to take a single morsel from thesunny side of a peach, read no volume a moment after it ceased toexcite his curiosity or interest; and it necessarily happened, that the habit of seeking only this sort of gratification renderedit daily more difficult of attainment, till the passion forreading, like other strong appetites, produced by indulgence asort of satiety. 

Ere he attained this indifference, however, he had read, andstored in a memory of uncommon tenacity, much curious, though ill-arranged and miscellaneous information. In English literature hewas master of Shakespeare and Milton, of our earlier dramaticauthors, of many picturesque and interesting passages from our oldhistorical chronicles, and was particularly well acquainted withSpenser, Drayton, and other poets who have exercised themselves onromantic fiction, of all themes the most fascinating to a youthfulimagination, before the passions have roused themselves and demandpoetry of a more sentimental description. In this respect hisacquaintance with Italian opened him yet a wider range. He hadperused the numerous romantic poems, which, from the days ofPulci, have been a favourite exercise of the wits of Italy, andhad sought gratification in the numerous collections of novelle, which were brought forth by the genius of that elegant thoughluxurious nation, in emulation of the 'Decameron. ' In classicalliterature, Waverley had made the usual progress, and read theusual authors; and the French had afforded him an almostexhaustless collection of memoirs, scarcely more faithful thanromances, and of romances so well written as hardly to bedistinguished from memoirs. The splendid pages of Froissart, withhis heart-stirring and eye-dazzling descriptions of war and oftournaments, were among his chief favourites; and from those ofBrantome and De la Noue he learned to compare the wild and loose, yet superstitious, character of the nobles of the League with thestern, rigid, and sometimes turbulent disposition of the Huguenotparty. The Spanish had contributed to his stock of chivalrous andromantic lore. The earlier literature of the northern nations didnot escape the study of one who read rather to awaken theimagination than to benefit the understanding. And yet, knowingmuch that is known but to few, Edward Waverley might justly beconsidered as ignorant, since he knew little of what adds dignityto man, and qualifies him to support and adorn an elevatedsituation in society. 

The occasional attention of his parents might indeed have been ofservice to prevent the dissipation of mind incidental to such adesultory course of reading. But his mother died in the seventhyear after the reconciliation between the brothers, and RichardWaverley himself, who, after this event, resided more constantlyin London, was too much interested in his own plans of wealth andambition to notice more respecting Edward than that he was of avery bookish turn, and probably destined to be a bishop. If hecould have discovered and analysed his son's waking dreams, hewould have formed a very different conclusion. 

CHAPTER IV

CASTLE-BUILDING

I have already hinted that the dainty, squeamish, and fastidioustaste acquired by a surfeit of idle reading had not only renderedour hero unfit for serious and sober study, but had even disgustedhim in some degree with that in which he had hitherto indulged. 

He was in his sixteenth year when his habits of abstraction andlove of solitude became so much marked as to excite Sir Everard'saffectionate apprehension. He tried to counterbalance thesepropensities by engaging his nephew in field-sports, which hadbeen the chief pleasure of his own youthful days. But althoughEdward eagerly carried the gun for one season, yet when practicehad given him some dexterity, the pastime ceased to afford himamusement. 

In the succeeding spring, the perusal of old Isaac Walton'sfascinating volume determined Edward to become 'a brother of theangle. ' But of all diversions which ingenuity ever devised for therelief of idleness, fishing is the worst qualified to amuse a manwho is at once indolent and impatient; and our hero's rod wasspeedily flung aside. Society and example, which, more than anyother motives, master and sway the natural bent of our passions, might have had their usual effect upon the youthful visionary. Butthe neighbourhood was thinly inhabited, and the home-bred youngsquires whom it afforded were not of a class fit to form Edward'susual companions, far less to excite him to emulation in thepractice of those pastimes which composed the serious business oftheir lives. 

There were a few other youths of better education and a moreliberal character, but from their society also our hero was insome degree excluded. Sir Everard had, upon the death of QueenAnne, resigned his seat in Parliament, and, as his age increasedand the number of his contemporaries diminished, had graduallywithdrawn himself from society; so that when, upon any particularoccasion, Edward mingled with accomplished and well-educatedyoung men of his own rank and expectations, he felt an inferiorityin their company, not so much from deficiency of information, asfrom the want of the skill to command and to arrange that which hepossessed. A deep and increasing sensibility added to this dislikeof society. The idea of having committed the slightest solecism inpoliteness, whether real or imaginary, was agony to him; forperhaps even guilt itself does not impose upon some minds so keena sense of shame and remorse, as a modest, sensitive, andinexperienced youth feels from the consciousness of havingneglected etiquette or excited ridicule. Where we are not at ease, we cannot be happy; and therefore it is not surprising that EdwardWaverley supposed that he disliked and was unfitted for society, merely because he had not yet acquired the habit of living in itwith ease and comfort, and of reciprocally giving and receivingpleasure. 

The hours he spent with his uncle and aunt were exhausted inlistening to the oft-repeated tale of narrative old age. Yet eventhere his imagination, the predominant faculty of his mind, wasfrequently excited. Family tradition and genealogical history, upon which much of Sir Everard's discourse turned, is the veryreverse of amber, which, itself a valuable substance, usuallyincludes flies, straws, and other trifles; whereas these studies, being themselves very insignificant and trifling, do neverthelessserve to perpetuate a great deal of what is rare and valuable inancient manners, and to record many curious and minute facts whichcould have been preserved and conveyed through no other medium. If, therefore, Edward Waverley yawned at times over the drydeduction of his line of ancestors, with their variousintermarriages, and inwardly deprecated the remorseless andprotracted accuracy with which the worthy Sir Everard rehearsedthe various degrees of propinquity between the house of Waverley-Honour and the doughty barons, knights, and squires to whom theystood allied; if (notwithstanding his obligations to the threeermines passant) he sometimes cursed in his heart the jargon ofheraldry, its griffins, its moldwarps, its wyverns, and itsdragons, with all the bitterness of Hotspur himself, there weremoments when these communications interested his fancy andrewarded his attention. 

The deeds of Wilibert of Waverley in the Holy Land, his longabsence and perilous adventures, his supposed death, and hisreturn on the evening when the betrothed of his heart had weddedthe hero who had protected her from insult and oppression duringhis absence; the generosity with which the Crusader relinquishedhis claims, and sought in a neighbouring cloister that peace whichpasseth not away; [Footnote: See Note 2. ]--to these and similartales he would hearken till his heart glowed and his eyeglistened. Nor was he less affected when his aunt, Mrs. Rachel, narrated the sufferings and fortitude of Lady Alice Waverleyduring the Great Civil War. The benevolent features of thevenerable spinster kindled into more majestic expression as shetold how Charles had, after the field of Worcester, found a day'srefuge at Waverley-Honour, and how, when a troop of cavalry wereapproaching to search the mansion, Lady Alice dismissed heryoungest son with a handful of domestics, charging them to makegood with their lives an hour's diversion, that the king mighthave that space for escape. 'And, God help her, ' would Mrs. Rachelcontinue, fixing her eyes upon the heroine's portrait as shespoke, 'full dearly did she purchase the safety of her prince withthe life of her darling child. They brought him here a prisoner, mortally wounded; and you may trace the drops of his blood fromthe great hall door along the little gallery, and up to thesaloon, where they laid him down to die at his mother's feet. Butthere was comfort exchanged between them; for he knew, from theglance of his mother's eye, that the purpose of his desperatedefence was attained. Ah! I remember, ' she continued, 'I rememberwell to have seen one that knew and loved him. Miss Lucy SaintAubin lived and died a maid for his sake, though one of the mostbeautiful and wealthy matches in this country; all the world ranafter her, but she wore widow's mourning all her life for poorWilliam, for they were betrothed though not married, and died in--I cannot think of the date; but I remember, in the November ofthat very year, when she found herself sinking, she desired to bebrought to Waverley-Honour once more, and visited all the placeswhere she had been with my grand-uncle, and caused the carpets tobe raised that she might trace the impression of his blood, and iftears could have washed it out, it had not been there now; forthere was not a dry eye in the house. You would have thought, Edward, that the very trees mourned for her, for their leavesdropt around her without a gust of wind, and, indeed, she lookedlike one that would never see them green again. '

From such legends our hero would steal away to indulge the fanciesthey excited. In the corner of the large and sombre library, withno other light than was afforded by the decaying brands on itsponderous and ample hearth, he would exercise for hours thatinternal sorcery by which past or imaginary events are presentedin action, as it were, to the eye of the muser. Then arose in longand fair array the splendour of the bridal feast at Waverley-Castle; the tall and emaciated form of its real lord, as he stoodin his pilgrim's weeds, an unnoticed spectator of the festivitiesof his supposed heir and intended bride; the electrical shockoccasioned by the discovery; the springing of the vassals to arms;the astonishment of the bridegroom; the terror and confusion ofthe bride; the agony with which Wilibert observed that her heartas well as consent was in these nuptials; the air of dignity, yetof deep feeling, with which he flung down the half-drawn sword, and turned away for ever from the house of his ancestors. Thenwould he change the scene, and fancy would at his wish representAunt Rachel's tragedy. He saw the Lady Waverley seated in herbower, her ear strained to every sound, her heart throbbing withdouble agony, now listening to the decaying echo of the hoofs ofthe king's horse, and when that had died away, hearing in everybreeze that shook the trees of the park, the noise of the remoteskirmish. A distant sound is heard like the rushing of a swolnstream; it comes nearer, and Edward can plainly distinguish thegalloping of horses, the cries and shouts of men, with stragglingpistol-shots between, rolling forwards to the Hall. The ladystarts up--a terrified menial rushes in--but why pursue such adescription?

As living in this ideal world became daily more delectable to ourhero, interruption was disagreeable in proportion. The extensivedomain that surrounded the Hall, which, far exceeding thedimensions of a park, was usually termed Waverley-Chase, hadoriginally been forest ground, and still, though broken byextensive glades, in which the young deer were sporting, retainedits pristine and savage character. It was traversed by broadavenues, in many places half grown up with brush-wood, where thebeauties of former days used to take their stand to see the stagcoursed with greyhounds, or to gain an aim at him with thecrossbow. In one spot, distinguished by a moss-grown Gothicmonument, which retained the name of Queen's Standing, Elizabethherself was said to have pierced seven bucks with her own arrows. This was a very favourite haunt of Waverley. At other times, withhis gun and his spaniel, which served as an apology to others, andwith a book in his pocket, which perhaps served as an apology tohimself, he used to pursue one of these long avenues, which, afteran ascending sweep of four miles, gradually narrowed into a rudeand contracted path through the cliffy and woody pass calledMirkwood Dingle, and opened suddenly upon a deep, dark, and smalllake, named, from the same cause, Mirkwood-Mere. There stood, informer times, a solitary tower upon a rock almost surrounded bythe water, which had acquired the name of the Strength ofWaverley, because in perilous times it had often been the refugeof the family. There, in the wars of York and Lancaster, the lastadherents of the Red Rose who dared to maintain her cause carriedon a harassing and predatory warfare, till the stronghold wasreduced by the celebrated Richard of Gloucester. Here, too, aparty of Cavaliers long maintained themselves under NigelWaverley, elder brother of that William whose fate Aunt Rachelcommemorated. Through these scenes it was that Edward loved to'chew the cud of sweet and bitter fancy, ' and, like a child amonghis toys, culled and arranged, from the splendid yet uselessimagery and emblems with which his imagination was stored, visionsas brilliant and as fading as those of an evening sky. The effectof this indulgence upon his temper and character will appear inthe next chapter. 

CHAPTER V

CHOICE OF A PROFESSION

From the minuteness with which I have traced Waverley's pursuits, and the bias which these unavoidably communicated to hisimagination, the reader may perhaps anticipate, in the followingtale, an imitation of the romance of Cervantes. But he will do myprudence injustice in the supposition. My intention is not tofollow the steps of that inimitable author, in describing suchtotal perversion of intellect as misconstrues the objects actuallypresented to the senses, but that more common aberration fromsound judgment, which apprehends occurrences indeed in theirreality, but communicates to them a tincture of its own romantictone and colouring. So far was Edward Waverley from expectinggeneral sympathy with his own feelings, or concluding that thepresent state of things was calculated to exhibit the reality ofthose visions in which he loved to indulge, that he dreadednothing more than the detection of such sentiments as weredictated by his musings. He neither had nor wished to have aconfidant, with whom to communicate his reveries; and so sensiblewas he of the ridicule attached to them, that, had he been tochoose between any punishment short of ignominy, and the necessityof giving a cold and composed account of the ideal world in whichhe lived the better part of his days, I think he would not havehesitated to prefer the former infliction. This secrecy becamedoubly precious as he felt in advancing life the influence of theawakening passions. Female forms of exquisite grace and beautybegan to mingle in his mental adventures; nor was he long withoutlooking abroad to compare the creatures of his own imaginationwith the females of actual life. 

The list of the beauties who displayed their hebdomadal finery atthe parish church of Waverley was neither numerous nor select. Byfar the most passable was Miss Sissly, or, as she rather chose tobe called, Miss Cecilia Stubbs, daughter of Squire Stubbs at theGrange. I know not whether it was by the 'merest accident in theworld, ' a phrase which, from female lips, does not always excludemalice prepense, or whether it was from a conformity of taste, that Miss Cecilia more than once crossed Edward in his favouritewalks through Waverley-Chase. He had not as yet assumed courage toaccost her on these occasions; but the meeting was not without itseffect. A romantic lover is a strange idolater, who sometimescares not out of what log he frames the object of his adoration;at least, if nature has given that object any passable proportionof personal charms, he can easily play the Jeweller and Dervise inthe Oriental tale, [Footnote: See Hoppner's tale of The SevenLovers. ] and supply her richly, out of the stores of his ownimagination, with supernatural beauty, and all the properties ofintellectual wealth. 

But ere the charms of Miss Cecilia Stubbs had erected her into apositive goddess, or elevated her at least to a level with thesaint her namesake, Mrs. Rachel Waverley gained some intimationwhich determined her to prevent the approaching apotheosis. Eventhe most simple and unsuspicious of the female sex have (God blessthem!) an instinctive sharpness of perception in such matters, which sometimes goes the length of observing partialities thatnever existed, but rarely misses to detect such as pass actuallyunder their observation. Mrs. Rachel applied herself with greatprudence, not to combat, but to elude, the approaching danger, andsuggested to her brother the necessity that the heir of his houseshould see something more of the world than was consistent withconstant residence at Waverley-Honour. 

Sir Everard would not at first listen to a proposal which went toseparate his nephew from him. Edward was a little bookish, headmitted, but youth, he had always heard, was the season forlearning, and, no doubt, when his rage for letters was abated, andhis head fully stocked with knowledge, his nephew would take tofield-sports and country business. He had often, he said, himselfregretted that he had not spent some time in study during hisyouth: he would neither have shot nor hunted with less skill, andhe might have made the roof of Saint Stephen's echo to longerorations than were comprised in those zealous Noes, with which, when a member of the House during Godolphin's administration, heencountered every measure of government. 

Aunt Rachel's anxiety, however, lent her address to carry herpoint. Every representative of their house had visited foreignparts, or served his country in the army, before he settled forlife at Waverley-Honour, and she appealed for the truth of herassertion to the genealogical pedigree, an authority which SirEverard was never known to contradict. In short, a proposal wasmade to Mr. Richard Waverley, that his son should travel, underthe direction of his present tutor Mr. Pembroke, with a suitableallowance from the Baronet's liberality. The father himself saw noobjection to this overture; but upon mentioning it casually at thetable of the minister, the great man looked grave. The reason wasexplained in private. The unhappy turn of Sir Everard's politics, the minister observed, was such as would render it highly improperthat a young gentleman of such hopeful prospects should travel onthe Continent with a tutor doubtless of his uncle's choosing, anddirecting his course by his instructions. What might Mr. EdwardWaverley's society be at Paris, what at Rome, where all manner ofsnares were spread by the Pretender and his sons--these werepoints for Mr. Waverley to consider. This he could himself say, that he knew his Majesty had such a just sense of Mr. RichardWaverley's merits, that, if his son adopted the army for a fewyears, a troop, he believed, might be reckoned upon in one of thedragoon regiments lately returned from Flanders. 

A hint thus conveyed and enforced was not to be neglected withimpunity; and Richard Waverley, though with great dread ofshocking his brother's prejudices, deemed he could not avoidaccepting the commission thus offered him for his son. The truthis, he calculated much, and justly, upon Sir Everard's fondnessfor Edward, which made him unlikely to resent any step that hemight take in due submission to parental authority. Two lettersannounced this determination to the Baronet and his nephew. Thelatter barely communicated the fact, and pointed out the necessarypreparations for joining his regiment. To his brother, Richard wasmore diffuse and circuitous. He coincided with him, in the mostflattering manner, in the propriety of his son's seeing a littlemore of the world, and was even humble in expressions of gratitudefor his proposed assistance; was, however, deeply concerned thatit was now, unfortunately, not in Edward's power exactly to complywith the plan which had been chalked out by his best friend andbenefactor. He himself had thought with pain on the boy'sinactivity, at an age when all his ancestors had borne arms; evenRoyalty itself had deigned to inquire whether young Waverley wasnot now in Flanders, at an age when his grandfather was alreadybleeding for his king in the Great Civil War. This was accompaniedby an offer of a troop of horse. What could he do? There was notime to consult his brother's inclinations, even if he could haveconceived there might be objections on his part to his nephew'sfollowing the glorious career of his predecessors. And, in short, that Edward was now (the intermediate steps of cornet andlieutenant being overleapt with great agility) Captain Waverley, of Gardiner's regiment of dragoons, which he must join in theirquarters at Dundee in Scotland, in the course of a month. 

Sir Everard Waverley received this intimation with a mixture offeelings. At the period of the Hanoverian succession he hadwithdrawn from parliament, and his conduct in the memorable year1715 had not been altogether unsuspected. There were reports ofprivate musters of tenants and horses in Waverley-Chase bymoonlight, and of cases of carbines and pistols purchased inHolland, and addressed to the Baronet, but intercepted by thevigilance of a riding officer of the excise, who was afterwardstossed in a blanket on a moonless night, by an association ofstout yeomen, for his officiousness. Nay, it was even said, thatat the arrest of Sir William Wyndham, the leader of the Toryparty, a letter from Sir Everard was found in the pocket of hisnight-gown. But there was no overt act which an attainder could befounded on, and government, contented with suppressing theinsurrection of 1715, felt it neither prudent nor safe to pushtheir vengeance farther than against those unfortunate gentlemenwho actually took up arms. 

Nor did Sir Everard's apprehensions of personal consequences seemto correspond with the reports spread among his Whig neighbours. It was well known that he had supplied with money several of thedistressed Northumbrians and Scotchmen, who, after being madeprisoners at Preston in Lancashire, were imprisoned in Newgate andthe Marshalsea, and it was his solicitor and ordinary counsel whoconducted the defence of some of these unfortunate gentlemen attheir trial. It was generally supposed, however, that, hadministers possessed any real proof of Sir Everard's accession tothe rebellion, he either would not have ventured thus to brave theexisting government, or at least would not have done so withimpunity. The feelings which then dictated his proceedings werethose of a young man, and at an agitating period. Since that timeSir Everard's Jacobitism had been gradually decaying, like a firewhich burns out for want of fuel. His Tory and High-Churchprinciples were kept up by some occasional exercise at electionsand quarter-sessions; but those respecting hereditary right werefallen into a sort of abeyance. Yet it jarred severely upon hisfeelings, that his nephew should go into the army under theBrunswick dynasty; and the more so, as, independent of his highand conscientious ideas of paternal authority, it was impossible, or at least highly imprudent, to interfere authoritatively toprevent it. This suppressed vexation gave rise to many poohs andpshaws which were placed to the account of an incipient fit ofgout, until, having sent for the Army List, the worthy Baronetconsoled himself with reckoning the descendants of the houses ofgenuine loyalty, Mordaunts, Granvilles, and Stanleys, whose nameswere to be found in that military record; and, calling up all hisfeelings of family grandeur and warlike glory, he concluded, withlogic something like Falstaff's, that when war was at hand, although it were shame to be on any side but one, it were worseshame to be idle than to be on the worst side, though blacker thanusurpation could make it. As for Aunt Rachel, her scheme had notexactly terminated according to her wishes, but she was under thenecessity of submitting to circumstances; and her mortificationwas diverted by the employment she found in fitting out her nephewfor the campaign, and greatly consoled by the prospect ofbeholding him blaze in complete uniform. Edward Waverley himselfreceived with animated and undefined surprise this most unexpectedintelligence. It was, as a fine old poem expresses it, 'like afire to heather set, ' that covers a solitary hill with smoke, andillumines it at the same time with dusky fire. His tutor, or, Ishould say, Mr. Pembroke, for he scarce assumed the name of tutor, picked up about Edward's room some fragments of irregular verse, which he appeared to have composed under the influence of theagitating feelings occasioned by this sudden page being turned upto him in the book of life. The doctor, who was a believer in allpoetry which was composed by his friends, and written out in fairstraight lines, with a capital at the beginning of each, communicated this treasure to Aunt Rachel, who, with herspectacles dimmed with tears, transferred them to her commonplacebook, among choice receipts for cookery and medicine, favouritetexts, and portions from High-Church divines, and a few songs, amatory and Jacobitical, which she had carolled in her youngerdays, from whence her nephew's poetical tentamina were extractedwhen the volume itself, with other authentic records of theWaverley family, were exposed to the inspection of the unworthyeditor of this memorable history. If they afford the reader nohigher amusement, they will serve, at least, better than narrativeof any kind, to acquaint him with the wild and irregular spirit ofour hero:--

 Late, when the Autumn evening fell On Mirkwood-Mere's romantic dell, The lake return'd, in chasten'd gleam, The purple cloud, the golden beam: Reflected in the crystal pool, Headland and bank lay fair and cool; The weather-tinted rock and tower, Each drooping tree, each fairy flower, So true, so soft, the mirror gave, As if there lay beneath the wave, Secure from trouble, toil, and care, A world than earthly world more fair. 

 But distant winds began to wake, And roused the Genius of the Lake! He heard the groaning of the oak, And donn'd at once his sable cloak, As warrior, at the battle-cry, Invests him with his panoply: Then, as the whirlwind nearer press'd He 'gan to shake his foamy crest O'er furrow'd brow and blacken'd cheek, And bade his surge in thunder speak. In wild and broken eddies whirl'd. Flitted that fond ideal world, And to the shore in tumult tost The realms of fairy bliss were lost. 

 Yet, with a stern delight and strange, I saw the spirit-stirring change, As warr'd the wind with wave and wood, Upon the ruin'd tower I stood, And felt my heart more strongly bound, Responsive to the lofty sound, While, joying in the mighty roar, I mourn'd that tranquil scene no more. 

 So, on the idle dreams of youth, Breaks the loud trumpet-call of truth, Bids each fair vision pass away, Like landscape on the lake that lay, As fair, as flitting, and as frail, As that which fled the Autumn gale. -- For ever dead to fancy's eye Be each gay form that glided by, While dreams of love and lady's charms Give place to honour and to arms!

In sober prose, as perhaps these verses intimate less decidedly, the transient idea of Miss Cecilia Stubbs passed from CaptainWaverley's heart amid the turmoil which his new destinies excited. She appeared, indeed, in full splendour in her father's pew uponthe Sunday when he attended service for the last time at the oldparish church, upon which occasion, at the request of his uncleand Aunt Rachel, he was induced (nothing both, if the truth mustbe told) to present himself in full uniform. 

There is no better antidote against entertaining too high anopinion of others than having an excellent one of ourselves at thevery same time. Miss Stubbs had indeed summoned up everyassistance which art could afford to beauty; but, alas! hoop, patches, frizzled locks, and a new mantua of genuine French silk, were lost upon a young officer of dragoons who wore for the firsttime his gold-laced hat, jack-boots, and broadsword. I know notwhether, like the champion of an old ballad, --

 His heart was all on honour bent, He could not stoop to love; No lady in the land had power His frozen heart to move;

or whether the deep and flaming bars of embroidered gold, whichnow fenced his breast, defied the artillery of Cecilia's eyes; butevery arrow was launched at him in vain. 

 Yet did I mark where Cupid's shaft did light; It lighted not on little western flower, But on bold yeoman, flower of all the west, Hight Jonas Culbertfield, the steward's son. 

Craving pardon for my heroics (which I am unable in certain casesto resist giving way to), it is a melancholy fact, that my historymust here take leave of the fair Cecilia, who, like many adaughter of Eve, after the departure of Edward, and thedissipation of certain idle visions which she had adopted, quietlycontented herself with a pisaller, and gave her hand, at thedistance of six months, to the aforesaid Jonas, son of theBaronet's steward, and heir (no unfertile prospect) to a steward'sfortune, besides the snug probability of succeeding to hisfather's office. All these advantages moved Squire Stubbs, as muchas the ruddy brown and manly form of the suitor influenced hisdaughter, to abate somewhat in the article of their gentry; and sothe match was concluded. None seemed more gratified than AuntRachel, who had hitherto looked rather askance upon thepresumptuous damsel (as much so, peradventure, as her nature wouldpermit), but who, on the first appearance of the new-married pairat church, honoured the bride with a smile and a profound curtsy, in presence of the rector, the curate, the clerk, and the wholecongregation of the united parishes of Waverley cum Beverley. 

I beg pardon, once and for all, of those readers who take upnovels merely for amusement, for plaguing them so long with old-fashioned politics, and Whig and Tory, and Hanoverians andJacobites. The truth is, I cannot promise them that this storyshall be intelligible, not to say probable, without it. My planrequires that I should explain the motives on which its actionproceeded; and these motives necessarily arose from the feelings, prejudices, and parties of the times. I do not invite my fairreaders, whose sex and impatience give them the greatest right tocomplain of these circumstances, into a flying chariot drawn byhippogriffs, or moved by enchantment. Mine is a humble Englishpost-chaise, drawn upon four wheels, and keeping his Majesty'shighway. Such as dislike the vehicle may leave it at the nexthalt, and wait for the conveyance of Prince Hussein's tapestry, orMalek the Weaver's flying sentrybox. Those who are contented toremain with me will be occasionally exposed to the dulnessinseparable from heavy roads, steep hills, sloughs, and otherterrestrial retardations; but with tolerable horses and a civildriver (as the advertisements have it), I engage to get as soon aspossible into a more picturesque and romantic country, if mypassengers incline to have some patience with me during my firststages. [Footnote: These Introductory Chapters have been a gooddeal censured as tedious and unnecessary. Yet there arecircumstances recorded in them which the author has not been ableto persuade himself to retrench or cancel. ]

CHAPTER VI

THE ADIEUS OF WAVERLEY

It was upon the evening of this memorable Sunday that Sir Everardentered the library, where he narrowly missed surprising our younghero as he went through the guards of the broadsword with theancient weapon of old Sir Hildebrand, which, being preserved as anheirloom, usually hung over the chimney in the library, beneath apicture of the knight and his horse, where the features werealmost entirely hidden by the knight's profusion of curled hair, and the Bucephalus which he bestrode concealed by the voluminousrobes of the Bath with which he was decorated. Sir Everardentered, and after a glance at the picture and another at hisnephew, began a little speech, which, however, soon dropt into thenatural simplicity of his common manner, agitated upon the presentoccasion by no common feeling. 'Nephew, ' he said; and then, asmending his phrase, 'My dear Edward, it is God's will, and alsothe will of your father, whom, under God, it is your duty to obey, that you should leave us to take up the profession of arms, inwhich so many of your ancestors have been distinguished. I havemade such arrangements as will enable you to take the field astheir descendant, and as the probable heir of the house ofWaverley; and, sir, in the field of battle you will remember whatname you bear. And, Edward, my dear boy, remember also that youare the last of that race, and the only hope of its revivaldepends upon you; therefore, as far as duty and honour willpermit, avoid danger--I mean unnecessary danger--and keep nocompany with rakes, gamblers, and Whigs, of whom, it is to befeared, there are but too many in the service into which you aregoing. Your colonel, as I am informed, is an excellent man--for aPresbyterian; but you will remember your duty to God, the Churchof England, and the--' (this breach ought to have been supplied, according to the rubric, with the word KING; but as, unfortunately, that word conveyed a double and embarrassing sense, one meaning de facto and the other de jure, the knight filled upthe blank otherwise)--'the Church of England, and all constitutedauthorities. ' Then, not trusting himself with any further oratory, he carried his nephew to his stables to see the horses destinedfor his campaign. Two were black (the regimental colour), superbchargers both; the other three were stout active hacks, designedfor the road, or for his domestics, of whom two were to attend himfrom the Hall; an additional groom, if necessary, might be pickedup in Scotland. 

'You will depart with but a small retinue, ' quoth the Baronet, 'compared to Sir Hildebrand, when he mustered before the gate ofthe Hall a larger body of horse than your whole regiment consistsof. I could have wished that these twenty young fellows from myestate, who have enlisted in your troop, had been to march withyou on your journey to Scotland. It would have been something, atleast; but I am told their attendance would be thought unusual inthese days, when every new and foolish fashion is introduced tobreak the natural dependence of the people upon their landlords. '

Sir Everard had done his best to correct this unnaturaldisposition of the times; for he had brightened the chain ofattachment between the recruits and their young captain, not onlyby a copious repast of beef and ale, by way of parting feast, butby such a pecuniary donation to each individual as tended ratherto improve the conviviality than the discipline of their march. After inspecting the cavalry, Sir Everard again conducted hisnephew to the library, where he produced a letter, carefullyfolded, surrounded by a little stripe of flox-silk, according toancient form, and sealed with an accurate impression of theWaverley coat-of-arms. It was addressed, with great formality, 'ToCosmo Comyne Bradwardine, Esq. , of Bradwardine, at his principalmansion of Tully-Veolan, in Perthshire, North Britain. These--Bythe hands of Captain Edward Waverley, nephew of Sir EverardWaverley, of Waverley-Honour, Bart. '

The gentleman to whom this enormous greeting was addressed, ofwhom we shall have more to say in the sequel, had been in arms forthe exiled family of Stuart in the year 1715, and was madeprisoner at Preston in Lancashire. He was of a very ancientfamily, and somewhat embarrassed fortune; a scholar, according tothe scholarship of Scotchmen, that is, his learning was morediffuse than accurate, and he was rather a reader than agrammarian. Of his zeal for the classic authors he is said to havegiven an uncommon instance. On the road between Preston andLondon, he made his escape from his guards; but being afterwardsfound loitering near the place where they had lodged the formernight, he was recognised, and again arrested. His companions, andeven his escort, were surprised at his infatuation, and could nothelp inquiring, why, being once at liberty, he had not made thebest of his way to a place of safety; to which he replied, that hehad intended to do so, but, in good faith, he had returned to seekhis Titus Livius, which he had forgot in the hurry of his escape. [Footnote: See Note 3. ] The simplicity of this anecdote struck thegentleman, who, as we before observed, had managed the defence ofsome of those unfortunate persons, at the expense of Sir Everard, and perhaps some others of the party. He was, besides, himself aspecial admirer of the old Patavinian, and though probably his ownzeal might not have carried him such extravagant lengths, even torecover the edition of Sweynheim and Pannartz (supposed to be theprinceps), he did not the less estimate the devotion of the NorthBriton, and in consequence exerted himself to so much purpose toremove and soften evidence, detect legal flaws, et cetera, that heaccomplished the final discharge and deliverance of Cosmo ComyneBradwardine from certain very awkward consequences of a pleabefore our sovereign lord the king in Westminster. 

The Baron of Bradwardine, for he was generally so called inScotland (although his intimates, from his place of residence, used to denominate him Tully-Veolan, or more familiarly, Tully), no sooner stood rectus in curia than he posted down to pay hisrespects and make his acknowledgments at Waverley-Honour. Acongenial passion for field-sports, and a general coincidence inpolitical opinions, cemented his friendship with Sir Everard, notwithstanding the difference of their habits and studies inother particulars; and, having spent several weeks at Waverley-Honour, the Baron departed with many expressions of regard, warmlypressing the Baronet to return his visit, and partake of thediversion of grouse-shooting, upon his moors in Perthshire nextseason. Shortly after, Mr. Bradwardine remitted from Scotland asum in reimbursement of expenses incurred in the King's High Courtof Westminster, which, although not quite so formidable whenreduced to the English denomination, had, in its original form ofScotch pounds, shillings, and pence, such a formidable effect uponthe frame of Duncan Macwheeble, the laird's confidential factor, baron-bailie, and man of resource, that he had a fit of thecholic, which lasted for five days, occasioned, he said, solelyand utterly by becoming the unhappy instrument of conveying such aserious sum of money out of his native country into the hands ofthe false English. But patriotism, as it is the fairest, so it isoften the most suspicious mask of other feelings; and many whoknew Bailie Macwheeble concluded that his professions of regretwere not altogether disinterested, and that he would have grudgedthe moneys paid to the LOONS at Westminster much less had they notcome from Bradwardine estate, a fund which he considered as moreparticularly his own. But the Bailie protested he was absolutelydisinterested--

 'Woe, woe, for Scotland, not a whit for me!'

The laird was only rejoiced that his worthy friend, Sir EverardWaverley of Waverley-Honour, was reimbursed of the expenditurewhich he had outlaid on account of the house of Bradwardine. Itconcerned, he said, the credit of his own family, and of thekingdom of Scotland at large, that these disbursements should berepaid forthwith, and, if delayed, it would be a matter ofnational reproach. Sir Everard, accustomed to treat much largersums with indifference, received the remittance of L294, 13S. 6D. Without being aware that the payment was an international concern, and, indeed, would probably have forgot the circumstancealtogether, if Bailie Macwheeble had thought of comforting hischolic by intercepting the subsidy. A yearly intercourse tookplace, of a short letter and a hamper or a cask or two, betweenWaverley-Honour and Tully-Veolan, the English exports consistingof mighty cheeses and mightier ale, pheasants, and venison, andthe Scottish returns being vested in grouse, white hares, pickledsalmon, and usquebaugh; all which were meant, sent, and receivedas pledges of constant friendship and amity between two importanthouses. It followed as a matter of course, that the heir-apparentof Waverley-Honour could not with propriety visit Scotland withoutbeing furnished with credentials to the Baron of Bradwardine. 

When this matter was explained and settled, Mr. Pembroke expressedhis wish to take a private and particular leave of his dear pupil. The good man's ex hortations to Edward to preserve an unblemishedlife and morals, to hold fast the principles of the Christianreligion, and to eschew the profane company of scoffers andlatitudinarians, too much abounding in the army, were notunmingled with his political prejudices. It had pleased Heaven, hesaid, to place Scotland (doubtless for the sins of their ancestorsin 1642) in a more deplorable state of darkness than even thisunhappy kingdom of England. Here, at least, although thecandlestick of the Church of England had been in some degreeremoved from its place, it yet afforded a glimmering light; therewas a hierarchy, though schismatical, and fallen from theprinciples maintained by those great fathers of the church, Sancroft and his brethren; there was a liturgy, though woefullyperverted in some of the principal petitions. But in Scotland itwas utter darkness; and, excepting a sorrowful, scattered, andpersecuted remnant, the pulpits were abandoned to Presbyterians, and, he feared, to sectaries of every description. It should behis duty to fortify his dear pupil to resist such unhallowed andpernicious doctrines in church and state as must necessarily beforced at times upon his unwilling ears. 

Here he produced two immense folded packets, which appeared eachto contain a whole ream of closely written manuscript. They hadbeen the labour of the worthy man's whole life; and never werelabour and zeal more absurdly wasted. He had at one time gone toLondon, with the intention of giving them to the world, by themedium of a bookseller in Little Britain, well known to deal insuch commodities, and to whom he was instructed to address himselfin a particular phrase and with a certain sign, which, it seems, passed at that time current among the initiated Jacobites. Themoment Mr. Pembroke had uttered the Shibboleth, with theappropriate gesture, the bibliopolist greeted him, notwithstandingevery disclamation, by the title of Doctor, and conveying him intohis back shop, after inspecting every possible and impossibleplace of concealment, he commenced: 'Eh, Doctor!--Well--all underthe rose--snug--I keep no holes here even for a Hanoverian rat tohide in. And, what--eh! any good news from our friends over thewater?--and how does the worthy King of France?--Or perhaps youare more lately from Rome? it must be Rome will do it at last--thechurch must light its candle at the old lamp. --Eh--what, cautious?I like you the better; but no fear. ' Here Mr. Pembroke with somedifficulty stopt a torrent of interrogations, eked out with signs, nods, and winks; and, having at length convinced the booksellerthat he did him too much honour in supposing him an emissary ofexiled royalty, he explained his actual business. 

The man of books with a much more composed air proceeded toexamine the manuscripts. The title of the first was 'A Dissentfrom Dissenters, or the Comprehension confuted; showing theImpossibility of any Composition between the Church and Puritans, Presbyterians, or Sectaries of any Description; illustrated fromthe Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, and the soundestControversial Divines. ' To this work the bookseller positivelydemurred. 'Well meant, ' he said, 'and learned, doubtless; but thetime had gone by. Printed on small-pica it would run to eighthundred pages, and could never pay. Begged therefore to beexcused. Loved and honoured the true church from his soul, and, had it been a sermon on the martyrdom, or any twelve-penny touch--why, I would venture something for the honour of the cloth. Butcome, let's see the other. "Right Hereditary righted!"--Ah!there's some sense in this. Hum--hum--hum--pages so many, paper somuch, letter-press--Ah--I'll tell you, though, Doctor, you mustknock out some of the Latin and Greek; heavy, Doctor, damn'dheavy--(beg your pardon) and if you throw in a few grains morepepper--I am he that never preached my author. I have published forDrake and Charlwood Lawton, and poor Amhurst [Footnote: See Note4. ]--Ah, Caleb! Caleb! Well, it was a shame to let poor Calebstarve, and so many fat rectors and squires among us. I gave him adinner once a week; but, Lord love you, what's once a week, when aman does not know where to go the other six days? Well, but I mustshow the manuscript to little Tom Alibi the solicitor, who managesall my law affairs--must keep on the windy side; the mob were veryuncivil the last time I mounted in Old Palace Yard--all Whigs andRoundheads every man of them, Williamites and Hanover rats. '

The next day Mr. Pembroke again called on the publisher, but foundTom Alibi's advice had determined him against undertaking thework. 'Not but what I would go to--(what was I going to say?) tothe Plantations for the church with pleasure--but, dear Doctor, Ihave a wife and family; but, to show my zeal, I'll recommend thejob to my neighbour Trimmel--he is a bachelor, and leaving offbusiness, so a voyage in a western barge would not inconveniencehim. ' But Mr. Trimmel was also obdurate, and Mr. Pembroke, fortunately perchance for himself, was compelled to return toWaverley-Honour with his treatise in vindication of the realfundamental principles of church and state safely packed in hissaddle-bags. 

As the public were thus likely to be deprived of the benefitarising from his lucubrations by the selfish cowardice of thetrade, Mr. Pembroke resolved to make two copies of thesetremendous manuscripts for the use of his pupil. He felt that hehad been indolent as a tutor, and, besides, his conscience checkedhim for complying with the request of Mr. Richard Waverley, thathe would impress no sentiments upon Edward's mind inconsistentwith the present settlement in church and state. But now, thoughthe, I may, without breach of my word, since he is no longer undermy tuition, afford the youth the means of judging for himself, andhave only to dread his reproaches for so long concealing the lightwhich the perusal will flash upon his mind. While he thus indulgedthe reveries of an author and a politician, his darling proselyte, seeing nothing very inviting in the title of the tracts, andappalled by the bulk and compact lines of the manuscript, quietlyconsigned them to a corner of his travelling trunk. 

Aunt Rachel's farewell was brief and affectionate. She onlycautioned her dear Edward, whom she probably deemed somewhatsusceptible, against the fascination of Scottish beauty. Sheallowed that the northern part of the island contained someancient families, but they were all Whigs and Presbyterians exceptthe Highlanders; and respecting them she must needs say, therecould be no great delicacy among the ladies, where the gentlemen'susual attire was, as she had been assured, to say the least, verysingular, and not at all decorous. She concluded her farewell witha kind and moving benediction, and gave the young officer, as apledge of her regard, a valuable diamond ring (often worn by themale sex at that time), and a purse of broad gold-pieces, whichalso were more common Sixty Years Since than they have been oflate. 

CHAPTER VII

A HORSE-QUARTER IN SCOTLAND

The next morning, amid varied feelings, the chief of which was apredominant, anxious, and even solemn impression, that he was nowin a great measure abandoned to his own guidance and direction, Edward Waverley departed from the Hall amid the blessings andtears of all the old domestics and the inhabitants of the village, mingled with some sly petitions for sergeantcies andcorporalships, and so forth, on the part of those who professedthat 'they never thoft to ha' seen Jacob, and Giles, and Jonathango off for soldiers, save to attend his honour, as in duty bound. 'Edward, as in duty bound, extricated himself from the supplicantswith the pledge of fewer promises than might have been expectedfrom a young man so little accustomed to the world. After a shortvisit to London, he proceeded on horseback, then the general modeof travelling, to Edinburgh, and from thence to Dundee, a seaporton the eastern coast of Angus-shire, where his regiment was thenquartered. 

He now entered upon a new world, where, for a time, all wasbeautiful because all was new. Colonel Gardiner, the commandingofficer of the regiment, was himself a study for a romantic, andat the same time an inquisitive youth. In person he was tall, handsome, and active, though somewhat advanced in life. In hisearly years he had been what is called, by manner of palliative, avery gay young man, and strange stories were circulated about hissudden conversion from doubt, if not infidelity, to a serious andeven enthusiastic turn of mind. It was whispered that asupernatural communication, of a nature obvious even to theexterior senses, had produced this wonderful change; and thoughsome mentioned the proselyte as an enthusiast, none hinted at hisbeing a hypocrite. This singular and mystical circumstance gaveColonel Gardiner a peculiar and solemn interest in the eyes of theyoung soldier. [Footnote: See Note 5. ] It may be easily imaginedthat the officers, of a regiment commanded by so respectable aperson composed a society more sedate and orderly than a militarymess always exhibits; and that Waverley escaped some temptationsto which he might otherwise have been exposed. 

Meanwhile his military education proceeded. Already a goodhorseman, he was now initiated into the arts of the manege, which, when carried to perfection, almost realise the fable of theCentaur, the guidance of the horse appearing to proceed from therider's mere volition, rather than from the use of any externaland apparent signal of motion. He received also instructions inhis field duty; but I must own, that when his first ardour waspast, his progress fell short in the latter particular of what hewished and expected. The duty of an officer, the most imposing ofall others to the inexperienced mind, because accompanied with somuch outward pomp and circumstance, is in its essence a very dryand abstract task, depending chiefly upon arithmeticalcombinations, requiring much attention, and a cool and reasoninghead to bring them into action. Our hero was liable to fits ofabsence, in which his blunders excited some mirth, and called downsome reproof. This circumstance impressed him with a painful senseof inferiority in those qualities which appeared most to deserveand obtain regard in his new profession. He asked himself in vain, why his eye could not judge of distance or space so well as thoseof his companions; why his head was not always successful indisentangling the various partial movements necessary to execute aparticular evolution; and why his memory, so alert upon mostoccasions, did not correctly retain technical phrases and minutepoints of etiquette or field discipline. Waverley was naturallymodest, and therefore did not fall into the egregious mistake ofsupposing such minuter rules of military duty beneath his notice, or conceiting himself to be born a general, because he made anindifferent subaltern. The truth was, that the vague andunsatisfactory course of reading which he had pursued, workingupon a temper naturally retired and abstracted, had given him thatwavering and unsettled habit of mind which is most averse to studyand riveted attention. Time, in the mean while, hung heavy on hishands. The gentry of the neighbourhood were disaffected, andshowed little hospitality to the military guests; and the peopleof the town, chiefly engaged in mercantile pursuits, were not suchas Waverley chose to associate with. The arrival of summer, and acuriosity to know something more of Scotland than he could see ina ride from his quarters, determined him to request leave ofabsence for a few weeks. He resolved first to visit his uncle'sancient friend and correspondent, with the purpose of extending orshortening the time of his residence according to circumstances. He travelled of course on horse-back, and with a singleattendant, and passed his first night at a miserable inn, wherethe landlady had neither shoes nor stockings, and the landlord, who called himself a gentleman, was disposed to be rude to hisguest, because he had not bespoke the pleasure of his society tosupper. [Footnote: See Note 6. ] The next day, traversing an openand uninclosed country, Edward gradually approached the Highlandsof Perthshire, which at first had appeared a blue outline in thehorizon, but now swelled into huge gigantic masses, which frowneddefiance over the more level country that lay beneath them. Nearthe bottom of this stupendous barrier, but still in the Lowlandcountry, dwelt Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine of Bradwardine; and, ifgrey-haired eld can be in aught believed, there had dwelt hisancestors, with all their heritage, since the days of the graciousKing Duncan. 

CHAPTER VIII

A SCOTTISH MANOR-HOUSE SIXTY YEARS SINCE

It was about noon when Captain Waverley entered the stragglingvillage, or rather hamlet, of Tully-Veolan, close to which wassituated the mansion of the proprietor. The houses seemedmiserable in the extreme, especially to an eye accustomed to thesmiling neatness of English cottages. They stood, without anyrespect for regularity, on each side of a straggling kind ofunpaved street, where children, almost in a primitive state ofnakedness, lay sprawling, as if to be crushed by the hoofs of thefirst passing horse. Occasionally, indeed, when such aconsummation seemed inevitable, a watchful old grandam, with herclose cap, distaff, and spindle, rushed like a sibyl in frenzy outof one of these miserable cells, dashed into the middle of thepath, and snatching up her own charge from among the sunburntloiterers, saluted him with a sound cuff, and transported him backto his dungeon, the little white-headed varlet screaming all thewhile, from the very top of his lungs, a shrilly treble to thegrowling remonstrances of the enraged matron. Another part in thisconcert was sustained by the incessant yelping of a score of idleuseless curs, which followed, snarling, barking, howling, andsnapping at the horses' heels; a nuisance at that time so commonin Scotland, that a French tourist, who, like other travellers, longed to find a good and rational reason for everything he saw, has recorded, as one of the memorabilia of Caledonia, that thestate maintained, in each village a relay of curs, called collies, whose duty it was to chase the chevaux de poste (too starved andexhausted to move without such a stimulus) from one hamlet toanother, till their annoying convoy drove them to the end of theirstage. The evil and remedy (such as it is) still exist. --But thisis remote from our present purpose, and is only thrown out forconsideration of the collectors under Mr. Dent's Dog Bill. 

As Waverley moved on, here and there an old man, bent as much bytoil as years, his eyes bleared with age and smoke, tottered tothe door of his hut, to gaze on the dress of the stranger and theform and motions of the horses, and then assembled, with hisneighbours, in a little group at the smithy, to discuss theprobabilities of whence the stranger came and where he might begoing. Three or four village girls, returning from the well orbrook with pitchers and pails upon their heads, formed morepleasing objects, and, with their thin short-gowns and singlepetticoats, bare arms, legs, and feet, uncovered heads and braidedhair, somewhat resembled Italian forms of landscape. Nor could alover of the picturesque have challenged either the elegance oftheir costume or the symmetry of their shape; although, to say thetruth, a mere Englishman in search of the COMFORTABLE, a wordpeculiar to his native tongue, might have wished the clothes lessscanty, the feet and legs somewhat protected from the weather, thehead and complexion shrouded from the sun, or perhaps might evenhave thought the whole person and dress considerably improved by aplentiful application of spring water, with a quantum sufficit ofsoap. The whole scene was depressing; for it argued, at the firstglance, at least a stagnation of industry, and perhaps ofintellect. Even curiosity, the busiest passion of the idle, seemedof a listless cast in the village of Tully-Veolan: the cursaforesaid alone showed any part of its activity; with thevillagers it was passive. They stood, and gazed at the handsomeyoung officer and his attendant, but without any of those quickmotions and eager looks that indicate the earnestness with whichthose who live in monotonous ease at home look out for amusementabroad. Yet the physiognomy of the people, when more closelyexamined, was far from exhibiting the indifference of stupidity;their features were rough, but remarkably intelligent; grave, butthe very reverse of stupid; and from among the young women anartist might have chosen more than one model whose features andform resembled those of Minerva. The children also, whose skinswere burnt black, and whose hair was bleached white, by theinfluence of the sun, had a look and manner of life and interest. It seemed, upon the whole, as if poverty, and indolence, its toofrequent companion, were combining to depress the natural geniusand acquired information of a hardy, intelligent, and reflectingpeasantry. 

Some such thoughts crossed Waverley's mind as he paced his horseslowly through the rugged and flinty street of Tully-Veolan, interrupted only in his meditations by the occasional caprioleswhich his charger exhibited at the reiterated assaults of thosecanine Cossacks, the collies before mentioned. The village wasmore than half a mile long, the cottages being irregularly dividedfrom each other by gardens, or yards, as the inhabitants calledthem, of different sizes, where (for it is Sixty Years Since) thenow universal potato was unknown, but which were stored withgigantic plants of kale or colewort, encircled with groves ofnettles, and exhibited here and there a huge hemlock, or thenational thistle, overshadowing a quarter of the petty inclosure. The broken ground on which the village was built had never beenlevelled; so that these inclosures presented declivities of everydegree, here rising like terraces, there sinking like tan-pits. The dry-stone walls which fenced, or seemed to fence (for theywere sorely breached), these hanging gardens of Tully-Veolan wereintersected by a narrow lane leading to the common field, wherethe joint labour of the villagers cultivated alternate ridges andpatches of rye, oats, barley, and pease, each of such minuteextent that at a little distance the unprofitable variety of thesurface resembled a tailor's book of patterns. In a few favouredinstances, there appeared behind the cottages a miserable wigwam, compiled of earth, loose stones, and turf, where the wealthy mightperhaps shelter a starved cow or sorely galled horse. But almostevery hut was fenced in front by a huge black stack of turf on oneside of the door, while on the other the family dunghill ascendedin noble emulation. 

About a bowshot from the end of the village appeared theinclosures proudly denominated the Parks of Tully-Veolan, beingcertain square fields, surrounded and divided by stone walls fivefeet in height. In the centre of the exterior barrier was theupper gate of the avenue, opening under an archway, battlementedon the top, and adorned with two large weather-beaten mutilatedmasses of upright stone, which, if the tradition of the hamletcould be trusted, had once represented, at least had been oncedesigned to represent, two rampant Bears, the supporters of thefamily of Bradwardine. This avenue was straight and of moderatelength, running between a double row of very ancient horse-chestnuts, planted alternately with sycamores, which rose to suchhuge height, and nourished so luxuriantly, that their boughscompletely over-arched the broad road beneath. Beyond thesevenerable ranks, and running parallel to them, were two highwalls, of apparently the like antiquity, overgrown with ivy, honeysuckle, and other climbing plants. The avenue seemed verylittle trodden, and chiefly by foot-passengers; so that being verybroad, and enjoying a constant shade, it was clothed with grass ofa deep and rich verdure, excepting where a foot-path, worn byoccasional passengers, tracked with a natural sweep the way fromthe upper to the lower gate. This nether portal, like the former, opened in front of a wall ornamented with some rude sculpture, with battlements on the top, over which were seen, half-hidden bythe trees of the avenue, the high steep roofs and narrow gables ofthe mansion, with lines indented into steps, and corners decoratedwith small turrets. One of the folding leaves of the lower gatewas open, and as the sun shone full into the court behind, a longline of brilliancy was flung upon the aperture up the dark andgloomy avenue. It was one of those effects which a painter lovesto represent, and mingled well with the struggling light whichfound its way between the boughs of the shady arch that vaultedthe broad green alley. 

The solitude and repose of the whole scene seemed almost monastic;and Waverley, who had given his horse to his servant on enteringthe first gate, walked slowly down the avenue, enjoying thegrateful and cooling shade, and so much pleased with the placidideas of rest and seclusion excited by this confined and quietscene, that he forgot the misery and dirt of the hamlet he hadleft behind him. The opening into the paved court-yardcorresponded with the rest of the scene. The house, which seemedto consist of two or three high, narrow, and steep-roofedbuildings, projecting from each other at right angles, formed oneside of the inclosure. It had been built at a period when castleswere no longer necessary, and when the Scottish architects had notyet acquired the art of designing a domestic residence. Thewindows were numberless, but very small; the roof had somenondescript kind of projections, called bartizans, and displayedat each frequent angle a small turret, rather resembling a pepper-box than a Gothic watchtower. Neither did the front indicateabsolute security from danger. There were loop-holes for musketry, and iron stanchions on the lower windows, probably to repel anyroving band of gypsies, or resist a predatory visit from thecaterans of the neighbouring Highlands. Stables and other officesoccupied another side of the square. The former were low vaults, with narrow slits instead of windows, resembling, as Edward'sgroom observed, 'rather a prison for murderers, and larceners, andsuch like as are tried at 'sizes, than a place for any Christiancattle. ' Above these dungeon-looking stables were granaries, called girnels, and other offices, to which there was access byoutside stairs of heavy masonry. Two battlemented walls, one ofwhich faced the avenue, and the other divided the court from thegarden, completed the inclosure. 

Nor was the court without its ornaments. In one corner was a tun-bellied pigeon-house, of great size and rotundity, resembling infigure and proportion the curious edifice called Arthur's Oven, which would have turned the brains of all the antiquaries inEngland, had not the worthy proprietor pulled it down for the sakeof mending a neighbouring dam-dyke. This dove-cot, or columbarium, as the owner called it, was no small resource to a Scottish lairdof that period, whose scanty rents were eked out by thecontributions levied upon the farms by these light foragers, andthe conscriptions exacted from the latter for the benefit of thetable. 

Another corner of the court displayed a fountain, where a hugebear, carved in stone, predominated over a large stone-basin, intowhich he disgorged the water. This work of art was the wonder ofthe country ten miles round. It must not be forgotten, that allsorts of bears, small and large, demi or in full proportion, werecarved over the windows, upon the ends of the gables, terminatedthe spouts, and supported the turrets, with the ancient familymotto, 'Beware the Bear', cut under each hyperborean form. Thecourt was spacious, well paved, and perfectly clean, there beingprobably another entrance behind the stables for removing thelitter. Everything around appeared solitary, and would have beensilent, but for the continued plashing of the fountain; and thewhole scene still maintained the monastic illusion which the fancyof Waverley had conjured up. And here we beg permission to close achapter of still life. [Footnote: See Note 7. ]

CHAPTER IX

MORE OF THE MANOR-HOUSE AND ITS ENVIRONS

After having satisfied his curiosity by gazing around him for afew minutes, Waverley applied himself to the massive knocker ofthe hall-door, the architrave of which bore the date 1594. But noanswer was returned, though the peal resounded through a number ofapartments, and was echoed from the court-yard walls without thehouse, startling the pigeons from the venerable rotunda which theyoccupied, and alarming anew even the distant village curs, whichhad retired to sleep upon their respective dunghills. Tired of thedin which he created, and the unprofitable responses which itexcited, Waverley began to think that he had reached the castle ofOrgoglio as entered by the victorious Prince Arthur, --

 When 'gan he loudly through the house to call, But no man cared to answer to his cry; There reign'd a solemn silence over all, Nor voice was heard, nor wight was seen in bower or hall. 

Filled almost with expectation of beholding some 'old, old man, with beard as white as snow, ' whom he might question concerningthis deserted mansion, our hero turned to a little oaken wicket-door, well clenched with iron-nails, which opened in the court-yard wall at its angle with the house. It was only latched, notwithstanding its fortified appearance, and, when opened, admitted him into the garden, which presented a pleasantscene. [Footnote: Footnote: At Ravelston may be seen such a garden, which the taste of the proprietor, the author's friend andkinsman, Sir Alexander Keith, Knight Mareschal, has judiciouslypreserved. That, as well as the house is, however, of smallerdimensions than the Baron of Bradwardine's mansion and garden arepresumed to have been. ] The southern side of the house, clothedwith fruit-trees, and having many evergreens trained upon itswalls, extended its irregular yet venerable front along a terrace, partly paved, partly gravelled, partly bordered with flowers andchoice shrubs. This elevation descended by three several flightsof steps, placed in its centre and at the extremities, into whatmight be called the garden proper, and was fenced along the top bya stone parapet with a heavy balustrade, ornamented from space tospace with huge grotesque figures of animals seated upon theirhaunches, among which the favourite bear was repeatedlyintroduced. Placed in the middle of the terrace between a sashed-door opening from the house and the central flight of steps, ahuge animal of the same species supported on his head and fore-paws a sun-dial of large circumference, inscribed with morediagrams than Edward's mathematics enabled him to decipher. 

The garden, which seemed to be kept with great accuracy, aboundedin fruit-trees, and exhibited a profusion of flowers andevergreens, cut into grotesque forms. It was laid out in terraces, which descended rank by rank from the western wall to a largebrook, which had a tranquil and smooth appearance, where it servedas a boundary to the garden; but, near the extremity, leapt intumult over a strong dam, or wear-head, the cause of its temporarytranquillity, and there forming a cascade, was overlooked by anoctangular summer-house, with a gilded bear on the top by way ofvane. After this feat, the brook, assuming its natural rapid andfierce character, escaped from the eye down a deep and woodeddell, from the copse of which arose a massive, but ruinous tower, the former habitation of the Barons of Bradwardine. The margin ofthe brook, opposite to the garden, displayed a narrow meadow, orhaugh, as it was called, which formed a small washing-green; thebank, which retired behind it, was covered by ancient trees. 

The scene, though pleasing, was not quite equal to the gardens ofAlcina; yet wanted not the 'due donzellette garrule' of thatenchanted paradise, for upon the green aforesaid two bare-leggeddamsels, each standing in a spacious tub, performed with theirfeet the office of a patent washing-machine. These did not, however, like the maidens of Armida, remain to greet with theirharmony the approaching guest, but, alarmed at the appearance of ahandsome stranger on the opposite side, dropped their garments (Ishould say garment, to be quite correct) over their limbs, whichtheir occupation exposed somewhat too freely, and, with a shrillexclamation of 'Eh, sirs!' uttered with an accent between modestyand coquetry, sprung off like deer in different directions. 

Waverley began to despair of gaining entrance into this solitaryand seemingly enchanted mansion, when a man advanced up one of thegarden alleys, where he still retained his station. Trusting thismight be a gardener, or some domestic belonging to the house, Edward descended the steps in order to meet him; but as the figureapproached, and long before he could descry its features, he wasstruck with the oddity of its appearance and gestures. Sometimesthis mister wight held his hands clasped over his head, like anIndian Jogue in the attitude of penance; sometimes he swung themperpendicularly, like a pendulum, on each side; and anon heslapped them swiftly and repeatedly across his breast, like thesubstitute used by a hackney-coachman for his usual floggingexercise, when his cattle are idle upon the stand, in a clearfrosty day. His gait was as singular as his gestures, for at timeshe hopped with great perseverance on the right foot, thenexchanged that supporter to advance in the same manner on theleft, and then putting his feet close together he hopped upon bothat once. His attire also was antiquated and extravagant. Itconsisted in a sort of grey jerkin, with scarlet cuffs and slashedsleeves, showing a scarlet lining; the other parts of the dresscorresponded in colour, not forgetting a pair of scarletstockings, and a scarlet bonnet, proudly surmounted with aturkey's feather. Edward, whom he did not seem to observe, nowperceived confirmation in his features of what the mien andgestures had already announced. It was apparently neither idiocynor insanity which gave that wild, unsettled, irregular expressionto a face which naturally was rather handsome, but something thatresembled a compound of both, where the simplicity of the fool wasmixed with the extravagance of a crazed imagination. He sung withgreat earnestness, and not without some taste, a fragment of anold Scottish ditty:--

 False love, and hast thou play'd me this In summer among the flowers? I will repay thee back again In winter among the showers. Unless again, again, my love, Unless you turn again; As you with other maidens rove, I'll smile on other men. 

[Footnote: This is a genuine ancient fragment, with somealteration in the two last lines. ]

Here lifting up his eyes, which had hitherto been fixed inobserving how his feet kept time to the tune, he beheld Waverley, and instantly doffed his cap, with many grotesque signals ofsurprise, respect, and salutation. Edward, though with little hopeof receiving an answer to any constant question, requested to knowwhether Mr. Bradwardine were at home, or where he could find anyof the domestics. The questioned party replied, and, like thewitch of Thalaba, 'still his speech was song, '--

 The Knight's to the mountain His bugle to wind; The Lady's to greenwood Her garland to bind. The bower of Burd Ellen Has moss on the floor, That the step of Lord William Be silent and sure. 

This conveyed no information, and Edward, repeating his queries, received a rapid answer, in which, from the haste and peculiarityof the dialect, the word 'butler' was alone intelligible. Waverleythen requested to see the butler; upon which the fellow, with aknowing look and nod of intelligence, made a signal to Edward tofollow, and began to dance and caper down the alley up which hehad made his approaches. A strange guide this, thought Edward, andnot much unlike one of Shakespeare's roynish clowns. I am not overprudent to trust to his pilotage; but wiser men have been led byfools. By this time he reached the bottom of the alley, where, turning short on a little parterre of flowers, shrouded from theeast and north by a close yew hedge, he found an old man at workwithout his coat, whose appearance hovered between that of anupper servant and gardener; his red nose and ruffled shirtbelonging to the former profession; his hale and sunburnt visage, with his green apron, appearing to indicate

 Old Adam's likeness, set to dress this garden. 

The major domo, for such he was, and indisputably the secondofficer of state in the barony (nay, as chief minister of theinterior, superior even to Bailie Macwheeble in his own departmentof the kitchen and cellar)--the major domo laid down his spade, slipped on his coat in haste, and with a wrathful look at Edward'sguide, probably excited by his having introduced a stranger whilehe was engaged in this laborious, and, as he might suppose it, degrading office, requested to know the gentleman's commands. Being informed that he wished to pay his respects to his master, that his name was Waverley, and so forth, the old man'scountenance assumed a great deal of respectful importance. 'Hecould take it upon his conscience to say, his honour would haveexceeding pleasure in seeing him. Would not Mr. Waverley choosesome refreshment after his journey? His honour was with the folkwho were getting doon the dark hag; the twa gardener lads (anemphasis on the word twa) had been ordered to attend him; and hehad been just amusing himself in the mean time with dressing MissRose's flower-bed, that he might be near to receive his honour'sorders, if need were; he was very fond of a garden, but had littletime for such divertisements. '

'He canna get it wrought in abune twa days in the week at no ratewhatever, ' said Edward's fantastic conductor. 

A grim look from the butler chastised his interference, and hecommanded him, by the name of Davie Gellatley, in a tone whichadmitted no discussion, to look for his honour at the dark hag, and tell him there was a gentleman from the south had arrived atthe Ha'. 

'Can this poor fellow deliver a letter?' asked Edward. 

'With all fidelity, sir, to any one whom he respects. I wouldhardly trust him with a long message by word of mouth--though heis more knave than fool. '

Waverley delivered his credentials to Mr. Gellatley, who seemed toconfirm the butler's last observation, by twisting his features athim, when he was looking another way, into the resemblance of thegrotesque face on the bole of a German tobacco pipe; after which, with an odd conge to Waverley, he danced off to discharge hiserrand. 

'He is an innocent, sir, ' said the butler; 'there is one such inalmost every town in the country, but ours is brought far ben. [Footnote: See Note 8. ] He used to work a day's turn weelenough; but he helped Miss Rose when she was flemit with the Lairdof Killancureit's new English bull, and since that time we ca' himDavie Do-little; indeed we might ca' him Davie Do-naething, forsince he got that gay clothing, to please his honour and my youngmistress (great folks will have their fancies), he has donenaething but dance up and down about the toun, without doing asingle turn, unless trimming the laird's fishing-wand or buskinghis flies, or may be catching a dish of trouts at an orra time. But here comes Miss Rose, who, I take burden upon me for her, willbe especial glad to see one of the house of Waverley at herfather's mansion of Tully-Veolan. '

But Rose Bradwardine deserves better of her unworthy historianthan to be introduced at the end of a chapter. 

In the mean while it may be noticed, that Waverley learned twothings from this colloquy: that in Scotland a single house wascalled a TOWN, and a natural fool an INNOCENT. 

CHAPTER X

ROSE BRADWARDINE AND HER FATHER

Miss Bradwardine was but seventeen; yet, at the last races of thecounty town of----, upon her health being proposed among a roundof beauties, the Laird of Bumperquaigh, permanent toast-master andcroupier of the Bautherwhillery Club, not only said MORE to thepledge in a pint bumper of Bourdeaux, but, ere pouring forth thelibation, denominated the divinity to whom it was dedicated, 'theRose of Tully-Veolan'; upon which festive occasion three cheerswere given by all the sitting members of that respectable society, whose throats the wine had left capable of such exertion. Nay, Iam well assured, that the sleeping partners of the company snortedapplause, and that although strong bumpers and weak brains hadconsigned two or three to the floor, yet even these, fallen asthey were from their high estate, and weltering--I will carry theparody no farther--uttered divers inarticulate sounds, intimatingtheir assent to the motion. 

Such unanimous applause could not be extorted but by acknowledgedmerit; and Rose Bradwardine not only deserved it, but also theapprobation of much more rational persons than the BautherwhilleryClub could have mustered, even before discussion of the firstmagnum. She was indeed a very pretty girl of the Scotch cast ofbeauty, that is, with a profusion of hair of paley gold, and askin like the snow of her own mountains in whiteness. Yet she hadnot a pallid or pensive cast of countenance; her features, as wellas her temper, had a lively expression; her complexion, though notflorid, was so pure as to seem transparent, and the slightestemotion sent her whole blood at once to her face and neck. Herform, though under the common size, was remarkably elegant, andher motions light, easy, and unembarrassed. She came from anotherpart of the garden to receive Captain Waverley, with a manner thathovered between bashfulness and courtesy. 

The first greetings past, Edward learned from her that the darkhag, which had somewhat puzzled him in the butler's account of hismaster's avocations, had nothing to do either with a black cat ora broomstick, but was simply a portion of oak copse which was tobe felled that day. She offered, with diffident civility, to showthe stranger the way to the spot, which, it seems, was not fardistant; but they were prevented by the appearance of the Baron ofBradwardine in person, who, summoned by David Gellatley, nowappeared, 'on hospitable thoughts intent, ' clearing the ground ata prodigious rate with swift and long strides, which remindedWaverley of the seven-league boots of the nursery fable. He was atall, thin, athletic figure, old indeed and grey-haired, but withevery muscle rendered as tough as whip-cord by constant exercise. He was dressed carelessly, and more like a Frenchman than anEnglishman of the period, while, from his hard features andperpendicular rigidity of stature, he bore some resemblance to aSwiss officer of the guards, who had resided some time at Paris, and caught the costume, but not the ease or manner, of itsinhabitants. The truth was, that his language and habits were asheterogeneous as his external appearance. 

Owing to his natural disposition to study, or perhaps to a verygeneral Scottish fashion of giving young men of rank a legaleducation, he had been bred with a view to the bar. But thepolitics of his family precluding the hope of his rising in thatprofession, Mr. Bradwardine travelled with high reputation forseveral years, and made some campaigns in foreign service. Afterhis demele with the law of high treason in 1715, he had lived inretirement, conversing almost entirely with those of his ownprinciples in the vicinage. The pedantry of the lawyer, superinduced upon the military pride of the soldier, might reminda modern of the days of the zealous volunteer service, when thebar-gown of our pleaders was often flung over a blazing uniform. To this must be added the prejudices of ancient birth and Jacobitepolitics, greatly strengthened by habits of solitary and secludedauthority, which, though exercised only within the bounds of hishalf-cultivated estate, was there indisputable and undisputed. For, as he used to observe, 'the lands of Bradwardine, Tully-Veolan, and others, had been erected into a free barony by acharter from David the First, cum liberali potest. Habendi curiaset justicias, cum fossa et furca (LIE, pit and gallows) et saka etsoka, et thol et theam, et infang-thief et outfang-thief, sivehand-habend. Sive bak-barand. ' The peculiar meaning of all thesecabalistical words few or none could explain; but they implied, upon the whole, that the Baron of Bradwardine might, in case ofdelinquency, imprison, try, and execute his vassals at hispleasure. Like James the First, however, the present possessor ofthis authority was more pleased in talking about prerogative thanin exercising it; and excepting that he imprisoned two poachers inthe dungeon of the old tower of Tully-Veolan, where they weresorely frightened by ghosts, and almost eaten by rats, and that heset an old woman in the jougs (or Scottish pillory) for saying'there were mair fules in the laird's ha' house than DavieGellatley, ' I do not learn that he was accused of abusing his highpowers. Still, however, the conscious pride of possessing themgave additional importance to his language and deportment. 

At his first address to Waverley, it would seem that the heartypleasure he felt to behold the nephew of his friend had somewhatdiscomposed the stiff and upright dignity of the Baron ofBradwardine's demeanour, for the tears stood in the oldgentleman's eyes, when, having first shaken Edward heartily by thehand in the English fashion, he embraced him a la mode Francoise, and kissed him on both sides of his face; while the hardness ofhis gripe, and the quantity of Scotch snuff which his accoladecommunicated, called corresponding drops of moisture to the eyesof his guest. 

'Upon the honour of a gentleman, ' he said, 'but it makes me youngagain to see you here, Mr. Waverley! A worthy scion of the oldstock of Waverley-Honour--spes altera, as Maro hath it--and youhave the look of the old line, Captain Waverley; not so portly yetas my old friend Sir Everard--mais cela viendra avec le tems, asmy Dutch acquaintance, Baron Kikkitbroeck, said of the sagesse ofMadame son epouse. And so ye have mounted the cockade? Right, right; though I could have wished the colour different, and so Iwould ha' deemed might Sir Everard. But no more of that; I am old, and times are changed. And how does the worthy knight baronet, andthe fair Mrs. Rachel?--Ah, ye laugh, young man! In troth she wasthe fair Mrs. Rachel in the year of grace seventeen hundred andsixteen; but time passes--et singula praedantur anni--that ismost certain. But once again ye are most heartily welcome to mypoor house of Tully-Veolan! Hie to the house, Rose, and see thatAlexander Saunderson looks out the old Chateau Margaux, which Isent from Bourdeaux to Dundee in the year 1713. '

Rose tripped off demurely enough till she turned the first corner, and then ran with the speed of a fairy, that she might gainleisure, after discharging her father's commission, to put her owndress in order, and produce all her little finery, an occupationfor which the approaching dinner-hour left but limited time. 

'We cannot rival the luxuries of your English table, CaptainWaverley, or give you the epulae lautiores of Waverley-Honour. Isay epulae rather than prandium, because the latter phrase ispopular: epulae ad senatum, prandium vero ad populum attinet, saysSuetonius Tranquillus. But I trust ye will applaud my Bourdeaux;c'est des deux oreilles, as Captain Vinsauf used to say; vinumprimae notae, the principal of Saint Andrews denominated it. And, once more, Captain Waverley, right glad am I that ye are here todrink the best my cellar can make forthcoming. '

This speech, with the necessary interjectional answers, continuedfrom the lower alley where they met up to the door of the house, where four or five servants in old-fashioned liveries, headed byAlexander Saunderson, the butler, who now bore no token of thesable stains of the garden, received them in grand COSTUME, In an old hall hung round with pikes and with bows, With old bucklers and corslets that had borne many shrewd blows. 

With much ceremony, and still more real kindness, the Baron, without stopping in any intermediate apartment, conducted hisguest through several into the great dining parlour, wainscottedwith black oak, and hung round with the pictures of his ancestry, where a table was set forth in form for six persons, and an old-fashioned beaufet displayed all the ancient and massive plate ofthe Bradwardine family. A bell was now heard at the head of theavenue; for an old man, who acted as porter upon gala days, hadcaught the alarm given by Waverley's arrival, and, repairing tohis post, announced the arrival of other guests. 

These, as the Baron assured his young friend, were very estimablepersons. 'There was the young Laird of Balmawhapple, a Falconer bysurname, of the house of Glenfarquhar, given right much to field-sports--gaudet equis et canibus--but a very discreet younggentleman. Then there was the Laird of Killancureit, who haddevoted his leisure UNTILL tillage and agriculture, and boastedhimself to be possessed of a bull of matchless merit, brought fromthe county of Devon (the Damnonia of the Romans, if we can trustRobert of Cirencester). He is, as ye may well suppose from such atendency, but of yeoman extraction--servabit odorem testa diu--andI believe, between ourselves, his grandsire was from the wrongside of the Border--one Bullsegg, who came hither as a steward, orbailiff, or ground-officer, or something in that department, tothe last Girnigo of Killancureit, who died of an atrophy. Afterhis master's death, sir, --ye would hardly believe such a scandal, --but this Bullsegg, being portly and comely of aspect, intermarried with the lady dowager, who was young and amorous, andpossessed himself of the estate, which devolved on this unhappywoman by a settlement of her umwhile husband, in directcontravention of an unrecorded taillie, and to the prejudice ofthe disponer's own flesh and blood, in the person of his naturalheir and seventh cousin, Girnigo of Tipperhewit, whose family wasso reduced by the ensuing law-suit, that his representative is nowserving as a private gentleman-sentinel in the Highland BlackWatch. But this gentleman, Mr. Bullsegg of Killancureit that nowis, has good blood in his veins by the mother and grandmother, whowere both of the family of Pickletillim, and he is well liked andlooked upon, and knows his own place. And God forbid, CaptainWaverley, that we of irreproachable lineage should exult over him, when it may be, that in the eighth, ninth, or tenth generation, his progeny may rank, in a manner, with the old gentry of thecountry. Rank and ancestry, sir, should be the last words in themouths of us of unblemished race--vix ea nostra voco, as Nasosaith. There is, besides, a clergyman of the true (thoughsuffering) Episcopal church of Scotland. [Footnote: See Note 9. ]He was a confessor in her cause after the year 1715, when aWhiggish mob destroyed his meeting-house, tore his surplice, andplundered his dwelling-house of four silver spoons, intromittingalso with his mart and his mealark, and with two barrels, one ofsingle and one of double ale, besides three bottles of brandy. Mybaron-bailie and doer, Mr. Duncan Macwheeble, is the fourth on ourlist. There is a question, owing to the incertitude of ancientorthography, whether he belongs to the clan of Wheedle or ofQuibble, but both have produced persons eminent in the law. '--

 As such he described them by person and name, They enter'd, and dinner was served as they came. 

CHAPTER XI

THE BANQUET

The entertainment was ample and handsome, according to the Scotchideas of the period, and the guests did great honour to it. TheBaron eat like a famished soldier, the Laird of Balmawhapple likea sportsman, Bullsegg of Killancureit like a farmer, Waverleyhimself like a traveller, and Bailie Macwheeble like all fourtogether; though, either out of more respect, or in order topreserve that proper declination of person which showed a sensethat he was in the presence of his patron, he sat upon the edge ofhis chair, placed at three feet distance from the table, andachieved a communication with his plate by projecting his persontowards it in a line which obliqued from the bottom of his spine, so that the person who sat opposite to him could only see theforetop of his riding periwig. 

This stooping position might have been inconvenient to anotherperson; but long habit made it, whether seated or walking, perfectly easy to the worthy Bailie. In the latter posture itoccasioned, no doubt, an unseemly projection of the person towardsthose who happened to walk behind; but those being at all timeshis inferiors (for Mr. Macwheeble was very scrupulous in givingplace to all others), he cared very little what inference ofcontempt or slight regard they might derive from the circumstance. Hence, when he waddled across the court to and from his old greypony, he somewhat resembled a turnspit walking upon its hind legs. 

The nonjuring clergyman was a pensive and interesting old man, with much of the air of a sufferer for conscience' sake. He wasone of those

 Who, undeprived, their benefice forsook. 

For this whim, when the Baron was out of hearing, the Bailie usedsometimes gently to rally Mr. Rubrick, upbraiding him with thenicety of his scruples. Indeed, it must be owned, that he himself, though at heart a keen partisan of the exiled family, had keptpretty fair with all the different turns of state in his time; sothat Davie Gellatley once described him as a particularly goodman, who had a very quiet and peaceful conscience, THAT NEVER DIDHIM ANY HARM. 

When the dinner was removed, the Baron announced the health of theKing, politely leaving to the consciences of his guests to drinkto the sovereign de facto or de jure, as their politics inclined. The conversation now became general; and, shortly afterwards, MissBradwardine, who had done the honours with natural grace andsimplicity, retired, and was soon followed by the clergyman. Amongthe rest of the party, the wine, which fully justified theencomiums of the landlord, flowed freely round, although Waverley, with some difficulty, obtained the privilege of sometimesneglecting the glass. At length, as the evening grew more late, the Baron made a private signal to Mr. Saunders Saunderson, or, ashe facetiously denominated him, Alexander ab Alexandro, who leftthe room with a nod, and soon after returned, his gravecountenance mantling with a solemn and mysterious smile, andplaced before his master a small oaken casket, mounted with brassornaments of curious form. The Baron, drawing out a private key, unlocked the casket, raised the lid, and produced a golden gobletof a singular and antique appearance, moulded into the shape of arampant bear, which the owner regarded with a look of mingledreverence, pride, and delight, that irresistibly reminded Waverleyof Ben Jonson's Tom Otter, with his Bull, Horse, and Dog, as thatwag wittily denominated his chief carousing cups. But Mr. Bradwardine, turning towards him with complacency, requested himto observe this curious relic of the olden time. 

'It represents, ' he said, 'the chosen crest of our family, a bear, as ye observe, and RAMPANT; because a good herald will depictevery animal in its noblest posture, as a horse SALIENT, agreyhound CURRANT, and, as may be inferred, a ravenous animal inactu ferociori, or in a voracious, lacerating, and devouringposture. Now, sir, we hold this most honourable achievement by thewappen-brief, or concession of arms, of Frederick Red-beard, Emperor of Germany, to my predecessor, Godmund Bradwardine, itbeing the crest of a gigantic Dane, whom he slew in the lists inthe Holy Land, on a quarrel touching the chastity of the emperor'sspouse or daughter, tradition saith not precisely which, and thus, as Virgilius hath it--

 Mutemus clypeos, Danaumque insignia nobis Aptemus. 

Then for the cup, Captain Waverley, it was wrought by the commandof Saint Duthac, Abbot of Aberbrothock, for behoof of anotherbaron of the house of Bradwardine, who had valiantly defended thepatrimony of that monastery against certain encroaching nobles. Itis properly termed the Blessed Bear of Bradwardine (though oldDoctor Doubleit used jocosely to call it Ursa Major), and wassupposed, in old and Catholic times, to be invested with certainproperties of a mystical and supernatural quality. And though Igive not in to such anilia, it is certain it has always beenesteemed a solemn standard cup and heirloom of our house; nor isit ever used but upon seasons of high festival, and such I hold tobe the arrival of the heir of Sir Everard under my roof; and Idevote this draught to the health and prosperity of the ancientand highly-to-be-honoured house of Waverley. '

During this long harangue, he carefully decanted a cob-webbedbottle of claret into the goblet, which held nearly an Englishpint; and, at the conclusion, delivering the bottle to the butler, to be held carefully in the same angle with the horizon, hedevoutly quaffed off the contents of the Blessed Bear ofBradwardine. 

Edward, with horror and alarm, beheld the animal making hisrounds, and thought with great anxiety upon the appropriate motto, 'Beware the Bear'; but, at the same time, plainly foresaw that, asnone of the guests scrupled to do him this extraordinary honour, arefusal on his part to pledge their courtesy would be extremelyill received. Resolving, therefore, to submit to this last pieceof tyranny, and then to quit the table, if possible, and confidingin the strength of his constitution, he did justice to the companyin the contents of the Blessed Bear, and felt less inconveniencefrom the draught than he could possibly have expected. The others, whose time had been more actively employed, began to show symptomsof innovation--'the good wine did its good office. ' [Footnote:Southey's Madoc. ] The frost of etiquette and pride of birth beganto give way before the genial blessings of this benignconstellation, and the formal appellatives with which the threedignitaries had hitherto addressed each other were now familiarlyabbreviated into Tully, Bally, and Killie. When a few rounds hadpassed, the two latter, after whispering together, cravedpermission (a joyful hearing for Edward) to ask the grace-cup. This, after some delay, was at length produced, and Waverleyconcluded the orgies of Bacchus were terminated for the evening. He was never more mistaken in his life. 

As the guests had left their horses at the small inn, or change-house, as it was called, of the village, the Baron could not, inpoliteness, avoid walking with them up the avenue, and Waverleyfrom the same motive, and to enjoy after this feverish revel thecool summer evening, attended the party. But when they arrived atLuckie Macleary's the Lairds of Balmawhapple and Killancureitdeclared their determination to acknowledge their sense of thehospitality of Tully-Veolan by partaking, with their entertainerand his guest Captain Waverley, what they technically called deochan doruis, a stirrup-cup, [Footnote 2: See Note 10] to the honourof the Baron's roof-tree. 

It must be noticed that the Bailie, knowing by experience that theday's jovialty, which had been hitherto sustained at the expenseof his patron, might terminate partly at his own, had mounted hisspavined grey pony, and, between gaiety of heart and alarm forbeing hooked into a reckoning, spurred him into a hobbling canter(a trot was out of the question), and had already cleared thevillage. The others entered the change-house, leading Edward inunresisting submission; for his landlord whispered him, that todemur to such an overture would be construed into a highmisdemeanour against the leges conviviales, or regulations ofgenial compotation. Widow Macleary seemed to have expected thisvisit, as well she might, for it was the usual consummation ofmerry bouts, not only at Tully-Veolan, but at most othergentlemen's houses in Scotland, Sixty Years Since. The gueststhereby at once acquitted themselves of their burden of gratitudefor their entertainer's kindness, encouraged the trade of hischange-house, did honour to the place which afforded harbour totheir horses, and indemnified themselves for the previousrestraints imposed by private hospitality, by spending whatFalstaff calls the sweet of the night in the genial license of atavern. 

Accordingly, in full expectation of these distinguished guests, Luckie Macleary had swept her house for the first time thisfortnight, tempered her turf-fire to such a heat as the seasonrequired in her damp hovel even at Midsummer, set forth her dealtable newly washed, propped its lame foot with a fragment of turf, arranged four or five stools of huge and clumsy form upon thesites which best suited the inequalities of her clay floor; andhaving, moreover, put on her clean toy, rokelay, and scarletplaid, gravely awaited the arrival of the company, in full hope ofcustom and profit. When they were seated under the sooty raftersof Luckie Macleary's only apartment, thickly tapestried withcobwebs, their hostess, who had already taken her cue from theLaird of Balmawhapple, appeared with a huge pewter measuring-pot, containing at least three English quarts, familiarly denominated aTappit Hen, and which, in the language of the hostess, reamed(i. E. , mantled) with excellent claret just drawn from the cask. 

It was soon plain that what crumbs of reason the Bear had notdevoured were to be picked up by the Hen; but the confusion whichappeared to prevail favoured Edward's resolution to evade thegaily circling glass. The others began to talk thick and at once, each performing his own part in the conversation without the leastrespect to his neighbour. The Baron of Bradwardine sung Frenchchansons-a-boire, and spouted pieces of Latin; Killancureittalked, in a steady unalterable dull key, of top-dressing andbottom-dressing, [Footnote: This has been censured as ananachronism; and it must be confessed that agriculture of thiskind was unknown to the Scotch Sixty Years Since. ] and year-olds, and gimmers, and dinmonts, and stots, and runts, and kyloes, and aproposed turnpike-act; while Balmawhapple, in notes exalted aboveboth, extolled his horse, his hawks, and a greyhound calledWhistler. In the middle of this din, the Baron repeatedly imploredsilence; and when at length the instinct of polite discipline sofar prevailed that for a moment he obtained it, he hastened tobeseech their attention 'unto a military ariette, which was aparticular favourite of the Marechal Duc de Berwick'; then, imitating, as well as he could, the manner and tone of a Frenchmusquetaire, he immediately commenced, --

 Mon coeur volage, dit elle, N'est pas pour vous, garcon; Est pour un homme de guerre, Qui a barbe au menton. Lon, Lon, Laridon. 

 Qui port chapeau a plume, Soulier a rouge talon, Qui joue de la flute, Aussi du violon. Lon, Lon, Laridon. 

Balmawhapple could hold no longer, but broke in with what hecalled a d--d good song, composed by Gibby Gaethroughwi't, thepiper of Cupar; and, without wasting more time, struck up, --

 It's up Glenbarchan's braes I gaed, And o'er the bent of Killiebraid, And mony a weary cast I made, To cuittle the moor-fowl's tail. 

[Footnote: Suum cuique. This snatch of a ballad was composed byAndrew MacDonald, the ingenious and unfortunate author ofVimonda. ]

The Baron, whose voice was drowned in the louder and moreobstreperous strains of Balmawhapple, now dropped the competition, but continued to hum 'Lon, Lon, Laridon, ' and to regard thesuccessful candidate for the attention of the company with an eyeof disdain, while Balmawhapple proceeded, --

 If up a bonny black-cock should spring, To whistle him down wi' a slug in his wing, And strap him on to my lunzie string, Right seldom would I fail. 

After an ineffectual attempt to recover the second verse, he sungthe first over again; and, in prosecution of his triumph, declaredthere was 'more sense in that than in all the derry-dongs ofFrance, and Fifeshire to the boot of it. ' The Baron only answeredwith a long pinch of snuff and a glance of infinite contempt. Butthose noble allies, the Bear and the Hen, had emancipated theyoung laird from the habitual reverence in which he heldBradwardine at other times. He pronounced the claret shilpit, anddemanded brandy with great vociferation. It was brought; and nowthe Demon of Politics envied even the harmony arising from thisDutch concert, merely because there was not a wrathful note in thestrange compound of sounds which it produced. Inspired by her, theLaird of Balmawhapple, now superior to the nods and winks withwhich the Baron of Bradwardine, in delicacy to Edward, hadhitherto checked his entering upon political discussion, demandeda bumper, with the lungs of a Stentor, 'to the little gentleman inblack velvet who did such service in 1702, and may the white horsebreak his neck over a mound of his making!'

Edward was not at that moment clear-headed enough to remember thatKing William's fall, which occasioned his death, was said to beowing to his horse stumbling at a mole-hill; yet felt inclined totake umbrage at a toast which seemed, from the glance ofBalmawhapple's eye, to have a peculiar and uncivil reference tothe Government which he served. But, ere he could interfere, theBaron of Bradwardine had taken up the quarrel. 'Sir, ' he said, 'whatever my sentiments tanquam privatus may be in such matters, Ishall not tamely endure your saying anything that may impinge uponthe honourable feelings of a gentleman under my roof. Sir, if youhave no respect for the laws of urbanity, do ye not respect themilitary oath, the sacramentum militare, by which every officer isbound to the standards under which he is enrolled? Look at TitusLivius, what he says of those Roman soldiers who were so unhappyas exuere sacramentum, to renounce their legionary oath; but youare ignorant, sir, alike of ancient history and modern courtesy. '

'Not so ignorant as ye would pronounce me, ' roared Balmawhapple. 'I ken weel that you mean the Solemn League and Covenant; but ifa' the Whigs in hell had taken the--'

Here the Baron and Waverley both spoke at once, the former callingout, 'Be silent, sir! ye not only show your ignorance, butdisgrace your native country before a stranger and an Englishman';and Waverley, at the same moment, entreating Mr. Bradwardine topermit him to reply to an affront which seemed levelled at himpersonally. But the Baron was exalted by wine, wrath, and scornabove all sublunary considerations. 

'I crave you to be hushed, Captain Waverley; you are elsewhere, peradventure, sui juris, --foris-familiated, that is, and entitled, it may be, to think and resent for yourself; but in my domain, inthis poor Barony of Bradwardine, and under this roof, which isquasi mine, being held by tacit relocation by a tenant at will, Iam in loco parentis to you, and bound to see you scathless. Andfor you, Mr. Falconer of Balmawhapple, I warn ye, let me see nomore aberrations from the paths of good manners. '

'And I tell you, Mr. Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine of Bradwardine andTully-Veolan, ' retorted the sportsman in huge disdain, 'that I'llmake a moor-cock of the man that refuses my toast, whether it be acrop-eared English Whig wi' a black ribband at his lug, or ane whadeserts his ain friends to claw favour wi' the rats of Hanover. '

In an instant both rapiers were brandished, and some desperatepasses exchanged. Balmawhapple was young, stout, and active; butthe Baron, infinitely more master of his weapon, would, like SirToby Belch, have tickled his opponent other gates than he did hadhe not been under the influence of Ursa Major. 

Edward rushed forward to interfere between the combatants, but theprostrate bulk of the Laird of Killancureit, over which hestumbled, intercepted his passage. How Killancureit happened to bein this recumbent posture at so interesting a moment was neveraccurately known. Some thought he was about to insconce himselfunder the table; he himself alleged that he stumbled in the act oflifting a joint-stool, to prevent mischief, by knocking downBalmawhapple. Be that as it may, if readier aid than either his orWaverley's had not interposed, there would certainly have beenbloodshed. But the well-known clash of swords, which was nostranger to her dwelling, aroused Luckie Macleary as she satquietly beyond the hallan, or earthen partition of the cottage, with eyes employed on Boston's 'Crook the Lot, ' while her ideaswere engaged in summing up the reckoning. She boldly rushed in, with the shrill expostulation, 'Wad their honours slay ane anotherthere, and bring discredit on an honest widow-woman's house, whenthere was a' the lee-land in the country to fight upon?' aremonstrance which she seconded by flinging her plaid with greatdexterity over the weapons of the combatants. The servants by thistime rushed in, and being, by great chance, tolerably sober, separated the incensed opponents, with the assistance of Edwardand Killancureit. The latter led off Balmawhapple, cursing, swearing, and vowing revenge against every Whig, Presbyterian, andfanatic in England and Scotland, from John-o'-Groat's to theLand's End, and with difficulty got him to horse. Our hero, withthe assistance of Saunders Saunderson, escorted the Baron ofBradwardine to his own dwelling, but could not prevail upon him toretire to bed until he had made a long and learned apology for theevents of the evening, of which, however, there was not a wordintelligible, except something about the Centaurs and theLapithae. 

CHAPTER XII

REPENTANCE AND A RECONCILIATION

Waverley was unaccustomed to the use of wine, excepting with greattemperance. He slept therefore soundly till late in the succeedingmorning, and then awakened to a painful recollection of the sceneof the preceding evening. He had received a personal affront--he, a gentleman, a soldier, and a Waverley. True, the person whooffered it was not, at the time it was given, possessed of themoderate share of sense which nature had allotted him; true also, in resenting this insult, he would break the laws of Heaven aswell as of his country; true, in doing so, he might take the lifeof a young man who perhaps respectably discharged the socialduties, and render his family miserable, or he might lose his own--no pleasant alternative even to the bravest, when it is debatedcoolly and in private. 

All this pressed on his mind; yet the original statement recurredwith the same irresistible force. He had received a personalinsult; he was of the house of Waverley; and he bore a commission. There was no alternative; and he descended to the breakfastparlour with the intention of taking leave of the family, andwriting to one of his brother officers to meet him at the innmidway between Tully-Veolan and the town where they werequartered, in order that he might convey such a message to theLaird of Balmawhapple as the circumstances seemed to demand. Hefound Miss Bradwardine presiding over the tea and coffee, thetable loaded with warm bread, both of flour, oatmeal, andbarleymeal, in the shape of loaves, cakes, biscuits, and othervarieties, together with eggs, reindeer ham, mutton and beefditto, smoked salmon, marmalade, and all the other delicacieswhich induced even Johnson himself to extol the luxury of a Scotchbreakfast above that of all other countries. A mess of oatmealporridge, flanked by a silver jug, which held an equal mixture ofcream and butter-milk, was placed for the Baron's share of thisrepast; but Rose observed, he had walked out early in the morning, after giving orders that his guest should not be disturbed. 

Waverley sat down almost in silence, and with an air of absenceand abstraction which could not give Miss Bradwardine a favourableopinion of his talents for conversation. He answered at random oneor two observations which she ventured to make upon ordinarytopics; so that, feeling herself almost repulsed in her efforts atentertaining him, and secretly wondering that a scarlet coatshould cover no better breeding, she left him to his mentalamusement of cursing Doctor Doubleit's favourite constellation ofUrsa Major as the cause of all the mischief which had alreadyhappened and was likely to ensue. At once he started, and hiscolour heightened, as, looking toward the window, he beheld theBaron and young Balmawhapple pass arm in arm, apparently in deepconversation; and he hastily asked, 'Did Mr. Falconer sleep herelast night?' Rose, not much pleased with the abruptness of thefirst question which the young stranger had addressed to her, answered drily in the negative, and the conversation again sunkinto silence. 

At this moment Mr. Saunderson appeared, with a message from hismaster, requesting to speak with Captain Waverley in anotherapartment. With a heart which beat a little quicker, not indeedfrom fear, but from uncertainty and anxiety, Edward obeyed thesummons. He found the two gentlemen standing together, an air ofcomplacent dignity on the brow of the Baron, while something likesullenness or shame, or both, blanked the bold visage ofBalmawhapple. The former slipped his arm through that of thelatter, and thus seeming to walk with him, while in reality he ledhim, advanced to meet Waverley, and, stopping in the midst of theapartment, made in great state the following oration: 'CaptainWaverley--my young and esteemed friend, Mr. Falconer ofBalmawhapple, has craved of my age and experience, as of one notwholly unskilled in the dependencies and punctilios of the duelloor monomachia, to be his interlocutor in expressing to you theregret with which he calls to remembrance certain passages of oursymposion last night, which could not but be highly displeasing toyou, as serving for the time under this present existinggovernment. He craves you, sir, to drown in oblivion the memory ofsuch solecisms against the laws of politeness, as being what hisbetter reason disavows, and to receive the hand which he offersyou in amity; and I must needs assure you that nothing less than asense of being dans son tort, as a gallant French chevalier, Mons. Le Bretailleur, once said to me on such an occasion, and anopinion also of your peculiar merit, could have extorted suchconcessions; for he and all his family are, and have been, timeout of mind, Mavortia pectora, as Buchanan saith, a bold andwarlike sept, or people. '

Edward immediately, and with natural politeness, accepted the handwhich Balmawhapple, or rather the Baron in his character ofmediator, extended towards him. 'It was impossible, ' he said, 'forhim to remember what a gentleman expressed his wish he had notuttered; and he willingly imputed what had passed to the exuberantfestivity of the day. '

'That is very handsomely said, ' answered the Baron; 'forundoubtedly, if a man be ebrius, or intoxicated, an incident whichon solemn and festive occasions may and will take place in thelife of a man of honour; and if the same gentleman, being freshand sober, recants the contumelies which he hath spoken in hisliquor, it must be held vinum locutum est; the words cease to behis own. Yet would I not find this exculpation relevant in thecase of one who was ebriosus, or an habitual drunkard; because, ifsuch a person choose to pass the greater part of his time in thepredicament of intoxication, he hath no title to be exeemed fromthe obligations of the code of politeness, but should learn todeport himself peaceably and courteously when under influence ofthe vinous stimulus. And now let us proceed to breakfast, andthink no more of this daft business. '

I must confess, whatever inference may be drawn from thecircumstance, that Edward, after so satisfactory an explanation, did much greater honour to the delicacies of Miss Bradwardine'sbreakfast-table than his commencement had promised. Balmawhapple, on the contrary, seemed embarrassed and dejected; and Waverleynow, for the first time, observed that his arm was in a sling, which seemed to account for the awkward and embarrassed mannerwith which he had presented his hand. To a question from MissBradwardine, he muttered in answer something about his horsehaving fallen; and seeming desirous to escape both from thesubject and the company, he arose as soon as breakfast was over, made his bow to the party, and, declining the Baron's invitationto tarry till after dinner, mounted his horse and returned to hisown home. 

Waverley now announced his purpose of leaving Tully-Veolan earlyenough after dinner to gain the stage at which he meant to sleep;but the unaffected and deep mortification with which the good-natured and affectionate old gentleman heard the proposal quitedeprived him of courage to persist in it. No sooner had he gainedWaverley's consent to lengthen his visit for a few days than helaboured to remove the grounds upon which he conceived he hadmeditated a more early retreat. 'I would not have you opine, Captain Waverley, that I am by practice or precept an advocate ofebriety, though it may be that, in our festivity of last night, some of our friends, if not perchance altogether ebrii, ordrunken, were, to say the least, ebrioli, by which the ancientsdesigned those who were fuddled, or, as your English vernacularand metaphorical phrase goes, half-seas-over. Not that I would soinsinuate respecting you, Captain Waverley, who, like a prudentyouth, did rather abstain from potation; nor can it be truly saidof myself, who, having assisted at the tables of many greatgenerals and marechals at their solemn carousals, have the art tocarry my wine discreetly, and did not, during the whole evening, as ye must have doubtless observed, exceed the bounds of a modesthilarity. '

There was no refusing assent to a proposition so decidedly laiddown by him, who undoubtedly was the best judge; although, hadEdward formed his opinion from his own recollections, he wouldhave pronounced that the Baron was not only ebriolus, but vergingto become ebrius; or, in plain English, was incomparably the mostdrunk of the party, except perhaps his antagonist the Laird ofBalmawhapple. However, having received the expected, or rather therequired, compliment on his sobriety, the Baron proceeded--'No, sir, though I am myself of a strong temperament, I abhor ebriety, and detest those who swallow wine gulce causa, for the oblectationof the gullet; albeit I might deprecate the law of Pittacus ofMitylene, who punished doubly a crime committed under theinfluence of 'Liber Pater'; nor would I utterly accede to theobjurgation of the younger Plinius, in the fourteenth book of his'Historia Naturalis. ' No, sir, I distinguish, I discriminate, andapprove of wine so far only as it maketh glad the face, or, in thelanguage of Flaccus, recepto amico. '

Thus terminated the apology which the Baron of Bradwardine thoughtit necessary to make for the superabundance of his hospitality;and it may be easily believed that he was neither interrupted bydissent nor any expression of incredulity. 

He then invited his guest to a morning ride, and ordered thatDavie Gellatley should meet them at the dern path with Ban andBuscar. 'For, until the shooting season commence, I wouldwillingly show you some sport, and we may, God willing, meet witha roe. The roe, Captain Waverley, may be hunted at all timesalike; for never being in what is called PRIDE OF GREASE, he isalso never out of season, though it be a truth that his venison isnot equal to that of either the red or fallow deer. [Footnote: Thelearned in cookery dissent from the Baron of Bradwardine, and holdthe roe venison dry and indifferent food, unless when dressed insoup and Scotch collops. ] But he will serve to show how my dogsrun; and therefore they shall attend us with David Gellatley. '

Waverley expressed his surprise that his friend Davie was capableof such trust; but the Baron gave him to understand that this poorsimpleton was neither fatuous, nec naturaliter idiota, as isexpressed in the brieves of furiosity, but simply a crack-brainedknave, who could execute very well any commission which jumpedwith his own humour, and made his folly a plea for avoiding everyother. 'He has made an interest with us, ' continued the Baron, 'bysaving Rose from a great danger with his own proper peril; and theroguish loon must therefore eat of our bread and drink of our cup, and do what he can, or what he will, which, if the suspicions ofSaunderson and the Bailie are well founded, may perchance in hiscase be commensurate terms. '

Miss Bradwardine then gave Waverley to understand that this poorsimpleton was dotingly fond of music, deeply affected by thatwhich was melancholy, and transported into extravagant gaiety bylight and lively airs. He had in this respect a prodigious memory, stored with miscellaneous snatches and fragments of all tunes andsongs, which he sometimes applied, with considerable address, asthe vehicles of remonstrance, explanation, or satire. Davie wasmuch attached to the few who showed him kindness; and both awareof any slight or ill usage which he happened to receive, andsufficiently apt, where he saw opportunity, to revenge it. Thecommon people, who often judge hardly of each other as well as oftheir betters, although they had expressed great compassion forthe poor innocent while suffered to wander in rags about thevillage, no sooner beheld him decently clothed, provided for, andeven a sort of favourite, than they called up all the instances ofsharpness and ingenuity, in action and repartee, which his annalsafforded, and charitably bottomed thereupon a hypothesis thatDavid Gellatley was no farther fool than was necessary to avoidhard labour. This opinion was not better founded than that of theNegroes, who, from the acute and mischievous pranks of themonkeys, suppose that they have the gift of speech, and onlysuppress their powers of elocution to escape being set to work. But the hypothesis was entirely imaginary; David Gellatley was ingood earnest the half-crazed simpleton which he appeared, and wasincapable of any constant and steady exertion. He had just so muchsolidity as kept on the windy side of insanity, so much wild witas saved him from the imputation of idiocy, some dexterity infield-sports (in which we have known as great fools excel), greatkindness and humanity in the treatment of animals entrusted tohim, warm affections, a prodigious memory, and an ear for music. 

The stamping of horses was now heard in the court, and Davie'svoice singing to the two large deer greyhounds, Hie away, hie away, Over bank and over brae, Where the copsewood is the greenest, Where the fountains glisten sheenest, Where the lady-fern grows strongest, Where the morning dew lies longest, Where the black-cock sweetest sips it, Where the fairy latest trips it. Hie to haunts right seldom seen, Lovely, lonesome, cool, and green, Over bank and over brae, Hie away, hie away. 

'Do the verses he sings, ' asked Waverley, 'belong to old Scottishpoetry, Miss Bradwardine?'

'I believe not, ' she replied. 'This poor creature had a brother, and Heaven, as if to compensate to the family Davie'sdeficiencies, had given him what the hamlet thought uncommontalents. An uncle contrived to educate him for the Scottish kirk, but he could not get preferment because he came from our GROUND. He returned from college hopeless and brokenhearted, and fell intoa decline. My father supported him till his death, which happenedbefore he was nineteen. He played beautifully on the flute, andwas supposed to have a great turn for poetry. He was affectionateand compassionate to his brother, who followed him like hisshadow, and we think that from him Davie gathered many fragmentsof songs and music unlike those of this country. But if we ask himwhere he got such a fragment as he is now singing, he eitheranswers with wild and long fits of laughter, or else breaks intotears of lamentation; but was never heard to give any explanation, or to mention his brother's name since his death. '

'Surely, ' said Edward, who was readily interested by a talebordering on the romantic, 'surely more might be learned by moreparticular inquiry. '

'Perhaps so, ' answered Rose; 'but my father will not permit anyone to practise on his feelings on this subject. '

By this time the Baron, with the help of Mr. Saunderson, hadindued a pair of jack-boots of large dimensions, and now invitedour hero to follow him as he stalked clattering down the amplestair-case, tapping each huge balustrade as he passed with thebutt of his massive horse-whip, and humming, with the air of achasseur of Louis Quatorze, --

 Pour la chasse ordonnee il faut preparer tout. Ho la ho! Vite! vite debout!

CHAPTER XIII

A MORE RATIONAL DAY THAN THE LAST

The Baron of Bradwardine, mounted on an active and well-managedhorse, and seated on a demi-pique saddle, with deep housings toagree with his livery, was no bad representative of the oldschool. His light-coloured embroidered coat, and superbly barredwaistcoat, his brigadier wig, surmounted by a small gold-lacedcocked-hat, completed his personal costume; but he was attended bytwo well-mounted servants on horseback, armed with holster-pistols. 

In this guise he ambled forth over hill and valley, the admirationof every farm-yard which they passed in their progress, till, 'lowdown in a grassy vale, ' they found David Gellatley leading twovery tall deer greyhounds, and presiding over half a dozen curs, and about as many bare-legged and bare-headed boys, who, toprocure the chosen distinction of attending on the chase, had notfailed to tickle his ears with the dulcet appellation of MaisterGellatley, though probably all and each had hooted him on formeroccasions in the character of daft Davie. But this is no uncommonstrain of flattery to persons in office, nor altogether confinedto the barelegged villagers of Tully-Veolan; it was in fashionSixty Years Since, is now, and will be six hundred years hence, ifthis admirable compound of folly and knavery, called the world, shall be then in existence. 

These Gillie-wet-foots, as they were called, were destined to beatthe bushes, which they performed with so much success, that, afterhalf an hour's search, a roe was started, coursed, and killed; theBaron following on his white horse, like Earl Percy of yore, andmagnanimously flaying and embowelling the slain animal (which, heobserved, was called by the French chasseurs, faire la curee) withhis own baronial couteau de chasse. After this ceremony, heconducted his guest homeward by a pleasant and circuitous route, commanding an extensive prospect of different villages and houses, to each of which Mr. Bradwardine attached some anecdote of historyor genealogy, told in language whimsical from prejudice andpedantry, but often respectable for the good sense and honourablefeelings which his narrative displayed, and almost always curious, if not valuable, for the information they contained. 

The truth is, the ride seemed agreeable to both gentlemen, becausethey found amusement in each other's conversation, although theircharacters and habits of thinking were in many respects totallyopposite. Edward, we have informed the reader, was warm in hisfeelings, wild and romantic in his ideas and in his taste ofreading, with a strong disposition towards poetry. Mr Bradwardinewas the reverse of all this, and piqued himself upon stalkingthrough life with the same upright, starched, stoical gravitywhich distinguished his evening promenade upon the terrace ofTully-Veolan, where for hours together--the very model of oldHardyknute--

 Stately stepp'd he east the wa', And stately stepp'd he west

As for literature, he read the classic poets, to be sure, and the'Epithalamium' of Georgius Buchanan and Arthur Johnston's Psalms, of a Sunday; and the 'Deliciae Poetarum Scotorum, ' and Sir DavidLindsay's 'Works', and Barbour's 'Brace', and Blind Harry's'Wallace', and 'The Gentle Shepherd', and 'The Cherry and TheSlae. '

But though he thus far sacrificed his time to the Muses, he would, if the truth must be spoken, have been much better pleased had thepious or sapient apothegms, as well as the historical narratives, which these various works contained, been presented to him in theform of simple prose. And he sometimes could not refrain fromexpressing contempt of the 'vain and unprofitable art of poem-making', in which, he said, 'the only one who had excelled in histime was Allan Ramsay, the periwigmaker. '

[Footnote: The Baron ought to have remembered that the joyousAllan literally drew his blood from the house of the noble earlwhom he terms--

 Dalhousie of an old descent My stoup, my pride, my ornament. ]

But although Edward and he differed TOTO COELO, as the Baron wouldhave said, upon this subject, yet they met upon history as on aneutral ground, in which each claimed an interest. The Baron, indeed, only cumbered his memory with matters of fact, the cold, dry, hard outlines which history delineates. Edward, on thecontrary, loved to fill up and round the sketch with the colouringof a warm and vivid imagination, which gives light and life to theactors and speakers in the drama of past ages. Yet with tastes soopposite, they contributed greatly to each other's amusement. Mr. Bradwardine's minute narratives and powerful memory supplied toWaverley fresh subjects of the kind upon which his fancy loved tolabour, and opened to him a new mine of incident and of character. And he repaid the pleasure thus communicated by an earnestattention, valuable to all story-tellers, more especially to theBaron, who felt his habits of self-respect flattered by it; andsometimes also by reciprocal communications, which interested Mr. Bradwardine, as confirming or illustrating his own favouriteanecdotes. Besides, Mr. Bradwardine loved to talk of the scenes ofhis youth, whichl had been spent in camps and foreign lands, andhad many interesting particulars to tell of the generals underwhom he had served and the actions he had witnessed. 

Both parties returned to Tully-Veolan in great good-humour witheach other; Waverley desirous of studying more attentively what heconsidered as a singular and interesting character, gifted with amemory containing a curious register of ancient and modernanecdotes; and Bradwardine disposed to regard Edward as puer (orrather juvenis) bonae spei et magnae indolis, a youth devoid ofthat petulant volatility which is impatient of, or vilipends, theconversation and advice of his seniors, from which he predictedgreat things of his future success and deportment in life. Therewas no other guest except Mr. Rubrick, whose information anddiscourse, as a clergyman and a scholar, harmonised very well withthat of the Baron and his guest. 

Shortly after dinner, the Baron, as if to show that his temperancewas not entirely theoretical, proposed a visit to Rose'sapartment, or, as he termed it, her troisieme etage. Waverley wasaccordingly conducted through one or two of those long awkwardpassages with which ancient architects studied to puzzle theinhabitants of the houses which they planned, at the end of whichMr. Bradwardine began to ascend, by two steps at once, a verysteep, narrow, and winding stair, leaving Mr. Rubrick and Waverleyto follow at more leisure, while he should announce their approachto his daughter. 

After having climbed this perpendicular corkscrew until theirbrains were almost giddy, they arrived in a little matted lobby, which served as an anteroom to Rose's sanctum sanctorum, andthrough which they entered her parlour. It was a small, butpleasant apartment, opening to the south, and hung with tapestry;adorned besides with two pictures, one of her mother, in the dressof a shepherdess, with a bell-hoop; the other of the Baron, in histenth year, in a blue coat, embroidered waistcoat, laced hat, andbag-wig, with a bow in his hand. Edward could not help smiling atthe costume, and at the odd resemblance between the round, smooth, red-cheeked, staring visage in the portrait, and the gaunt, bearded, hollow-eyed, swarthy features, which travelling, fatiguesof war, and advanced age, had bestowed on the original. The Baronjoined in the laugh. 'Truly, ' he said, 'that picture was a woman'sfantasy of my good mother's (a daughter of the Laird ofTulliellum, Captain Waverley; I indicated the house to you when wewere on the top of the Shinnyheuch; it was burnt by the Dutchauxiliaries brought in by the Government in 1715); I never satefor my pourtraicture but once since that was painted, and it wasat the special and reiterated request of the Marechal Duke ofBerwick. '

The good old gentleman did not mention what Mr. Rubrick afterwardstold Edward, that the Duke had done him this honour on account ofhis being the first to mount the breach of a fort in Savoy duringthe memorable campaign of 1709, and his having there defendedhimself with his half-pike for nearly ten minutes before anysupport reached him. To do the Baron justice, althoughsufficiently prone to dwell upon, and even to exaggerate, hisfamily dignity and consequence, he was too much a man of realcourage ever to allude to such personal acts of merit as he hadhimself manifested. 

Miss Rose now appeared from the interior room of her apartment, towelcome her father and his friends. The little labours in whichshe had been employed obviously showed a natural taste, whichrequired only cultivation. Her father had taught her French andItalian, and a few of the ordinary authors in those languagesornamented her shelves. He had endeavoured also to be herpreceptor in music; but as he began with the more abstrusedoctrines of the science, and was not perhaps master of themhimself, she had made no proficiency farther than to be able toaccompany her voice with the harpsichord; but even this was notvery common in Scotland at that period. To make amends, she sungwith great taste and feeling, and with a respect to the sense ofwhat she uttered that might be proposed in example to ladies ofmuch superior musical talent. Her natural good sense taught herthat, if, as we are assured by high authority, music be 'marriedto immortal verse, ' they are very often divorced by the performerin a most shameful manner. It was perhaps owing to thissensibility to poetry, and power of combining its expression withthose of the musical notes, that her singing gave more pleasure toall the unlearned in music, and even to many of the learned, thancould have been communicated by a much finer voice and morebrilliant execution unguided by the same delicacy of feeling. 

A bartizan, or projecting gallery, before the windows of herparlour, served to illustrate another of Rose's pursuits; for itwas crowded with flowers of different kinds, which she had takenunder her special protection. A projecting turret gave access tothis Gothic balcony, which commanded a most beautiful prospect. The formal garden, with its high bounding walls, lay below, contracted, as it seemed, to a mere parterre; while the viewextended beyond them down a wooded glen, where the small river wassometimes visible, sometimes hidden in copse. The eye might bedelayed by a desire to rest on the rocks, which here and thererose from the dell with massive or spiry fronts, or it might dwellon the noble, though ruined tower, which was here beheld in allits dignity, frowning from a promontory over the river. To theleft were seen two or three cottages, a part of the village, thebrow of the hill concealed the others. The glen, or dell, wasterminated by a sheet of water, called Loch Veolan, into which thebrook discharged itself, and which now glistened in the westernsun. The distant country seemed open and varied in surface, thoughnot wooded; and there was nothing to interrupt the view until thescene was bounded by a ridge of distant and blue hills, whichformed the southern boundary of the strath or valley. To thispleasant station Miss Bradwardine had ordered coffee. 

The view of the old tower, or fortalice, introduced some familyanecdotes and tales of Scottish chivalry, which the Baron toldwith great enthusiasm. The projecting peak of an impending cragwhich rose near it had acquired the name of Saint Swithin's Chair. It was the scene of a peculiar superstition, of which Mr. Rubrickmentioned some curious particulars, which reminded Waverley of arhyme quoted by Edgar in King Lear; and Rose was called upon tosing a little legend, in which they had been interwoven by somevillage poet, Who, noteless as the race from which he sprung, Saved others' names, but left his own unsung. 

The sweetness of her voice, and the simple beauty of her music, gave all the advantage which the minstrel could have desired, andwhich his poetry so much wanted. I almost doubt if it can be readwith patience, destitute of these advantages, although Iconjecture the following copy to have been somewhat corrected byWaverley, to suit the taste of those who might not relish pureantiquity. 

 Saint Swithin's Chair

 On Hallow-Mass Eve, ere ye boune ye to rest, Ever beware that your couch be bless'd; Sign it with cross, and sain it with bead, Sing the Ave, and say the Creed. 

 For on Hallow-Mass Eve the Night-Hag will ride, And all her nine-fold sweeping on by her side, Whether the wind sing lowly or loud, Sailing through moonshine or swath'd in the cloud. 

 The Lady she sat in Saint Swithin's Chair, The dew of the night has damp'd her hair: Her cheek was pale; but resolved and high Was the word of her lip and the glance of her eye. 

 She mutter'd the spell of Swithin bold, When his naked foot traced the midnight wold, When he stopp'd the Hag as she rode the night, And bade her descend, and her promise plight. 

 He that dare sit on Saint Swithin's Chair, When the Night-Hag wings the troubled air, Questions three, when he speaks the spell, He may ask, and she must tell. 

 The Baron has been with King Robert his liege These three long years in battle and siege; News are there none of his weal or his woe, And fain the Lady his fate would know. 

 She shudders and stops as the charm she speaks;-- Is it the moody owl that shrieks? Or is it that sound, betwixt laughter and scream, The voice of the Demon who haunts the stream?

 The moan of the wind sunk silent and low, And the roaring torrent had ceased to flow; The calm was more dreadful than raging storm, When the cold grey mist brought the ghastly Form!

'I am sorry to disappoint the company, especially CaptainWaverley, who listens with such laudable gravity; it is but afragment, although I think there are other verses, describing thereturn of the Baron from the wars, and how the lady was found"clay-cold upon the grounsill ledge. '"

'It is one of those figments, ' observed Mr. Bradwardine, 'withwhich the early history of distinguished families was deformed inthe times of superstition; as that of Rome, and other ancientnations, had their prodigies, sir, the which you may read inancient histories, or in the little work compiled by JuliusObsequens, and inscribed by the learned Scheffer, the editor, tohis patron, Benedictus Skytte, Baron of Dudershoff. '

'My father has a strange defiance of the marvellous, CaptainWaverley, ' observed Rose, 'and once stood firm when a whole synodof Presbyterian divines were put to the rout by a suddenapparition of the foul fiend. '

Waverley looked as if desirous to hear more. 

'Must I tell my story as well as sing my song? Well--Once upon atime there lived an old woman, called Janet Gellatley, who wassuspected to be a witch, on the infallible grounds that she wasvery old, very ugly, very poor, and had two sons, one of whom wasa poet and the other a fool, which visitation, all theneighbourhood agreed, had come upon her for the sin of witchcraft. And she was imprisoned for a week in the steeple of the parishchurch, and sparely supplied with food, and not permitted to sleepuntil she herself became as much persuaded of her being a witch asher accusers; and in this lucid and happy state of mind wasbrought forth to make a clean breast, that is, to make openconfession of her sorceries, before all the Whig gentry andministers in the vicinity, who were no conjurors themselves. Myfather went to see fair play between the witch and the clergy; forthe witch had been born on his estate. And while the witch wasconfessing that the Enemy appeared, and made his addresses to heras a handsome black man, --which, if you could have seen poor oldblear-eyed Janet, reflected little honour on Apollyon's taste, --and while the auditors listened with astonished ears, and theclerk recorded with a trembling hand, she, all of a sudden, changed the low mumbling tone with which she spoke into a shrillyell, and exclaimed, "Look to yourselves! look to yourselves! Isee the Evil One sitting in the midst of ye. " The surprise wasgeneral, and terror and flight its immediate consequences. Happywere those who were next the door; and many were the disastersthat befell hats, bands, cuffs, and wigs, before they could getout of the church, where they left the obstinate prelatist tosettle matters with the witch and her admirer at his own peril orpleasure. '

'Risu solvuntur tabulae, ' said the Baron; 'when they recoveredtheir panic trepidation they were too much ashamed to bring anywakening of the process against Janet Gellatley. ' [Footnote: SeeNote 11]

This anecdote led to a long discussion of

 All those idle thoughts and fantasies, Devices, dreams, opinions unsound, Shows, visions, soothsays, and prophecies, And all that feigned is, as leasings, tales, and lies. 

With such conversation, and the romantic legends which itintroduced, closed our hero's second evening in the house ofTully-Veolan. 

CHAPTER XIV

A DISCOVERY--WAVERLEY BECOMES DOMESTICATED AT TULLY-VEOLAN

The next day Edward arose betimes, and in a morning walk aroundthe house and its vicinity came suddenly upon a small court infront of the dog-kennel, where his friend Davie was employed abouthis four-footed charge. One quick glance of his eye recognisedWaverley, when, instantly turning his back, as if he had notobserved him, he began to sing part of an old ballad:--

 Young men will love thee more fair and more fast; Heard ye so merry the little bird sing? Old men's love the longest will last, And the throstle-cock's head is under his wing. 

 The young man's wrath is like light straw on fire; Heard ye so merry the little bird sing? But like red-hot steel is the old man's ire, And the throstle-cock's head is under his wing. 

 The young man will brawl at the evening board; Heard ye so merry the little bird sing? But the old man will draw at the dawning the sword, And the throstle-cock's head is under his wing. 

Waverley could not avoid observing that Davie laid something likea satirical emphasis on these lines. He therefore approached, andendeavoured, by sundry queries, to elicit from him what theinnuendo might mean; but Davie had no mind to explain, and had witenough to make his folly cloak his knavery. Edward could collectnothing from him, excepting that the Laird of Balmawhapple hadgone home yesterday morning 'wi' his boots fu' o' bluid. ' In thegarden, however, he met the old butler, who no longer attempted toconceal that, having been bred in the nursery line with Sumack andCo. Of Newcastle, he sometimes wrought a turn in the flower-borders to oblige the Laird and Miss Rose. By a series of queries, Edward at length discovered, with a painful feeling of surpriseand shame, that Balmawhapple's submission and apology had been theconsequence of a rencontre with the Baron before his guest hadquitted his pillow, in which the younger combatant had beendisarmed and wounded in the sword arm. 

Greatly mortified at this information, Edward sought out hisfriendly host, and anxiously expostulated with him upon theinjustice he had done him in anticipating his meeting with Mr. Falconer, a circumstance which, considering his youth and theprofession of arms which he had just adopted, was capable of beingrepresented much to his prejudice. The Baron justified himself atgreater length than I choose to repeat. He urged that the quarrelwas common to them, and that Balmawhapple could not, by the codeof honour, evite giving satisfaction to both, which he had done inhis case by an honourable meeting, and in that of Edward by such apalinode as rendered the use of the sword unnecessary, and which, being made and accepted, must necessarily sopite the whole affair. 

With this excuse, or explanation, Waverley was silenced, if notsatisfied; but he could not help testifying some displeasureagainst the Blessed Bear, which had given rise to the quarrel, norrefrain from hinting that the sanctified epithet was hardlyappropriate. The Baron observed, he could not deny that 'the Bear, though allowed by heralds as a most honourable ordinary, had, nevertheless, somewhat fierce, churlish, and morose in hisdisposition (as might be read in Archibald Simson, pastor ofDalkeith's 'Hieroglyphica Animalium') and had thus been the typeof many quarrels and dissensions which had occurred in the houseof Bradwardine; of which, ' he continued, 'I might commemorate mineown unfortunate dissension with my third cousin by the mother'sside, Sir Hew Halbert, who was so unthinking as to deride myfamily name, as if it had been QUASI BEAR-WARDEN; a most unciviljest, since it not only insinuated that the founder of our houseoccupied such a mean situation as to be a custodier of wildbeasts, a charge which, ye must have observed, is only entrustedto the very basest plebeians; but, moreover, seemed to infer thatour coat-armour had not been achieved by honourable actions inwar, but bestowed by way of paranomasia, or pun, upon our familyappellation, --a sort of bearing which the French call armoiresparlantes, the Latins arma cantantia, and your English authoritiescanting heraldry, [Footnote: See Note 12] being indeed a species ofemblazoning more befitting canters, gaberlunzies, and such likemendicants, whose gibberish is formed upon playing upon the word, than the noble, honourable, and useful science of heraldry, whichassigns armorial bearings as the reward of noble and generousactions, and not to tickle the ear with vain quodlibets, such asare found in jestbooks. ' Of his quarrel with Sir Hew he saidnothing more than that it was settled in a fitting manner. 

Having been so minute with respect to the diversions of Tully-Veolan on the first days of Edward's arrival, for the purpose ofintroducing its inmates to the reader's acquaintance, it becomesless necessary to trace the progress of his intercourse with thesame accuracy. It is probable that a young man, accustomed to morecheerful society, would have tired of the conversation of soviolent an assertor of the 'boast of heraldry' as the Baron; butEdward found an agreeable variety in that of Miss Bradwardine, wholistened with eagerness to his remarks upon literature, and showedgreat justness of taste in her answers. The sweetness of herdisposition had made her submit with complacency, and evenpleasure, to the course of reading prescribed by her father, although it not only comprehended several heavy folios of history, but certain gigantic tomes in high-church polemics. In heraldry hewas fortunately contented to give her only such a slight tinctureas might be acquired by perusal of the two folio volumes ofNisbet. Rose was indeed the very apple of her father's eye. Herconstant liveliness, her attention to all those little observancesmost gratifying to those who would never think of exacting them, her beauty, in which he recalled the features of his beloved wife, her unfeigned piety, and the noble generosity of her disposition, would have justified the affection of the most doting father. 

His anxiety on her behalf did not, however, seem to extend itselfin that quarter where, according to the general opinion, it ismost efficiently displayed, in labouring, namely, to establish herin life, either by a large dowry or a wealthy marriage. By an oldsettlement, almost all the landed estates of the Baron went, afterhis death, to a distant relation; and it was supposed that MissBradwardine would remain but slenderly provided for, as the goodgentleman's cash matters had been too long under the exclusivecharge of Bailie Macwheeble to admit of any great expectationsfrom his personal succession. It is true, the said Bailie lovedhis patron and his patron's daughter next (though at anincomparable distance) to himself. He thought it was possible toset aside the settlement on the male line, and had actuallyprocured an opinion to that effect (and, as he boasted, without afee) from an eminent Scottish counsel, under whose notice hecontrived to bring the point while consulting him regularly onsome other business. But the Baron would not listen to such aproposal for an instant. On the contrary, he used to have aperverse pleasure in boasting that the barony of Bradwardine was amale fief, the first charter having been given at that earlyperiod when women were not deemed capable to hold a feudal grant;because, according to Les coustusmes de Normandie, c'est l'hommeki se bast et ki conseille; or, as is yet more ungallantlyexpressed by other authorities, all of whose barbarous names hedelighted to quote at full length, because a woman could not servethe superior, or feudal lord, in war, on account of the decorum ofher sex, nor assist him with advice, because of her limitedintellect, nor keep his counsel, owing to the infirmity of herdisposition. He would triumphantly ask, how it would become afemale, and that female a Bradwardine, to be seen employed inservitio exuendi, seu detrahendi, caligas regis post battaliam?that is, in pulling off the king's boots after an engagement, which was the feudal service by which he held the barony ofBradwardine. 'No, ' he said, 'beyond hesitation, procul dubio, manyfemales, as worthy as Rose, had been excluded, in order to makeway for my own succession, and Heaven forbid that I should doaught that might contravene the destination of my forefathers, orimpinge upon the right of my kinsman, Malcolm Bradwardine ofInchgrabbit, an honourable, though decayed branch of my ownfamily. '

The Bailie, as prime minister, having received this decisivecommunication from his sovereign, durst not press his own opinionany farther, but contented himself with deploring, on all suitableoccasions, to Saunderson, the minister of the interior, thelaird's self-willedness, and with laying plans for uniting Rosewith the young Laird of Balmawhapple, who had a fine estate, onlymoderately burdened, and was a faultless young gentleman, being assober as a saint--if you keep brandy from him and him from brandy--and who, in brief, had no imperfection but that of keeping lightcompany at a time; such as Jinker, the horse-couper, and GibbyGaethroughwi't, the piper o' Cupar; 'o' whilk follies, Mr. Saunderson, he'll mend, he'll mend, ' pronounced the Bailie. 

'Like sour ale in simmer, ' added Davie Gellatley, who happened tobe nearer the conclave than they were aware of. 

Miss Bradwardine, such as we have described her, with all thesimplicity and curiosity of a recluse, attached herself to theopportunities of increasing her store of literature which Edward'svisit afforded her. He sent for some of his books from hisquarters, and they opened to her sources of delight of which shehad hitherto had no idea. The best English poets, of everydescription, and other works on belles-lettres, made a part ofthis precious cargo. Her music, even her flowers, were neglected, and Saunders not only mourned over, but began to mutiny against, the labour for which he now scarce received thanks. These newpleasures became gradually enhanced by sharing them with one of akindred taste. Edward's readiness to comment, to recite, toexplain difficult passages, rendered his assistance invaluable;and the wild romance of his spirit delighted a character too youngand inexperienced to observe its deficiencies. Upon subjects whichinterested him, and when quite at ease, he possessed that flow ofnatural, and somewhat florid eloquence, which has been supposed aspowerful even as figure, fashion, fame, or fortune, in winning thefemale heart. There was, therefore, an increasing danger in thisconstant intercourse to poor Rose's peace of mind, which was themore imminent as her father was greatly too much abstracted in hisstudies, and wrapped up in his own dignity, to dream of hisdaughter's incurring it. The daughters of the house of Bradwardinewere, in his opinion, like those of the house of Bourbon orAustria, placed high above the clouds of passion which mightobfuscate the intellects of meaner females; they moved in anothersphere, were governed by other feelings, and amenable to otherrules than those of idle and fantastic affection. In short, heshut his eyes so resolutely to the natural consequences ofEdward's intimacy with Miss Bradwardine, that the wholeneighbourhood concluded that he had opened them to the advantagesof a match between his daughter and the wealthy young Englishman, and pronounced him much less a fool than he had generally shownhimself in cases where his own interest was concerned. 

If the Baron, however, had really meditated such an alliance, theindifference of Waverley would have been an insuperable bar to hisproject. Our hero, since mixing more freely with the world, hadlearned to think with great shame and confusion upon his mentallegend of Saint Cecilia, and the vexation of these reflections waslikely, for some time at least, to counterbalance the naturalsusceptibility of his disposition. Besides, Rose Bradwardine, beautiful and amiable as we have described her, had not preciselythe sort of beauty or merit which captivates a romanticimagination in early youth. She was too frank, too confiding, tookind; amiable qualities, undoubtedly, but destructive of themarvellous, with which a youth of imagination delights to dressthe empress of his affections. Was it possible to bow, to tremble, and to adore, before the timid, yet playful little girl, who nowasked Edward to mend her pen, now to construe a stanza in Tasso, and now how to spell a very--very long word in her version of it?All these incidents have their fascination on the mind at acertain period of life, but not when a youth is entering it, andrather looking out for some object whose affection may dignify himin his own eyes than stooping to one who looks up to him for suchdistinction. Hence, though there can be no rule in so capricious apassion, early love is frequently ambitious in choosing itsobject; or, which comes to the same, selects her (as in the caseof Saint Cecilia aforesaid) from a situation that gives fair scopefor le beau ideal, which the reality of intimate and familiar liferather tends to limit and impair. I knew a very accomplished andsensible young man cured of a violent passion for a pretty woman, whose talents were not equal to her face and figure, by beingpermitted to bear her company for a whole afternoon. Thus, it iscertain, that had Edward enjoyed such an opportunity of conversingwith Miss Stubbs, Aunt Rachel's precaution would have beenunnecessary, for he would as soon have fallen in love with thedairy-maid. And although Miss Bradwardine was a very differentcharacter, it seems probable that the very intimacy of theirintercourse prevented his feeling for her other sentiments thanthose of a brother for an amiable and accomplished sister; whilethe sentiments of poor Rose were gradually, and without her beingconscious, assuming a shade of warmer affection. 

I ought to have said that Edward, when he sent to Dundee for thebooks before mentioned, had applied for, and received permission, extending his leave of absence. But the letter of his commandingofficer contained a friendly recommendation to him not to spendhis time exclusively with persons who, estimable as they might bein a general sense, could not be supposed well affected to agovernment which they declined to acknowledge by taking the oathof allegiance. The letter further insinuated, though with greatdelicacy, that although some family connections might be supposedto render it necessary for Captain Waverley to communicate withgentlemen who were in this unpleasant state of suspicion, yet hisfather's situation and wishes ought to prevent his prolongingthose attentions into exclusive intimacy. And it was intimated, that, while his political principles were endangered bycommunicating with laymen of this description, he might alsoreceive erroneous impressions in religion from the prelaticclergy, who so perversely laboured to set up the royal prerogativein things sacred. 

This last insinuation probably induced Waverley to set both downto the prejudices of his commanding officer. He was sensible thatMr. Bradwardine had acted with the most scrupulous delicacy, innever entering upon any discussion that had the most remotetendency to bias his mind in political opinions, although he washimself not only a decided partisan of the exiled family, but hadbeen trusted at different times with important commissions fortheir service. Sensible, therefore, that there was no risk of hisbeing perverted from his allegiance, Edward felt as if he shoulddo his uncle's old friend injustice in removing from a house wherehe gave and received pleasure and amusement, merely to gratify aprejudiced and ill-judged suspicion. He therefore wrote a verygeneral answer, assuring his commanding officer that his loyaltywas not in the most distant danger of contamination, and continuedan honoured guest and inmate of the house of Tully-Veolan. 

CHAPTER XV

A CREAGH, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

When Edward had been a guest at Tully-Veolan nearly six weeks, hedescried, one morning, as he took his usual walk before thebreakfast hour, signs of uncommon perturbation in the family. Fourbare-legged dairy-maids, with each an empty milk-pail in her hand, ran about with frantic gestures, and uttering loud exclamations ofsurprise, grief, and resentment. From their appearance, a paganmight have conceived them a detachment of the celebrated Belides, just come from their baling penance. As nothing was to be got fromthis distracted chorus, excepting 'Lord guide us!' and 'Eh sirs!'ejaculations which threw no light upon the cause of their dismay, Waverley repaired to the fore-court, as it was called, where hebeheld Bailie Macwheeble cantering his white pony down the avenuewith all the speed it could muster. He had arrived, it would seem, upon a hasty summons, and was followed by half a score of peasantsfrom the village who had no great difficulty in keeping pace withhim. 

The Bailie, greatly too busy and too important to enter intoexplanations with Edward, summoned forth Mr. Saunderson, whoappeared with a countenance in which dismay was mingled withsolemnity, and they immediately entered into close conference. Davie Gellatley was also seen in the group, idle as Diogenes atSinope while his countrymen were preparing for a siege. Hisspirits always rose with anything, good or bad, which occasionedtumult, and he continued frisking, hopping, dancing, and singingthe burden of an old ballad--

 'Our gear's a' gane, '

until, happening to pass too near the Bailie, he received anadmonitory hint from his horse-whip, which converted his songsinto lamentation. 

Passing from thence towards the garden, Waverley beheld the Baronin person, measuring and re-measuring, with swift and tremendousstrides, the length of the terrace; his countenance clouded withoffended pride and indignation, and the whole of his demeanoursuch as seemed to indicate, that any inquiry concerning the causeof his discomposure would give pain at least, if not offence. Waverley therefore glided into the house, without addressing him, and took his way to the breakfast-parlour, where he found hisyoung friend Rose, who, though she neither exhibited theresentment of her father, the turbid importance of BailieMacwheeble, nor the despair of the handmaidens, seemed vexed andthoughtful. A single word explained the mystery. 'Your breakfastwill be a disturbed one, Captain Waverley. A party of Cateranshave come down upon us last night, and have driven off all ourmilch cows. '

'A party of Caterans?'

'Yes; robbers from the neighbouring Highlands. We used to be quitefree from them while we paid blackmail to Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich IanVohr; but my father thought it unworthy of his rank and birth topay it any longer, and so this disaster has happened. It is notthe value of the cattle, Captain Waverley, that vexes me; but myfather is so much hurt at the affront, and is so bold and hot, that I fear he will try to recover them by the strong hand; and ifhe is not hurt himself, he will hurt some of these wild people, and then there will be no peace between them and us perhaps forour life-time; and we cannot defend ourselves as in old times, forthe government have taken all our arms; and my dear father is sorash--O what will become of us!'--Here poor Rose lost heartaltogether, and burst into a flood of tears. 

The Baron entered at this moment, and rebuked her with moreasperity than Waverley had ever heard him use to any one. 'Was itnot a shame, ' he said, 'that she should exhibit herself before anygentleman in such a light, as if she shed tears for a drove ofhorned nolt and milch kine, like the daughter of a Cheshireyeoman!--Captain Waverley, I must request your favourableconstruction of her grief, which may, or ought to proceed, solelyfrom seeing her father's estate exposed to spulzie and depredationfrom common thieves and sorners, while we are not allowed to keephalf a score of muskets, whether for defence or rescue. '

Bailie Macwheeble entered immediately afterwards, and by hisreport of arms and ammunition confirmed this statement, informingthe Baron, in a melancholy voice, that though the people wouldcertainly obey his honour's orders, yet there was no chance oftheir following the gear to ony guid purpose, in respect therewere only his honour's body servants who had swords and pistols, and the depredators were twelve Highlanders, completely armedafter the manner of their country. Having delivered this dolefulannunciation, he assumed a posture of silent dejection, shakinghis head slowly with the motion of a pendulum when it is ceasingto vibrate, and then remained stationary, his body stooping at amore acute angle than usual, and the latter part of his personprojecting in proportion. 

The Baron, meanwhile, paced the room in silent indignation, and atlength fixing his eye upon an old portrait, whose person was cladin armour, and whose features glared grimly out of a huge bush ofhair, part of which descended from his head to his shoulders, andpart from his chin and upper-lip to his breast-plate, --'Thatgentleman, Captain Waverley, my grandsire, ' he said, 'with twohundred horse, --whom he levied within his own bounds, discomfitedand put to the rout more than five hundred of these Highlandreivers, who have been ever lapis offensionis et petra scandali, astumbling-block and a rock of offence, to the Lowland vicinage--hediscomfited them, I say, when they had the temerity to descend toharry this country, in the time of the civil dissensions, in theyear of grace sixteen hundred forty and two. And now, sir, I, hisgrandson, am thus used at such unworthy hands. '

Here there was an awful pause; after which all the company, as isusual in cases of difficulty, began to give separate andinconsistent counsel. Alexander ab Alexandro proposed they shouldsend some one to compound with the Caterans, who would readily, hesaid, give up their prey for a dollar a head. The Bailie opinedthat this transaction would amount to theft-boot, or compositionof felony; and he recommended that some canny hand should be sentup to the glens to make the best bargain he could, as it were forhimself, so that the Laird might not be seen in such atransaction. Edward proposed to send off to the nearest garrisonfor a party of soldiers and a magistrate's warrant; and Rose, asfar as she dared, endeavoured to insinuate the course of payingthe arrears of tribute money to Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich Ian Vohr, who, they all knew, could easily procure restoration of thecattle, if he were properly propitiated. 

None of these proposals met the Baron's approbation. The idea ofcomposition, direct or implied, was absolutely ignominious; thatof Waverley only showed that he did not understand the state ofthe country, and of the political parties which divided it; and, standing matters as they did with Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich Ian Vohr, the Baron would make no concession to him, were it, he said, 'toprocure restitution in integrum of every stirk and stot that thechief, his forefathers, and his clan, had stolen since the days ofMalcolm Canmore. '

In fact his voice was still for war, and he proposed to sendexpresses to Balmawhapple, Killancureit, Tulliellum, and otherlairds, who were exposed to similar depredations, inviting them tojoin in the pursuit; 'and then, sir, shall these nebulonesnequissimi, as Leslaeus calls them, be brought to the fate oftheir predecessor Cacus, "Elisos oculos, et siccum sanguine guttur. "'

The Bailie, who by no means relished these warlike counsels, herepulled forth an immense watch, of the colour, and nearly of thesize, of a pewter warming-pan, and observed it was now past noon, and that the Caterans had been seen in the pass of Ballybroughsoon after sunrise; so that, before the allied forces couldassemble, they and their prey would be far beyond the reach of themost active pursuit, and sheltered in those pathless deserts, where it was neither advisable to follow, nor indeed possible totrace them. 

This proposition was undeniable. The council therefore broke upwithout coming to any conclusion, as has occurred to councils ofmore importance; only it was determined that the Bailie shouldsend his own three milkcows down to the mains for the use of theBaron's family, and brew small ale, as a substitute for milk, inhis own. To this arrangement, which was suggested by Saunderson, the Bailie readily assented, both from habitual deference to thefamily, and an internal consciousness that his courtesy would, insome mode or other, be repaid tenfold. 

The Baron having also retired to give some necessary directions, Waverley seized the opportunity to ask, whether this Fergus, withthe unpronounceable name, was the chief thief-taker of thedistrict?

'Thief-taker!' answered Rose, laughing; 'he is a gentleman ofgreat honour and consequence, the chieftain of an independentbranch of a powerful Highland clan, and is much respected, bothfor his own power and that of his kith, kin, and allies. '

'And what has he to do with the thieves, then? Is he a magistrate, or in the commission of the peace?' asked Waverley. 

'The commission of war rather, if there be such a thing, ' saidRose; 'for he is a very unquiet neighbour to his unfriends, andkeeps a greater following on foot than many that have thrice hisestate. As to his connection with the thieves, that I cannot wellexplain; but the boldest of them will never steal a hoof from anyone that pays black-mail to Vich lan Vohr. '

'And what is black-mail?'

'A sort of protection-money that Low-Country gentlemen andheritors, lying near the Highlands, pay to some Highland chief, that he may neither do them harm himself, nor suffer it to be doneto them by others; and then if your cattle are stolen, you haveonly to send him word, and he will recover them; or it may be, hewill drive away cows from some distant place, where he has aquarrel, and give them to you to make up your loss. ' [Footnote:See note 13. ]

'And is this sort of Highland Jonathan Wild admitted into society, and called a gentleman?'

'So much so, ' said Rose, 'that the quarrel between my father andFergus Mac-Ivor began at a county meeting, where he wanted to takeprecedence of all the Lowland gentlemen then present, only myfather would not suffer it. And then he upbraided my father thathe was under his banner, and paid him tribute; and my father wasin a towering passion, for Bailie Macwheeble, who manages suchthings his own way, had contrived to keep this black-mail a secretfrom him, and passed it in his account for cess-money. And theywould have fought; but Fergus Mac-Ivor said, very gallantly, hewould never raise his hand against a grey head that was so muchrespected as my father's. --O I wish, I wish they had continuedfriends!'

'And did you ever see this Mr. Mac-Ivor, if that be his name, MissBradwardine?'

'No, that is not his name; and he would consider MASTER as a sortof affront, only that you are an Englishman, and know no better. But the Lowlanders call him, like other gentlemen, by the name ofhis estate, Glennaquoich; and the Highlanders call him Vich IanVohr, that is, the son of John the Great; and we upon the braeshere call him by both names indifferently. '

'I am afraid I shall never bring my English tongue to call him byeither one or other. '

'But he is a very polite, handsome man, ' continued Rose; 'and hissister Flora is one of the most beautiful and accomplished youngladies in this country; she was bred in a convent in France, andwas a great friend of mine before this unhappy dispute. DearCaptain Waverley, try your influence with my father to makematters up. I am sure this is but the beginning of our troubles;for Tully-Veolan has never been a safe or quiet residence when wehave been at feud with the Highlanders. When I was a girl aboutten, there was a skirmish fought between a party of twenty of themand my father and his servants behind the mains; and the bulletsbroke several panes in the north windows, they were so near. Threeof the Highlanders were killed, and they brought them in wrappedin their plaids, and laid them on the stone floor of the hall; andnext morning, their wives and daughters came, clapping theirhands, and crying the coronach, and shrieking, and carried awaythe dead bodies, with the pipes playing before them. I could notsleep for six weeks without starting and thinking I heard theseterrible cries, and saw the bodies lying on the steps, all stiffand swathed up in their bloody tartans. But since that time therecame a party from the garrison at Stirling, with a warrant fromthe Lord Justice Clerk, or some such great man, and took away allour arms; and now, how are we to protect ourselves if they comedown in any strength?'

Waverley could not help starting at a story which bore so muchresemblance to one of his own day-dreams. Here was a girl scarceseventeen, the gentlest of her sex, both in temper and appearance, who had witnessed with her own eyes such a scene as he had used toconjure up in his imagination, as only occurring in ancient times, and spoke of it coolly, as one very likely to recur. He felt atonce the impulse of curiosity, and that slight sense of dangerwhich only serves to heighten its interest. He might have saidwith Malvolio, '"I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jademe!" I am actually in the land of military and romanticadventures, and it only remains to be seen what will be my ownshare in them. '

The whole circumstances now detailed concerning the state of thecountry seemed equally novel and extraordinary. He had indeedoften heard of Highland thieves, but had no idea of the systematicmode in which their depredations were conducted; and that thepractice was connived at, and even encouraged, by many of theHighland chieftains, who not only found the creaghs, or forays, useful for the purpose of training individuals of their clan tothe practice of arms, but also of maintaining a wholesome terroramong their Lowland neighbours, and levying, as we have seen, atribute from them, under colour of protection-money. 

Bailie Macwheeble, who soon afterwards entered, expatiated stillmore at length upon the same topic. This honest gentleman'sconversation was so formed upon his professional practice, thatDavie Gellatley once said his discourse was like a 'charge ofhorning. ' He assured our hero, that 'from the maist ancient timesof record, the lawless thieves, limmers, and broken men of theHighlands, had been in fellowship together by reason of theirsurnames, for the committing of divers thefts, reifs, and hershipsupon the honest men of the Low Country, when they not onlyintromitted with their whole goods and gear, corn, cattle, horse, nolt, sheep, outsight and insight plenishing, at their wickedpleasure, but moreover made prisoners, ransomed them, or concussedthem into giving borrows (pledges) to enter into captivity again;--all which was directly prohibited in divers parts of the StatuteBook, both by the act one thousand five hundred and sixty-seven, and various others; the whilk statutes, with all that had followedand might follow thereupon, were shamefully broken and vilipendedby the said sorners, limmers, and broken men, associated intofellowships, for the aforesaid purposes of theft, stouthreef, fire-raising, murther, raptus mulierum, or forcible abduction ofwomen, and such like as aforesaid. '

It seemed like a dream to Waverley that these deeds of violenceshould be familiar to men's minds, and currently talked of asfalling within the common order of things, and happening daily inthe immediate vicinity, without his having crossed the seas, andwhile he was yet in the otherwise well-ordered island of GreatBritain. 

CHAPTER XVI

AN UNEXPECTED ALLY APPEARS

The Baron returned at the dinner-hour, and had in a great measurerecovered his composure and good-humour. He not only confirmedthe stories which Edward had heard from Rose and BailieMacwheeble, but added many anecdotes from his own experience, concerning the state of the Highlands and their inhabitants. Thechiefs he pronounced to be, in general, gentlemen of great honourand high pedigree, whose word was accounted as a law by all thoseof their own sept, or clan. 'It did not indeed, ' he said, 'becomethem, as had occurred in late instances, to propone theirprosapia, a lineage which rested for the most part on the vain andfond rhymes of their seannachies or bhairds, as aequiponderatewith the evidence of ancient charters and royal grants ofantiquity, conferred upon distinguished houses in the Low Countryby divers Scottish monarchs; nevertheless, such was theiroutrecuidance and presumption, as to undervalue those whopossessed such evidents, as if they held their lands in a sheep'sskin. '

This, by the way, pretty well explained the cause of quarrelbetween the Baron and his Highland ally. But he went on to stateso many curious particulars concerning the manners, customs, andhabits of this patriarchal race that Edward's curiosity becamehighly interested, and he inquired whether it was possible to makewith safety an excursion into the neighbouring Highlands, whosedusky barrier of mountains had already excited his wish topenetrate beyond them. The Baron assured his guest that nothingwould be more easy, providing this quarrel were first made up, since he could himself give him letters to many of thedistinguished chiefs, who would receive him with the utmostcourtesy and hospitality. 

While they were on this topic, the door suddenly opened, and, ushered by Saunders Saunderson, a Highlander, fully armed andequipped, entered the apartment. Had it not been that Saundersacted the part of master of the ceremonies to this martialapparition, without appearing to deviate from his usual composure, and that neither Mr. Bradwardine nor Rose exhibited any emotion, Edward would certainly have thought the intrusion hostile. As itwas, he started at the sight of what he had not yet happened tosee, a mountaineer in his full national costume. The individualGael was a stout, dark, young man, of low stature, the ample foldsof whose plaid added to the appearance of strength which hisperson exhibited. The short kilt, or petticoat, showed his sinewyand clean-made limbs; the goatskin purse, flanked by the usualdefences, a dirk and steel-wrought pistol, hung before him; hisbonnet had a short feather, which indicated his claim to betreated as a duinhe-wassel, or sort of gentleman; a broadsworddangled by his side, a target hung upon his shoulder, and a longSpanish fowling-piece occupied one of his hands. With the otherhand he pulled off his bonnet, and the Baron, who well knew theircustoms, and the proper mode of addressing them, immediately said, with an air of dignity, but without rising, and much, as Edwardthought, in the manner of a prince receiving an embassy, 'Welcome, Evan Dhu Maccombich; what news from Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich lanVohr?'

'Fergus Mac-Ivor Vich lan Vohr, ' said the ambassador, in goodEnglish, 'greets you well, Baron of Bradwardine and Tully-Veolan, and is sorry there has been a thick cloud interposed between youand him, which has kept you from seeing and considering thefriendship and alliances that have been between your houses andforebears of old; and he prays you that the cloud may pass away, and that things may be as they have been heretofore between theclan Ivor and the house of Bradwardine, when there was an eggbetween them for a flint and a knife for a sword. And he expectsyou will also say, you are sorry for the cloud, and no man shallhereafter ask whether it descended from the bill to the valley, orrose from the valley to the hill; for they never struck with thescabbard who did not receive with the sword, and woe to him whowould lose his friend for the stormy cloud of a spring morning. '

To this the Baron of Bradwardine answered with suitable dignity, that he knew the chief of Clan Ivor to be a well-wisher to theKing, and he was sorry there should have been a cloud between himand any gentleman of such sound principles, 'for when folks arebanding together, feeble is he who hath no brother. '

This appearing perfectly satisfactory, that the peace betweenthese august persons might be duly solemnised, the Baron ordered astoup of usquebaugh, and, filling a glass, drank to the health andprosperity of Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich; upon which the Celticambassador, to requite his politeness, turned down a mighty bumperof the same generous liquor, seasoned with his good wishes to thehouse of Bradwardine. 

Having thus ratified the preliminaries of the general treaty ofpacification, the envoy retired to adjust with Mr. Macwheeble somesubordinate articles with which it was not thought necessary totrouble the Baron. These probably referred to the discontinuanceof the subsidy, and apparently the Bailie found means to satisfytheir ally, without suffering his master to suppose that hisdignity was compromised. At least, it is certain, that after theplenipotentiaries had drunk a bottle of brandy in single drams, which seemed to have no more effect upon such seasoned vesselsthan if it had been poured upon the two bears at the top of theavenue, Evan Dhu Maccombich, having possessed himself of all theinformation which he could procure respecting the robbery of thepreceding night, declared his intention to set off immediately inpursuit of the cattle, which he pronounced to be 'no that far off;they have broken the bone, ' he observed, 'but they have had notune to suck the marrow. '

Our hero, who had attended Evan Dhu during his perquisitions, wasmuch struck with the ingenuity which he displayed in collectinginformation, and the precise and pointed conclusions which he drewfrom it. Evan Dhu, on his part, was obviously flattered with theattention of Waverley, the interest he seemed to take in hisinquiries, and his curiosity about the customs and scenery of theHighlands. Without much ceremony he invited Edward to accompanyhim on a short walk of ten or fifteen miles into the mountains, and see the place where the cattle were conveyed to; adding, 'Ifit be as I suppose, you never saw such a place in your life, norever will, unless you go with me or the like of me. '

Our hero, feeling his curiosity considerably excited by the ideaof visiting the den of a Highland Cacus, took, however, theprecaution to inquire if his guide might be trusted. He wasassured that the invitation would on no account have been givenhad there been the least danger, and that all he had to apprehendwas a little fatigue; and, as Evan proposed he should pass a dayat his Chieftain's house in returning, where he would be sure ofgood accommodation and an excellent welcome, there seemed nothingvery formidable in the task he undertook. Rose, indeed, turnedpale when she heard of it; but her father, who loved the spiritedcuriosity of his young friend, did not attempt to damp it by analarm of danger which really did not exist, and a knapsack, with afew necessaries, being bound on the shoulders of a sort of deputygamekeeper, our hero set forth with a fowling-piece in his hand, accompanied by his new friend Evan Dhu, and followed by thegamekeeper aforesaid, and by two wild Highlanders, the attendantsof Evan, one of whom had upon his shoulder a hatchet at the end ofa pole, called a Lochaber-axe, [Footnote: See Note 14] and theother a long ducking-gun. Evan, upon Edward's inquiry, gave him tounderstand that this martial escort was by no means necessary as aguard, but merely, as he said, drawing up and adjusting his plaidwith an air of dignity, that he might appear decently at Tully-Veolan, and as Vich Ian Vohr's foster-brother ought to do. 'Ah!'said he, 'if you Saxon duinhe-wassel (English gentleman) saw butthe Chief with his tail on!'

'With his tail on?' echoed Edward in some surprise. 

'Yes--that is, with all his usual followers, when he visits thoseof the same rank. There is, ' he continued, stopping and drawinghimself proudly up, while he counted upon his fingers the severalofficers of his chief's retinue; 'there is his hanchman, or right-hand man; then his bard, or poet; then his bladier, or orator, tomake harangues to the great folks whom he visits; then his gilly-more, or armour-bearer, to carry his sword and target, and hisgun; then his gilly-casfliuch, who carries him on his back throughthe sikes and brooks; then his gilly-comstrian, to lead his horseby the bridle in steep and difficult paths; then his gilly-trushharnish, to carry his knapsack; and the piper and the piper'sman, and it may be a dozen young lads beside, that have nobusiness, but are just boys of the belt, to follow the Laird anddo his honour's bidding. '

'And does your Chief regularly maintain all these men?' demandedWaverley. 

'All these?' replied Evan; 'ay, and many a fair head beside, thatwould not ken where to lay itself, but for the mickle barn atGlennaquoich. '

With similar tales of the grandeur of the Chief in peace and war, Evan Dhu beguiled the way till they approached more closely thosehuge mountains which Edward had hitherto only seen at a distance. It was towards evening as they entered one of the tremendouspasses which afford communication between the high and lowcountry; the path, which was extremely steep and rugged, winded upa chasm between two tremendous rocks, following the passage whicha foaming stream, that brawled far below, appeared to have wornfor itself in the course of ages. A few slanting beams of the sun, which was now setting, reached the water in its darksome bed, andshowed it partially, chafed by a hundred rocks and broken by ahundred falls. The descent from the path to the stream was a mereprecipice, with here and there a projecting fragment of granite, or a scathed tree, which had warped its twisted roots into thefissures of the rock. On the right hand, the mountain rose abovethe path with almost equal inaccessibility; but the hill on theopposite side displayed a shroud of copsewood, with which somepines were intermingled. 

'This, ' said Evan, 'is the pass of Bally-Brough, which was kept informer times by ten of the clan Donnochie against a hundred of theLow-Country carles. The graves of the slain are still to be seenin that little corrie, or bottom, on the opposite side of theburn; if your eyes are good, you may see the green specks amongthe heather. See, there is an earn, which you Southrons call aneagle. You have no such birds as that in England. He is going tofetch his supper from the Laird of Bradwardine's braes, but I 'llsend a slug after him. '

He fired his piece accordingly, but missed the superb monarch ofthe feathered tribes, who, without noticing the attempt to annoyhim, continued his majestic flight to the southward. A thousandbirds of prey, hawks, kites, carrion-crows, and ravens, disturbedfrom the lodgings which they had just taken up for the evening, rose at the report of the gun, and mingled their hoarse anddiscordant notes with the echoes which replied to it, and with theroar of the mountain cataracts. Evan, a little disconcerted athaving missed his mark, when he meant to have displayed peculiardexterity, covered his confusion by whistling part of a pibroch ashe reloaded his piece, and proceeded in silence up the pass. 

It issued in a narrow glen, between two mountains, both very loftyand covered with heath. The brook continued to be their companion, and they advanced up its mazes, crossing them now and then, onwhich occasions Evan Dhu uniformly offered the assistance of hisattendants to carry over Edward; but our hero, who had been alwaysa tolerable pedestrian, declined the accommodation, and obviouslyrose in his guide's opinion, by showing that he did not fearwetting his feet. Indeed he was anxious, so far as he couldwithout affectation, to remove the opinion which Evan seemed toentertain of the effeminacy of the Lowlanders, and particularly ofthe English. 

Through the gorge of this glen they found access to a black bog, of tremendous extent, full of large pit-holes, which theytraversed with great difficulty and some danger, by tracks whichno one but a Highlander could have followed. The path itself, orrather the portion of more solid ground on which the travellershalf walked, half waded, was rough, broken, and in many placesquaggy and unsound. Sometimes the ground was so completely unsafethat it was necessary to spring from one hillock to another, thespace between being incapable of bearing the human weight. Thiswas an easy matter to the Highlanders, who wore thin-soled broguesfit for the purpose, and moved with a peculiar springing step; butEdward began to find the exercise, to which he was unaccustomed, more fatiguing than he expected. The lingering twilight served toshow them through this Serbonian bog, but deserted them almosttotally at the bottom of a steep and very stony hill, which it wasthe travellers' next toilsome task to ascend. The night, however, was pleasant, and not dark; and Waverley, calling up mental energyto support personal fatigue, held on his march gallantly, thoughenvying in his heart his Highland attendants, who continued, without a symptom of abated vigour, the rapid and swinging pace, or rather trot, which, according to his computation, had alreadybrought them fifteen miles upon their journey. 

After crossing this mountain and descending on the other sidetowards a thick wood, Evan Dhu held some conference with hisHighland attendants, in consequence of which Edward's baggage wasshifted from the shoulders of the gamekeeper to those of one ofthe gillies, and the former was sent off with the othermountaineer in a direction different from that of the threeremaining travellers. On asking the meaning of this separation, Waverley was told that the Lowlander must go to a hamlet aboutthree miles off for the night; for unless it was some veryparticular friend, Donald Bean Lean, the worthy person whom theysupposed to be possessed of the cattle, did not much approve ofstrangers approaching his retreat. This seemed reasonable, andsilenced a qualm of suspicion which came across Edward's mind whenhe saw himself, at such a place and such an hour, deprived of hisonly Lowland companion. And Evan immediately afterwardsadded, 'that indeed he himself had better get forward, and announcetheir approach to Donald Bean Lean, as the arrival of a sidier roy(red soldier) might otherwise be a disagreeable surprise. ' Andwithout waiting for an answer, in jockey phrase, he trotted out, and putting himself to a very round pace, was out of sight in aninstant. 

Waverley was now left to his own meditations, for his attendantwith the battle-axe spoke very little English. They weretraversing a thick, and, as it seemed, an endless wood of pines, and consequently the path was altogether indiscernible in themurky darkness which surrounded them. The Highlander, however, seemed to trace it by instinct, without the hesitation of amoment, and Edward followed his footsteps as close as he could. 

After journeying a considerable time in silence, he could not helpasking, 'Was it far to the end of their journey?'

'Ta cove was tree, four mile; but as duinhe-wassel was a weetaiglit, Donald could, tat is, might--would--should send tacurragh. '

This conveyed no information. The curragh which was promised mightbe a man, a horse, a cart, or chaise; and no more could be gotfrom the man with the battle-axe but a repetition of 'Aich ay! tacurragh. '

But in a short time Edward began to conceive his meaning, when, issuing from the wood, he found himself on the banks of a largeriver or lake, where his conductor gave him to understand theymust sit down for a little while. The moon, which now began torise, showed obscurely the expanse of water which spread beforethem, and the shapeless and indistinct forms of mountains withwhich it seemed to be surrounded. The cool and yet mild air of thesummer night refreshed Waverley after his rapid and toilsome walk;and the perfume which it wafted from the birch trees, [Footnote:It is not the weeping birch, the most common species in theHighlands, but the woolly-leaved Lowland birch, that isdistinguished by this fragrance. ] bathed in the evening dew, wasexquisitely fragrant. 

He had now time to give himself up to the full romance of hissituation. Here he sate on the banks of an unknown lake, under theguidance of a wild native, whose language was unknown to him, on avisit to the den of some renowned outlaw, a second Robin Hood, perhaps, or Adam o' Gordon, and that at deep midnight, throughscenes of difficulty and toil, separated from his attendant, leftby his guide. What a variety of incidents for the exercise of aromantic imagination, and all enhanced by the solemn feeling ofuncertainty at least, if not of danger! The only circumstancewhich assorted ill with the rest was the cause of his journey--theBaron's milk-cows! this degrading incident he kept in thebackground. 

While wrapt in these dreams of imagination, his companion gentlytouched him, and, pointing in a direction nearly straight acrossthe lake, said, 'Yon's ta cove. ' A small point of light was seento twinkle in the direction in which he pointed, and, graduallyincreasing in size and lustre, seemed to flicker like a meteorupon the verge of the horizon. While Edward watched thisphenomenon, the distant dash of oars was heard. The measured soundapproached near and more near, and presently a loud whistle washeard in the same direction. His friend with the battle-axeimmediately whistled clear and shrill, in reply to the signal, anda boat, manned with four or five Highlanders, pushed for a littleinlet, near which Edward was sitting. He advanced to meet themwith his attendant, was immediately assisted into the boat by theofficious attention of two stout mountaineers, and had no soonerseated himself than they resumed their oars, and began to rowacross the lake with great rapidity. 

CHAPTER XVII

THE HOLD OF A HIGHLAND ROBBER

The party preserved silence, interrupted only by the monotonousand murmured chant of a Gaelic song, sung in a kind of lowrecitative by the steersman, and by the dash of the oars, whichthe notes seemed to regulate, as they dipped to them in cadence. The light, which they now approached more nearly, assumed abroader, redder and more irregular splendour. It appeared plainlyto be a large fire, but whether kindled upon an island or themainland Edward could not determine. As he saw it, the red glaringorb seemed to rest on the very surface of the lake itself, andresembled the fiery vehicle in which the Evil Genius of anOriental tale traverses land and sea. They approached nearer, andthe light of the fire sufficed to show that it was kindled at thebottom of a huge dark crag or rock, rising abruptly from the veryedge of the water; its front, changed by the reflection to duskyred, formed a strange and even awful contrast to the banks around, which were from time to time faintly and partially illuminated bypallid moonlight. 

The boat now neared the shore, and Edward could discover that thislarge fire, amply supplied with branches of pine-wood by twofigures, who, in the red reflection of its light, appeared likedemons, was kindled in the jaws of a lofty cavern, into which aninlet from the lake seemed to advance; and he conjectured, whichwas indeed true, that the fire had been lighted as a beacon to theboatmen on their return. They rowed right for the mouth of thecave, and then, shifting their oars, permitted the boat to enterin obedience to the impulse which it had received. The skiffpassed the little point or platform of rock on which the fire wasblazing, and running about two boats' lengths farther, stoppedwhere the cavern (for it was already arched overhead) ascendedfrom the water by five or six broad ledges of rock, so easy andregular that they might be termed natural steps. At this moment aquantity of water was suddenly flung upon the fire, which sunkwith a hissing noise, and with it disappeared the light it hadhitherto afforded. Four or five active arms lifted Waverley out ofthe boat, placed him on his feet, and almost carried him into therecesses of the cave. He made a few paces in darkness, guided inthis manner; and advancing towards a hum of voices, which seemedto sound from the centre of the rock, at an acute turn Donald BeanLean and his whole establishment were before his eyes. 

The interior of the cave, which here rose very high, wasilluminated by torches made of pine-tree, which emitted a brightand bickering light, attended by a strong though not unpleasantodour. Their light was assisted by the red glare of a largecharcoal fire, round which were seated five or six armedHighlanders, while others were indistinctly seen couched on theirplaids in the more remote recesses of the cavern. In one largeaperture, which the robber facetiously called his SPENCE (orpantry), there hung by the heels the carcasses of a sheep, or ewe, and two cows lately slaughtered. The principal inhabitant of thissingular mansion, attended by Evan Dhu as master of theceremonies, came forward to meet his guest, totally different inappearance and manner from what his imagination had anticipated. The profession which he followed, the wilderness in which hedwelt, the wild warrior forms that surrounded him, were allcalculated to inspire terror. From such accompaniments, Waverleyprepared himself to meet a stern, gigantic, ferocious figure, suchas Salvator would have chosen to be the central object of a groupof banditti. [Footnote: See Note 15. ]

Donald Bean Lean was the very reverse of all these. He was thin inperson and low in stature, with light sandy-coloured hair, andsmall pale features, from which he derived his agnomen of BEAN orwhite; and although his form was light, well proportioned andactive, he appeared, on the whole, rather a diminutive andinsignificant figure. He had served in some inferior capacity inthe French army, and in order to receive his English visitor ingreat form, and probably meaning, in his way, to pay him acompliment, he had laid aside the Highland dress for the time, toput on an old blue and red uniform and a feathered hat, in whichhe was far from showing to advantage, and indeed looked soincongruous, compared with all around him, that Waverley wouldhave been tempted to laugh, had laughter been either civil orsafe. The robber received Captain Waverley with a profusion ofFrench politeness and Scottish hospitality, seemed perfectly toknow his name and connections, and to be particularly acquaintedwith his uncle's political principles. On these he bestowed greatapplause, to which Waverley judged it prudent to make a verygeneral reply. 

Being placed at a convenient distance from the charcoal fire, theheat of which the season rendered oppressive, a strapping Highlanddamsel placed before Waverley, Evan, and Donald Bean three cogues, or wooden vessels composed of staves and hoops, containingeanaruich, [Footnote: This was the regale presented by Rob Roy tothe Laird of Tullibody. ] a sort of strong soup, made out of aparticular part of the inside of the beeves. After thisrefreshment, which, though coarse, fatigue and hunger renderedpalatable, steaks, roasted on the coals, were supplied in liberalabundance, and disappeared before Evan Dhu and their host with apromptitude that seemed like magic, and astonished Waverley, whowas much puzzled to reconcile their voracity with what he hadheard of the abstemiousness of the Highlanders. He was ignorantthat this abstinence was with the lower ranks wholly compulsory, and that, like some animals of prey, those who practise it wereusually gifted with the power of indemnifying themselves to goodpurpose when chance threw plenty in their way. The whisky cameforth in abundance to crown the cheer. The Highlanders drank itcopiously and undiluted; but Edward, having mixed a little withwater, did not find it so palatable as to invite him to repeat thedraught. Their host bewailed himself exceedingly that he couldoffer him no wine: 'Had he but known four-and-twenty hours before, he would have had some, had it been within the circle of fortymiles round him. But no gentleman could do more to show his senseof the honour of a visit from another than to offer him the bestcheer his house afforded. Where there are no bushes there can beno nuts, and the way of those you live with is that you mustfollow, '

He went on regretting to Evan Dhu the death of an aged man, Donnacha an Amrigh, or Duncan with the Cap, 'a gifted seer, ' whoforetold, through the second sight, visitors of every descriptionwho haunted their dwelling, whether as friends or foes. 

'Is not his son Malcolm taishatr (a second-sighted person)?' askedEvan. 

'Nothing equal to his father, ' replied Donald Bean. 'He told usthe other day, we were to see a great gentleman riding on a horse, and there came nobody that whole day but Shemus Beg, the blindharper, with his dog. Another time he advertised us of a wedding, and behold it proved a funeral; and on the creagh, when heforetold to us we should bring home a hundred head of hornedcattle, we gripped nothing but a fat bailie of Perth. '

From this discourse he passed to the political and military stateof the country; and Waverley was astonished, and even alarmed, tofind a person of this description so accurately acquainted withthe strength of the various garrisons and regiments quarterednorth of the Tay. He even mentioned the exact number of recruitswho had joined Waverley's troop from his uncle's estate, andobserved they were PRETTY MEN, meaning, not handsome, but stoutwarlike fellows. He put Waverley in mind of one or two minutecircumstances which had happened at a general review of theregiment, which satisfied him that the robber had been an eye-witness of it; and Evan Dhu having by this time retired from theconversation, and wrapped himself up in his plaid to take somerepose, Donald asked Edward, in a very significant manner, whetherhe had nothing particular to say to him. 

Waverley, surprised and somewhat startled at this question fromsuch a character, answered, he had no motive in visiting him butcuriosity to see his extraordinary place of residence. Donald BeanLean looked him steadily in the face for an instant, and thensaid, with a significant nod, 'You might as well have confided inme; I am as much worthy of trust as either the Baron ofBradwardine or Vich Ian Vohr. But you are equally welcome to myhouse. '

Waverley felt an involuntary shudder creep over him at themysterious language held by this outlawed and lawless bandit, which, in despite of his attempts to master it, deprived him ofthe power to ask the meaning of his insinuations. A heath pallet, with the flowers stuck uppermost, had been prepared for him in arecess of the cave, and here, covered with such spare plaids ascould be mustered, he lay for some time watching the motions ofthe other inhabitants of the cavern. Small parties of two or threeentered or left the place, without any other ceremony than a fewwords in Gaelic to the principal outlaw, and, when he fell asleep, to a tall Highlander who acted as his lieutenant, and seemed tokeep watch during his repose. Those who entered seemed to havereturned from some excursion, of which they reported the success, and went without farther ceremony to the larder, where, cuttingwith their dirks their rations from the carcasses which were theresuspended, they proceeded to broil and eat them at their ownpleasure and leisure. The liquor was under strict regulation, being served out either by Donald himself, his lieutenant, or thestrapping Highland girl aforesaid, who was the only female thatappeared. The allowance of whisky, however, would have appearedprodigal to any but Highlanders, who, living entirely in the openair and in a very moist climate, can consume great quantities ofardent spirits without the usual baneful effects either upon thebrain or constitution. 

At length the fluctuating groups began to swim before the eyes ofour hero as they gradually closed; nor did he re-open them tillthe morning sun was high on the lake without, though there was buta faint and glimmering twilight in the recesses of Uaimh an Ri, orthe King's Cavern, as the abode of Donald Bean Lean was proudlydenominated. 

CHAPTER XVIII

WAVERLEY PROCEEDS ON HIS JOURNEY

When Edward had collected his scattered recollection, he wassurprised to observe the cavern totally deserted. Having arisenand put his dress in some order, he looked more accurately roundhim; but all was still solitary. If it had not been for thedecayed brands of the fire, now sunk into grey ashes, and theremnants of the festival, consisting of bones half burnt and halfgnawed, and an empty keg or two, there remained no traces ofDonald and his band. When Waverley sallied forth to the entranceof the cave, he perceived that the point of rock, on whichremained the marks of last night's beacon, was accessible by asmall path, either natural or roughly hewn in the rock, along thelittle inlet of water which ran a few yards up into the cavern, where, as in a wetdock, the skiff which brought him there thenight before was still lying moored. When he reached the smallprojecting platform on which the beacon had been established, hewould have believed his further progress by land impossible, onlythat it was scarce probable but what the inhabitants of the cavernhad some mode of issuing from it otherwise than by the lake. Accordingly, he soon observed three or four shelving steps, orledges of rock, at the very extremity of the little platform; and, making use of them as a staircase, he clambered by their meansaround the projecting shoulder of the crag on which the cavernopened, and, descending with some difficulty on the other side, hegained the wild and precipitous shores of a Highland loch, aboutfour miles in length and a mile and a half across, surrounded byheathy and savage mountains, on the crests of which the morningmist was still sleeping. 

Looking back to the place from which he came, he could not helpadmiring the address which had adopted a retreat of such seclusionand secrecy. The rock, round the shoulder of which he had turnedby a few imperceptible notches, that barely afforded place for thefoot, seemed, in looking back upon it, a huge precipice, whichbarred all further passage by the shores of the lake in thatdirection. There could be no possibility, the breadth of the lakeconsidered, of descrying the entrance of the narrow and low-browedcave from the other side; so that, unless the retreat had beensought for with boats, or disclosed by treachery, it might be asafe and secret residence to its garrison as long as they weresupplied with provisions. Having satisfied his curiosity in theseparticulars, Waverley looked around for Evan Dhu and hisattendants, who, he rightly judged, would be at no great distance, whatever might have become of Donald Bean Lean and his party, whose mode of life was, of course, liable to sudden migrations ofabode. Accordingly, at the distance of about half a mile, hebeheld a Highlander (Evan apparently) angling in the lake, withanother attending him, whom, from the weapon which he shouldered, he recognised for his friend with the battle-axe. 

Much nearer to the mouth of the cave he heard the notes of alively Gaelic song, guided by which, in a sunny recess, shaded bya glittering birch-tree, and carpeted with a bank of firm whitesand, he found the damsel of the cavern, whose lay had alreadyreached him, busy, to the best of her power, in arranging toadvantage a morning repast of milk, eggs, barley-bread, freshbutter, and honey-comb. The poor girl had already made a circuitof four miles that morning in search of the eggs, of the mealwhich baked her cakes, and of the other materials of thebreakfast, being all delicacies which she had to beg or borrowfrom distant cottagers. The followers of Donald Bean Lean usedlittle food except the flesh of the animals which they drove awayfrom the Lowlands; bread itself was a delicacy seldom thought of, because hard to be obtained, and all the domestic accommodationsof milk, poultry, butter, etc. , were out of the question in thisScythian camp. Yet it must not be omitted that, although Alice hadoccupied a part of the morning in providing those accommodationsfor her guest which the cavern did not afford, she had securedtime also to arrange her own person in her best trim. Her finerywas very simple. A short russet-coloured jacket and a petticoat ofscanty longitude was her whole dress; but these were clean, andneatly arranged. A piece of scarlet embroidered cloth, called thesnood, confined her hair, which fell over it in a profusion ofrich dark curls. The scarlet plaid, which formed part of herdress, was laid aside, that it might not impede her activity inattending the stranger. I should forget Alice's proudest ornamentwere I to omit mentioning a pair of gold ear-rings and a, goldenrosary, which her father (for she was the daughter of Donald BeanLean) had brought from France, the plunder, probably, of somebattle or storm. 

Her form, though rather large for her years, was very wellproportioned, and her demeanour had a natural and rustic grace, with nothing of the sheepishness of an ordinary peasant. Thesmiles, displaying a row of teeth of exquisite whiteness, and thelaughing eyes, with which, in dumb show, she gave Waverley thatmorning greeting which she wanted English words to express, mighthave been interpreted by a coxcomb, or perhaps by a young soldierwho, without being such, was conscious of a handsome person, asmeant to convey more than the courtesy of an hostess. Nor do Itake it upon me to say that the little wild mountaineer would havewelcomed any staid old gentleman advanced in life, the Baron ofBradwardine, for example, with the cheerful pains which shebestowed upon Edward's accommodation. She seemed eager to placehim by the meal which she had so sedulously arranged, and to whichshe now added a few bunches of cranberries, gathered in anadjacent morass. Having had the satisfaction of seeing him seatedat his breakfast, she placed herself demurely upon a stone at afew yards' distance, and appeared to watch with great complacencyfor some opportunity of serving him. 

Evan and his attendant now returned slowly along the beach, thelatter bearing a large salmon-trout, the produce of the morning'ssport, together with the angling-rod, while Evan strolled forward, with an easy, self-satisfied, and important gait, towards the spotwhere Waverley was so agreeably employed at the breakfast-table. After morning greetings had passed on both sides, and Evan, looking at Waverley, had said something in Gaelic to Alice, whichmade her laugh, yet colour up to her eyes, through a complexionwell en-browned by sun and wind, Evan intimated his commands thatthe fish should be prepared for breakfast. A spark from the lockof his pistol produced a light, and a few withered fir brancheswere quickly in flame, and as speedily reduced to hot embers, onwhich the trout was broiled in large slices. To crown the repast, Evan produced from the pocket of his short jerkin a large scallopshell, and from under the folds of his plaid a ram's horn full ofwhisky. Of this he took a copious dram, observing he had alreadytaken his MORNING with Donald Bean Lean before his departure; heoffered the same cordial to Alice and to Edward, which they bothdeclined. With the bounteous air of a lord, Evan then profferedthe scallop to Dugald Mahony, his attendant, who, without waitingto be asked a second time, drank it off with great gusto. Evanthen prepared to move towards the boat, inviting Waverley toattend him. Meanwhile, Alice had made up in a small basket whatshe thought worth removing, and flinging her plaid around her, sheadvanced up to Edward, and with the utmost simplicity, taking holdof his hand, offered her cheek to his salute, dropping at the sametime her little curtsy. Evan, who was esteemed a wag among themountain fair, advanced as if to secure a similar favour; butAlice, snatching up her basket, escaped up the rocky bank asfleetly as a roe, and, turning round and laughing, calledsomething out to him in Gaelic, which he answered in the same toneand language; then, waving her hand to Edward, she resumed herroad, and was soon lost among the thickets, though they continuedfor some time to hear her lively carol, as she proceeded gaily onher solitary journey. 

They now again entered the gorge of the cavern, and stepping intothe boat, the Highlander pushed off, and, taking advantage of themorning breeze, hoisted a clumsy sort of sail, while Evan assumedthe helm, directing their course, as it appeared to Waverley, rather higher up the lake than towards the place of hisembarkation on the preceding night. As they glided along thesilver mirror, Evan opened the conversation with a panegyric uponAlice, who, he said, was both CANNY and FENDY; and was, to theboot of all that, the best dancer of a strathspey in the wholestrath. Edward assented to her praises so far as he understoodthem, yet could not help regretting that she was condemned to sucha perilous and dismal life. 

'Oich! for that, ' said Evan, 'there is nothing in Perthshire thatshe need want, if she ask her father to fetch it, unless it be toohot or too heavy. '

'But to be the daughter of a cattle-stealer--a common thief!''Common thief!--no such thing: Donald Bean Lean never LIFTED lessthan a drove in his life. '

'Do you call him an uncommon thief, then?'

'No; he that steals a cow from a poor widow, or a stirk from acotter, is a thief; he that lifts a drove from a Sassenach lairdis a gentleman-drover. And, besides, to take a tree from theforest, a salmon from the river, a deer from the hill, or a cowfrom a Lowland strath, is what no Highlander need ever think shameupon. '

'But what can this end in, were he taken in such anappropriation?'

'To be sure he would DIE FOR THE LAW, as many a pretty man hasdone before him. '

'Die for the law!'

'Ay; that is, with the law, or by the law; be strapped up on theKIND gallows of Crieff, [Footnote: See Note 16. ] where his fatherdied, and his goodsire died, and where I hope he'll live to diehimsell, if he's not shot, or slashed, in a creagh. '

'You HOPE such a death for your friend, Evan?'

'And that do I e'en; would you have me wish him to die on a bundleof wet straw in yon den of his, like a mangy tyke?'

'But what becomes of Alice, then?'

'Troth, if such an accident were to happen, as her father wouldnot need her help ony langer, I ken nought to hinder me to marryher mysell. '

'Gallantly resolved, ' said Edward; 'but, in the meanwhile, Evan, what has your father-in-law (that shall be, if he have the goodfortune to be hanged) done with the Baron's cattle?'

'Oich, ' answered Evan, 'they were all trudging before your lad andAllan Kennedy before the sun blinked ower Ben Lawers this morning;and they'll be in the pass of Bally-Brough by this time, in theirway back to the parks of Tully-Veolan, all but two, that wereunhappily slaughtered before I got last night to Uaimh an Ri. '

'And where are we going, Evan, if I may be so bold as to ask?'said Waverley. 

'Where would you be ganging, but to the Laird's ain house ofGlennaquoich? Ye would not think to be in his country, withoutganging to see him? It would be as much as a man's life's worth. '

'And are we far from Glennaquoich?'

'But five bits of miles; and Vich Ian Vohr will meet us. '

In about half an hour they reached the upper end of the lake, where, after landing Waverley, the two Highanders drew the boatinto a little creek among thick flags and reeds, where it layperfectly concealed. The oars they put in another place ofconcealment, both for the use of Donald Bean Lean probably, whenhis occasions should next bring him to that place. 

The travellers followed for some time a delightful opening intothe hills, down which a little brook found its way to the lake. When they had pursued their walk a short distance, Waverleyrenewed his questions about their host of the cavern. 

'Does he always reside in that cave?'

'Out, no! it's past the skill of man to tell where he's to befound at a' times; there's not a dern nook, or cove, or corrie, inthe whole country that he's not acquainted with. '

'And do others beside your master shelter him?'

'My master? MY master is in Heaven, ' answered Evan, haughtily; andthen immediately assuming his usual civility of manner, 'but youmean my Chief;--no, he does not shelter Donald Bean Lean, nor anythat are like him; he only allows him (with a smile) wood andwater. '

'No great boon, I should think, Evan, when both seem to be veryplenty. '

'Ah! but ye dinna see through it. When I say wood and water, Imean the loch and the land; and I fancy Donald would be put till't if the Laird were to look for him wi' threescore men in thewood of Kailychat yonder; and if our boats, with a score or twamair, were to come down the loch to Uaimh an Ri, headed by mysell, or ony other pretty man. '

'But suppose a strong party came against him from the Low Country, would not your Chief defend him?'

'Na, he would not ware the spark of a flint for him--if they camewith the law. '

'And what must Donald do, then?'

'He behoved to rid this country of himsell, and fall back, it maybe, over the mount upon Letter Scriven. '

'And if he were pursued to that place?'

'I'se warrant he would go to his cousin's at Rannoch. '

'Well, but if they followed him to Rannoch?'

'That, ' quoth Evan, 'is beyond all belief; and, indeed, to tellyou the truth, there durst not a Lowlander in all Scotland followthe fray a gun-shot beyond Bally-Brough, unless he had the helpof the Sidier Dhu. '

'Whom do you call so?'

'The Sidier Dhu? the black soldier; that is what they call theindependent companies that were raised to keep peace and law inthe Highlands. Vich Ian Vohr commanded one of them for five years, and I was sergeant mysell, I shall warrant ye. They call themSidier Dhu because they wear the tartans, as they call your men--King George's men--Sidier Roy, or red soldiers. '

'Well, but when you were in King George's pay, Evan, you weresurely King George's soldiers?'

'Troth, and you must ask Vich Ian Vohr about that; for we are forhis king, and care not much which o' them it is. At ony rate, nobody can say we are King George's men now, when we have not seenhis pay this twelve-month. '

This last argument admitted of no reply, nor did Edward attemptany; he rather chose to bring back the discourse to Donald BeanLean. 'Does Donald confine himself to cattle, or does he LIFT, asyou call it, anything else that comes in his way?'

'Troth, he's nae nice body, and he'll just tak onything, but mostreadily cattle, horse, or live Christians; for sheep are slow oftravel, and inside plenishing is cumbrous to carry, and not easyto put away for siller in this country. '

'But does he carry off men and women?'

'Out, ay. Did not ye hear him speak o' the Perth bailie? It costthat body five hundred merks ere he got to the south of Bally-Brough. And ance Donald played a pretty sport. [Footnote: See Note17. ] There was to be a blythe bridal between the Lady Cramfeezer, in the howe o' the Mearns (she was the auld laird's widow, and nosae young as she had been hersell), and young Gilliewhackit, whohad spent his heirship and movables, like a gentleman, at cock-matches, bull-baitings, horse-races, and the like. Now, DonaldBean Lean, being aware that the bridegroom was in request, andwanting to cleik the cunzie (that is, to hook the siller), hecannily carried off Gilliewhackit ae night when he was ridingdovering hame (wi' the malt rather abune the meal), and with thehelp of his gillies he gat him into the hills with the speed oflight, and the first place he wakened in was the cove of Uaimh anRi. So there was old to do about ransoming the bridegroom; forDonald would not lower a farthing of a thousand punds--'

'The devil!'

'Punds Scottish, ye shall understand. And the lady had not thesiller if she had pawned her gown; and they applied to thegovernor o' Stirling castle, and to the major o' the Black Watch;and the governor said it was ower far to the northward, and out ofhis district; and the major said his men were gane hame to theshearing, and he would not call them out before the victual wasgot in for all the Cramfeezers in Christendom, let alane theMearns, for that it would prejudice the country. And in themeanwhile ye'll no hinder Gilliewhackit to take the small-pox. There was not the doctor in Perth or Stirling would look near thepoor lad; and I cannot blame them, for Donald had been misguggledby ane of these doctors about Paris, and he swore he would flingthe first into the loch that he catched beyond the pass. Howeversome cailliachs (that is, old women) that were about Donald's handnursed Gilliewhackit sae weel that, between the free open air inthe cove and the fresh whey, deil an he did not recover maybe asweel as if he had been closed in a glazed chamber and a bed withcurtains, and fed with red wine and white meat. And Donald was saevexed about it that, when he was stout and weel, he even sent himfree home, and said he would be pleased with onything they wouldlike to gie him for the plague and trouble which he had aboutGilliewhackit to an unkenn'd degree. And I cannot tell youprecisely how they sorted; but they agreed sae right that Donaldwas invited to dance at the wedding in his Highland trews, andthey said that there was never sae meikle siller clinked in hispurse either before or since. And to the boot of all that, Gilliewhackit said that, be the evidence what it liked, if he hadthe luck to be on Donald's inquest, he would bring him in guiltyof nothing whatever, unless it were wilful arson or murder undertrust. '

With such bald and disjointed chat Evan went on illustrating theexisting state of the Highlands, more perhaps to the amusement ofWaverley than that of our readers. At length, after having marchedover bank and brae, moss and heather, Edward, though notunacquainted with the Scottish liberality in computing distance, began to think that Evan's five miles were nearly doubled. Hisobservation on the large measure which the Scottish allowed oftheir land, in comparison to the computation of their money, wasreadily answered by Evan with the old jest, 'The deil take themwha have the least pint stoup. '

[Footnote: The Scotch are liberal in computing their land andliquor; the Scottish pint corresponds to two English quarts. Asfor their coin, every one knows the couplet--

 How can the rogues pretend to sense? Their pound is only twenty pence. ]

And now the report of a gun was heard, and a sportsman was seen, with his dogs and attendant, at the upper end of the glen. 'Shough, ' said Dugald Mahony, 'tat's ta Chief. '

'It is not, ' said Evan, imperiously. 'Do you think he would cometo meet a Sassenach duinhe-wassel in such a way as that?'

But as they approached a little nearer, he said, with anappearance of mortification, 'And it is even he, sure enough; andhe has not his tail on after all; there is no living creature withhim but Callum Beg. '

In fact, Fergus Mac-Ivor, of whom a Frenchman might have said astruly as of any man in the Highlands, 'Qu'il connoit bien sesgens' had no idea of raising himself in the eyes of an Englishyoung man of fortune by appearing with a retinue of idleHighlanders disproportioned to the occasion. He was well awarethat such an unnecessary attendance would seem to Edward ratherludicrous than respectable; and, while few men were more attachedto ideas of chieftainship and feudal power, he was, for that veryreason, cautious of exhibiting external marks of dignity, unlessat the time and in the manner when they were most likely toproduce an imposing effect. Therefore, although, had he been toreceive a brother chieftain, he would probably have been attendedby all that retinue which Evan described with so much unction, hejudged it more respectable to advance to meet Waverley with asingle attendant, a very handsome Highland boy, who carried hismaster's shooting-pouch and his broadsword, without which heseldom went abroad. 

When Fergus and Waverley met, the latter was struck with thepeculiar grace and dignity of the Chieftain's figure. Above themiddle size and finely proportioned, the Highland dress, which hewore in its simplest mode, set off his person to great advantage. He wore the trews, or close trowsers, made of tartan, chequedscarlet and white; in other particulars his dress strictlyresembled Evan's, excepting that he had no weapon save a dirk, very richly mounted with silver. His page, as we have said, carried his claymore; and the fowling-piece, which he held in hishand, seemed only designed for sport. He had shot in the course ofhis walk some young wild-ducks, as, though CLOSE TIME was thenunknown, the broods of grouse were yet too young for thesportsman. His countenance was decidedly Scottish, with all thepeculiarities of the northern physiognomy, but yet had so littleof its harshness and exaggeration that it would have beenpronounced in any country extremely handsome. The martial air ofthe bonnet, with a single eagle's feather as a distinction, addedmuch to the manly appearance of his head, which was besidesornamented with a far more natural and graceful cluster of closeblack curls than ever were exposed to sale in Bond Street. 

An air of openness and affability increased the favorableimpression derived from this handsome and dignified exterior. Yeta skilful physiognomist would have been less satisfied with thecountenance on the second than on the first view. The eyebrow andupper lip bespoke something of the habit of peremptory command anddecisive superiority. Even his courtesy, though open, frank, andunconstrained, seemed to indicate a sense of personal importance;and, upon any check or accidental excitation, a sudden, thoughtransient lour of the eye showed a hasty, haughty, and vindictivetemper, not less to be dreaded because it seemed much under itsowner's command. In short, the countenance of the Chieftainresembled a smiling summer's day, in which, notwithstanding, weare made sensible by certain, though slight signs that it maythunder and lighten before the close of evening. 

It was not, however, upon their first meeting that Edward had anopportunity of making these less favourable remarks. The Chiefreceived him as a friend of the Baron of Bradwardine, with theutmost expression of kindness and obligation for the visit;upbraided him gently with choosing so rude an abode as he had donethe night before; and entered into a lively conversation with himabout Donald Bean's housekeeping, but without the least hint as tohis predatory habits, or the immediate occasion of Waverley'svisit, a topic which, as the Chief did not introduce it, our heroalso avoided. While they walked merrily on towards the house ofGlennaquoich, Evan, who now fell respectfully into the rear, followed with Callum Beg and Dugald Mahony. 

We shall take the opportunity to introduce the reader to someparticulars of Fergus Mac-Ivor's character and history, which werenot completely known to Waverley till after a connection which, though arising from a circumstance so casual, had for a length oftime the deepest influence upon his character, actions, andprospects. But this, being an important subject, must form thecommencement of a new chapter. 

CHAPTER XIX

THE CHIEF AND HIS MANSION

The ingenious licentiate Francisco de Ubeda, when he commenced hishistory of 'La Picara Justina Diez, '--which, by the way, is oneof the most rare books of Spanish literature, --complained of hispen having caught up a hair, and forthwith begins, with moreeloquence than common sense, an affectionate expostulation withthat useful implement, upbraiding it with being the quill of agoose, --a bird inconstant by nature, as frequenting the threeelements of water, earth, and air indifferently, and being, ofcourse, 'to one thing constant never. ' Now I protest to thee, gentle reader, that I entirely dissent from Francisco de Ubeda inthis matter, and hold it the most useful quality of my pen, thatit can speedily change from grave to gay, and from description anddialogue to narrative and character. So that if my quill displayno other properties of its mother-goose than her mutability, truly I shall be well pleased; and I conceive that you, my worthyfriend, will have no occasion for discontent. From the jargon, therefore, of the Highland gillies I pass to the character oftheir Chief. It is an important examination, and therefore, likeDogberry, we must spare no wisdom. 

The ancestor of Fergus Mac-Ivor, about three centuries before, hadset up a claim to be recognised as chief of the numerous andpowerful clan to which he belonged, the name of which it isunnecessary to mention. Being defeated by an opponent who had morejustice, or at least more force, on his side, he moved southwards, with those who adhered to him, in quest of new settlements, like asecond AEneas. The state of the Perthshire Highlands favoured hispurpose. A great baron in that country had lately become traitorto the crown; Ian, which was the name of our adventurer, unitedhimself with those who were commissioned by the king to chastisehim, and did such good service that he obtained a grant of theproperty, upon which he and his posterity afterwards resided. Hefollowed the king also in war to the fertile regions of England, where he employed his leisure hours so actively in raisingsubsidies among the boors of Northumberland and Durham, that uponhis return he was enabled to erect a stone tower, or fortalice, somuch admired by his dependants and neighbours that he, who hadhitherto been called Ian Mac-Ivor, or John the son of Ivor, wasthereafter distinguished, both in song and genealogy, by the hightitle of Ian nan Chaistel, or John of the Tower. The descendantsof this worthy were so proud of him that the reigning chief alwaysbore the patronymic title of Vich Ian Vohr, i. E. The son of Johnthe Great; while the clan at large, to distinguish them from thatfrom which they had seceded, were denominated Sliochd nan Ivor, the race of Ivor. 

The father of Fergus, the tenth in direct descent from John of theTower, engaged heart and hand in the insurrection of 1715, and wasforced to fly to France, after the attempt of that year in favourof the Stuarts had proved unsuccessful. More fortunate than otherfugitives, he obtained employment in the French service, andmarried a lady of rank in that kingdom, by whom he had twochildren, Fergus and his sister Flora. The Scottish estate hadbeen forfeited and exposed to sale, but was repurchased for asmall price in the name of the young proprietor, who inconsequence came to reside upon his native domains. [Footnote: SeeNote 18. ] It was soon perceived that he possessed a character ofuncommon acuteness, fire, and ambition, which, as he becameacquainted with the state of the country, gradually assumed amixed and peculiar tone, that could only have been acquired SixtyYears Since. 

Had Fergus Mac-Ivor lived Sixty Years sooner than he did, he wouldin all probability have wanted the polished manner and knowledgeof the world which he now possessed; and had he lived Sixty Yearslater, his ambition and love of rule would have lacked the fuelwhich his situation now afforded. He was indeed, within his littlecircle, as perfect a politician as Castruccio Castracani himself. He applied himself with great earnestness to appease all the feudsand dissensions which often arose among other clans in hisneighbourhood, so that he became a frequent umpire in theirquarrels. His own patriarchal power he strengthened at everyexpense which his fortune would permit, and indeed stretched hismeans to the uttermost to maintain the rude and plentifulhospitality which was the most valued attribute of a chieftain. For the same reason he crowded his estate with a tenantry, hardyindeed, and fit for the purposes of war, but greatly outnumberingwhat the soil was calculated to maintain. These consisted chieflyof his own clan, not one of whom he suffered to quit his lands ifhe could possibly prevent it. But he maintained, besides, manyadventurers from the mother sept, who deserted a less warlike, though more wealthy chief to do homage to Fergus Mac-Ivor. Otherindividuals, too, who had not even that apology, were neverthelessreceived into his allegiance, which indeed was refused to none whowere, like Poins, proper men of their hands, and were willing toassume the name of Mac-Ivor. 

He was enabled to discipline these forces, from having obtainedcommand of one of the independent companies raised by governmentto preserve the peace of the Highlands. While in this capacity heacted with vigour and spirit, and preserved great order in thecountry under his charge. He caused his vassals to enter byrotation into his company, and serve for a certain space of time, which gave them all in turn a general notion of militarydiscipline. In his campaigns against the banditti, it was observedthat he assumed and exercised to the utmost the discretionarypower which, while the law had no free course in the Highlands, was conceived to belong to the military parties who were called into support it. He acted, for example, with great and suspiciouslenity to those freebooters who made restitution on his summonsand offered personal submission to himself, while he rigorouslypursued, apprehended, and sacrificed to justice all suchinterlopers as dared to despise his admonitions or commands. Onthe other hand, if any officers of justice, military parties, orothers, presumed to pursue thieves or marauders through histerritories, and without applying for his consent and concurrence, nothing was more certain than that they would meet with somenotable foil or defeat; upon which occasions Fergus Mac-Ivor wasthe first to condole with them, and after gently blaming theirrashness, never failed deeply to lament the lawless state of thecountry. These lamentations did not exclude suspicion, and matterswere so represented to government that our Chieftain was deprivedof his military command. [Footnote: See Note 19. ]

Whatever Fergus Mac-Ivor felt on this occasion, he had the art ofentirely suppressing every appearance of discontent; but in ashort time the neighbouring country began to feel bad effects fromhis disgrace. Donald Bean Lean, and others of his class, whosedepredations had hitherto been confined to other districts, appeared from thenceforward to have made a settlement on thisdevoted border; and their ravages were carried on with littleopposition, as the Lowland gentry were chiefly Jacobites, anddisarmed. This forced many of the inhabitants into contracts ofblack-mail with Fergus Mac-Ivor, which not only established himtheir protector, and gave him great weight in all theirconsultations, but, moreover, supplied funds for the waste of hisfeudal hospitality, which the discontinuance of his pay might haveotherwise essentially diminished. 

In following this course of conduct, Fergus had a further objectthan merely being the great man of his neighbourhood, and rulingdespotically over a small clan. From his infancy upward he haddevoted himself to the cause of the exiled family, and hadpersuaded himself, not only that their restoration to the crown ofBritain would be speedy, but that those who assisted them would beraised to honour and rank. It was with this view that he labouredto reconcile the Highlanders among themselves, and augmented hisown force to the utmost, to be prepared for the first favourableopportunity of rising. With this purpose also he conciliated thefavour of such Lowland gentlemen in the vicinity as were friendsto the good cause; and for the same reason, having incautiouslyquarrelled with Mr. Bradwardine, who, notwithstanding hispeculiarities, was much respected in the country, he tookadvantage of the foray of Donald Bean Lean to solder up thedispute in the manner we have mentioned. Some, indeed, surmisedthat he caused the enterprise to be suggested to Donald, onpurpose to pave the way to a reconciliation, which, supposing thatto be the case, cost the Laird of Bradwardine two good milch cows. This zeal in their behalf the House of Stuart repaid with aconsiderable share of their confidence, an occasional supply oflouis-d'or, abundance of fair words, and a parchment, with a hugewaxen seal appended, purporting to be an earl's patent, granted byno less a person than James the Third King of England, and EighthKing of Scotland, to his right feal, trusty, and well-belovedFergus Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich, in the county of Perth, andkingdom of Scotland. 

With this future coronet glittering before his eyes, Fergusplunged deeply into the correspondence and plots of that unhappyperiod; and, like all such active agents, easily reconciled hisconscience to going certain lengths in the service of his party, from which honour and pride would have deterred him had his soleobject been the direct advancement of his own personal interest. With this insight into a bold, ambitious, and ardent, yet artfuland politic character, we resume the broken thread of ournarrative. 

The chief and his guest had by this time reached the house ofGlennaquoich, which consisted of Ian nan Chaistel's mansion, ahigh rude-looking square tower, with the addition of a loftedhouse, that is, a building of two stories, constructed by Fergus'sgrandfather when he returned from that memorable expedition, wellremembered by the western shires under the name of the HighlandHost. Upon occasion of this crusade against the Ayrshire Whigs andCovenanters, the Vich Ian Vohr of the time had probably been assuccessful as his predecessor was in harrying Northumberland, andtherefore left to his posterity a rival edifice as a monument ofhis magnificence. 

Around the house, which stood on an eminence in the midst of anarrow Highland valley, there appeared none of that attention toconvenience, far less to ornament and decoration, which usuallysurrounds a gentleman's habitation. An inclosure or two, dividedby dry-stone walls, were the only part of the domain that wasfenced; as to the rest, the narrow slips of level ground which layby the side of the brook exhibited a scanty crop of barley, liableto constant depredations from the herds of wild ponies and blackcattle that grazed upon the adjacent hills. These ever and anonmade an incursion upon the arable ground, which was repelled bythe loud, uncouth, and dissonant shouts of half a dozen Highlandswains, all running as if they had been mad, and every onehallooing a half-starved dog to the rescue of the forage. At alittle distance up the glen was a small and stunted wood of birch;the hills were high and heathy, but without any variety ofsurface; so that the whole view was wild and desolate rather thangrand and solitary. Yet, such as it was, no genuine descendant ofIan nan Chaistel would have changed the domain for Stow orBlenheim. 

There was a sight, however, before the gate, which perhaps wouldhave afforded the first owner of Blenheim more pleasure than thefinest view in the domain assigned to him by the gratitude of hiscountry. This consisted of about a hundred Highlanders, incomplete dress and arms; at sight of whom the Chieftain apologisedto Waverley in a sort of negligent manner. 'He had forgot, ' hesaid, 'that he had ordered a few of his clan out, for the purposeof seeing that they were in a fit condition to protect thecountry, and prevent such accidents as, he was sorry to learn, hadbefallen the Baron of Bradwardine. Before they were dismissed, perhaps Captain Waverley might choose to see them go through apart of their exercise. '

Edward assented, and the men executed with agility and precisionsome of the ordinary military movements. They then practisedindividually at a mark, and showed extraordinary dexterity in themanagement of the pistol and firelock. They took aim, standing, sitting, leaning, or lying prostrate, as they were commanded, andalways with effect upon the target. Next, they paired off for thebroadsword exercise; and, having manifested their individual skilland dexterity, united in two bodies, and exhibited a sort of mockencounter, in which the charge, the rally, the flight, thepursuit, and all the current of a heady fight, were exhibited tothe sound of the great war bagpipe. 

On a signal made by the Chief, the skirmish was ended. Matcheswere then made for running, wrestling, leaping, pitching the bar, and other sports, in which this feudal militia displayedincredible swiftness, strength, and agility; and accomplished thepurpose which their Chieftain had at heart, by impressing onWaverley no light sense of their merit as soldiers, and of thepower of him who commanded them by his nod. [Footnote: See Note20. ]

'And what number of such gallant fellows have the happiness tocall you leader?' asked Waverley. 

'In a good cause, and under a chieftain whom they loved, the raceof Ivor have seldom taken the field under five hundred claymores. But you are aware, Captain Waverley, that the disarming act, passed about twenty years ago, prevents their being in thecomplete state of preparation as in former times; and I keep nomore of my clan under arms than may defend my own or my friends'property, when the country is troubled with such men as your lastnight's landlord; and government, which has removed other means ofdefence, must connive at our protecting ourselves. '

'But, with your force, you might soon destroy or put down suchgangs as that of Donald Bean Lean. '

'Yes, doubtless; and my reward would be a summons to deliver up toGeneral Blakeney, at Stirling, the few broadswords they have leftus; there were little policy in that, methinks. But come, captain, the sound of the pipes informs me that dinner is prepared. Let mehave the honour to show you into my rude mansion. '

CHAPTER XX

A HIGHLAND FEAST

Ere Waverley entered the banqueting hall, he was offered thepatriarchal refreshment of a bath for the feet, which the sultryweather, and the morasses he had traversed, rendered highlyacceptable. He was not, indeed, so luxuriously attended upon thisoccasion as the heroic travellers in the Odyssey; the task ofablution and abstersion being performed, not by a beautifuldamsel, trained

 To chafe the limb, and pour the fragrant oil, but by a smoke-dried skinny old Highland woman, who did not seemto think herself much honoured by the duty imposed upon her, butmuttered between her teeth, 'Our fathers' herds did not feed sonear together that I should do you this service. ' A smalldonation, however, amply reconciled this ancient handmaiden to thesupposed degradation; and, as Edward proceeded to the hall, shegave him her blessing in the Gaelic proverb, 'May the open hand befilled the fullest. '

The hall, in which the feast was prepared, occupied all the firststory of lan nan Chaistel's original erection, and a huge oakentable extended through its whole length. The apparatus for dinnerwas simple, even to rudeness, and the company numerous, even tocrowding. At the head of the table was the Chief himself, withEdward, and two or three Highland visitors of neighbouring clans;the elders of his own tribe, wadsetters and tacksmen, as they werecalled, who occupied portions of his estate as mortgagers orlessees, sat next in rank; beneath them, their sons and nephewsand foster-brethren; then the officers of the Chief's household, according to their order; and lowest of all, the tenants whoactually cultivated the ground. Even beyond this long perspective, Edward might see upon the green, to which a huge pair of foldingdoors opened, a multitude of Highlanders of a yet inferiordescription, who, nevertheless, were considered as guests, and hadtheir share both of the countenance of the entertainer and of thecheer of the day. In the distance, and fluctuating round thisextreme verge of the banquet, was a changeful group of women, ragged boys and girls, beggars, young and old, large greyhounds, and terriers, and pointers, and curs of low degree; all of whomtook some interest, more or less immediate, in the main action ofthe piece. 

This hospitality, apparently unbounded, had yet its line ofeconomy. Some pains had been bestowed in dressing the dishes offish, game, etc. , which were at the upper end of the table, andimmediately under the eye of the English stranger. Lower downstood immense clumsy joints of mutton and beef, which, but for theabsence of pork, [Footnote: See Note 21. ] abhorred in theHighlands, resembled the rude festivity of the banquet ofPenelope's suitors. But the central dish was a yearling lamb, called 'a hog in har'st, ' roasted whole. It was set upon its legs, with a bunch of parsley in its mouth, and was probably exhibitedin that form to gratify the pride of the cook, who piqued himselfmore on the plenty than the elegance of his master's table. Thesides of this poor animal were fiercely attacked by the clansmen, some with dirks, others with the knives which were usually in thesame sheath with the dagger, so that it was soon rendered amangled and rueful spectacle. Lower down still, the victualsseemed of yet coarser quality, though sufficiently abundant. Broth, onions, cheese, and the fragments of the feast regaled thesons of Ivor who feasted in the open air. 

The liquor was supplied in the same proportion, and under similarregulations. Excellent claret and champagne were liberallydistributed among the Chief's immediate neighbours; whisky, plainor diluted, and strong beer refreshed those who sat near the lowerend. Nor did this inequality of distribution appear to give theleast offence. Every one present understood that his taste was tobe formed according to the rank which he held at table; and, consequently, the tacksmen and their dependants always professedthe wine was too cold for their stomachs, and called, apparentlyout of choice, for the liquor which was assigned to them fromeconomy. [Footnote: See Note 22. ] The bag-pipers, three in number, screamed, during the whole time of dinner, a tremendous war-tune;and the echoing of the vaulted roof, and clang of the Celtictongue, produced such a Babel of noises that Waverley dreaded hisears would never recover it. Mac-Ivor, indeed, apologised for theconfusion occasioned by so large a party, and pleaded thenecessity of his situation, on which unlimited hospitality wasimposed as a paramount duty. 'These stout idle kinsmen of mine, 'he said, 'account my estate as held in trust for their support;and I must find them beef and ale, while the rogues will donothing for themselves but practise the broadsword, or wanderabout the hills, shooting, fishing, hunting, drinking, and makinglove to the lasses of the strath. But what can I do, CaptainWaverley? everything will keep after its kind, whether it be ahawk or a Highlander. ' Edward made the expected answer, in acompliment upon his possessing so many bold and attachedfollowers. 

'Why, yes, ' replied the Chief, 'were I disposed, like my father, to put myself in the way of getting one blow on the head, or twoon the neck, I believe the loons would stand by me. But who thinksof that in the present day, when the maxim is, "Better an oldwoman with a purse in her hand than three men with beltedbrands"?' Then, turning to the company, he proposed the 'Health ofCaptain Waverley, a worthy friend of his kind neighbour and ally, the Baron of Bradwardine. '

'He is welcome hither, ' said one of the elders, 'if he come fromCosmo Comyne Bradwardine. '

'I say nay to that, ' said an old man, who apparently did not meanto pledge the toast; 'I say nay to that. While there is a greenleaf in the forest, there will be fraud in a Comyne. 

'There is nothing but honour in the Baron of Bradwardine, 'answered another ancient; 'and the guest that comes hither fromhim should be welcome, though he came with blood on his hand, unless it were blood of the race of Ivor. '

The old man whose cup remained full replied, 'There has been bloodenough of the race of Ivor on the hand of Bradwardine. '

'Ah! Ballenkeiroch, ' replied the first, 'you think rather of theflash of the carbine at the mains of Tully-Veolan than the glanceof the sword that fought for the cause at Preston. '

'And well I may, ' answered Ballenkeiroch; 'the flash of the guncost me a fair-haired son, and the glance of the sword has donebut little for King James. '

The Chieftain, in two words of French, explained to Waverley thatthe Baron had shot this old man's son in a fray near Tully-Veolan, about seven years before; and then hastened to removeBallenkeiroch's prejudice, by informing him that Waverley was anEnglishman, unconnected by birth or alliance with the family ofBradwardine; upon which the old gentleman raised the hitherto-untasted cup and courteously drank to his health. This ceremonybeing requited in kind, the Chieftain made a signal for the pipesto cease, and said aloud, 'Where is the song hidden, my friends, that Mac-Murrough cannot find it?'

Mac-Murrough, the family bhairdh, an aged man, immediately tookthe hint, and began to chant, with low and rapid utterance, aprofusion of Celtic verses, which were received by the audiencewith all the applause of enthusiasm. As he advanced in hisdeclamation, his ardour seemed to increase. He had at first spokenwith his eyes fixed on the ground; he now cast them around as ifbeseeching, and anon as if commanding, attention, and his tonesrose into wild and impassioned notes, accompanied with appropriategestures. He seemed to Edward, who attended to him with muchinterest, to recite many proper names, to lament the dead, toapostrophise the absent, to exhort, and entreat, and animate thosewho were present. Waverley thought he even discerned his own name, and was convinced his conjecture was right from the eyes of thecompany being at that moment turned towards him simultaneously. The ardour of the poet appeared to communicate itself to theaudience. Their wild and sun-burnt countenances assumed a fiercerand more animated expression; all bent forward towards thereciter, many sprung up and waved their arms in ecstasy, and somelaid their hands on their swords. When the song ceased, there wasa deep pause, while the aroused feelings of the poet and of thehearers gradually subsided into their usual channel. 

The Chieftain, who, during this scene had appeared rather to watchthe emotions which were excited than to partake their high tone ofenthusiasm, filled with claret a small silver cup which stood byhim. 'Give this, ' he said to an attendant, 'to Mac-Murrough nanFonn (i. E. Of the songs), and when he has drank the juice, bid himkeep, for the sake of Vich Ian Vohr, the shell of the gourd whichcontained it. ' The gift was received by Mac-Murrough with profoundgratitude; he drank the wine, and, kissing the cup, shrouded itwith reverence in the plaid which was folded on his bosom. He thenburst forth into what Edward justly supposed to be anextemporaneous effusion of thanks and praises of his Chief. It wasreceived with applause, but did not produce the effect of hisfirst poem. It was obvious, however, that the clan regarded thegenerosity of their Chieftain with high approbation. Many approvedGaelic toasts were then proposed, of some of which the Chieftaingave his guest the following versions:--

'To him that will not turn his back on friend or foe. ' 'To himthat never forsook a comrade. ' 'To him that never bought or soldjustice. ' 'Hospitality to the exile, and broken bones to thetyrant. ' 'The lads with the kilts. ' 'Highlanders, shoulder toshoulder, '--with many other pithy sentiments of the like nature. 

Edward was particularly solicitous to know the meaning of thatsong which appeared to produce such effect upon the passions ofthe company, and hinted his curiosity to his host. 'As I observe, 'said the Chieftain, 'that you have passed the bottle during thelast three rounds, I was about to propose to you to retire to mysister's tea-table, who can explain these things to you betterthan I can. Although I cannot stint my clan in the usual currentof their festivity, yet I neither am addicted myself to exceed inits amount, nor do I, ' added he, smiling, 'keep a Bear to devourthe intellects of such as can make good use of them. '

Edward readily assented to this proposal, and the Chieftain, saying a few words to those around him, left the table, followedby Waverley. As the door closed behind them, Edward heard Vich IanVohr's health invoked with a wild and animated cheer, thatexpressed the satisfaction of the guests and the depth of theirdevotion to his service. 

CHAPTER XXI

THE CHIEFTAIN'S SISTER

The drawing-room of Flora Mac-Ivor was furnished in the plainestand most simple manner; for at Glennaquoich every other sort ofexpenditure was retrenched as much as possible, for the purpose ofmaintaining, in its full dignity, the hospitality of theChieftain, and retaining and multiplying the number of hisdependants and adherents. But there was no appearance of thisparsimony in the dress of the lady herself, which was in textureelegant, and even rich, and arranged in a manner which partookpartly of the Parisian fashion and partly of the more simple dressof the Highlands, blended together with great taste. Her hair wasnot disfigured by the art of the friseur, but fell in jettyringlets on her neck, confined only by a circlet, richly set withdiamonds. This peculiarity she adopted in compliance with theHighland prejudices, which could not endure that a woman's headshould be covered before wedlock. 

Flora Mac-Ivor bore a most striking resemblance to her brotherFergus; so much so that they might have played Viola and Sebastianwith the same exquisite effect produced by the appearance of Mrs. Henry Siddons and her brother, Mr. William Murray, in thesecharacters. They had the same antique and regular correctness ofprofile; the same dark eyes, eye-lashes, and eye-brows; the sameclearness of complexion, excepting that Fergus's was embrowned byexercise and Flora's possessed the utmost feminine delicacy. Butthe haughty and somewhat stern regularity of Fergus's features wasbeautifully softened in those of Flora. Their voices were alsosimilar in tone, though differing in the key. That of Fergus, especially while issuing orders to his followers during theirmilitary exercise, reminded Edward of a favourite passage in thedescription of Emetrius:

 --whose voice was heard around, Loud as a trumpet with a silver sound. 

That of Flora, on the contrary, was soft and sweet--'an excellentthing in woman'; yet, in urging any favourite topic, which sheoften pursued with natural eloquence, it possessed as well thetones which impress awe and conviction as those of persuasiveinsinuation. The eager glance of the keen black eye, which, in theChieftain, seemed impatient even of the material obstacles itencountered, had in his sister acquired a gentle pensiveness. Hislooks seemed to seek glory, power, all that could exalt him aboveothers in the race of humanity; while those of his sister, as ifshe were already conscious of mental superiority, seemed to pity, rather than envy, those who were struggling for any fartherdistinction. Her sentiments corresponded with the expression ofher countenance. Early education had impressed upon her mind, aswell as on that of the Chieftain, the most devoted attachment tothe exiled family of Stuart. She believed it the duty of herbrother, of his clan, of every man in Britain, at whateverpersonal hazard, to contribute to that restoration which thepartisans of the Chevalier St. George had not ceased to hope for. For this she was prepared to do all, to suffer all, to sacrificeall. But her loyalty, as it exceeded her brother's in fanaticism, excelled it also in purity. Accustomed to petty intrigue, andnecessarily involved in a thousand paltry and selfish discussions, ambitious also by nature, his political faith was tinctured, atleast, if not tainted, by the views of interest and advancement soeasily combined with it; and at the moment he should unsheathe hisclaymore, it might be difficult to say whether it would be mostwith the view of making James Stuart a king or Fergus Mac-Ivor anearl. This, indeed, was a mixture of feeling which he did not avoweven to himself, but it existed, nevertheless, in a powerfuldegree. 

In Flora's bosom, on the contrary, the zeal of loyalty burnt pureand unmixed with any selfish feeling; she would have as soon madereligion the mask of ambitious and interested views as haveshrouded them under the opinions which she had been taught tothink patriotism. Such instances of devotion were not uncommonamong the followers of the unhappy race of Stuart, of which manymemorable proofs will recur to the minds of most of my readers. But peculiar attention on the part of the Chevalier de St. Georgeand his princess to the parents of Fergus and his sister, and tothemselves when orphans, had riveted their faith. Fergus, upon thedeath of his parents, had been for some time a page of honour inthe train of the Chevalier's lady, and, from his beauty andsprightly temper, was uniformly treated by her with the utmostdistinction. This was also extended to Flora, who was maintainedfor some time at a convent of the first order at the princess'sexpense, and removed from thence into her own family, where shespent nearly two years. Both brother and sister retained thedeepest and most grateful sense of her kindness. 

Having thus touched upon the leading principle of Flora'scharacter, I may dismiss the rest more slightly. She was highlyaccomplished, and had acquired those elegant manners to beexpected from one who, in early youth, had been the companion of aprincess; yet she had not learned to substitute the gloss ofpoliteness for the reality of feeling. When settled in the lonelyregions of Glennaquoich, she found that her resources in French, English, and Italian literature were likely to be few andinterrupted; and, in order to fill up the vacant time, shebestowed a part of it upon the music and poetical traditions ofthe Highlanders, and began really to feel the pleasure in thepursuit which her brother, whose perceptions of literary meritwere more blunt, rather affected for the sake of popularity thanactually experienced. Her resolution was strengthened in theseresearches by the extreme delight which her inquiries seemed toafford those to whom she resorted for information. 

Her love of her clan, an attachment which was almost hereditary inher bosom, was, like her loyalty, a more pure passion than that ofher brother. He was too thorough a politician, regarded hispatriarchal influence too much as the means of accomplishing hisown aggrandisement, that we should term him the model of aHighland Chieftain. Flora felt the same anxiety for cherishing andextending their patriarchal sway, but it was with the generousdesire of vindicating from poverty, or at least from want andforeign oppression, those whom her brother was by birth, accordingto the notions of the time and country, entitled to govern. Thesavings of her income, for she had a small pension from thePrincess Sobieski, were dedicated, not to add to the comforts ofthe peasantry, for that was a word which they neither knew norapparently wished to know, but to relieve their absolutenecessities when in sickness or extreme old age. At every otherperiod they rather toiled to procure something which they mightshare with the Chief, as a proof of their attachment, thanexpected other assistance from him save what was afforded by therude hospitality of his castle, and the general division andsubdivision of his estate among them. Flora was so much beloved bythem that, when Mac-Murrough composed a song in which heenumerated all the principal beauties of the district, andintimated her superiority by concluding, that 'the fairest applehung on the highest bough, ' he received, in donatives from theindividuals of the clan, more seed-barley than would have sowedhis Highland Parnassus, the bard's croft, as it was called, tentimes over. 

From situation as well as choice, Miss Mac-Ivor's society wasextremely limited. Her most intimate friend had been RoseBradwardine, to whom she was much attached; and when seentogether, they would have afforded an artist two admirablesubjects for the gay and the melancholy muse. Indeed Rose was sotenderly watched by her father, and her circle of wishes was solimited, that none arose but what he was willing to gratify, andscarce any which did not come within the compass of his power. With Flora it was otherwise. While almost a girl she had undergonethe most complete change of scene, from gaiety and splendour toabsolute solitude and comparative poverty; and the ideas andwishes which she chiefly fostered respected great national events, and changes not to be brought round without both hazard andbloodshed, and therefore not to be thought of with levity. Hermanner, consequently, was grave, though she readily contributedher talents to the amusement of society, and stood very high inthe opinion of the old Baron, who used to sing along with her suchFrench duets of Lindor and Cloris, etc. , as were in fashion aboutthe end of the reign of old Louis le Grand. 

It was generally believed, though no one durst have hinted it tothe Baron of Bradwardine, that Flora's entreaties had no smallshare in allaying the wrath of Fergus upon occasion of theirquarrel. She took her brother on the assailable side, by dwellingfirst upon the Baron's age, and then representing the injury whichthe cause might sustain, and the damage which must arise to hisown character in point of prudence--so necessary to a politicalagent, if he persisted in carrying it to extremity. Otherwise itis probable it would have terminated in a duel, both because theBaron had, on a former occasion, shed blood of the clan, thoughthe matter had been timely accommodated, and on account of hishigh reputation for address at his weapon, which Fergus almostcondescended to envy. For the same reason she had urged theirreconciliation, which the Chieftain the more readily agreed to asit favoured some ulterior projects of his own. 

To this young lady, now presiding at the female empire of the tea-table, Fergus introduced Captain Waverley, whom she received withthe usual forms of politeness. 

CHAPTER XXII

HIGHLAND MINSTRELSY

When the first salutations had passed, Fergus said to his sister, 'My dear Flora, before I return to the barbarous ritual of ourforefathers, I must tell you that Captain Waverley is a worshipperof the Celtic muse, not the less so perhaps that he does notunderstand a word of her language. I have told him you are eminentas a translator of Highland poetry, and that Mac-Murrough admiresyour version of his songs upon the same principle that CaptainWaverley admires the original, --because he does not comprehendthem. Will you have the goodness to read or recite to our guest inEnglish the extraordinary string of names which Mac-Murrough hastacked together in Gaelic? My life to a moor-fowl's feather, youare provided with a version; for I know you are in all the bard'scouncils, and acquainted with his songs long before he rehearsesthem in the hall. '

'How can you say so, Fergus? You know how little these verses canpossibly interest an English stranger, even if I could translatethem as you pretend. '

'Not less than they interest me, lady fair. To-day your jointcomposition, for I insist you had a share in it, has cost me thelast silver cup in the castle, and I suppose will cost mesomething else next time I hold cour pleniere, if the musedescends on Mac-Murrough; for you know our proverb, --"When thehand of the chief ceases to bestow, the breath of the bard isfrozen in the utterance. "--Well, I would it were even so: thereare three things that are useless to a modern Highlander, --asword which he must not draw, a bard to sing of deeds which hedare not imitate, and a large goat-skin purse without a louis-d'orto put into it. '

'Well, brother, since you betray my secrets, you cannot expect meto keep yours. I assure you, Captain Waverley, that Fergus is tooproud to exchange his broardsword for a marechal's baton, that heesteems Mac-Murrough a far greater poet than Homer, and would notgive up his goat-skin purse for all the louis-d'or which it couldcontain. '

'Well pronounced, Flora; blow for blow, as Conan [Footnote: SeeNote 23. ] said to the devil. Now do you two talk of bards andpoetry, if not of purses and claymores, while I return to do thefinal honours to the senators of the tribe of Ivor. ' So saying, heleft the room. 

The conversation continued between Flora and Waverley; for twowell-dressed young women, whose character seemed to hover betweenthat of companions and dependants, took no share in it. They wereboth pretty girls, but served only as foils to the grace andbeauty of their patroness. The discourse followed the turn whichthe Chieftain had given it, and Waverley was equally amused andsurprised with the account which the lady gave him of Celticpoetry. 

'The recitation, ' she said, 'of poems recording the feats ofheroes, the complaints of lovers, and the wars of contendingtribes, forms the chief amusement of a winter fire-side in theHighlands. Some of these are said to be very ancient, and if theyare ever translated into any of the languages of civilised Europe, cannot fail to produce a deep and general sensation. Others aremore modern, the composition of those family bards whom thechieftains of more distinguished name and power retain as thepoets and historians of their tribes. These, of course, possessvarious degrees of merit; but much of it must evaporate intranslation, or be lost on those who do not sympathise with thefeelings of the poet. '

'And your bard, whose effusions seemed to produce such effect uponthe company to-day, is he reckoned among the favourite poets ofthe mountains?'

'That is a trying question. His reputation is high among hiscountrymen, and you must not expect me to depreciate it. [Footnote: The Highland poet almost always was an improvisatore. Captain Burt met one of them at Lovat's table. ]

'But the song, Miss Mac-Ivor, seemed to awaken all those warriors, both young and old. '

'The song is little more than a catalogue of names of the Highlandclans under their distinctive peculiarities, and an exhortation tothem to remember and to emulate the actions of their forefathers. '

'And am I wrong in conjecturing, however extraordinary the guessappears, that there was some allusion to me in the verses which herecited?'

'You have a quick observation, Captain Waverley, which in thisinstance has not deceived you. The Gaelic language, beinguncommonly vocalic, is well adapted for sudden and extemporaneouspoetry; and a bard seldom fails to augment the effects of apremeditated song by throwing in any stanzas which may besuggested by the circumstances attending the recitation. '

'I would give my best horse to know what the Highland bard couldfind to say of such an unworthy Southron as myself. '

'It shall not even cost you a lock of his mane. Una, mavourneen!(She spoke a few words to one of the young girls in attendance, who instantly curtsied and tripped out of the room. ) I have sentUna to learn from the bard the expressions he used, and you shallcommand my skill as dragoman. '

Una returned in a few minutes, and repeated to her mistress a fewlines in Gaelic. Flora seemed to think for a moment, and then, slightly colouring, she turned to Waverley--'It is impossible togratify your curiosity, Captain Waverley, without exposing my ownpresumption. If you will give me a few moments for consideration, I will endeavour to engraft the meaning of these lines upon a rudeEnglish translation which I have attempted of a part of theoriginal. The duties of the tea-table seem to be concluded, and, as the evening is delightful, Una will show you the way to one ofmy favourite haunts, and Cathleen and I will join you there. '

Una, having received instructions in her native language, conducted Waverley out by a passage different from that throughwhich he had entered the apartment. At a distance he heard thehall of the Chief still resounding with the clang of bagpipes andthe high applause of his guests. Having gained the open air by apostern door, they walked a little way up the wild, bleak, andnarrow valley in which the house was situated, following thecourse of the stream that winded through it. In a spot, about aquarter of a mile from the castle, two brooks, which formed thelittle river, had their junction. The larger of the two came downthe long bare valley, which extended, apparently without anychange or elevation of character, as far as the hills which formedits boundary permitted the eye to reach. But the other stream, which had its source among the mountains on the left hand of thestrath, seemed to issue from a very narrow and dark openingbetwixt two large rocks. These streams were different also incharacter. The larger was placid, and even sullen in its course, wheeling in deep eddies, or sleeping in dark blue pools; but themotions of the lesser brook were rapid and furious, issuing frombetween precipices, like a maniac from his confinement, all foamand uproar. 

It was up the course of this last stream that Waverley, like aknight of romance, was conducted by the fair Highland damsel, hissilent guide. A small path, which had been rendered easy in manyplaces for Flora's accommodation, led him through scenery of avery different description from that which he had just quitted. Around the castle all was cold, bare, and desolate, yet tame evenin desolation; but this narrow glen, at so short a distance, seemed to open into the land of romance. The rocks assumed athousand peculiar and varied forms. In one place a crag of hugesize presented its gigantic bulk, as if to forbid the passenger'sfarther progress; and it was not until he approached its very basethat Waverley discerned the sudden and acute turn by which thepathway wheeled its course around this formidable obstacle. Inanother spot the projecting rocks from the opposite sides of thechasm had approached so near to each other that two pine-treeslaid across, and covered with turf, formed a rustic bridge at theheight of at least one hundred and fifty feet. It had no ledges, and was barely three feet in breadth. 

While gazing at this pass of peril, which crossed, like a singleblack line, the small portion of blue sky not intercepted by theprojecting rocks on either side, it was with a sensation of horrorthat Waverley beheld Flora and her attendant appear, likeinhabitants of another region, propped, as it were, in mid air, upon this trembling structure. She stopped upon observing himbelow, and, with an air of graceful ease which made him shudder, waved her handkerchief to him by way of signal. He was unable, from the sense of dizziness which her situation conveyed, toreturn the salute; and was never more relieved than when the fairapparition passed on from the precarious eminence which she seemedto occupy with so much indifference, and disappeared on the otherside. 

Advancing a few yards, and passing under the bridge which he hadviewed with so much terror, the path ascended rapidly from theedge of the brook, and the glen widened into a sylvanamphitheatre, waving with birch, young oaks, and hazels, with hereand there a scattered yew-tree. The rocks now receded, but stillshowed their grey and shaggy crests rising among the copse-wood. Still higher rose eminences and peaks, some bare, some clothedwith wood, some round and purple with heath, and others splinteredinto rocks and crags. At a short turning the path, which had forsome furlongs lost sight of the brook, suddenly placed Waverley infront of a romantic waterfall. It was not so remarkable either forgreat height or quantity of water as for the beautifulaccompaniments which made the spot interesting. After a brokencataract of about twenty feet, the stream was received in a largenatural basin filled to the brim with water, which, where thebubbles of the fall subsided, was so exquisitely clear that, although it was of great depth, the eye could discern each pebbleat the bottom. Eddying round this reservoir, the brook found itsway as if over a broken part of the ledge, and formed a secondfall, which seemed to seek the very abyss; then, wheeling outbeneath from among the smooth dark rocks which it had polished forages, it wandered murmuring down the glen, forming the stream upwhich Waverley had just ascended. [Footnote: See Note 24. ] Theborders of this romantic reservoir corresponded in beauty; but itwas beauty of a stern and commanding cast, as if in the act ofexpanding into grandeur. Mossy banks of turf were broken andinterrupted by huge fragments of rock, and decorated with treesand shrubs, some of which had been planted under the direction ofFlora, but so cautiously that they added to the grace withoutdiminishing the romantic wildness of the scene. 

Here, like one of those lovely forms which decorate the landscapesof Poussin, Waverley found Flora gazing on the waterfall. Twopaces further back stood Cathleen, holding a small Scottish harp, the use of which had been taught to Flora by Rory Dall, one of thelast harpers of the Western Highlands. The sun, now stooping inthe west, gave a rich and varied tinge to all the objects whichsurrounded Waverley, and seemed to add more than human brilliancyto the full expressive darkness of Flora's eye, exalted therichness and purity of her complexion, and enhanced the dignityand grace of her beautiful form. Edward thought he had never, evenin his wildest dreams, imagined a figure of such exquisite andinteresting loveliness. The wild beauty of the retreat, burstingupon him as if by magic, augmented the mingled feeling of delightand awe with which he approached her, like a fair enchantress ofBoiardo or Ariosto, by whose nod the scenery around seemed to havebeen created an Eden in the wilderness. 

Flora, like every beautiful woman, was conscious of her own power, and pleased with its effects, which she could easily discern fromthe respectful yet confused address of the young soldier. But, asshe possessed excellent sense, she gave the romance of the sceneand other accidental circumstances full weight in appreciating thefeelings with which Waverley seemed obviously to be impressed;and, unacquainted with the fanciful and susceptible peculiaritiesof his character, considered his homage as the passing tributewhich a woman of even inferior charms might have expected in sucha situation. She therefore quietly led the way to a spot at such adistance from the cascade that its sound should rather accompanythan interrupt that of her voice and instrument, and, sitting downupon a mossy fragment of rock, she took the harp from Cathleen. 

'I have given you the trouble of walking to this spot, CaptainWaverley, both because I thought the scenery would interest you, and because a Highland song would suffer still more from myimperfect translation were I to introduce it without its own wildand appropriate accompaniments. To speak in the poetical languageof my country, the seat of the Celtic Muse is in the mist of thesecret and solitary hill, and her voice in the murmur of themountain stream. He who woos her must love the barren rock morethan the fertile valley, and the solitude of the desert betterthan the festivity of the hall. '

Few could have heard this lovely woman make this declaration, witha voice where harmony was exalted by pathos, without exclaimingthat the muse whom she invoked could never find a more appropriaterepresentative. But Waverley, though the thought rushed on hismind, found no courage to utter it. Indeed, the wild feeling ofromantic delight with which he heard the few first notes she drewfrom her instrument amounted almost to a sense of pain. He wouldnot for worlds have quitted his place by her side; yet he almostlonged for solitude, that he might decipher and examine at leisurethe complication of emotions which now agitated his bosom. 

Flora had exchanged the measured and monotonous recitative of thebard for a lofty and uncommon Highland air, which had been abattle-song in former ages. A few irregular strains introduced aprelude of a wild and peculiar tone, which harmonised well withthe distant waterfall, and the soft sigh of the evening breeze inthe rustling leaves of an aspen, which overhung the seat of thefair harpress. The following verses convey but little idea of thefeelings with which, so sung and accompanied, they were heard byWaverley:--

 There is mist on the mountain, and night on the vale, But more dark is the sleep of the sons of the Gael. A stranger commanded--it sunk on the land, It has frozen each heart, and benumb'd every hand!

 The dirk and the target lie sordid with dust, The bloodless claymore is but redden'd with rust; On the hill or the glen if a gun should appear, It is only to war with the heath-cock or deer. 

 The deeds of our sires if our bards should rehearse, Let a blush or a blow be the meed of their verse! Be mute every string, and be hush'd every tone, That shall bid us remember the fame that is flown. 

 But the dark hours of night and of slumber are past, The morn on our mountains is dawning at last; Glenaladale's peaks are illumined with the rays, And the streams of Glenfinnan leap bright in the blaze. 

[Footnote: The young and daring adventurer, Charles Edward, landedat Glenaladale, in Moidart, and displayed his standard in thevalley of Glenfinnan, mustering around it the Mac-Donalds, theCamerons, and other less numerous clans, whom he had prevailed onto join him. There is a monument erected on the spot, with a Latininscription by the late Doctor Gregory. ]

 O high-minded Moray! the exiled! the dear! In the blush of the dawning the STANDARD uprear! Wide, wide on the winds of the north let it fly, Like the sun's latest flash when the tempest is nigh!

[Footnote: The Marquis of Tullibardine's elder brother, who, longexiled, returned to Scotland with Charles Edward in 1745. ]

 Ye sons of the strong, when that dawning shall break, Need the harp of the aged remind you to wake? That dawn never beam'd on your forefathers' eye, But it roused each high chieftain to vanquish or die. 

 O, sprung from the Kings who in Islay kept state, Proud chiefs of Clan Ranald, Glengarry, and Sleat! Combine like three streams from one mountain of snow, And resistless in union rush down on the foe!

 True son of Sir Evan, undaunted Lochiel, Place thy targe on thy shoulder and burnish thy steel! Rough Keppoch, give breath to thy bugle's bold swell, Till far Coryarrick resound to the knell!

 Stern son of Lord Kenneth, high chief of Kintail, Let the stag in thy standard bound wild in the gale! May the race of Clan Gillean, the fearless and free, Remember Glenlivat, Harlaw, and Dundee!

 Let the clan of grey Fingon, whose offspring has given Such heroes to earth and such martyrs to heaven, Unite with the race of renown'd Rorri More, To launch the long galley and stretch to the oar. 

 How Mac-Shimei will joy when their chief shall display The yew-crested bonnet o'er tresses of grey! How the race of wrong'd Alpine and murder'd Glencoe Shall shout for revenge when they pour on the foe!

 Ye sons of brown Dermid, who slew the wild boar, Resume the pure faith of the great Callum-More! Mac-Neil of the islands, and Moy of the Lake, For honour, for freedom, for vengeance awake!

Here a large greyhound, bounding up the glen, jumped upon Floraand interrupted her music by his importunate caresses. At adistant whistle he turned and shot down the path again with therapidity of an arrow. 'That is Fergus's faithful attendant, Captain Waverley, and that was his signal. He likes no poetry butwhat is humorous, and comes in good time to interrupt my longcatalogue of the tribes, whom one of your saucy English poetscalls

 Our bootless host of high-born beggars, Mac-Leans, Mac-Kenzies, and Mac-Gregors. '

Waverley expressed his regret at the interruption. 

'O you cannot guess how much you have lost! The bard, as in dutybound, has addressed three long stanzas to Vich Ian Vohr of theBanners, enumerating all his great properties, and not forgettinghis being a cheerer of the harper and bard--"a giver of bounteousgifts. " Besides, you should have heard a practical admonition tothe fair-haired son of the stranger, who lives in the land wherethe grass is always green--the rider on the shining pamperedsteed, whose hue is like the raven, and whose neigh is like thescream of the eagle for battle. This valiant horseman isaffectionately conjured to remember that his ancestors weredistinguished by their loyalty as well as by their courage. Allthis you have lost; but, since your curiosity is not satisfied, Ijudge, from the distant sound of my brother's whistle, I may havetime to sing the concluding stanzas before he comes to laugh at mytranslation. '

 Awake on your hills, on your islands awake, Brave sons of the mountain, the frith, and the lake! 'T is the bugle--but not for the chase is the call; 'T is the pibroch's shrill summons--but not to the hall. 

 'T is the summons of heroes for conquest or death, When the banners are blazing on mountain and heath: They call to the dirk, the claymore, and the targe, To the march and the muster, the line and the charge. 

 Be the brand of each chieftain like Fin's in his ire! May the blood through his veins flow like currents of fire! Burst the base foreign yoke as your sires did of yore, Or die like your sires, and endure it no more!

CHAPTER XXIII

WAVEELEY CONTINUES AT GLENNAQUOICH

As Flora concluded her song, Fergus stood before them. 'I knew Ishould find you here, even without the assistance of my friendBran. A simple and unsublimed taste now, like my own, would prefera jet d'eau at Versailles to this cascade, with all itsaccompaniments of rock and roar; but this is Flora's Parnassus, Captain Waverley, and that fountain her Helicon. It would begreatly for the benefit of my cellar if she could teach hercoadjutor, Mac-Murrough, the value of its influence: he has justdrunk a pint of usquebaugh to correct, he said, the coldness ofthe claret. Let me try its virtues. ' He sipped a little water inthe hollow of his hand, and immediately commenced, with atheatrical air, --

 'O Lady of the desert, hail! That lovest the harping of the Gael, Through fair and fertile regions borne, Where never yet grew grass or corn. 

But English poetry will never succeed under the influence of aHighland Helicon. Allons, courage!

 O vous, qui buvez, a tasse pleine, A cette heureuse f ontaine, Ou on ne voit, sur le rivage, Que quelques vilains troupeaux, Suivis de nymphes de village, Qui les escortent sans sabots--'

'A truce, dear Fergus! spare us those most tedious and insipidpersons of all Arcadia. Do not, for Heaven's sake, bring downCoridon and Lindor upon us. '

'Nay, if you cannot relish la houlette et le chalumeau, have withyou in heroic strains. '

'Dear Fergus, you have certainly partaken of the inspiration ofMac-Murrough's cup rather than of mine. '

'I disclaim it, ma belle demoiselle, although I protest it wouldbe the more congenial of the two. Which of your crack-brainedItalian romancers is it that says, Io d'Elicona niente Mi curo, in fe de Dio; che'l bere d'acque (Bea chi ber ne vuol) sempre mi spiacque!

[Footnote:

 Good sooth, I reck nought of your Helicon; Drink water whoso will, in faith I will drink none. ]

But if you prefer the Gaelic, Captain Waverley, here is littleCathleen shall sing you Drimmindhu. Come, Cathleen, astore (i. E. My dear), begin; no apologies to the cean-kinne. '

Cathleen sung with much liveliness a little Gaelic song, theburlesque elegy of a countryman on the loss of his cow, the comictones of which, though he did not understand the language, madeWaverley laugh more than once. [Footnote: This ancient Gaelicditty is still well known, both in the Highlands and in Ireland Itwas translated into English, and published, if I mistake not, under the auspices of the facetious Tom D'Urfey, by the title of'Colley, my Cow. ']

'Admirable, Cathleen!' cried the Chieftain; 'I must find you ahandsome husband among the clansmen one of these days. '

Cathleen laughed, blushed, and sheltered herself behind hercompanion. 

In the progress of their return to the castle, the Chieftainwarmly pressed Waverley to remain for a week or two, in order tosee a grand hunting party, in which he and some other Highlandgentlemen proposed to join. The charms of melody and beauty weretoo strongly impressed in Edward's breast to permit his decliningan invitation so pleasing. It was agreed, therefore, that heshould write a note to the Baron of Bradwardine, expressing hisintention to stay a fortnight at Glennaquoich, and requesting himto forward by the bearer (a gilly of the Chieftain's) any letterswhich might have arrived for him. 

This turned the discourse upon the Baron, whom Fergus highlyextolled as a gentleman and soldier. His character was touchedwith yet more discrimination by Flora, who observed he was thevery model of the old Scottish cavalier, with all his excellenciesand peculiarities. 'It is a character, Captain Waverley, which isfast disappearing; for its best point was a self-respect which wasnever lost sight of till now. But in the present time thegentlemen whose principles do not permit them to pay court to theexisting government are neglected and degraded, and many conductthemselves accordingly; and, like some of the persons you haveseen at Tully-Veolan, adopt habits and companions inconsistentwith their birth and breeding. The ruthless proscription of partyseems to degrade the victims whom it brands, however unjustly. Butlet us hope a brighter day is approaching, when a Scottish countrygentleman may be a scholar without the pedantry of our friend theBaron, a sportsman without the low habits of Mr. Falconer, and ajudicious improver of his property without becoming a boorish two-legged steer like Killancureit. '

Thus did Flora prophesy a revolution, which time indeed hasproduced, but in a manner very different from what she had in hermind. 

The amiable Rose was next mentioned, with the warmest encomium onher person, manners, and mind. 'That man, ' said Flora, 'will findan inestimable treasure in the affections of Rose Bradwardine whoshall be so fortunate as to become their object. Her very soul isin home, and in the discharge of all those quiet virtues of whichhome is the centre. Her husband will be to her what her father nowis, the object of all her care, solicitude, and affection. Shewill see nothing, and connect herself with nothing, but by him andthrough him. If he is a man of sense and virtue, she willsympathise in his sorrows, divert his fatigue, and share hispleasures. If she becomes the property of a churlish or negligenthusband, she will suit his taste also, for she will not longsurvive his unkindness. And, alas! how great is the chance thatsome such unworthy lot may be that of my poor friend! O that Iwere a queen this moment, and could command the most amiable andworthy youth of my kingdom to accept happiness with the hand ofRose Bradwardine!'

'I wish you would command her to accept mine en attendant, ' saidFergus, laughing. 

I don't know by what caprice it was that this wish, howeverjocularly expressed, rather jarred on Edward's feelings, notwithstanding his growing inclination to Flora and hisindifference to Miss Bradwardine. This is one of theinexplicabilities of human nature, which we leave without comment. 

'Yours, brother?' answered Flora, regarding him steadily. 'No; youhave another bride--Honour; and the dangers you must run inpursuit of her rival would break poor Rose's heart. '

With this discourse they reached the castle, and Waverley soonprepared his despatches for Tully-Veolan. As he knew the Baron waspunctilious in such matters, he was about to impress his billetwith a seal on which his armorial bearings were engraved, but hedid not find it at his watch, and thought he must have left it atTully-Veolan. He mentioned his loss, borrowing at the same timethe family seal of the Chieftain. 

'Surely, ' said Miss Mac-Ivor, 'Donald Bean Lean would not--'

'My life for him in such circumstances, ' answered her brother;'besides, he would never have left the watch behind. '

'After all, Fergus, ' said Flora, 'and with every allowance, I amsurprised you can countenance that man. '

'I countenance him? This kind sister of mine would persuade you, Captain Waverley, that I take what the people of old used to call"a steakraid, " that is, a "collop of the foray, " or, in plainerwords, a portion of the robber's booty, paid by him to the Laird, or Chief, through whose grounds he drove his prey. O, it iscertain that, unless I can find some way to charm Flora's tongue, General Blakeney will send a sergeant's party from Stirling (thishe said with haughty and emphatic irony) to seize Vich lan Vohr, as they nickname me, in his own castle. '

'Now, Fergus, must not our guest be sensible that all this isfolly and affectation? You have men enough to serve you withoutenlisting banditti, and your own honour is above taint. Why don'tyou send this Donald Bean Lean, whom I hate for his smoothness andduplicity even more than for his rapine, out of your country atonce? No cause should induce me to tolerate such a character. '

'No cause, Flora?' said the Chieftain significantly. 

'No cause, Fergus! not even that which is nearest to my heart. Spare it the omen of such evil supporters!'

'O but, sister, ' rejoined the Chief gaily, 'you don't consider myrespect for la belle passion. Evan Dhu Maccombich is in love withDonald's daughter, Alice, and you cannot expect me to disturb himin his amours. Why, the whole clan would cry shame on me. You knowit is one of their wise sayings, that a kinsman is part of a man'sbody, but a foster-brother is a piece of his heart. '

'Well, Fergus, there is no disputing with you; but I would allthis may end well. '

'Devoutly prayed, my dear and prophetic sister, and the best wayin the world to close a dubious argument. But hear ye not thepipes, Captain Waverley? Perhaps you will like better to dance tothem in the hall than to be deafened with their harmony withouttaking part in the exercise they invite us to. '

Waverley took Flora's hand. The dance, song, and merry-makingproceeded, and closed the day's entertainment at the castle ofVich Ian Vohr. Edward at length retired, his mind agitated by avariety of new and conflicting feelings, which detained him fromrest for some time, in that not unpleasing state of mind in whichfancy takes the helm, and the soul rather drifts passively alongwith the rapid and confused tide of reflections than exerts itselfto encounter, systematise, or examine them. At a late hour he fellasleep, and dreamed of Flora Mac-Ivor. 

CHAPTER XXIV

A STAG-HUNT AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

Shall this be a long or a short chapter? This is a question inwhich you, gentle reader, have no vote, however much you may beinterested in the consequences; just as you may (like myself)probably have nothing to do with the imposing a new tax, exceptingthe trifling circumstance of being obliged to pay it. More happysurely in the present case, since, though it lies within myarbitrary power to extend my materials as I think proper, I cannotcall you into Exchequer if you do not think proper to read mynarrative. Let me therefore consider. It is true that the annalsand documents in my hands say but little of this Highland chase;but then I can find copious materials for description elsewhere. There is old Lindsay of Pitscottie ready at my elbow, with hisAthole hunting, and his 'lofted and joisted palace of greentimber; with all kind of drink to be had in burgh and land, asale, beer, wine, muscadel, malvaise, hippocras, and aquavitae;with wheat-bread, main-bread, ginge-bread, beef, mutton, lamb, veal, venison, goose, grice, capon, coney, crane, swan, partridge, plover, duck, drake, brisselcock, pawnies, black-cock, muir-fowl, and capercailzies'; not forgetting the 'costly bedding, vaiselle, and napry, ' and least of all the 'excelling stewards, cunningbaxters, excellent cooks, and pottingars, with confections anddrugs for the desserts. ' Besides the particulars which may bethence gleaned for this Highland feast (the splendour of whichinduced the Pope's legate to dissent from an opinion which he hadhitherto held, that Scotland, namely, was the--the--the latter endof the world)--besides these, might I not illuminate my pageswith Taylor the Water Poet's hunting in the Braes of Mar, where, --

 Through heather, mosse, 'mong frogs, and bogs, and fogs, 'Mongst craggy cliffs and thunder-batter'd hills, Hares, hinds, bucks, roes, are chased by men and dogs, Where two hours' hunting fourscore fat deer kills. Lowland, your sports are low as is your seat; The Highland games and minds are high and great?

But without further tyranny over my readers, or display of theextent of my own reading, I shall content myself with borrowing asingle incident from the memorable hunting at Lude, commemoratedin the ingenious Mr. Gunn's essay on the Caledonian Harp, and soproceed in my story with all the brevity that my natural style ofcomposition, partaking of what scholars call the periphrastic andambagitory, and the vulgar the circumbendibus, will permit me. 

The solemn hunting was delayed, from various causes, for aboutthree weeks. The interval was spent by Waverley with greatsatisfaction at Glennaquoich; for the impression which Flora hadmade on his mind at their first meeting grew daily stronger. Shewas precisely the character to fascinate a youth of romanticimagination. Her manners, her language, her talents for poetry andmusic, gave additional and varied influence to her eminentpersonal charms. Even in her hours of gaiety she was in his fancyexalted above the ordinary daughters of Eve, and seemed only tostoop for an instant to those topics of amusement and gallantrywhich others appear to live for. In the neighbourhood of thisenchantress, while sport consumed the morning and music and thedance led on the hours of evening, Waverley became daily moredelighted with his hospitable landlord, and more enamoured of hisbewitching sister. 

At length the period fixed for the grand hunting arrived, andWaverley and the Chieftain departed for the place of rendezvous, which was a day's journey to the northward of Glennaquoich. Ferguswas attended on this occasion by about three hundred of his clan, well armed and accoutred in their best fashion. Waverley compliedso far with the custom of the country as to adopt the trews (hecould not be reconciled to the kilt), brogues, and bonnet, as thefittest dress for the exercise in which he was to be engaged, andwhich least exposed him to be stared at as a stranger when theyshould reach the place of rendezvous. They found on the spotappointed several powerful Chiefs, to all of whom Waverley wasformally presented, and by all cordially received. Their vassalsand clansmen, a part of whose feudal duty it was to attend onthese parties, appeared in such numbers as amounted to a smallarmy. These active assistants spread through the country far andnear, forming a circle, technically called the tinchel, which, gradually closing, drove the deer in herds together towards theglen where the Chiefs and principal sportsmen lay in wait forthem. In the meanwhile these distinguished personages bivouackedamong the flowery heath, wrapped up in their plaids, a mode ofpassing a summer's night which Waverley found by no meansunpleasant. 

For many hours after sunrise the mountain ridges and passesretained their ordinary appearance of silence and solitude, andthe Chiefs, with their followers, amused themselves with variouspastimes, in which the joys of the shell, as Ossian has it, werenot forgotten. 'Others apart sate on a hill retired, ' probably asdeeply engaged in the discussion of politics and news as Milton'sspirits in metaphysical disquisition. At length signals of theapproach of the game were descried and heard. Distant shoutsresounded from valley to valley, as the various parties ofHighlanders, climbing rocks, struggling through copses, wadingbrooks, and traversing thickets, approached more and more near toeach other, and compelled the astonished deer, with the other wildanimals that fled before them, into a narrower circuit. Every nowand then the report of muskets was heard, repeated by a thousandechoes. The baying of the dogs was soon added to the chorus, whichgrew ever louder and more loud. At length the advanced parties ofthe deer began to show themselves; and as the stragglers camebounding down the pass by two or three at a time, the Chiefsshowed their skill by distinguishing the fattest deer, and theirdexterity in bringing them down with their guns. Fergus exhibitedremarkable address, and Edward was also so fortunate as to attractthe notice and applause of the sportsmen. 

But now the main body of the deer appeared at the head of theglen, compelled into a very narrow compass, and presenting such aformidable phalanx that their antlers appeared at a distance, overthe ridge of the steep pass, like a leafless grove. Their numberwas very great, and from a desperate stand which they made, withthe tallest of the red-deer stags arranged in front, in a sort ofbattle-array, gazing on the group which barred their passage downthe glen, the more experienced sportsmen began to augur danger. The work of destruction, however, now commenced on all sides. Dogsand hunters were at work, and muskets and fusees resounded fromevery quarter. The deer, driven to desperation, made at length afearful charge right upon the spot where the more distinguishedsportsmen had taken their stand. The word was given in Gaelic tofling themselves upon their faces; but Waverley, on whose Englishears the signal was lost, had almost fallen a sacrifice to hisignorance of the ancient language in which it was communicated. Fergus, observing his danger, sprung up and pulled him withviolence to the ground, just as the whole herd broke down uponthem. The tide being absolutely irresistible, and wounds from astag's horn highly dangerous, the activity of the Chieftain may beconsidered, on this occasion, as having saved his guest's life. Hedetained him with a firm grasp until the whole herd of deer hadfairly run over them. Waverley then attempted to rise, but foundthat he had suffered several very severe contusions, and, upon afurther examination, discovered that he had sprained his ankleviolently. 

[Footnote: The thrust from the tynes, or branches, of the stag'shorns was accounted far more dangerous than those of the boar'stusk:--

 If thou be hurt with horn of stag, it brings thee to thy bier, But barber's hand shall boar's hurt heal, thereof have thou no fear. ]

This checked the mirth of the meeting, although the Highlanders, accustomed to such incidents, and prepared for them, had sufferedno harm themselves. A wigwam was erected almost in an instant, where Edward was deposited on a couch of heather. The surgeon, orhe who assumed the office, appeared to unite the characters of aleech and a conjuror. He was an old smoke-dried Highlander, wearing a venerable grey beard, and having for his sole garment atartan frock, the skirts of which descended to the knee, and, being undivided in front, made the vestment serve at once fordoublet and breeches. [Footnote: This garb, which resembled thedress often put on children in Scotland, called a polonie (i. E. Polonaise), is a very ancient modification of the Highland garb. It was, in fact, the hauberk or shirt of mail, only composed ofcloth instead of rings of armour. ] He observed great ceremony inapproaching Edward; and though our hero was writhing with pain, would not proceed to any operation which might assuage it until hehad perambulated his couch three times, moving from east to west, according to the course of the sun. This, which was called makingthe deasil, [Footnote: Old Highlanders will still make the deasilaround those whom they wish well to. To go round a person in theopposite direction, or withershins (German wider-shins), isunlucky, and a sort of incantation. ] both the leech and theassistants seemed to consider as a matter of the last importanceto the accomplishment of a cure; and Waverley, whom pain renderedincapable of expostulation, and who indeed saw no chance of itsbeing attended to, submitted in silence. 

After this ceremony was duly performed, the old Esculapius let hispatient's blood with a cupping-glass with great dexterity, andproceeded, muttering all the while to himself in Gaelic, to boilon the fire certain herbs, with which he compounded anembrocation. He then fomented the parts which had sustainedinjury, never failing to murmur prayers or spells, which of thetwo Waverley could not distinguish, as his ear only caught thewords Gaspar-Melchior-Balthazar-max-prax-fax, and similargibberish. The fomentation had a speedy effect in alleviating thepain and swelling, which our hero imputed to the virtue of theherbs or the effect of the chafing, but which was by thebystanders unanimously ascribed to the spells with which theoperation had been accompanied. Edward was given to understandthat not one of the ingredients had been gathered except duringthe full moon, and that the herbalist had, while collecting them, uniformly recited a charm, which in English ran thus:--

 Hail to thee, them holy herb, That sprung on holy ground! All in the Mount Olivet First wert thou found. Thou art boot for many a bruise, And healest many a wound; In our Lady's blessed name, I take thee from the ground. 

[Footnote: This metrical spell, or something very like it, ispreserved by Reginald Scott in his work on Witchcraft. ]

Edward observed with some surprise that even Fergus, notwithstanding his knowledge and education, seemed to fall inwith the superstitious ideas of his countrymen, either because hedeemed it impolitic to affect scepticism on a matter of generalbelief, or more probably because, ike most men who do not thinkdeeply or accurately on such subjects, he had in his mind areserve of superstition which balanced the freedom of hisexpressions and practice upon other occasions. Waverley made nocommentary, therefore, on the manner of the treatment, butrewarded the professor of medicine with a liberality beyond theutmost conception of his wildest hopes. He uttered on the occasionso many incoherent blessings in Gaelic and English that Mac-Ivor, rather scandalised at the excess of his acknowledgments, cut themshort by exclaiming, Ceud mile mhalloich ort! i. E. 'A hundredthousand curses on you!' and so pushed the helper of men out ofthe cabin. 

After Waverley was left alone, the exhaustion of pain and fatigue--for the whole day's exercise had been severe--threw him into aprofound, but yet a feverish sleep, which he chiefly owed to anopiate draught administered by the old Highlander from somedecoction of herbs in his pharmacopoeia. 

Early the next morning, the purpose of their meeting being over, and their sports damped by the untoward accident, in which Fergusand all his friends expressed the greatest sympathy, it became aquestion how to dispose of the disabled sportsman. This wassettled by Mac-Ivor, who had a litter prepared, of 'birch andhazel-grey, '

[FOOTNOTE:

 On the morrow they made their biers Of birch and hazel grey. Chevy Chase. ]

which was borne by his people with such caution and dexterity asrenders it not improbable that they may have been the ancestors ofsome of those sturdy Gael who have now the happiness to transportthe belles of Edinburgh in their sedan-chairs to ten routs in oneevening. When Edward was elevated upon their shoulders he couldnot help being gratified with the romantic effect produced by thebreaking up of this sylvan camp. [Footnote: See Note 25. ]

The various tribes assembled, each at the pibroch of their nativeclan, and each headed by their patriarchal ruler. Some, who hadalready begun to retire, were seen winding up the hills, ordescending the passes which led to the scene of action, the soundof their bagpipes dying upon the ear. Others made still a movingpicture upon the narrow plain, forming various changeful groups, their feathers and loose plaids waving in the morning breeze, andtheir arms glittering in the rising sun. Most of the Chiefs cameto take farewell of Waverley, and to express their anxious hopethey might again, and speedily, meet; but the care of Fergusabridged the ceremony of taking leave. At length, his own menbeing completely assembled and mustered, Mac-Ivor commenced hismarch, but not towards the quarter from which they had come. Hegave Edward to understand that the greater part of his followersnow on the field were bound on a distant expedition, and that whenhe had deposited him in the house of a gentleman, who he was surewould pay him every attention, he himself should be under thenecessity of accompanying them the greater part of the way, butwould lose no time in rejoining his friend. 

Waverley was rather surprised that Fergus had not mentioned thisulterior destination when they set out upon the hunting-party; buthis situation did not admit of many interrogatories. The greaterpart of the clansmen went forward under the guidance of oldBallenkeiroch and Evan Dhu Maccombich, apparently in high spirits. A few remained for the purpose of escorting the Chieftain, whowalked by the side of Edward's litter, and attended him with themost affectionate assiduity. About noon, after a journey which thenature of the conveyance, the pain of his bruises, and theroughness of the way rendered inexpressibly painful, Waverley washospitably received into the house of a gentleman related toFergus, who had prepared for him every accommodation which thesimple habits of living then universal in the Highlands put in hispower. In this person, an old man about seventy, Edward admired arelic of primitive simplicity. He wore no dress but what hisestate afforded; the cloth was the fleece of his own sheep, wovenby his own servants, and stained into tartan by the dyes producedfrom the herbs and lichens of the hills around him. His linen wasspun by his daughters and maidservants, from his own flax; nor didhis table, though plentiful, and varied with game and fish, offeran article but what was of native produce. 

Claiming himself no rights of clanship or vassalage, he wasfortunate in the alliance and protection of Vich Ian Vohr andother bold and enterprising Chieftains, who protected him in thequiet unambitious life he loved. It is true, the youth born on hisgrounds were often enticed to leave him for the service of hismore active friends; but a few old servants and tenants used toshake their grey locks when they heard their master censured forwant of spirit, and observed, 'When the wind is still, the showerfalls soft. ' This good old man, whose charity and hospitality wereunbounded, would have received Waverley with kindness had he beenthe meanest Saxon peasant, since his situation requiredassistance. But his attention to a friend and guest of Vich IanVohr was anxious and unremitted. Other embrocations were appliedto the injured limb, and new spells were put in practice. Atlength, after more solicitude than was perhaps for the advantageof his health, Fergus took farewell of Edward for a few days, when, he said, he would return to Tomanrait, and hoped by thattime Waverley would be able to ride one of the Highland ponies ofhis landlord, and in that manner return to Glennaquoich. 

The next day, when his good old host appeared, Edward learned thathis friend had departed with the dawn, leaving none of hisfollowers except Callum Beg, the sort of foot-page who used toattend his person, and who had now in charge to wait uponWaverley. On asking his host if he knew where the Chieftain wasgone, the old man looked fixedly at him, with something mysteriousand sad in the smile which was his only reply. Waverley repeatedhis question, to which his host answered in a proverb, --

 What sent the messengers to hell, Was asking what they knew full well. 

[Footnote: Corresponding to the Lowland saying, 'Mony ane speirsthe gate they ken fu' weel. ']

He was about to proceed, but Callum Beg said, rather pertly, asEdward thought, that 'Ta Tighearnach (i. E. The Chief) did not liketa Sassenagh duinhe-wassel to be pingled wi' mickle speaking, asshe was na tat weel. ' From this Waverley concluded he shoulddisoblige his friend by inquiring of a stranger the object of ajourney which he himself had not communicated. 

It is unnecessary to trace the progress of our hero's recovery. The sixth morning had arrived, and he was able to walk about witha staff, when Fergus returned with about a score of his men. Heseemed in the highest spirits, congratulated Waverley on hisprogress towards recovery, and finding he was able to sit onhorseback, proposed their immediate return to Glennaquoich. Waverley joyfully acceded, for the form of its fair mistress hadlived in his dreams during all the time of his confinement. 

 Now he has ridden o'er moor and moss, O'er hill and many a glen, Fergus, all the while, with his myrmidons, striding stoutly by hisside, or diverging to get a shot at a roe or a heath-cock. Waverley's bosom beat thick when they approached the old tower ofIan nan Chaistel, and could distinguish the fair form of itsmistress advancing to meet them. 

Fergus began immediately, with his usual high spirits, to exclaim, 'Open your gates, incomparable princess, to the wounded MoorAbindarez, whom Rodrigo de Narvez, constable of Antiquera, conveysto your castle; or open them, if you like it better, to therenowned Marquis of Mantua, the sad attendant of his half-slainfriend Baldovinos of the Mountain. Ah, long rest to thy soul, Cervantes! without quoting thy remnants, how should I frame mylanguage to befit romantic ears!'

Flora now advanced, and welcoming Waverley with much kindness, expressed her regret for his accident, of which she had alreadyheard particulars, and her surprise that her brother should nothave taken better care to put a stranger on his guard against theperils of the sport in which he engaged him. Edward easilyexculpated the Chieftain, who, indeed, at his own personal risk, had probably saved his life. 

This greeting over, Fergus said three or four words to his sisterin Gaelic. The tears instantly sprung to her eyes, but they seemedto be tears of devotion and joy, for she looked up to heaven andfolded her hands as in a solemn expression of prayer or gratitude. After the pause of a minute, she presented to Edward some letterswhich had been forwarded from Tully-Veolan during his absence, andat the same time delivered some to her brother. To the latter shelikewise gave three or four numbers of the Caledonian Mercury, theonly newspaper which was then published to the north of the Tweed. 

Both gentlemen retired to examine their despatches, and Edwardspeedily found that those which he had received contained mattersof very deep interest. 

CHAPTER XXV

NEWS FROM ENGLAND

The letters which Waverley had hitherto received from hisrelations in England were not such as required any particularnotice in this narrative. His father usually wrote to him with thepompous affectation of one who was too much oppressed by publicaffairs to find leisure to attend to those of his own family. Nowand then he mentioned persons of rank in Scotland to whom hewished his son should pay some attention; but Waverley, hithertooccupied by the amusements which he had found at Tully-Veolan andGlennaquoich, dispensed with paying any attention to hints socoldly thrown out, especially as distance, shortness of leave ofabsence, and so forth furnished a ready apology. But latterly theburden of Mr. Richard Waverley's paternal epistles consisted incertain mysterious hints of greatness and influence which he wasspeedily to attain, and which would ensure his son's obtaining themost rapid promotion, should he remain in the military service. Sir Everard's letters were of a different tenor. They were short;for the good Baronet was none of your illimitable correspondents, whose manuscript overflows the folds of their large post paper, and leaves no room for the seal; but they were kind andaffectionate, and seldom concluded without some allusion to ourhero's stud, some question about the state of his purse, and aspecial inquiry after such of his recruits as had preceded himfrom Waverley-Honour. Aunt Rachel charged him to remember hisprinciples of religion, to take care of his health, to beware ofScotch mists, which, she had heard, would wet an Englishmanthrough and through, never to go out at night without his great-coat, and, above all, to wear flannel next to his skin. 

Mr. Pembroke only wrote to our hero one letter, but it was of thebulk of six epistles of these degenerate days, containing, in themoderate compass of ten folio pages, closely written, a precis ofa supplementary quarto manuscript of addenda, delenda, etcorrigenda in reference to the two tracts with which he hadpresented Waverley. This he considered as a mere sop in the pan tostay the appetite of Edward's curiosity until he should find anopportunity of sending down the volume itself, which was much tooheavy for the post, and which he proposed to accompany withcertain interesting pamphlets, lately published by his friend inLittle Britain, with whom he had kept up a sort of literarycorrespondence, in virtue of which the library shelves ofWaverley-Honour were loaded with much trash, and a good roundbill, seldom summed in fewer than three figures, was yearlytransmitted, in which Sir Everard Waverley of Waverley-Honour, Bart. , was marked Dr. To Jonathan Grubbet, bookseller andstationer, Little Britain. Such had hitherto been the style of theletters which Edward had received from England; but the packetdelivered to him at Glennaquoich was of a different and moreinteresting complexion. It would be impossible for the reader, even were I to insert the letters at full length, to comprehendthe real cause of their being written, without a glance into theinterior of the British cabinet at the period in question. 

The ministers of the day happened (no very singular event) to bedivided into two parties; the weakest of which, making up byassiduity of intrigue their inferiority in real consequence, hadof late acquired some new proselytes, and with them the hope ofsuperseding their rivals in the favour of their sovereign, andoverpowering them in the House of Commons. Amongst others, theyhad thought it worth while to practise upon Richard Waverley. Thishonest gentleman, by a grave mysterious demeanour, an attention tothe etiquette of business rather more than to its essence, afacility in making long dull speeches, consisting of truisms andcommonplaces, hashed up with a technical jargon of office, whichprevented the inanity of his orations from being discovered, hadacquired a certain name and credit in public life, and evenestablished, with many, the character of a profound politician;none of your shining orators, indeed, whose talents evaporate intropes of rhetoric and flashes of wit, but one possessed of steadyparts for business, which would wear well, as the ladies say inchoosing their silks, and ought in all reason to be good forcommon and every-day use, since they were confessedly formed of noholiday texture. 

This faith had become so general that the insurgent party in thecabinet, of which we have made mention, after sounding Mr. RichardWaverley, were so satisfied with his sentiments and abilities asto propose that, in case of a certain revolution in the ministry, he should take an ostensible place in the new order of things, notindeed of the very first rank, but greatly higher, in point bothof emolument and influence, than that which he now enjoyed. Therewas no resisting so tempting a proposal, notwithstanding that theGreat Man under whose patronage he had enlisted, and by whosebanner he had hitherto stood firm, was the principal object of theproposed attack by the new allies. Unfortunately this fair schemeof ambition was blighted in the very bud by a premature movement. All the official gentlemen concerned in it who hesitated to takethe part of a voluntary resignation were informed that the kinghad no further occasion for their services; and in RichardWaverley's case, which the minister considered as aggravated byingratitude, dismissal was accompanied by something like personalcontempt and contumely. The public, and even the party of whom heshared the fall, sympathised little in the disappointment of thisselfish and interested statesman; and he retired to the countryunder the comfortable reflection that he had lost, at the sametime, character, credit, and, --what he at least equally deplored, --emolument. 

Richard Waverley's letter to his son upon this occasion was amasterpiece of its kind. Aristides himself could not have made outa harder case. An unjust monarch and an ungrateful country werethe burden of each rounded paragraph. He spoke of long servicesand unrequited sacrifices; though the former had been overpaid byhis salary, and nobody could guess in what the latter consisted, unless it were in his deserting, not from conviction, but for thelucre of gain, the Tory principles of his family. In theconclusion, his resentment was wrought to such an excess by theforce of his own oratory, that he could not repress some threatsof vengeance, however vague and impotent, and finally acquaintedhis son with his pleasure that he should testify his sense of theill-treatment he had sustained by throwing up his commission assoon as the letter reached him. This, he said, was also hisuncle's desire, as he would himself intimate in due course. 

Accordingly, the next letter which Edward opened was from SirEverard. His brother's disgrace seemed to have removed from hiswell-natured bosom all recollection of their differences, and, remote as he was from every means of learning that Richard'sdisgrace was in reality only the just as well as naturalconsequence of his own unsuccessful intrigues, the good butcredulous Baronet at once set it down as a new and enormousinstance of the injustice of the existing government. It was true, he said, and he must not disguise it even from Edward, that hisfather could not have sustained such an insult as was now, for thefirst time, offered to one of his house, unless he had subjectedhimself to it by accepting of an employment under the presentsystem. Sir Everard had no doubt that he now both saw and felt themagnitude of this error, and it should be his (Sir Everard's)business to take care that the cause of his regret should notextend itself to pecuniary consequences. It was enough for aWaverley to have sustained the public disgrace; the patrimonialinjury could easily be obviated by the head of their family. Butit was both the opinion of Mr. Richard Waverley and his own thatEdward, the representative of the family of Waverley-Honour, should not remain in a situation which subjected him also to suchtreatment as that with which his father had been stigmatised. Herequested his nephew therefore to take the fittest, and at thesame time the most speedy, opportunity of transmitting hisresignation to the War Office, and hinted, moreover, that littleceremony was necessary where so little had been used to hisfather. He sent multitudinous greetings to the Baron ofBradwardine. 

A letter from Aunt Rachel spoke out even more plainly. Sheconsidered the disgrace of brother Richard as the just reward ofhis forfeiting his allegiance to a lawful though exiled sovereign, and taking the oaths to an alien; a concession which hergrandfather, Sir Nigel Waverley, refused to make, either to theRoundhead Parliament or to Cromwell, when his life and fortunestood in the utmost extremity. She hoped her dear Edward wouldfollow the footsteps of his ancestors, and as speedily as possibleget rid of the badge of servitude to the usurping family, andregard the wrongs sustained by his father as an admonition fromHeaven that every desertion of the line of loyalty becomes its ownpunishment. She also concluded with her respects to Mr. Bradwardine, and begged Waverley would inform her whether hisdaughter, Miss Rose, was old enough to wear a pair of veryhandsome ear-rings, which she proposed to send as a token of heraffection. The good lady also desired to be informed whether Mr. Bradwardine took as much Scotch snuff and danced as unweariedly ashe did when he was at Waverley-Honour about thirty years ago. 

These letters, as might have been expected, highly excitedWaverley's indignation. From the desultory style of his studies, he had not any fixed political opinion to place in opposition tothe movements of indignation which he felt at his father'ssupposed wrongs. Of the real cause of his disgrace Edward wastotally ignorant; nor had his habits at all led him to investigatethe politics of the period in which he lived, or remark theintrigues in which his father had been so actively engaged. Indeed, any impressions which he had accidentally adoptedconcerning the parties of the times were (owing to the society inwhich he had lived at Waverley-Honour) of a nature ratherunfavourable to the existing government and dynasty. He entered, therefore, without hesitation into the resentful feeling of therelations who had the best title to dictate his conduct, and notperhaps the less willingly when he remembered the tedium of hisquarters, and the inferior figure which he had made among theofficers of his regiment. If he could have had any doubt upon thesubject it would have been decided by the following letter fromhis commanding officer, which, as it is very short, shall beinserted verbatim:--

SIR, --

Having carried somewhat beyond the line of my duty an indulgencewhich even the lights of nature, and much more those ofChristianity, direct towards errors which may arise from youth andinexperience, and that altogether without effect, I am reluctantlycompelled, at the present crisis, to use the only remaining remedywhich is in my power. You are, therefore, hereby commanded torepair to--, the headquarters of the regiment, within three daysafter the date of this letter. If you shall fail to do so, I mustreport you to the War Office as absent without leave, and alsotake other steps, which will be disagreeable to you as well as to, Sir, Your obedient Servant, J. GARDINER, Lieut. -Col. 

Commanding the----Regt. Dragoons. 

Edward's blood boiled within him as he read this letter. He hadbeen accustomed from his very infancy to possess in a greatmeasure the disposal of his own time, and thus acquired habitswhich rendered the rules of military discipline as unpleasing tohim in this as they were in some other respects. An idea that inhis own case they would not be enforced in a very rigid manner hadalso obtained full possession of his mind, and had hitherto beensanctioned by the indulgent conduct of his lieutenant-colonel. Neither had anything occurred, to his knowledge, that should haveinduced his commanding officer, without any other warning than thehints we noticed at the end of the fourteenth chapter, so suddenlyto assume a harsh and, as Edward deemed it, so insolent a tone ofdictatorial authority. Connecting it with the letters he had justreceived from his family, he could not but suppose that it wasdesigned to make him feel, in his present situation, the samepressure of authority which had been exercised in his father'scase, and that the whole was a concerted scheme to depress anddegrade every member of the Waverley family. 

Without a pause, therefore, Edward wrote a few cold lines, thanking his lieutenant-colonel for past civilities, andexpressing regret that he should have chosen to efface theremembrance of them by assuming a different tone towards him. Thestrain of his letter, as well as what he (Edward) conceived to behis duty in the present crisis, called upon him to lay down hiscommission; and he therefore inclosed the formal resignation of asituation which subjected him to so unpleasant a correspondence, and requested Colonel Gardiner would have the goodness to forwardit to the proper authorities. 

Having finished this magnanimous epistle, he felt somewhatuncertain concerning the terms in which his resignation ought tobe expressed, upon which subject he resolved to consult FergusMac-Ivor. It may be observed in passing that the bold and prompthabits of thinking, acting, and speaking which distinguished thisyoung Chieftain had given him a considerable ascendency over themind of Waverley. Endowed with at least equal powers ofunderstanding, and with much finer genius, Edward yet stooped tothe bold and decisive activity of an intellect which was sharpenedby the habit of acting on a preconceived and regular system, aswell as by extensive knowledge of the world. 

When Edward found his friend, the latter had still in his hand thenewspaper which he had perused, and advanced to meet him with theembarrassment of one who has unpleasing news to communicate. 'Doyour letters, Captain Waverley, confirm the unpleasing informationwhich I find in this paper?'

He put the paper into his hand, where his father's disgrace wasregistered in the most bitter terms, transferred probably fromsome London journal. At the end of the paragraph was thisremarkable innuendo:--

'We understand that "this same RICHARD who hath done all this" isnot the only example of the WAVERING HONOUR of W-v-r-ly H-n-r. Seethe Gazette of this day. '

With hurried and feverish apprehension our hero turned to theplace referred to, and found therein recorded, 'Edward Waverley, captain in----regiment dragoons, superseded for absence withoutleave'; and in the list of military promotions, referring to thesame regiment, he discovered this farther article, 'Lieut. JuliusButler, to be captain, VICE Edward Waverley, superseded. '

Our hero's bosom glowed with the resentment which undeserved andapparently premeditated insult was calculated to excite in thebosom of one who had aspired after honour, and was thus wantonlyheld up to public scorn and disgrace. Upon comparing the date ofhis colonel's letter with that of the article in the Gazette, heperceived that his threat of making a report upon his absence hadbeen literally fulfilled, and without inquiry, as it seemed, whether Edward had either received his summons or was disposed tocomply with it. The whole, therefore, appeared a formed plan todegrade him in the eyes of the public; and the idea of its havingsucceeded filled him with such bitter emotions that, after variousattempts to conceal them, he at length threw himself into Mac-Ivor's arms, and gave vent to tears of shame and indignation. 

It was none of this Chieftain's faults to be indifferent to thewrongs of his friends; and for Edward, independent of certainplans with which he was connected, he felt a deep and sincereinterest. The proceeding appeared as extraordinary to him as ithad done to Edward. He indeed knew of more motives than Waverleywas privy to for the peremptory order that he should join hisregiment. But that, without further inquiry into the circumstancesof a necessary delay, the commanding officer, in contradiction tohis known and established character, should have proceeded in soharsh and unusual a manner was a mystery which he could notpenetrate. He soothed our hero, however, to the best of his power, and began to turn his thoughts on revenge for his insulted honour. 

Edward eagerly grasped at the idea. 'Will you carry a message forme to Colonel Gardiner, my dear Fergus, and oblige me for ever?'

Fergus paused. 'It is an act of friendship which you shouldcommand, could it be useful, or lead to the righting your honour;but in the present case I doubt if your commanding officer wouldgive you the meeting on account of his having taken measureswhich, however harsh and exasperating, were still within thestrict bounds of his duty. Besides, Gardiner is a preciseHuguenot, and has adopted certain ideas about the sinfulness ofsuch rencontres, from which it would be impossible to make himdepart, especially as his courage is beyond all suspicion. Andbesides, I--I, to say the truth--I dare not at this moment, forsome very weighty reasons, go near any of the military quarters orgarrisons belonging to this government. '

'And am I, ' said Waverley, 'to sit down quiet and contented underthe injury I have received?'

'That will I never advise my friend, ' replied Mac-Ivor. 'But Iwould have vengeance to fall on the head, not on the hand, on thetyrannical and oppressive government which designed and directedthese premeditated and reiterated insults, not on the tools ofoffice which they employed in the execution of the injuries theyaimed at you. '

'On the government!' said Waverley. 

'Yes, ' replied the impetuous Highlander, 'on the usurping House ofHanover, whom your grandfather would no more have served than hewould have taken wages of red-hot gold from the great fiend ofhell!'

'But since the time of my grandfather two generations of thisdynasty have possessed the throne, ' said Edward coolly. 

'True, ' replied the Chieftain; 'and because we have passivelygiven them so long the means of showing their native character, --because both you and I myself have lived in quiet submission, haveeven truckled to the times so far as to accept commissions underthem, and thus have given them an opportunity of disgracing uspublicly by resuming them, are we not on that account to resentinjuries which our fathers only apprehended, but which we haveactually sustained? Or is the cause of the unfortunate Stuartfamily become less just, because their title has devolved upon anheir who is innocent of the charges of misgovernment broughtagainst his father? Do you remember the lines of your favouritepoet?

 Had Richard unconstrain'd resign'd the throne, A king can give no more than is his own; The title stood entail'd had Richard had a son. 

You see, my dear Waverley, I can quote poetry as well as Flora andyou. But come, clear your moody brow, and trust to me to show youan honourable road to a speedy and glorious revenge. Let us seekFlora, who perhaps has more news to tell us of what has occurredduring our absence. She will rejoice to hear that you are relievedof your servitude. But first add a postscript to your letter, marking the time when you received this calvinistical colonel'sfirst summons, and express your regret that the hastiness of hisproceedings prevented your anticipating them by sending yourresignation. Then let him blush for his injustice. '

The letter was sealed accordingly, covering a formal resignationof the commission, and Mac-Ivor despatched it with some letters ofhis own by a special messenger, with charge to put them into thenearest post-office in the Lowlands. 

CHAPTER XXVI

AN ECLAIRCISSEMENT

The hint which the Chieftain had thrown out respecting Flora wasnot unpremeditated. He had observed with great satisfaction thegrowing attachment of Waverley to his sister, nor did he see anybar to their union, excepting the situation which Waverley'sfather held in the ministry, and Edward's own commission in thearmy of George II. These obstacles were now removed, and in amanner which apparently paved the way for the son's becomingreconciled to another allegiance. In every other respect the matchwould be most eligible. The safety, happiness, and honourableprovision of his sister, whom he dearly loved, appeared to beensured by the proposed union; and his heart swelled when heconsidered how his own interest would be exalted in the eyes ofthe ex-monarch to whom he had dedicated his service, by analliance with one of those ancient, powerful, and wealthy Englishfamilies of the steady cavalier faith, to awaken whose decayedattachment to the Stuart family was now a matter of such vitalimportance to the Stuart cause. Nor could Fergus perceive anyobstacle to such a scheme. Waverley's attachment was evident; andas his person was handsome, and his taste apparently coincidedwith her own, he anticipated no opposition on the part of Flora. Indeed, between his ideas of patriarchal power and those which hehad acquired in France respecting the disposal of females inmarriage, any opposition from his sister, dear as she was to him, would have been the last obstacle on which he would havecalculated, even had the union been less eligible. 

Influenced by these feelings, the Chief now led Waverley in questof Miss Mac-Ivor, not without the hope that the present agitationof his guest's spirits might give him courage to cut short whatFergus termed the romance of the courtship. They found Flora, withher faithful attendants, Una and Cathleen, busied in preparingwhat appeared to Waverley to be white bridal favours. Disguisingas well as he could the agitation of his mind, Waverley asked forwhat joyful occasion Miss Mac-Ivor made such ample preparation. 

'It is for Fergus's bridal, ' she said, smiling. 

'Indeed!' said Edward; 'he has kept his secret well. I hope hewill allow me to be his bride's-man. '

'That is a man's office, but not yours, as Beatrice says, 'retorted Flora. 

'And who is the fair lady, may I be permitted to ask, Miss Mac-Ivor?'

'Did not I tell you long since that Fergus wooed no bride butHonour?' answered Flora. 

'And am I then incapable of being his assistant and counsellor inthe pursuit of honour?' said our hero, colouring deeply. 'Do Irank so low in your opinion?'

'Far from it, Captain Waverley. I would to God you were of ourdetermination! and made use of the expression which displeasedyou, solely

 Because you are not of our quality, But stand against us as an enemy. '

'That time is past, sister, ' said Fergus; 'and you may wishEdward Waverley (no longer captain) joy of being freed from theslavery to an usurper, implied in that sable and ill-omenedemblem. '

'Yes, ' said Waverley, undoing the cockade from his hat, 'it haspleased the king who bestowed this badge upon me to resume it in amanner which leaves me little reason to regret his service. '

'Thank God for that!' cried the enthusiast; 'and O that they maybe blind enough to treat every man of honour who serves them withthe same indignity, that I may have less to sigh for when thestruggle approaches!'

'And now, sister, ' said the Chieftain, 'replace his cockade withone of a more lively colour. I think it was the fashion of theladies of yore to arm and send forth their knights to highachievement. '

'Not, ' replied the lady, 'till the knight adventurer had wellweighed the justice and the danger of the cause, Fergus. Mr. Waverley is just now too much agitated by feelings of recentemotion for me to press upon him a resolution of consequence. '

Waverley felt half alarmed at the thought of adopting the badge ofwhat was by the majority of the kingdom esteemed rebellion, yet hecould not disguise his chagrin at the coldness with which Floraparried her brother's hint. 'Miss Mac-Ivor, I perceive, thinks theknight unworthy of her encouragement and favour, ' said he, somewhat bitterly. 

'Not so, Mr. Waverley, ' she replied, with great sweetness. 'Whyshould I refuse my brother's valued friend a boon which I amdistributing to his whole clan? Most willingly would I enlistevery man of honour in the cause to which my brother has devotedhimself. But Fergus has taken his measures with his eyes open. Hislife has been devoted to this cause from his cradle; with him itscall is sacred, were it even a summons to the tomb. But how can Iwish you, Mr. Waverley, so new to the world, so far from everyfriend who might advise and ought to influence you, --in a moment, too, of sudden pique and indignation, --how can I wish you toplunge yourself at once into so desperate an enterprise?'

Fergus, who did not understand these delicacies, strode throughthe apartment biting his lip, and then, with a constrained smile, said, 'Well, sister, I leave you to act your new character ofmediator between the Elector of Hanover and the subjects of yourlawful sovereign and benefactor, ' and left the room. 

There was a painful pause, which was at length broken by Miss Mac-Ivor. 'My brother is unjust, ' she said, 'because he can bear nointerruption that seems to thwart his loyal zeal. '

'And do you not share his ardour?' asked Waverley, 'Do I not?' answered Flora. 'God knows mine exceeds his, if thatbe possible. But I am not, like him, rapt by the bustle ofmilitary preparation, and the infinite detail necessary to thepresent undertaking, beyond consideration of the grand principlesof justice and truth, on which our enterprise is grounded; andthese, I am certain, can only be furthered by measures inthemselves true and just. To operate upon your present feelings, my dear Mr. Waverley, to induce you to an irretrievable step, ofwhich you have not considered either the justice or the danger, is, in my poor judgment, neither the one nor the other. '

'Incomparable Flora!' said Edward, taking her hand, 'how much do Ineed such a monitor!'

'A better one by far, ' said Flora, gently withdrawing her hand, 'Mr. Waverley will always find in his own bosom, when he will giveits small still voice leisure to be heard. '

'No, Miss Mac-Ivor, I dare not hope it; a thousand circumstancesof fatal self-indulgence have made me the creature rather ofimagination than reason. Durst I but hope--could I but think--thatyou would deign to be to me that affectionate, that condescendingfriend, who would strengthen me to redeem my errors, my futurelife--'

'Hush, my dear sir! now you carry your joy at escaping the handsof a Jacobite recruiting officer to an unparalleled excess ofgratitude. '

'Nay, dear Flora, trifle with me no longer; you cannot mistake themeaning of those feelings which I have almost involuntarilyexpressed; and since I have broken the barrier of silence, let meprofit by my audacity. Or may I, with your permission, mention toyour brother--'

'Not for the world, Mr. Waverley!'

'What am I to understand?' said Edward. 'Is there any fatal bar--has any prepossession--'

'None, sir, ' answered Flora. 'I owe it to myself to say that Inever yet saw the person on whom I thought with reference to thepresent subject. '

'The shortness of our acquaintance, perhaps--If Miss Mac-Ivor willdeign to give me time--'

'I have not even that excuse. Captain Waverley's character is soopen--is, in short, of that nature that it cannot be misconstrued, either in its strength or its weakness. '

'And for that weakness you despise me?' said Edward. 

'Forgive me, Mr. Waverley--and remember it is but within this halfhour that there existed between us a barrier of a nature to meinsurmountable, since I never could think of an officer in theservice of the Elector of Hanover in any other light than as acasual acquaintance. Permit me then to arrange my ideas upon sounexpected a topic, and in less than an hour I will be ready togive you such reasons for the resolution I shall express as may besatisfactory at least, if not pleasing to you. ' So saying Florawithdrew, leaving Waverley to meditate upon the manner in whichshe had received his addresses. 

Ere he could make up his mind whether to believe his suit had beenacceptable or no, Fergus re-entered the apartment. 'What, a lamort, Waverley?' he cried. 'Come down with me to the court, andyou shall see a sight worth all the tirades of your romances. Anhundred firelocks, my friend, and as many broadswords, justarrived from good friends; and two or three hundred stout fellowsalmost fighting which shall first possess them. But let me look atyou closer. Why, a true Highlander would say you had been blightedby an evil eye. Or can it be this silly girl that has thus blankedyour spirit. Never mind her, dear Edward; the wisest of her sexare fools in what regards the business of life. '

'Indeed, my good friend, ' answered Waverley, 'all that I cancharge against your sister is, that she is too sensible, tooreasonable. '

'If that be all, I ensure you for a louis-d'or against the moodlasting four-and-twenty hours. No woman was ever steadily sensiblefor that period; and I will engage, if that will please you, Florashall be as unreasonable to-morrow as any of her sex. You mustlearn, my dear Edward, to consider women en mousquetaire. ' Sosaying, he seized Waverley's arm and dragged him off to review hismilitary preparations. 

CHAPTER XXVII

UPON THE SAME SUBJECT

Fergus Mac-Ivor had too much tact and delicacy to renew thesubject which he had interrupted. His head was, or appeared to be, so full of guns, broadswords, bonnets, canteens, and tartan hosethat Waverley could not for some time draw his attention to anyother topic. 

'Are you to take the field so soon, Fergus, ' he asked, 'that youare making all these martial preparations?'

'When we have settled that you go with me, you shall know all; butotherwise, the knowledge might rather be prejudicial to you. '

'But are you serious in your purpose, with such inferior forces, to rise against an established government? It is mere frenzy. '

'Laissez faire a Don Antoine; I shall take good care of myself. Weshall at least use the compliment of Conan, who never got a strokebut he gave one. I would not, however, ' continued the Chieftain, 'have you think me mad enough to stir till a favourableopportunity: I will not slip my dog before the game's afoot. But, once more, will you join with us, and you shall know all?'

'How can I?' said Waverley; 'I, who have so lately held thatcommission which is now posting back to those that gave it? Myaccepting it implied a promise of fidelity, and an acknowledgmentof the legality of the government. '

'A rash promise, ' answered Fergus, 'is not a steel handcuff, itmay be shaken off, especially when it was given under deception, and has been repaid by insult. But if you cannot immediately makeup your mind to a glorious revenge, go to England, and ere youcross the Tweed you will hear tidings that will make the worldring; and if Sir Everard be the gallant old cavalier I have heardhim described by some of our HONEST gentlemen of the year onethousand seven hundred and fifteen, he will find you a betterhorse-troop and a better cause than you have lost. '

'But your sister, Fergus?'

'Out, hyperbolical fiend!' replied the Chief, laughing; 'howvexest thou this man! Speak'st thou of nothing but of ladies?'

'Nay, be serious, my dear friend, ' said Waverley; 'I feel that thehappiness of my future life must depend upon the answer which MissMac-Ivor shall make to what I ventured to tell her this morning. '

'And is this your very sober earnest, ' said Fergus, more gravely, 'or are we in the land of romance and fiction?'

'My earnest, undoubtedly. How could you suppose me jesting on sucha subject?'

'Then, in very sober earnest, ' answered his friend, 'I am veryglad to hear it; and so highly do I think of Flora, that you arethe only man in England for whom I would say so much. But beforeyou shake my hand so warmly, there is more to be considered. Yourown family--will they approve your connecting yourself with thesister of a high-born Highland beggar?'

'My uncle's situation, ' said Waverley, 'his general opinions, andhis uniform indulgence, entitle me to say, that birth and personalqualities are all he would look to in such a connection. And wherecan I find both united in such excellence as in your sister?'

'O nowhere! cela va sans dire, ' replied Fergus, with a smile. 'Butyour father will expect a father's prerogative in beingconsulted. '

'Surely; but his late breach with the ruling powers removes allapprehension of objection on his part, especially as I amconvinced that my uncle will be warm in my cause. '

'Religion perhaps, ' said Fergus, 'may make obstacles, though weare not bigotted Catholics. '

'My grandmother was of the Church of Rome, and her religion wasnever objected to by my family. Do not think of MY friends, dearFergus; let me rather have your influence where it may be morenecessary to remove obstacles--I mean with your lovely sister. '

'My lovely sister, ' replied Fergus, 'like her loving brother, isvery apt to have a pretty decisive will of her own, by which, inthis case, you must be ruled; but you shall not want my interest, nor my counsel. And, in the first place, I will give you one hint--Loyalty is her ruling passion; and since she could spell anEnglish book she has been in love with the memory of the gallantCaptain Wogan, who renounced the service of the usurper Cromwellto join the standard of Charles II, marched a handful of cavalryfrom London to the Highlands to join Middleton, then in arms forthe king, and at length died gloriously in the royal cause. Askher to show you some verses she made on his history and fate; theyhave been much admired, I assure you. The next point is--I thinkI saw Flora go up towards the waterfall a short time since;follow, man, follow! don't allow the garrison time to strengthenits purposes of resistance. Alerte a la muraille! Seek Flora out, and learn her decision as soon as you can, and Cupid go with you, while I go to look over belts and cartouch-boxes. '

Waverley ascended the glen with an anxious and throbbing heart. Love, with all its romantic train of hopes, fears, and wishes, wasmingled with other feelings of a nature less easily defined. Hecould not but remember how much this morning had changed his fate, and into what a complication of perplexity it was likely to plungehim. Sunrise had seen him possessed of an esteemed rank in thehonourable profession of arms, his father to all appearancerapidly rising in the favour of his sovereign. All this had passedaway like a dream: he himself was dishonoured, his fatherdisgraced, and he had become involuntarily the confidant at least, if not the accomplice, of plans, dark, deep, and dangerous, whichmust infer either the subversion of the government he had solately served or the destruction of all who had participated inthem. Should Flora even listen to his suit favourably, whatprospect was there of its being brought to a happy terminationamid the tumult of an impending insurrection? Or how could he makethe selfish request that she should leave Fergus, to whom she wasso much attached, and, retiring with him to England, wait, as adistant spectator, the success of her brother's undertaking, orthe ruin of all his hopes and fortunes? Or, on the other hand, toengage himself, with no other aid than his single arm, in thedangerous and precipitate counsels of the Chieftain, to be whirledalong by him, the partaker of all his desperate and impetuousmotions, renouncing almost the power of judging, or deciding uponthe rectitude or prudence of his actions, this was no pleasingprospect for the secret pride of Waverley to stoop to. And yetwhat other conclusion remained, saving the rejection of hisaddresses by Flora, an alternative not to be thought of in thepresent high-wrought state of his feelings with anything short ofmental agony. Pondering the doubtful and dangerous prospect beforehim, he at length arrived near the cascade, where, as Fergus hadaugured, he found Flora seated. 

She was quite alone, and as soon as she observed his approach sherose and came to meet him. Edward attempted to say somethingwithin the verge of ordinary compliment and conversation, butfound himself unequal to the task. Flora seemed at first equallyembarrassed, but recovered herself more speedily, and (anunfavourable augury for Waverley's suit) was the first to enterupon the subject of their last interview. 'It is too important, inevery point of view, Mr. Waverley, to permit me to leave you indoubt on my sentiments. '

'Do not speak them speedily, ' said Waverley, much agitated, 'unless they are such as I fear, from your manner, I must not dareto anticipate. Let time--let my future conduct--let your brother'sinfluence--'

'Forgive me, Mr. Waverley, ' said Flora, her complexion a littleheightened, but her voice firm and composed. 'I should incur myown heavy censure did I delay expressing my sincere convictionthat I can never regard you otherwise than as a valued friend. Ishould do you the highest injustice did I conceal my sentimentsfor a moment. I see I distress you, and I grieve for it, butbetter now than later; and O, better a thousand times, Mr. Waverley, that you should feel a present momentary disappointmentthan the long and heart-sickening griefs which attend a rash andill-assorted marriage!'

'Good God!' exclaimed Waverley, 'why should you anticipate suchconsequences from a union where birth is equal, where fortune isfavourable, where, if I may venture to say so, the tastes aresimilar, where you allege no preference for another, where youeven express a favourable opinion of him whom you reject?'

'Mr. Waverley, I HAVE that favourable opinion, ' answered Flora;'and so strongly that, though I would rather have been silent onthe grounds of my resolution, you shall command them, if you exactsuch a mark of my esteem and confidence. '

She sat down upon a fragment of rock, and Waverley, placinghimself near her, anxiously pressed for the explanation sheoffered. 

'I dare hardly, ' she said, 'tell you the situation of my feelings, they are so different from those usually ascribed to young womenat my period of life; and I dare hardly touch upon what Iconjecture to be the nature of yours, lest I should give offencewhere I would willingly administer consolation. For myself, frommy infancy till this day I have had but one wish--the restorationof my royal benefactors to their rightful throne. It is impossibleto express to you the devotion of my feelings to this singlesubject; and I will frankly confess that it has so occupied mymind as to exclude every thought respecting what is called my ownsettlement in life. Let me but live to see the day of that happyrestoration, and a Highland cottage, a French convent, or anEnglish palace will be alike indifferent to me. '

'But, dearest Flora, how is your enthusiastic zeal for the exiledfamily inconsistent with my happiness?'

'Because you seek, or ought to seek, in the object of yourattachment a heart whose principal delight should be in augmentingyour domestic felicity and returning your affection, even to theheight of romance. To a man of less keen sensibility, and lessenthusiastic tenderness of disposition, Flora Mac-Ivor might givecontent, if not happiness; for, were the irrevocable words spoken, never would she be deficient in the duties which she vowed. '

'And why, --why, Miss Mac-Ivor, should you think yourself a morevaluable treasure to one who is less capable of loving, ofadmiring you, than to me?'

'Simply because the tone of our affections would be more inunison, and because his more blunted sensibility would not requirethe return of enthusiasm which I have not to bestow. But you, Mr. Waverley, would for ever refer to the idea of domestic happinesswhich your imagination is capable of painting, and whatever fellshort of that ideal representation would be construed intocoolness and indifference, while you might consider the enthusiasmwith which I regarded the success of the royal family asdefrauding your affection of its due return. '

'In other words, Miss Mac-Ivor, you cannot love me?' said hersuitor dejectedly. 

'I could esteem you, Mr. Waverley, as much, perhaps more, than anyman I have ever seen; but I cannot love you as you ought to beloved. O! do not, for your own sake, desire so hazardous anexperiment! The woman whom you marry ought to have affections andopinions moulded upon yours. Her studies ought to be your studies;her wishes, her feelings, her hopes, her fears, should all minglewith yours. She should enhance your pleasures, share your sorrows, and cheer your melancholy. '

'And why will not you, Miss Mac-Ivor, who can so well describe ahappy union, why will not you be yourself the person youdescribe?'

'Is it possible you do not yet comprehend me?' answered Flora. 'Have I not told you that every keener sensation of my mind isbent exclusively towards an event upon which, indeed, I have nopower but those of my earnest prayers?'

'And might not the granting the suit I solicit, ' said Waverley, too earnest on his purpose to consider what he was about to say, 'even advance the interest to which you have devoted yourself? Myfamily is wealthy and powerful, inclined in principles to theStuart race, and should a favourable opportunity--'

'A favourable opportunity!' said Flora--somewhat scornfully. 'Inclined in principles! Can such lukewarm adherence be honourableto yourselves, or gratifying to your lawful sovereign? Think, frommy present feelings, what I should suffer when I held the place ofmember in a family where the rights which I hold most sacred aresubjected to cold discussion, and only deemed worthy of supportwhen they shall appear on the point of triumphing without it!'

'Your doubts, ' quickly replied Waverley, 'are unjust as far asconcerns myself. The cause that I shall assert, I dare supportthrough every danger, as undauntedly as the boldest who drawssword in its behalf. '

'Of that, ' answered Flora, 'I cannot doubt for a moment. Butconsult your own good sense and reason rather than a prepossessionhastily adopted, probably only because you have met a young womanpossessed of the usual accomplishments in a sequestered andromantic situation. Let your part in this great and perilous dramarest upon conviction, and not on a hurried and probably atemporary feeling. '

Waverley attempted to reply, but his words failed him. Everysentiment that Flora had uttered vindicated the strength of hisattachment; for even her loyalty, although wildly enthusiastic, was generous and noble, and disdained to avail itself of anyindirect means of supporting the cause to which she was devoted. 

After walking a little way in silence down the path, Flora thusresumed the conversation. --'One word more, Mr. Waverley, ere webid farewell to this topic for ever; and forgive my boldness ifthat word have the air of advice. My brother Fergus is anxiousthat you should join him in his present enterprise. But do notconsent to this; you could not, by your single exertions, furtherhis success, and you would inevitably share his fall, if it beGod's pleasure that fall he must. Your character would also sufferirretrievably. Let me beg you will return to your own country;and, having publicly freed yourself from every tie to the usurpinggovernment, I trust you will see cause, and find opportunity, toserve your injured sovereign with effect, and stand forth, as yourloyal ancestors, at the head of your natural followers andadherents, a worthy representative of the house of Waverley. '

'And should I be so happy as thus to distinguish myself, might Inot hope--'

'Forgive my interruption, ' said Flora. 'The present time only isours, and I can but explain to you with candour the feelings whichI now entertain; how they might be altered by a train of eventstoo favourable perhaps to be hoped for, it were in vain even toconjecture. Only be assured, Mr. Waverley, that, after mybrother's honour and happiness, there is none which I shall moresincerely pray for than for yours. '

With these words she parted from him, for they were now arrivedwhere two paths separated. Waverley reached the castle amidst amedley of conflicting passions. He avoided any private interviewwith Fergus, as he did not find himself able either to encounterhis raillery or reply to his solicitations. The wild revelry ofthe feast, for Mac-Ivor kept open table for his clan, served insome degree to stun reflection. When their festivity was ended, hebegan to consider how he should again meet Miss Mac-Ivor after thepainful and interesting explanation of the morning. But Flora didnot appear. Fergus, whose eyes flashed when he was told byCathleen that her mistress designed to keep her apartment thatevening, went himself in quest of her; but apparently hisremonstrances were in vain, for he returned with a heightenedcomplexion and manifest symptoms of displeasure. The rest of theevening passed on without any allusion, on the part either ofFergus or Waverley, to the subject which engrossed the reflectionsof the latter, and perhaps of both. 

When retired to his own apartment, Edward endeavoured to sum upthe business of the day. That the repulse he had received fromFlora would be persisted in for the present, there was no doubt. But could he hope for ultimate success in case circumstancespermitted the renewal of his suit? Would the enthusiastic loyalty, which at this animating moment left no room for a softer passion, survive, at least in its engrossing force, the success or thefailure of the present political machinations? And if so, could hehope that the interest which she had acknowledged him to possessin her favour might be improved into a warmer attachment? He taxedhis memory to recall every word she had used, with the appropriatelooks and gestures which had enforced them, and ended by findinghimself in the same state of uncertainty. It was very late beforesleep brought relief to the tumult of his mind, after the mostpainful and agitating day which he had ever passed. 

CHAPTER XXVIII

A LETTER FROM TULLY-VEOLAN

In the morning, when Waverley's troubled reflections had for sometime given way to repose, there came music to his dreams, but notthe voice of Selma. He imagined himself transported back to Tully-Veolan, and that he heard Davie Gellatley singing in the courtthose matins which used generally to be the first sounds thatdisturbed his repose while a guest of the Baron of Bradwardine. The notes which suggested this vision continued, and waxed louder, until Edward awoke in earnest. The illusion, however, did not seementirely dispelled. The apartment was in the fortress of lan nanChaistel, but it was still the voice of Davie Gellatley that madethe following lines resound under the window:--

 My heart's in the Highlands, my heart is not here, My heart's in the Highlands a-chasing the deer; A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe, My heart's in the Highlands wherever I go. 

[Footnote: These lines form the burden of an old song to whichBurns wrote additional verses. ]

Curious to know what could have determined Mr. Gellatley on anexcursion of such unwonted extent, Edward began to dress himselfin all haste, during which operation the minstrelsy of Daviechanged its tune more than once:--

 There's nought in the Highlands but syboes and leeks, And lang-leggit callants gaun wanting the breeks, Wanting the breeks, and without hose and shoon, But we'll a'win the breeks when King Jamie comes hame. 

[Footnote: These lines are also ancient, and I believe to the tuneof We'll never hae peace till Jamie comes hame, to whichBurns likewise wrote some verses. ]

By the time Waverley was dressed and had issued forth, David hadassociated himself with two or three of the numerous Highlandloungers who always graced the gates of the castle with theirpresence, and was capering and dancing full merrily in the doublesand full career of a Scotch foursome reel, to the music of his ownwhistling. In this double capacity of dancer and musician hecontinued, until an idle piper, who observed his zeal, obeyed theunanimous call of seid suas (i. E. Blow up), and relieved him fromthe latter part of his trouble. Young and old then mingled in thedance as they could find partners. The appearance of Waverley didnot interrupt David's exercise, though he contrived, by grinning, nodding, and throwing one or two inclinations of the body into thegraces with which he performed the Highland fling, to convey toour hero symptoms of recognition. Then, while busily employed insetting, whooping all the while, and snapping his fingers over hishead, he of a sudden prolonged his side-step until it brought himto the place where Edward was standing, and, still keeping time tothe music like Harlequin in a pantomime, he thrust a letter intoour hero's hand, and continued his saltation without pause orintermission. Edward, who perceived that the address was in Rose'shand-writing, retired to peruse it, leaving the faithful bearer tocontinue his exercise until the piper or he should be tired out. 

The contents of the letter greatly surprised him. It hadoriginally commenced with 'Dear Sir'; but these words had beencarefully erased, and the monosyllable 'Sir' substituted in theirplace. The rest of the contents shall be given in Rose's ownlanguage. 

I fear I am using an improper freedom by intruding upon you, yet Icannot trust to any one else to let you know some things whichhave happened here, with which it seems necessary you should beacquainted. Forgive me, if I am wrong in what I am doing; for, alas! Mr. Waverley, I have no better advice than that of my ownfeelings; my dear father is gone from this place, and when he canreturn to my assistance and protection, God alone knows. You haveprobably heard that, in consequence of some troublesome news fromthe Highlands, warrants were sent out for apprehending severalgentlemen in these parts, and, among others, my dear father. Inspite of all my tears and entreaties that he would surrenderhimself to the government, he joined with Mr. Falconer and someother gentlemen, and they have all gone northwards, with a body ofabout forty horsemen. So I am not so anxious concerning hisimmediate safety as about what may follow afterwards, for thesetroubles are only beginning. But all this is nothing to you, Mr. Waverley, only I thought you would be glad to learn that my fatherhas escaped, in case you happen to have heard that he was indanger. 

The day after my father went off there came a party of soldiers toTully-Veolan, and behaved very rudely to Bailie Macwheeble; butthe officer was very civil to me, only said his duty obliged himto search for arms and papers. My father had provided against thisby taking away all the arms except the old useless things whichhung in the hall, and he had put all his papers out of the way. But O! Mr. Waverley, how shall I tell you, that they made strictinquiry after you, and asked when you had been at Tully-Veolan, and where you now were. The officer is gone back with his party, but a non-commissioned officer and four men remain as a sort ofgarrison in the house. They have hitherto behaved very well, as weare forced to keep them in good-humour. But these soldiers havehinted as if, on your falling into their hands, you would be ingreat danger; I cannot prevail on myself to write what wickedfalsehoods they said, for I am sure they are falsehoods; but youwill best judge what you ought to do. The party that returnedcarried off your servant prisoner, with your two horses, andeverything that you left at Tully-Veolan. I hope God will protectyou, and that you will get safe home to England, where you used totell me there was no military violence nor fighting among clanspermitted, but everything was done according to an equal law thatprotected all who were harmless and innocent. I hope you willexert your indulgence as to my boldness in writing to you, whereit seems to me, though perhaps erroneously, that your safety andhonour are concerned. I am sure--at least I think, my fatherwould approve of my writing; for Mr. Rubrick is fled to hiscousin's at the Duchran, to to be out of danger from the soldiersand the Whigs, and Bailie Macwheeble does not like to meddle (hesays) in other men's concerns, though I hope what may serve myfather's friend at such a time as this cannot be termed improperinterference. Farewell, Captain Waverley! I shall probaby neversee you more; for it would be very improper to wish you to call atTully-Veolan just now, even if these men were gone; but I willalways remember with gratitude your kindness in assisting so poora scholar as myself, and your attentions to my dear, dear father. 

I remain, your obliged servant, ROSE COMYNE BRADWARDINE. 

P. S. --I hope you will send me a line by David Gellatley, just tosay you have received this and that you will take care ofyourself; and forgive me if I entreat you, for your own sake, tojoin none of these unhappy cabals, but escape, as fast aspossible, to your own fortunate country. My compliments to my dearFlora and to Glennaquoich. Is she not as handsome and accomplishedas I have described her?

Thus concluded the letter of Rose Bradwardine, the contents ofwhich both surprised and affected Waverley. That the Baron shouldfall under the suspicions of government, in consequence of thepresent stir among the partisans of the house of Stuart, seemedonly the natural consequence of his political predilections; buthow HE himself should have been involved in such suspicions, conscious that until yesterday he had been free from harbouring athought against the prosperity of the reigning family, seemedinexplicable. Both at Tully-Veolan and Glennaquoich his hosts hadrespected his engagements with the existing government, and thoughenough passed by accidental innuendo that might induce him toreckon the Baron and the Chief among those disaffected gentlemenwho were still numerous in Scotland, yet until his own connectionwith the army had been broken off by the resumption of hiscommission, he had no reason to suppose that they nourished anyimmediate or hostile attempts against the present establishment. Still he was aware that, unless he meant at once to embrace theproposal of Fergus Mac-Ivor, it would deeply concern him to leavethe suspicious neighbourhood without delay, and repair where hisconduct might undergo a satisfactory examination. Upon this he therather determined, as Flora's advice favoured his doing so, andbecause he felt inexpressible repugnance at the idea of beingaccessary to the plague of civil war. Whatever were the originalrights of the Stuarts, calm reflection told him that, omitting thequestion how far James the Second could forfeit those of hisposterity, he had, according to the united voice of the wholenation, justly forfeited his own. Since that period four monarchshad reigned in peace and glory over Britain, sustaining andexalting the character of the nation abroad and its liberties athome. Reason asked, was it worth while to disturb a government solong settled and established, and to plunge a kingdom into all themiseries of civil war, for the purpose of replacing upon thethrone the descendants of a monarch by whom it had been wilfullyforfeited? If, on the other hand, his own final conviction of thegoodness of their cause, or the commands of his father or uncle, should recommend to him allegiance to the Stuarts, still it wasnecessary to clear his own character by showing that he had not, as seemed to be falsely insinuated, taken any step to this purposeduring his holding the commission of the reigning monarch, The affectionate simplicity of Rose and her anxiety for hissafety, his sense too of her unprotected state, and of the terrorand actual dangers to which she might be exposed, made animpression upon his mind, and he instantly wrote to thank her inthe kindest terms for her solicitude on his account, to expresshis earnest good wishes for her welfare and that of her father, and to assure her of his own safety. The feelings which this taskexcited were speedily lost in the necessity which he now saw ofbidding farewell to Flora Mac-Ivor, perhaps for ever. The pangattending this reflection was inexpressible; for her high-mindedelevation of character, her self-devotion to the cause which shehad embraced, united to her scrupulous rectitude as to the meansof serving it, had vindicated to his judgment the choice adoptedby his passions. But time pressed, calumny was busy with his fame, and every hour's delay increased the power to injure it. Hisdeparture must be instant. 

With this determination he sought out Fergus, and communicated tohim the contents of Rose's letter, with his own resolutioninstantly to go to Edinburgh, and put into the hands of some oneor other of those persons of influence to whom he had letters fromhis father his exculpation from any charge which might bepreferred against him. 

'You run your head into the lion's mouth, ' answered Mac-Ivor. 'Youdo not know the severity of a government harassed by justapprehensions, and a consciousness of their own illegality andinsecurity. I shall have to deliver you from some dungeon inStirling or Edinburgh Castle. '

'My innocence, my rank, my father's intimacy with Lord M--, General G--, etc. , will be a sufficient protection, ' saidWaverley. 

'You will find the contrary, ' replied the Chieftain, 'thesegentlemen will have enough to do about their own matters. Oncemore, will you take the plaid, and stay a little while with usamong the mists and the crows, in the bravest cause ever sword wasdrawn in?'

[Footnote: A Highland rhyme on Glencairn's Expedition, in 1650, has these lines--

 We'll bide a while amang ta crows, We'll wiske ta sword and bend ta bows]

'For many reasons, my dear Fergus, you must hold me excused. '

'Well then, ' said Mac-Ivor, 'I shall certainly find you exertingyour poetical talents in elegies upon a prison, or yourantiquarian researches in detecting the Oggam [Footnote: The Oggamis a species of the old Irish character. The idea of thecorrespondence betwixt the Celtic and Punic, founded on a scene inPlautus, was not started till General Vallancey set up his theory, long after the date of Fergus Mac-Ivor] character or some Punichieroglyphic upon the keystones of a vault, curiously arched. Orwhat say you to un petit pendement bien joli? against whichawkward ceremony I don't warrant you, should you meet a body ofthe armed West-Country Whigs. '

'And why should they use me so?' said Waverley. 

'For a hundred good reasons, ' answered Fergus. 'First, you are anEnglishman; secondly, a gentleman; thirdly, a prelatist abjured;and, fourthly, they have not had an opportunity to exercise theirtalents on such a subject this long while. But don't be cast down, beloved; all will be done in the fear of the Lord. '

'Well, I must run my hazard. '

'You are determined, then?'

'I am. '

'Wilful will do't' said Fergus. 'But you cannot go on foot, and Ishall want no horse, as I must march on foot at the head of thechildren of Ivor; you shall have brown Dermid. '

'If you will sell him, I shall certainly be much obliged. '

'If your proud English heart cannot be obliged by a gift or loan, I will not refuse money at the entrance of a campaign: his priceis twenty guineas. [Remember, reader, it was Sixty Years Since. ]And when do you propose to depart?'

'The sooner the better, ' answered Waverley. 

'You are right, since go you must, or rather, since go you will. Iwill take Flora's pony and ride with you as far as Bally-Brough. Callum Beg, see that our horses are ready, with a pony foryourself, to attend and carry Mr. Waverley's baggage as far as--(naming a small town), where he can have a horse and guide toEdinburgh. Put on a Lowland dress, Callum, and see you keep yourtongue close, if you would not have me cut it out. Mr. Waverleyrides Dermid. ' Then turning to Edward, 'You will take leave of mysister?'

'Surely--that is, if Miss Mac-Ivor will honour me so far. '

'Cathleen, let my sister know Mr. Waverley wishes to bid herfarewell before he leaves us. But Rose Bradwardine, her situationmust be thought of; I wish she were here. And why should she not?There are but four red-coats at Tully-Veolan, and their musketswould be very useful to us. '

To these broken remarks Edward made no answer; his ear indeedreceived them, but his soul was intent upon the expected entranceof Flora. The door opened. It was but Cathleen, with her lady'sexcuse, and wishes for Captain Waverley's health and happiness. 

CHAPTER XXIX

WAVERLEY'S RECEPTION IN THE LOWLANDS AFTER HIS HIGHLAND TOUR

It was noon when the two friends stood at the top of the pass ofBally-Brough. 'I must go no farther, ' said Fergus Mac-Ivor, whoduring the journey had in vain endeavoured to raise his friend'sspirits. 'If my cross-grained sister has any share in yourdejection, trust me she thinks highly of you, though her presentanxiety about the public cause prevents her listening to any othersubject. Confide your interest to me; I will not betray it, providing you do not again assume that vile cockade. '

'No fear of that, considering the manner in which it has beenrecalled. Adieu, Fergus; do not permit your sister to forget me. '

'And adieu, Waverley; you may soon hear of her with a proudertitle. Get home, write letters, and make friends as many and asfast as you can; there will speedily be unexpected guests on thecoast of Suffolk, or my news from France has deceivedme. ' [Footnote: The sanguine Jacobites, during the eventful years1745-46, kept up the spirits of their party by the rumour ofdescents from France on behalf of the Chevalier St. George. ]

Thus parted the friends; Fergus returning back to his castle, while Edward, followed by Callum Beg, the latter transformed frompoint to point into a Low-Country groom, proceeded to the littletown of--. 

Edward paced on under the painful and yet not altogetherembittered feelings which separation and uncertainty produce inthe mind of a youthful lover. I am not sure if the ladiesunderstand the full value of the influence of absence, nor do Ithink it wise to teach it them, lest, like the Clelias andMandanes of yore, they should resume the humour of sending theirlovers into banishment. Distance, in truth, produces in idea thesame effect as in real perspective. Objects are softened, androunded, and rendered doubly graceful; the harsher and moreordinary points of character are mellowed down, and those by whichit is remembered are the more striking outlines that marksublimity, grace, or beauty. There are mists too in the mental aswell as the natural horizon, to conceal what is less pleasing indistant objects, and there are happy lights, to stream in fullglory upon those points which can profit by brilliantillumination. 

Waverley forgot Flora Mac-Ivor's prejudices in her magnanimity, and almost pardoned her indifference towards his affection when herecollected the grand and decisive object which seemed to fill herwhole soul. She, whose sense of duty so wholly engrossed her inthe cause of a benefactor, what would be her feelings in favour ofthe happy individual who should be so fortunate as to awaken them?Then came the doubtful question, whether he might not be thathappy man, --a question which fancy endeavoured to answer in theaffirmative, by conjuring up all she had said in his praise, withthe addition of a comment much more flattering than the textwarranted. All that was commonplace, all that belonged to theevery-day world, was melted away and obliterated in those dreamsof imagination, which only remembered with advantage the points ofgrace and dignity that distinguished Flora from the generality ofher sex, not the particulars which she held in common with them. Edward was, in short, in the fair way of creating a goddess out ofa high-spirited, accomplished, and beautiful young woman; and thetime was wasted in castle-building until, at the descent of asteep hill, he saw beneath him the market-town of ----. 

The Highland politeness of Callum Beg--there are few nations, bythe way, who can boast of so much natural politeness as theHighlanders [Footnote: The Highlander, in former times, had alwaysa high idea of his own gentility, and was anxious to impress thesame upon those with whom he conversed. His language abounded inthe phrases of courtesy and compliment; and the habit of carryingarms, and mixing with those who did so, made it particularlydesirable they should use cautious politeness in their intercoursewith each other. ]--the Highland civility of his attendant had notpermitted him to disturb the reveries of our hero. But observinghim rouse himself at the sight of the village, Callum pressedcloser to his side, and hoped 'when they cam to the public, hishonour wad not say nothing about Vich Ian Vohr, for ta people werebitter Whigs, deil burst tem. '

Waverley assured the prudent page that he would be cautious; andas he now distinguished, not indeed the ringing of bells, but thetinkling of something like a hammer against the side of an oldmossy, green, inverted porridge-pot that hung in an open booth, ofthe size and shape of a parrot's cage, erected to grace the eastend of a building resembling an old barn, he asked Callum Beg ifit were Sunday. 

'Could na say just preceesely; Sunday seldom cam aboon the pass ofBally-Brough. '

On entering the town, however, and advancing towards the mostapparent public-house which presented itself, the numbers of oldwomen, in tartan screens and red cloaks, who streamed from thebarn-resembling building, debating as they went the comparativemerits of the blessed youth Jabesh Rentowel and that chosen vesselMaister Goukthrapple, induced Callum to assure his temporarymaster 'that it was either ta muckle Sunday hersell, or ta littlegovernment Sunday that they ca'd ta fast. '

On alighting at the sign of the Seven-branched Golden Candlestick, which, for the further delectation of the guests, was graced witha short Hebrew motto, they were received by mine host, a tall thinpuritanical figure, who seemed to debate with himself whether heought to give shelter to those who travelled on such a day. Reflecting, however, in all probability, that he possessed thepower of mulcting them for this irregularity, a penalty which theymight escape by passing into Gregor Duncanson's, at the sign ofthe Highlander and the Hawick Gill, Mr. Ebenezer Cruickshankscondescended to admit them into his dwelling. 

To this sanctified person Waverley addressed his request that hewould procure him a guide, with a saddle-horse, to carry hisportmanteau to Edinburgh. 

'And whar may ye be coming from?' demanded mine host of theCandlestick. 

'I have told you where I wish to go; I do not conceive any furtherinformation necessary either for the guide or his saddle-horse. '

'Hem! Ahem!' returned he of the Candlestick, somewhat disconcertedat this rebuff. 'It's the general fast, sir, and I cannot enterinto ony carnal transactions on sic a day, when the people shouldbe humbled and the backsliders should return, as worthy Mr. Goukthrapple said; and moreover when, as the precious Mr. JabeshRentowel did weel observe, the land was mourning for covenantsburnt, broken, and buried. '

'My good friend, ' said Waverley, 'if you cannot let me have ahorse and guide, my servant shall seek them elsewhere. '

'Aweel! Your servant? and what for gangs he not forward wi' youhimsell?'

Waverley had but very little of a captain of horse's spirit withinhim--I mean of that sort of spirit which I have been obliged towhen I happened, in a mail coach or diligence, to meet somemilitary man who has kindly taken upon him the disciplining of thewaiters and the taxing of reckonings. Some of this useful talentour hero had, however, acquired during his military service, andon this gross provocation it began seriously to arise. 'Look ye, sir; I came here for my own accommodation, and not to answerimpertinent questions. Either say you can, or cannot, get me whatI want; I shall pursue my course in either case. '

Mr. Ebenezer Cruickshanks left the room with some indistinctmutterings; but whether negative or acquiescent, Edward could notwell distinguish. The hostess, a civil, quiet, laborious drudge, came to take his orders for dinner, but declined to make answer onthe subject of the horse and guide; for the Salique law, it seems, extended to the stables of the Golden Candlestick. 

From a window which overlooked the dark and narrow court in whichCallum Beg rubbed down the horses after their journey, Waverleyheard the following dialogue betwixt the subtle foot-page of VichIan Vohr and his landlord:--

'Ye'll be frae the north, young man?' began the latter. 

'And ye may say that, ' answered Callum. 

'And ye'll hae ridden a lang way the day, it may weel be?'

'Sae lang, that I could weel tak a dram. '

'Gudewife, bring the gill stoup. '

Here some compliments passed fitting the occasion, when my host ofthe Golden Candlestick, having, as he thought, opened his guest'sheart by this hospitable propitiation, resumed his scrutiny. 

'Ye'll no hae mickle better whisky than that aboon the Pass?'

'I am nae frae aboon the Pass. '

'Ye're a Highlandman by your tongue?'

'Na; I am but just Aberdeen-a-way. '

'And did your master come frae Aberdeen wi' you?'

'Ay; that's when I left it mysell, ' answered the cool andimpenetrable Callum Beg. 

'And what kind of a gentleman is he?'

'I believe he is ane o' King George's state officers; at leasthe's aye for ganging on to the south, and he has a hantle siller, and never grudges onything till a poor body, or in the way of alawing. '

'He wants a guide and a horse frae hence to Edinburgh?'

'Ay, and ye maun find it him forthwith. '

'Ahem! It will be chargeable. '

'He cares na for that a bodle. '

'Aweel, Duncan--did ye say your name was Duncan, or Donald?'

'Na, man--Jamie--Jamie Steenson--I telt ye before. '

This last undaunted parry altogether foiled Mr. Cruickshanks, who, though not quite satisfied either with the reserve of the masteror the extreme readiness of the man, was contented to lay a tax onthe reckoning and horse-hire that might compound for hisungratified curiosity. The circumstance of its being the fast daywas not forgotten in the charge, which, on the whole, did not, however, amount to much more than double what in fairness itshould have been. 

Callum Beg soon after announced in person the ratification of thistreaty, adding, 'Ta auld deevil was ganging to ride wi' ta duinhe-wassel hersell. '

'That will not be very pleasant, Callum, nor altogether safe, forour host seems a person of great curiosity; but a traveller mustsubmit to these inconveniences. Meanwhile, my good lad, here is atrifle for you to drink Vich Ian Vohr's health. '

The hawk's eye of Callum flashed delight upon a golden guinea, with which these last words were accompanied. He hastened, notwithout a curse on the intricacies of a Saxon breeches pocket, orspleuchan, as he called it, to deposit the treasure in his fob;and then, as if he conceived the benevolence called for somerequital on his part, he gathered close up to Edward, with anexpression of countenance peculiarly knowing, and spoke in anundertone, 'If his honour thought ta auld deevil Whig carle was abit dangerous, she could easily provide for him, and teil ane tawiser. '

'How, and in what manner?'

'Her ain sell, ' replied Callum, 'could wait for him a wee bit fraethe toun, and kittle his quarters wi'her skene-occle. '

'Skene-occle! what's that?'

Callum unbuttoned his coat, raised his left arm, and, with anemphatic nod, pointed to the hilt of a small dirk, snuglydeposited under it, in the lining of his jacket. Waverley thoughthe had misunderstood his meaning; he gazed in his face, anddiscovered in Callum's very handsome though embrowned featuresjust the degree of roguish malice with which a lad of the same agein England would have brought forward a plan for robbing anorchard. 

'Good God, Callum, would you take the man's life?'

'Indeed, ' answered the young desperado, 'and I think he has hadjust a lang enough lease o 't, when he's for betraying honest folkthat come to spend siller at his public. '

Edward saw nothing was to be gained by argument, and thereforecontented himself with enjoining Callum to lay aside all practicesagainst the person of Mr. Ebenezer Cruickshanks; in whichinjunction the page seemed to acquiesce with an air of greatindifference. 

'Ta duinhe-wassel might please himsell; ta auld rudas loon hadnever done Callum nae ill. But here's a bit line frae taTighearna, tat he bade me gie your honour ere I came back. '

The letter from the Chief contained Flora's lines on the fate ofCaptain Wogan, whose enterprising character is so well drawn byClarendon. He had originally engaged in the service of theParliament, but had abjured that party upon the execution ofCharles I; and upon hearing that the royal standard was set up bythe Earl of Glencairn and General Middleton in the Highlands ofScotland, took leave of Charles II, who was then at Paris, passedinto England, assembled a body of Cavaliers in the neighbourhoodof London, and traversed the kingdom, which had been so long underdomination of the usurper, by marches conducted with such skill, dexterity, and spirit that he safely united his handful ofhorsemen with the body of Highlanders then in arms. After severalmonths of desultory warfare, in which Wogan's skill and couragegained him the highest reputation, he had the misfortune to bewounded in a dangerous manner, and no surgical assistance beingwithin reach he terminated his short but glorious career. 

There were obvious reasons why the politic Chieftain was desirousto place the example of this young hero under the eye of Waverley, with whose romantic disposition it coincided so peculiarly. Buthis letter turned chiefly upon some trifling commissions whichWaverley had promised to execute for him in England, and it wasonly toward the conclusion that Edward found these words: 'I oweFlora a grudge for refusing us her company yesterday; and, as I amgiving you the trouble of reading these lines, in order to keep inyour memory your promise to procure me the fishing-tackle andcross-bow from London, I will enclose her verses on the Grave ofWogan. This I know will tease her; for, to tell you the truth, Ithink her more in love with the memory of that dead hero than sheis likely to be with any living one, unless he shall tread asimilar path. But English squires of our day keep their oak-treesto shelter their deer parks, or repair the losses of an evening atWhite's, and neither invoke them to wreathe their brows norshelter their graves. Let me hope for one brilliant exception in adear friend, to whom I would most gladly give a dearer title. '

The verses were inscribed, To an Oak Tree

 In the Church-Yard of ----, in the Highlands of Scotland, said to mark the Grave of Captain Wogan, killed in 1649. 

 Emblem of England's ancient faith, Full proudly may thy branches wave, Where loyalty lies low in death, And valour fills a timeless grave. 

 And thou, brave tenant of the tomb! Repine not if our clime deny, Above thine honour'd sod to bloom The flowerets of a milder sky. 

 These owe their birth to genial May; Beneath a fiercer sun they pine, Before the winter storm decay; And can their worth be type of thine?

 No! for, 'mid storms of Fate opposing, Still higher swell'd thy dauntless heart, And, while Despair the scene was closing, Commenced thy brief but brilliant part. 

 'T was then thou sought'st on Albyn's hill, (When England's sons the strife resign'd) A rugged race resisting still, And unsubdued though unrefined. 

 Thy death's hour heard no kindred wail, No holy knell thy requiem rung; Thy mourners were the plaided Gael, Thy dirge the clamourous pibroch sung. 

 Yet who, in Fortune's summer-shine To waste life's longest term away, Would change that glorious dawn of thine, Though darken'd ere its noontide day!

 Be thine the tree whose dauntless boughs Brave summer's drought and winter's gloom. Rome bound with oak her patriots' brows, As Albyn shadows Wogan's tomb. 

Whatever might be the real merit of Flora Mac-Ivor'spoetry, the enthusiasm which it intimated was well calculated tomake a corresponding impression upon her lover. The lines wereread--read again, then deposited in Waverley's bosom, then againdrawn out, and read line by line, in a low and smothered voice, and with frequent pauses which prolonged the mental treat, as anepicure protracts, by sipping slowly, the enjoyment of a deliciousbeverage. The entrance of Mrs. Cruickshanks with the sublunaryarticles of dinner and wine hardly interrupted this pantomime ofaffectionate enthusiasm. 

At length the tall ungainly figure and ungracious visage ofEbenezer presented themselves. The upper part of his form, notwithstanding the season required no such defence, was shroudedin a large great-coat, belted over his under habiliments, andcrested with a huge cowl of the same stuff, which, when drawn overthe head and hat, completely overshadowed both, and, beingbuttoned beneath the chin, was called a trot-cozy. His handgrasped a huge jockey-whip, garnished with brassmounting. His thinlegs tenanted a pair of gambadoes, fastened at the sides withrusty clasps. Thus accoutred, he stalked into the midst of theapartment, and announced his errand in brief phrase: 'Yer horsesare ready. '

'You go with me yourself then, landlord?'

'I do, as far as Perth; where ye may be supplied with a guide toEmbro', as your occasions shall require. '

Thus saying, he placed under Waverley's eye the bill which he heldin his hand; and at the same time, self-invited, filled a glassof wine and drank devoutly to a blessing on their journey. Waverley stared at the man's impudence, but, as their connectionwas to be short and promised to be convenient, he made noobservation upon it; and, having paid his reckoning, expressed hisintention to depart immediately. He mounted Dermid accordingly andsallied forth from the Golden Candlestick, followed by thepuritanical figure we have described, after he had, at the expenseof some time and difficulty, and by the assistance of a 'louping-on-stane, ' or structure of masonry erected for the traveller'sconvenience in front of the house, elevated his person to the backof a long-backed, raw-boned, thin-gutted phantom of a broken-downblood-horse, on which Waverley's portmanteau was deposited. Ourhero, though not in a very gay humour, could hardly help laughingat the appearance of his new squire, and at imagining theastonishment which his person and equipage would have excited atWaverley-Honour. 

Edward's tendency to mirth did not escape mine host of theCandlestick, who, conscious of the cause, infused a double portionof souring into the pharisaical leaven of his countenance, andresolved internally that, in one way or other, the young'Englisher' should pay dearly for the contempt with which heseemed to regard him. Callum also stood at the gate and enjoyed, with undissembled glee, the ridiculous figure of Mr. Cruickshanks. As Waverley passed him he pulled off his hat respectfully, and, approaching his stirrup, bade him 'Tak heed the auld whig deevilplayed him nae cantrip. '

Waverley once more thanked and bade him farewell, and then rodebriskly onward, not sorry to be out of hearing of the shouts ofthe children, as they beheld old Ebenezer rise and sink in hisstirrups to avoid the concussions occasioned by a hard trot upon ahalf-paved street. The village of--was soon several miles behindhim. 

CHAPTER XXX

SHOWS THAT THE LOSS OF A HORSE'S SHOE MAY BE A SERIOUSINCONVENIENCE

The manner and air of Waverley, but, above all, the glitteringcontents of his purse, and the indifference with which he seemedto regard them, somewhat overawed his companion, and deterred himfrom making any attempts to enter upon conversation. His ownreflections were moreover agitated by various surmises, and byplans of self-interest with which these were intimately connected. The travellers journeyed, therefore, in silence, until it wasinterrupted by the annunciation, on the part of the guide, thathis 'naig had lost a fore-foot shoe, which, doubtless, his honourwould consider it was his part to replace. '

This was what lawyers call a fishing question, calculated toascertain how far Waverley was disposed to submit to pettyimposition. 'My part to replace your horse's shoe, you rascal!'said Waverley, mistaking the purport of the intimation. 

'Indubitably, ' answered Mr. Cruickshanks; 'though there was nopreceese clause to that effect, it canna be expected that I am topay for the casualties whilk may befall the puir naig while inyour honour's service. Nathless, if your honour--'

'O, you mean I am to pay the farrier; but where shall we findone?'

Rejoiced at discerning there would be no objection made on thepart of his temporary master, Mr. Cruickshanks assured him thatCairnvreckan, a village which they were about to enter, was happyin an excellent blacksmith; 'but as he was a professor, he woulddrive a nail for no man on the Sabbath or kirk-fast, unless itwere in a case of absolute necessity, for which he always chargedsixpence each shoe. ' The most important part of thiscommunication, in the opinion of the speaker, made a very slightimpression on the hearer, who only internally wondered whatcollege this veterinary professor belonged to, not aware that theword was used to denote any person who pretended to uncommonsanctity of faith and manner. 

As they entered the village of Cairnvreckan, they speedilydistinguished the smith's house. Being also a public, it was twostories high, and proudly reared its crest, covered with greyslate, above the thatched hovels by which it was surrounded. Theadjoining smithy betokened none of the Sabbatical silence andrepose which Ebenezer had augured from the sanctity of his friend. On the contrary, hammer clashed and anvil rang, the bellowsgroaned, and the whole apparatus of Vulcan appeared to be in fullactivity. Nor was the labour of a rural and pacific nature. Themaster smith, benempt, as his sign intimated, John Mucklewrath, with two assistants, toiled busily in arranging, repairing, andfurbishing old muskets, pistols, and swords, which lay scatteredaround his workshop in military confusion. The open shed, containing the forge, was crowded with persons who came and wentas if receiving and communicating important news, and a singleglance at the aspect of the people who traversed the street inhaste, or stood assembled in groups, with eyes elevated and handsuplifted, announced that some extraordinary intelligence wasagitating the public mind of the municipality of Cairnvreckan. 'There is some news, ' said mine host of the Candlestick, pushinghis lantern-jawed visage and bare-boned nag rudely forward intothe crowd--'there is some news; and, if it please my Creator, Iwill forthwith obtain speirings thereof. '

Waverley, with better regulated curiosity than his attendant's, dismounted and gave his horse to a boy who stood idling near. Itarose, perhaps, from the shyness of his character in early youth, that he felt dislike at applying to a stranger even for casualinformation, without previously glancing at his physiognomy andappearance. While he looked about in order to select the personwith whom he would most willingly hold communication, the buzzaround saved him in some degree the trouble of interrogatories. The names of Lochiel, Clanronald, Glengarry, and otherdistinguished Highland Chiefs, among whom Vich Ian Vohr wasrepeatedly mentioned, were as familiar in men's mouths ashousehold words; and from the alarm generally expressed, he easilyconceived that their descent into the Lowlands, at the head oftheir armed tribes, had either already taken place or wasinstantly apprehended. 

Ere Waverley could ask particulars, a strong, large-boned, hard-featured woman, about forty, dressed as if her clothes had beenflung on with a pitchfork, her cheeks flushed with a scarlet redwhere they were not smutted with soot and lamp-black, jostledthrough the crowd, and, brandishing high a child of two years old, which she danced in her arms without regard to its screams ofterror, sang forth with all her might, --

 Charlie is my darling, my darling, my darling, Charlie is my darling, The young Chevalier!

'D' ye hear what's come ower ye now, ' continued the virago, 'yewhingeing Whig carles? D'ye hear wha's coming to cow yer cracks?

 Little wot ye wha's coming, Little wot ye wha's coming, A' the wild Macraws are coming. '

The Vulcan of Cairnvreckan, who acknowledged his Venus in thisexulting Bacchante, regarded her with a grim and ire-forebodingcountenance, while some of the senators of the village hastened tointerpose. 'Whisht, gudewife; is this a time or is this a day tobe singing your ranting fule sangs in?--a time when the wine ofwrath is poured out without mixture in the cup of indignation, anda day when the land should give testimony against popery, andprelacy, and quakerism, and independency, and supremacy, anderastianism, and antinomianism, and a' the errors of the church?'

'And that's a' your Whiggery, ' reechoed the Jacobite heroine;'that's a' your Whiggery, and your presbytery, ye cut-lugged, graning carles! What! d' ye think the lads wi' the kilts will carefor yer synods and yer presbyteries, and yer buttock-mail, and yerstool o' repentance? Vengeance on the black face o't! mony anhonester woman's been set upon it than streeks doon beside onyWhig in the country. I mysell--'

Here John Mucklewrath, who dreaded her entering upon a detail ofpersonal experience, interposed his matrimonial authority. 'Gaehame, and be d--(that I should say sae), and put on the sowensfor supper. '

'And you, ye doil'd dotard, ' replied his gentle helpmate, herwrath, which had hitherto wandered abroad over the whole assembly, being at once and violently impelled into its natural channel, 'YEstand there hammering dog-heads for fules that will never snapthem at a Highlandman, instead of earning bread for your familyand shoeing this winsome young gentleman's horse that's just comefrae the north! I'se warrant him nane of your whingeing KingGeorge folk, but a gallant Gordon, at the least o' him. '

The eyes of the assembly were now turned upon Waverley, who tookthe opportunity to beg the smith to shoe his guide's horse withall speed, as he wished to proceed on his journey; for he hadheard enough to make him sensible that there would be danger indelaying long in this place. The smith's eyes rested on him with alook of displeasure and suspicion, not lessened by the eagernesswith which his wife enforced Waverley's mandate. 'D'ye hear whatthe weel-favoured young gentleman says, ye drunken ne'er-do-good?'

'And what may your name be, sir?' quoth Mucklewrath. 

'It is of no consequence to you, my friend, provided I pay yourlabour. '

'But it may be of consequence to the state, sir, ' replied an oldfarmer, smelling strongly of whisky and peat-smoke; 'and I doubtwe maun delay your journey till you have seen the Laird. '

'You certainly, ' said Waverley, haughtily, 'will find it bothdifficult and dangerous to detain me, unless you can produce someproper authority. '

There was a pause and a whisper among the crowd--'SecretaryMurray'--'Lord Lewis Gordon'--'Maybe the Chevalier himsell!' Suchwere the surmises that passed hurriedly among them, and there wasobviously an increased disposition to resist Waverley's departure. He attempted to argue mildly with them, but his voluntary ally, Mrs. Mucklewrath, broke in upon and drowned his expostulations, taking his part with an abusive violence which was all set down toEdward's account by those on whom it was bestowed. 'YE'LL stop onygentleman that's the Prince's freend?' for she too, though withother feelings, had adopted the general opinion respectingWaverley. 'I daur ye to touch him, ' spreading abroad her long andmuscular fingers, garnished with claws which a vulture might haveenvied. 'I'll set my ten commandments in the face o' the firstloon that lays a finger on him. '

'Gae hame, gudewife, ' quoth the farmer aforesaid; 'it wad betterset you to be nursing the gudeman's bairns than to be deaving ushere. '

'HIS bairns?' retorted the Amazon, regarding her husband with agrin of ineffable contempt--'HIS bairns!

 O gin ye were dead, gudeman, And a green turf on your head, gudeman! Then I wad ware my widowhood Upon a ranting Highlandman'

This canticle, which excited a suppressed titter among the youngerpart of the audience, totally overcame the patience of the tauntedman of the anvil. 'Deil be in me but I'll put this het gad downher throat!' cried he in an ecstasy of wrath, snatching a bar fromthe forge; and he might have executed his threat, had he not beenwithheld by a part of the mob, while the rest endeavoured to forcethe termagant out of his presence. 

Waverley meditated a retreat in the confusion, but his horse wasnowhere to be seen. At length he observed at some distance hisfaithful attendant, Ebenezer, who, as soon as he had perceived theturn matters were likely to take, had withdrawn both horses fromthe press, and, mounted on the one and holding the other, answeredthe loud and repeated calls of Waverley for his horse. 'Na, na! ifye are nae friend to kirk and the king, and are detained as siccana person, ye maun answer to honest men of the country for breachof contract; and I maun keep the naig and the walise for damageand expense, in respect my horse and mysell will lose to-morrow'sday's wark, besides the afternoon preaching. '

Edward, out of patience, hemmed in and hustled by the rabble onevery side, and every moment expecting personal violence, resolvedto try measures of intimidation, and at length drew a pocket-pistol, threatening, on the one hand, to shoot whomsoever dared tostop him, and, on the other, menacing Ebenezer with a similar doomif he stirred a foot with the horses. The sapient Partridge saysthat one man with a pistol is equal to a hundred unarmed, because, though he can shoot but one of the multitude, yet no one knows butthat he himself may be that luckless individual. The levy en masseof Cairnvreckan would therefore probably have given way, nor wouldEbenezer, whose natural paleness had waxed three shades morecadaverous, have ventured to dispute a mandate so enforced, hadnot the Vulcan of the village, eager to discharge upon some moreworthy object the fury which his helpmate had provoked, and notill satisfied to find such an object in Waverley, rushed at himwith the red-hot bar of iron with such determination as made thedischarge of his pistol an act of self-defence. The unfortunateman fell; and while Edward, thrilled with a natural horror at theincident, neither had presence of mind to unsheathe his sword norto draw his remaining pistol, the populace threw themselves uponhim, disarmed him, and were about to use him with great violence, when the appearance of a venerable clergyman, the pastor of theparish, put a curb on their fury. 

This worthy man (none of the Goukthrapples or Rentowels)maintained his character with the common people, although hepreached the practical fruits of Christian faith as well as itsabstract tenets, and was respected by the higher orders, notwithstanding he declined soothing their speculative errors byconverting the pulpit of the gospel into a school of heathenmorality. Perhaps it is owing to this mixture of faith andpractice in his doctrine that, although his memory has formed asort of era in the annals of Cairnvreckan, so that theparishioners, to denote what befell Sixty Years Since, still sayit happened 'in good Mr. Morton's time, ' I have never been able todiscover which he belonged to, the evangelical or the moderateparty in the kirk. Nor do I hold the circumstance of much moment, since, in my own remembrance, the one was headed by an Erskine, the other by a Robertson. 

[Footnote: The Reverend John Erskine, D. D, an eminent Scottishdivine and a most excellent man, headed the Evangelical party inthe Church of Scotland at the time when the celebrated DoctorRobertson, the historian, was the leader of the Moderate party. These two distinguished persons were colleagues in the Old GreyFriars' Church, Edinburgh; and, however much they differed inchurch politics, preserved the most perfect harmony as privatefriends and as clergymen serving the same cure]

Mr. Morton had been alarmed by the discharge of the pistol and theincreasing hubbub around the smithy. His first attention, after hehad directed the bystanders to detain Waverley, but to abstainfrom injuring him, was turned to the body of Mucklewrath, overwhich his wife, in a revulsion of feeling, was weeping, howling, and tearing her elf-locks in a state little short of distraction. On raising up the smith, the first discovery was that he wasalive; and the next that he was likely to live as long as if hehad never heard the report of a pistol in his life. He had made anarrow escape, however; the bullet had grazed his head and stunnedhim for a moment or two, which trance terror and confusion ofspirit had prolonged somewhat longer. He now arose to demandvengeance on the person of Waverley, and with difficultyacquiesced in the proposal of Mr. Morton that he should be carriedbefore the Laird, as a justice of peace, and placed at hisdisposal. The rest of the assistants unanimously agreed to themeasure recommended; even Mrs. Mucklewrath, who had begun torecover from her hysterics, whimpered forth, 'She wadna saynaething against what the minister proposed; he was e'en ower gudefor his trade, and she hoped to see him wi' a dainty decentbishop's gown on his back; a comelier sight than your Genevacloaks and bands, I wis. '

All controversy being thus laid aside, Waverley, escorted by thewhole inhabitants of the village who were not bed-ridden, wasconducted to the house of Cairnvreckan, which was about half amile distant. 

CHAPTER XXXI

AN EXAMINATION

Major Melville of Cairnvreckan, an elderly gentleman, who hadspent his youth in the military service, received Mr. Morton withgreat kindness, and our hero with civility, which the equivocalcircumstances wherein Edward was placed rendered constrained anddistant. 

The nature of the smith's hurt was inquired into, and, as theactual injury was likely to prove trifling, and the circumstancesin which it was received rendered the infliction on Edward's parta natural act of self-defence, the Major conceived he mightdismiss that matter on Waverley's depositing in his hands a smallsum for the benefit of the wounded person. 

'I could wish, sir, ' continued the Major, 'that my duty terminatedhere; but it is necessary that we should have some further inquiryinto the cause of your journey through the country at thisunfortunate and distracted time. '

Mr. Ebenezer Cruickshanks now stood forth, and communicated to themagistrate all he knew or suspected from the reserve of Waverleyand the evasions of Callum Beg. The horse upon which Edward rode, he said, he knew to belong to Vich Ian Vohr, though he dared nottax Edward's former attendant with the fact, lest he should havehis house and stables burnt over his head some night by thatgodless gang, the Mac-Ivors. He concluded by exaggerating his ownservices to kirk and state, as having been the means, under God(as he modestly qualified the assertion), of attaching thissuspicious and formidable delinquent. He intimated hopes of futurereward, and of instant reimbursement for loss of time, and even ofcharacter, by travelling on the state business on the fast-day. 

To this Major Melville answered, with great composure, that so farfrom claiming any merit in this affair, Mr. Cruickshanks ought todeprecate the imposition of a very heavy fine for neglecting tolodge, in terms of the recent proclamation, an account with thenearest magistrate of any stranger who came to his inn; that, asMr. Cruickshanks boasted so much of religion and loyalty, heshould not impute this conduct to disaffection, but only supposethat his zeal for kirk and state had been lulled asleep by theopportunity of charging a stranger with double horse-hire; that, however, feeling himself incompetent to decide singly upon theconduct of a person of such importance, he should reserve it forconsideration of the next quarter-sessions. Now our history forthe present saith no more of him of the Candlestick, who wendeddolorous and malcontent back to his own dwelling. 

Major Melville then commanded the villagers to return to theirhomes, excepting two, who officiated as constables, and whom hedirected to wait below. The apartment was thus cleared of everyperson but Mr. Morton, whom the Major invited to remain; a sort offactor, who acted as clerk; and Waverley himself. There ensued apainful and embarrassed pause, till Major Melville, looking uponWaverley with much compassion, and often consulting a paper ormemorandum which he held in his hand, requested to know his name. 

'Edward Waverley. '

'I thought so; late of the--dragoons, and nephew of Sir EverardWaverley of Waverley-Honour?'

'The same. '

'Young gentleman, I am extremely sorry that this painful duty hasfallen to my lot. '

'Duty, Major Melville, renders apologies superfluous. '

'True, sir; permit me, therefore, to ask you how your time hasbeen disposed of since you obtained leave of absence from yourregiment, several weeks ago, until the present moment?'

'My reply, ' said Waverley, 'to so general a question must beguided by the nature of the charge which renders it necessary. Irequest to know what that charge is, and upon what authority I amforcibly detained to reply to it?'

'The charge, Mr. Waverley, I grieve to say, is of a very highnature, and affects your character both as a soldier and asubject. In the former capacity you are charged with spreadingmutiny and rebellion among the men you commanded, and setting themthe example of desertion, by prolonging your own absence from theregiment, contrary to the express orders of your commandingofficer. The civil crime of which you stand accused is that ofhigh treason and levying war against the king, the highestdelinquency of which a subject can be guilty. '

'And by what authority am I detained to reply to such heinouscalumnies?'

'By one which you must not dispute, nor I disobey. '

He handed to Waverley a warrant from the Supreme Criminal Court ofScotland, in full form, for apprehending and securing the personof Edward Waverley, Esq. , suspected of treasonable practices andother high crimes and misdemeanours. 

The astonishment which Waverley expressed at this communicationwas imputed by Major Melville to conscious guilt, while Mr. Mortonwas rather disposed to construe it into the surprise of innocenceunjustly suspected. There was something true in both conjectures;for although Edward's mind acquitted him of the crime with whichhe was charged, yet a hasty review of his own conduct convincedhim he might have great difficulty in establishing his innocenceto the satisfaction of others. 

'It is a very painful part of this painful business, ' said MajorMelville, after a pause, 'that, under so grave a charge, I mustnecessarily request to see such papers as you have on yourperson. '

'You shall, sir, without reserve, ' said Edward, throwing hispocket-book and memorandums upon the table; 'there is but one withwhich I could wish you would dispense. '

'I am afraid, Mr. Waverley, I can indulge you with noreservation, '

'You shall see it then, sir; and as it can be of no service, I begit may be returned. '

He took from his bosom the lines he had that morning received, andpresented them with the envelope. The Major perused them insilence, and directed his clerk to make a copy of them. He thenwrapped the copy in the envelope, and placing it on the tablebefore him, returned the original to Waverley, with an air ofmelancholy gravity. 

After indulging the prisoner, for such our hero must now beconsidered, with what he thought a reasonable time for reflection, Major Melville resumed his examination, premising that, as Mr. Waverley seemed to object to general questions, hisinterrogatories should be as specific as his informationpermitted. He then proceeded in his investigation, dictating, ashe went on, the import of the questions and answers to theamanuensis, by whom it was written down. 

'Did Mr. Waverley know one Humphry Houghton, a non-commissionedofficer in Gardiner's dragoons?'

'Certainly; he was sergeant of my troop, and son of a tenant of myuncle. '

'Exactly--and had a considerable share of your confidence, and aninfluence among his comrades?'

'I had never occasion to repose confidence in a person of hisdescription, ' answered Waverley. 'I favoured Sergeant Houghton asa clever, active young fellow, and I believe his fellow-soldiersrespected him accordingly. '

'But you used through this man, ' answered Major Melville, 'tocommunicate with such of your troop as were recruited uponWaverley-Honour?'

'Certainly; the poor fellows, finding themselves in a regimentchiefly composed of Scotch or Irish, looked up to me in any oftheir little distresses, and naturally made their countryman andsergeant their spokesman on such occasions. '

'Sergeant Houghton's influence, ' continued the Major, 'extended, then, particularly over those soldiers who followed you to theregiment from your uncle's estate?'

'Surely; but what is that to the present purpose?'

'To that I am just coming, and I beseech your candid reply. Haveyou, since leaving the regiment, held any correspondence, director indirect, with this Sergeant Houghton?'

'I!--I hold correspondence with a man of his rank and situation!How, or for what purpose?'

'That you are to explain. But did you not, for example, send tohim for some books?'

'You remind me of a trifling commission, ' said Waverley, 'which Igave Sergeant Houghton, because my servant could not read. I dorecollect I bade him, by letter, select some books, of which Isent him a list, and send them to me at Tully-Veolan. '

'And of what description were those books?'

'They related almost entirely to elegant literature; they weredesigned for a lady's perusal. '

'Were there not, Mr. Waverley, treasonable tracts and pamphletsamong them?'

'There were some political treatises, into which I hardly looked. They had been sent to me by the officiousness of a kind friend, whose heart is more to be esteemed than his prudence or politicalsagacity; they seemed to be dull compositions. '

'That friend, ' continued the persevering inquirer, 'was a Mr. Pembroke, a nonjuring clergyman, the author of two treasonableworks, of which the manuscripts were found among your baggage?'

'But of which, I give you my honour as a gentleman, ' repliedWaverley, 'I never read six pages. '

'I am not your judge, Mr. Waverley; your examination will betransmitted elsewhere. And now to proceed. Do you know a personthat passes by the name of Wily Will, or Will Ruthven?'

'I never heard of such a name till this moment. '

'Did you never through such a person, or any other person, communicate with Sergeant Humphry Houghton, instigating him todesert, with as many of his comrades as he could seduce to joinhim, and unite with the Highlanders and other rebels now in armsunder the command of the Young Pretender?'

'I assure you I am not only entirely guiltless of the plot youhave laid to my charge, but I detest it from the very bottom of mysoul, nor would I be guilty of such treachery to gain a throne, either for myself or any other man alive. '

'Yet when I consider this envelope in the handwriting of one ofthose misguided gentlemen who are now in arms against theircountry, and the verses which it enclosed, I cannot but find someanalogy between the enterprise I have mentioned and the exploit ofWogan, which the writer seems to expect you should imitate. '

Waverley was struck with the coincidence, but denied that thewishes or expectations of the letter-writer were to be regarded asproofs of a charge otherwise chimerical. 

'But, if I am rightly informed, your time was spent, during yourabsence from the regiment, between the house of this HighlandChieftain and that of Mr. Bradwardine of Bradwardine, also in armsfor this unfortunate cause?'

'I do not mean to disguise it; but I do deny, most resolutely, being privy to any of their designs against the government. '

'You do not, however, I presume, intend to deny that you attendedyour host Glennaquoich to a rendezvous, where, under a pretence ofa general hunting match, most of the accomplices of his treasonwere assembled to concert measures for taking arms?'

'I acknowledge having been at such a meeting, ' said Waverley; 'butI neither heard nor saw anything which could give it the characteryou affix to it. '

'From thence you proceeded, ' continued the magistrate, 'withGlennaquoich and a part of his clan to join the army of the YoungPretender, and returned, after having paid your homage to him, todiscipline and arm the remainder, and unite them to his bands ontheir way southward?'

'I never went with Glennaquoich on such an errand. I never so muchas heard that the person whom you mention was in the country. '

He then detailed the history of his misfortune at the huntingmatch, and added, that on his return he found himself suddenlydeprived of his commission, and did not deny that he then, for thefirst time, observed symptoms which indicated a disposition in theHighlanders to take arms; but added that, having no inclination tojoin their cause, and no longer any reason for remaining inScotland, he was now on his return to his native country, to whichhe had been summoned by those who had a right to direct hismotions, as Major Melville would perceive from the letters on thetable. 

Major Melville accordingly perused the letters of RichardWaverley, of Sir Everard, and of Aunt Rachel; but the inferenceshe drew from them were different from what Waverley expected. Theyheld the language of discontent with government, threw out noobscure hints of revenge, and that of poor Aunt Rachel, whichplainly asserted the justice of the Stuart cause, was held tocontain the open avowal of what the others only ventured toinsinuate. 

'Permit me another question, Mr. Waverley, ' said Major Melville. 'Did you not receive repeated letters from your commandingofficer, warning you and commanding you to return to your post, and acquainting you with the use made of your name to spreaddiscontent among your soldiers?'

'I never did, Major Melville. One letter, indeed, I received fromhim, containing a civil intimation of his wish that I would employmy leave of absence otherwise than in constant residence atBradwardine, as to which, I own, I thought he was not called on tointerfere; and, finally, I received, on the same day on which Iobserved myself superseded in the "Gazette, " a second letter fromColonel Gardiner, commanding me to join the regiment, an orderwhich, owing to my absence, already mentioned and accounted for, Ireceived too late to be obeyed. If there were any intermediateletters, and certainly from the Colonel's high character I thinkit probable that there were, they have never reached me. '

'I have omitted, Mr. Waverley, ' continued Major Melville, 'toinquire after a matter of less consequence, but which hasnevertheless been publicly talked of to your disadvantage. It issaid that a treasonable toast having been proposed in your hearingand presence, you, holding his Majesty's commission, suffered thetask of resenting it to devolve upon another gentleman of thecompany. This, sir, cannot be charged against you in a court ofjustice; but if, as I am informed, the officers of your regimentrequested an explanation of such a rumour, as a gentleman andsoldier I cannot but be surprised that you did not afford it tothem. '

This was too much. Beset and pressed on every hand by accusations, in which gross falsehoods were blended with such circumstances oftruth as could not fail to procure them credit, --alone, unfriended, and in a strange land, Waverley almost gave up hislife and honour for lost, and, leaning his head upon his hand, resolutely refused to answer any further questions, since the fairand candid statement he had already made had only served tofurnish arms against him. 

Without expressing either surprise or displeasure at the change inWaverley's manner, Major Melville proceeded composedly to putseveral other queries to him. 

'What does it avail me to answer you?' said Edward sullenly. 'Youappear convinced of my guilt, and wrest every reply I have made tosupport your own preconceived opinion. Enjoy your supposedtriumph, then, and torment me no further. If I am capable of thecowardice and treachery your charge burdens me with, I am notworthy to be believed in any reply I can make to you. If I am notdeserving of your suspicion--and God and my own conscience bearevidence with me that it is so--then I do not see why I should, bymy candour, lend my accusers arms against my innocence. There isno reason I should answer a word more, and I am determined toabide by this resolution. '

And again he resumed his posture of sullen and determined silence. 

'Allow me, ' said the magistrate, 'to remind you of one reason thatmay suggest the propriety of a candid and open confession. Theinexperience of youth, Mr. Waverley, lays it open to the plans ofthe more designing and artful; and one of your friends at least--Imean Mac-Ivor of Glennaquoich--ranks high in the latter class, as, from your apparent ingenuousness, youth, and unacquaintance withthe manners of the Highlands, I should be disposed to place youamong the former. In such a case, a false step or error likeyours, which I shall be happy to consider as involuntary, may beatoned for, and I would willingly act as intercessor. But, as youmust necessarily be acquainted with the strength of theindividuals in this country who have assumed arms, with theirmeans and with their plans, I must expect you will merit thismediation on my part by a frank and candid avowal of all that hascome to your knowledge upon these heads; in which case, I think Ican venture to promise that a very short personal restraint willbe the only ill consequence that can arise from your accession tothese unhappy intrigues. '

Waverley listened with great composure until the end of thisexhortation, when, springing from his seat with an energy he hadnot yet displayed, he replied, 'Major Melville, since that is yourname, I have hitherto answered your questions with candour, ordeclined them with temper, because their import concerned myselfalone; but, as you presume to esteem me mean enough to commenceinformer against others, who received me, whatever may be theirpublic misconduct, as a guest and friend, I declare to you that Iconsider your questions as an insult infinitely more offensivethan your calumnious suspicions; and that, since my hard fortunepermits me no other mode of resenting them than by verbaldefiance, you should sooner have my heart out of my bosom than asingle syllable of information on subjects which I could onlybecome acquainted with in the full confidence of unsuspectinghospitality. '

Mr. Morton and the Major looked at each other; and the former, who, in the course of the examination, had been repeatedlytroubled with a sorry rheum, had recourse to his snuff-box and hishandkerchief. 

'Mr. Waverley, ' said the Major, 'my present situation prohibits mealike from giving or receiving offence, and I will not protract adiscussion which approaches to either. I am afraid I must sign awarrant for detaining you in custody, but this house shall for thepresent be your prison. I fear I cannot persuade you to accept ashare of our supper?--(Edward shook his head)--but I will orderrefreshments in your apartment. '

Our hero bowed and withdrew, under guard of the officers ofjustice, to a small but handsome room, where, declining all offersof food or wine, he flung himself on the bed, and, stupified bythe harassing events and mental fatigue of this miserable day, hesunk into a deep and heavy slumber. This was more than he himselfcould have expected; but it is mentioned of the North-AmericanIndians, when at the stake of torture, that on the leastintermission of agony they will sleep until the fire is applied toawaken them. 

CHAPTER XXXII

A CONFERENCE AND THE CONSEQUENCE

Major Melville had detained Mr. Morton during his examination ofWaverley, both because he thought he might derive assistance fromhis practical good sense and approved loyalty, and also because itwas agreeable to have a witness of unimpeached candour andveracity to proceedings which touched the honour and safety of ayoung Englishman of high rank and family, and the expectant heirof a large fortune. Every step he knew would be rigorouslycanvassed, and it was his business to place the justice andintegrity of his own conduct beyond the limits of question. 

When Waverley retired, the laird and clergyman of Cairnvreckan satdown in silence to their evening meal. While the servants were inattendance neither chose to say anything on the circumstanceswhich occupied their minds, and neither felt it easy to speak uponany other. The youth and apparent frankness of Waverley stood instrong contrast to the shades of suspicion which darkened aroundhim, and he had a sort of naivete and openness of demeanour thatseemed to belong to one unhackneyed in the ways of intrigue, andwhich pleaded highly in his favour. 

Each mused over the particulars of the examination, and eachviewed it through the medium of his own feelings. Both were men ofready and acute talent, and both were equally competent to combinevarious parts of evidence, and to deduce from them the necessaryconclusions. But the wide difference of their habits and educationoften occasioned a great discrepancy in their respectivedeductions from admitted premises. 

Major Melville had been versed in camps and cities; he wasvigilant by profession and cautious from experience, had met withmuch evil in the world, and therefore, though himself an uprightmagistrate and an honourable man, his opinions of others werealways strict, and sometimes unjustly severe. Mr. Morton, on thecontrary, had passed from the literary pursuits of a college, where he was beloved by his companions and respected by histeachers, to the ease and simplicity of his present charge, wherehis opportunities of witnessing evil were few, and never dweltupon but in order to encourage repentance and amendment; and wherethe love and respect of his parishioners repaid his affectionatezeal in their behalf by endeavouring to disguise from him whatthey knew would give him the most acute pain, namely, their ownoccasional transgressions of the duties which it was the businessof his life to recommend. Thus it was a common saying in theneighbourhood (though both were popular characters), that thelaird knew only the ill in the parish and the minister only thegood. 

A love of letters, though kept in subordination to his clericalstudies and duties, also distinguished the pastor of Cairnvreckan, and had tinged his mind in earlier days with a slight feeling ofromance, which no after incidents of real life had entirelydissipated. The early loss of an amiable young woman whom he hadmarried for love, and who was quickly followed to the grave by anonly child, had also served, even after the lapse of many years, to soften a disposition naturally mild and contemplative. Hisfeelings on the present occasion were therefore likely to differfrom those of the severe disciplinarian, strict magistrate, anddistrustful man of the world. 

When the servants had withdrawn, the silence of both partiescontinued, until Major Melville, filling his glass and pushing thebottle to Mr. Morton, commenced--

'A distressing affair this, Mr. Morton. I fear this youngster hasbrought himself within the compass of a halter. '

'God forbid!' answered the clergyman. 

'Marry, and amen, ' said the temporal magistrate; 'but I think evenyour merciful logic will hardly deny the conclusion. '

'Surely, Major, ' answered the clergyman, 'I should hope it mightbe averted, for aught we have heard tonight?'

'Indeed!' replied Melville. 'But, my good parson, you are one ofthose who would communicate to every criminal the benefit ofclergy. '

'Unquestionably I would. Mercy and long-suffering are the groundsof the doctrine I am called to teach. '

'True, religiously speaking; but mercy to a criminal may be grossinjustice to the community. I don't speak of this young fellow inparticular, who I heartily wish may be able to clear himself, forI like both his modesty and his spirit. But I fear he has rushedupon his fate. '

'And why? Hundreds of misguided gentlemen are now in arms againstthe government, many, doubtless, upon principles which educationand early prejudice have gilded with the names of patriotism andheroism; Justice, when she selects her victims from such amultitude (for surely all will not be destroyed), must regard themoral motive. He whom ambition or hope of personal advantage hasled to disturb the peace of a well-ordered government, let himfall a victim to the laws; but surely youth, misled by the wildvisions of chivalry and imaginary loyalty, may plead for pardon. '

'If visionary chivalry and imaginary loyalty come within thepredicament of high treason, ' replied the magistrate, 'I know nocourt in Christendom, my dear Mr. Morton, where they can sue outtheir Habeas Corpus. '

'But I cannot see that this youth's guilt is at all established tomy satisfaction, ' said the clergyman. 

'Because your good-nature blinds your good sense, ' replied MajorMelville. 'Observe now: This young man, descended of a family ofhereditary Jacobites, his uncle the leader of the Tory interest inthe county of ----, his father a disobliged and discontentedcourtier, his tutor a nonjuror and the author of two treasonablevolumes--this youth, I say, enters into Gardiner's dragoons, bringing with him a body of young fellows from his uncle's estate, who have not stickled at avowing in their way the High-Churchprinciples they learned at Waverley-Honour, in their disputes withtheir comrades. To these young men Waverley is unusuallyattentive; they are supplied with money beyond a soldier's wantsand inconsistent with his discipline; and are under the managementof a favourite sergeant, through whom they hold an unusually closecommunication with their captain, and affect to considerthemselves as independent of the other officers, and superior totheir comrades. '

'All this, my dear Major, is the natural consequence of theirattachment to their young landlord, and of their findingthemselves in a regiment levied chiefly in the north of Irelandand the west of Scotland, and of course among comrades disposed toquarrel with them, both as Englishmen and as members of the Churchof England. '

'Well said, parson!' replied the magistrate. 'I would some of yoursynod heard you. But let me go on. This young man obtains leave ofabsence, goes to Tully-Veolan--the principles of the Baron ofBradwardine are pretty well known, not to mention that this lad'suncle brought him off in the year fifteen; he engages there in abrawl, in which he is said to have disgraced the commission hebore; Colonel Gardiner writes to him, first mildly, then moresharply--I think you will not doubt his having done so, since hesays so; the mess invite him to explain the quarrel in which he issaid to have been involved; he neither replies to his commandernor his comrades. In the meanwhile his soldiers become mutinousand disorderly, and at length, when the rumour of this unhappyrebellion becomes general, his favourite Sergeant Houghton andanother fellow are detected in correspondence with a Frenchemissary, accredited, as he says, by Captain Waverley, who urgeshim, according to the men's confession, to desert with the troopand join their captain, who was with Prince Charles. In themeanwhile this trusty captain is, by his own admission, residingat Glennaquoich with the most active, subtle, and desperateJacobite in Scotland; he goes with him at least as far as theirfamous hunting rendezvous, and I fear a little farther. Meanwhiletwo other summonses are sent him; one warning him of thedisturbances in his troop, another peremptorily ordering him torepair to the regiment, which, indeed, common sense might havedictated, when he observed rebellion thickening all round him. Hereturns an absolute refusal, and throws up his commission. '

'He had been already deprived of it, ' said Mr. Morton. 

'But he regrets, ' replied Melville, 'that the measure hadanticipated his resignation. His baggage is seized at his quartersand at Tully-Veolan, and is found to contain a stock of pestilentJacobitical pamphlets, enough to poison a whole country, besidesthe unprinted lucubrations of his worthy friend and tutor Mr. Pembroke. '

'He says he never read them, ' answered the minister. 

'In an ordinary case I should believe him, ' replied themagistrate, 'for they are as stupid and pedantic in composition asmischievous in their tenets. But can you suppose anything butvalue for the principles they maintain would induce a young man ofhis age to lug such trash about with him? Then, when news arriveof the approach of the rebels, he sets out in a sort of disguise, refusing to tell his name; and, if yon old fanatic tell truth, attended by a very suspicious character, and mounted on a horseknown to have belonged to Glennaquoich, and bearing on his personletters from his family expressing high rancour against the houseof Brunswick, and a copy of verses in praise of one Wogan, whoabjured the service of the Parliament to join the Highlandinsurgents, when in arms to restore the house of Stuart, with abody of English cavalry--the very counterpart of his own plot--andsummed up with a "Go thou and do likewise" from that loyalsubject, and most safe and peaceable character, Fergus Mac-Ivor ofGlennaquoich, Vich Ian Vohr, and so forth. And, lastly, ' continuedMajor Melville, warming in the detail of his arguments, 'where dowe find this second edition of Cavalier Wogan? Why, truly, in thevery track most proper for execution of his design, and pistollingthe first of the king's subjects who ventures to question hisintentions. '

Mr. Morton prudently abstained from argument, which he perceivedwould only harden the magistrate in his opinion, and merely askedhow he intended to dispose of the prisoner?

'It is a question of some difficulty, considering the state of thecountry, ' said Major Melville. 

'Could you not detain him (being such a gentleman-like young man)here in your own house, out of harm's way, till this storm blowover?'

'My good friend, ' said Major Melville, 'neither your house normine will be long out of harm's way, even were it legal to confinehim here. I have just learned that the commander-in-chief, whomarched into the Highlands to seek out and disperse theinsurgents, has declined giving them battle at Coryarrick, andmarched on northward with all the disposable force of governmentto Inverness, John-o'-Groat's House, or the devil, for what Iknow, leaving the road to the Low Country open and undefended tothe Highland army. '

'Good God!' said the clergyman. 'Is the man a coward, a traitor, or an idiot?'

'None of the three, I believe, ' answered Melville. 'Sir John hasthe commonplace courage of a common soldier, is honest enough, does what he is commanded, and understands what is told him, butis as fit to act for himself in circumstances of importance as I, my dear parson, to occupy your pulpit. '

This important public intelligence naturally diverted thediscourse from Waverley for some time; at length, however, thesubject was resumed. 

'I believe, ' said Major Melville, 'that I must give this young manin charge to some of the detached parties of armed volunteers whowere lately sent out to overawe the disaffected districts. Theyare now recalled towards Stirling, and a small body comes this wayto-morrow or next day, commanded by the westland man--what's hisname? You saw him, and said he was the very model of one ofCromwell's military saints. '

'Gilfillan, the Cameronian, ' answered Mr. Morton. 'I wish theyoung gentleman may be safe with him. Strange things are done inthe heat and hurry of minds in so agitating a crisis, and I fearGilfillan is of a sect which has suffered persecution withoutlearning mercy. '

'He has only to lodge Mr. Waverley in Stirling Castle, ' said theMajor; 'I will give strict injunctions to treat him well. I reallycannot devise any better mode for securing him, and I fancy youwould hardly advise me to encounter the responsibility of settinghim at liberty. '

'But you will have no objection to my seeing him tomorrow inprivate?' said the minister. 

'None, certainly; your loyalty and character are my warrant. Butwith what view do you make the request?'

'Simply, ' replied Mr. Morton, 'to make the experiment whether hemay not be brought to communicate to me some circumstances whichmay hereafter be useful to alleviate, if not to exculpate, hisconduct. '

The friends now parted and retired to rest, each filled with themost anxious reflections on the state of the country. 

CHAPTER XXXIII

A CONFIDANT

Waverley awoke in the morning from troubled dreams andunrefreshing slumbers to a full consciousness of the horrors ofhis situation. How it might terminate he knew not. He might bedelivered up to military law, which, in the midst of civil war, was not likely to be scrupulous in the choice of its victims orthe quality of the evidence. Nor did he feel much more comfortableat the thoughts of a trial before a Scottish court of justice, where he knew the laws and forms differed in many respects fromthose of England, and had been taught to believe, howevererroneously, that the liberty and rights of the subject were lesscarefully protected. A sentiment of bitterness rose in his mindagainst the government, which he considered as the cause of hisembarrassment and peril, and he cursed internally his scrupulousrejection of Mac-Ivor's invitation to accompany him to the field. 

'Why did not I, ' he said to himself, 'like other men of honour, take the earliest opportunity to welcome to Britain the descendantof her ancient kings and lineal heir of her throne? Why did not I--

 Unthread the rude eye of rebellion, And welcome home again discarded faith, Seek out Prince Charles, and fall before his feet?

All that has been recorded of excellence and worth in the house ofWaverley has been founded upon their loyal faith to the house ofStuart. From the interpretation which this Scotch magistrate hasput upon the letters of my uncle and father, it is plain that Iought to have understood them as marshalling me to the course ofmy ancestors; and it has been my gross dulness, joined to theobscurity of expression which they adopted for the sake ofsecurity, that has confounded my judgment. Had I yielded to thefirst generous impulse of indignation when I learned that myhonour was practised upon, how different had been my presentsituation! I had then been free and in arms fighting, like myforefathers, for love, for loyalty, and for fame. And now I amhere, netted and in the toils, at the disposal of a suspicious, stern, and cold-hearted man, perhaps to be turned over to thesolitude of a dungeon or the infamy of a public execution. O, Fergus! how true has your prophecy proved; and how speedy, howvery speedy, has been its accomplishment!'

While Edward was ruminating on these painful subjects ofcontemplation, and very naturally, though not quite so justly, bestowing upon the reigning dynasty that blame which was due tochance, or, in part at least, to his own unreflecting conduct, Mr. Morton availed himself of Major Melville's permission to pay himan early visit. 

Waverley's first impulse was to intimate a desire that he mightnot be disturbed with questions or conversation; but he suppressedit upon observing the benevolent and reverend appearance of theclergyman who had rescued him from the immediate violence of thevillagers. 

'I believe, sir, ' said the unfortunate young man, 'that in anyother circumstances I should have had as much gratitude to expressto you as the safety of my life may be worth; but such is thepresent tumult of my mind, and such is my anticipation of what Iam yet likely to endure, that I can hardly offer you thanks foryour interposition. '

Mr. Morton replied, that, far from making any claim upon his goodopinion, his only wish and the sole purpose of his visit was tofind out the means of deserving it. 'My excellent friend, MajorMelville, ' he continued, 'has feelings and duties as a soldier andpublic functionary by which I am not fettered; nor can I alwayscoincide in opinions which he forms, perhaps with too littleallowance for the imperfections of human nature. ' He paused andthen proceeded: 'I do not intrude myself on your confidence, Mr. Waverley, for the purpose of learning any circumstances theknowledge of which can be prejudicial either to yourself or toothers; but I own my earnest wish is that you would intrust mewith any particulars which could lead to your exculpation. I cansolemnly assure you they will be deposited with a faithful and, tothe extent of his limited powers, a zealous agent. '

'You are, sir, I presume, a Presbyterian clergyman?' Mr. Mortonbowed. 'Were I to be guided by the prepossessions of education, Imight distrust your friendly professions in my case; but I haveobserved that similar prejudices are nourished in this countryagainst your professional brethren of the Episcopal persuasion, and I am willing to believe them equally unfounded in both cases. '

'Evil to him that thinks otherwise, ' said Mr. Morton; 'or whoholds church government and ceremonies as the exclusive gage ofChristian faith or moral virtue. '

'But, ' continued Waverley, 'I cannot perceive why I should troubleyou with a detail of particulars, out of which, after revolvingthem as carefully as possible in my recollection, I find myselfunable to explain much of what is charged against me. I know, indeed, that I am innocent, but I hardly see how I can hope toprove myself so. '

'It is for that very reason, Mr. Waverley, ' said the clergyman, 'that I venture to solicit your confidence. My knowledge ofindividuals in this country is pretty general, and can uponoccasion be extended. Your situation will, I fear, preclude yourtaking those active steps for recovering intelligence or tracingimposture which I would willingly undertake in your behalf; and ifyou are not benefited by my exertions, at least they cannot beprejudicial to you. '

Waverley, after a few minutes' reflection, was convinced that hisreposing confidence in Mr. Morton, so far as he himself wasconcerned, could hurt neither Mr. Bradwardine nor Fergus Mac-Ivor, both of whom had openly assumed arms against the government, andthat it might possibly, if the professions of his new friendcorresponded in sincerity with the earnestness of his expression, be of some service to himself. He therefore ran briefly over mostof the events with which the reader is already acquainted, suppressing his attachment to Flora, and indeed neither mentioningher nor Rose Bradwardine in the course of his narrative. 

Mr. Morton seemed particularly struck with the account ofWaverley's visit to Donald Bean Lean. 'I am glad, ' he said, 'youdid not mention this circumstance to the Major. It is capable ofgreat misconstruction on the part of those who do not consider thepower of curiosity and the influence of romance as motives ofyouthful conduct. When I was a young man like you, Mr. Waverley, any such hair-brained expedition (I beg your pardon for theexpression) would have had inexpressible charms for me. But thereare men in the world who will not believe that danger and fatigueare often incurred without any very adequate cause, and thereforewho are sometimes led to assign motives of action entirely foreignto the truth. This man Bean Lean is renowned through the countryas a sort of Robin Hood, and the stories which are told of hisaddress and enterprise are the common tales of the winterfireside. He certainly possesses talents beyond the rude sphere inwhich he moves; and, being neither destitute of ambition norencumbered with scruples, he will probably attempt, by everymeans, to distinguish himself during the period of these unhappycommotions. ' Mr. Morton then made a careful memorandum of thevarious particulars of Waverley's interview with Donald Bean Leanand the other circumstances which he had communicated. 

The interest which this good man seemed to take in hismisfortunes, above all, the full confidence he appeared to reposein his innocence, had the natural effect of softening Edward'sheart, whom the coldness of Major Melville had taught to believethat the world was leagued to oppress him. He shook Mr. Mortonwarmly by the hand, and, assuring him that his kindness andsympathy had relieved his mind of a heavy load, told him that, whatever might be his own fate, he belonged to a family who hadboth gratitude and the power of displaying it. The earnestness ofhis thanks called drops to the eyes of the worthy clergyman, whowas doubly interested in the cause for which he had volunteeredhis services, by observing the genuine and undissembled feelingsof his young friend. 

Edward now inquired if Mr. Morton knew what was likely to be hisdestination. 

'Stirling Castle, ' replied his friend; 'and so far I am wellpleased for your sake, for the governor is a man of honour andhumanity. But I am more doubtful of your treatment upon the road;Major Melville is involuntarily obliged to intrust the custody ofyour person to another. '

'I am glad of it, ' answered Waverley. 'I detest that cold-bloodedcalculating Scotch magistrate. I hope he and I shall never meetmore. He had neither sympathy with my innocence nor with mywretchedness; and the petrifying accuracy with which he attendedto every form of civility, while he tortured me by his questions, his suspicions, and his inferences, was as tormenting as the racksof the Inquisition. Do not vindicate him, my dear sir, for that Icannot bear with patience; tell me rather who is to have thecharge of so important a state prisoner as I am. '

'I believe a person called Gilfillan, one of the sect who aretermed Cameronians. '

'I never heard of them before. '

'They claim, ' said the clergyman, 'to represent the more strictand severe Presbyterians, who, in Charles Second's and JamesSecond's days, refused to profit by the Toleration, or Indulgence, as it was called, which was extended to others of that religion. They held conventicles in the open fields, and, being treated withgreat violence and cruelty by the Scottish government, more thanonce took arms during those reigns. They take their name fromtheir leader, Richard Cameron. '

'I recollect, ' said Waverley; 'but did not the triumph ofPresbytery at the Revolution extinguish that sect?'

'By no means, ' replied Morton; 'that great event fell yet farshort of what they proposed, which was nothing less than thecomplete establishment of the Presbyterian Church upon the groundsof the old Solemn League and Covenant. Indeed, I believe theyscarce knew what they wanted; but being a numerous body of men, and not unacquainted with the use of arms, they kept themselvestogether as a separate party in the state, and at the time of theUnion had nearly formed a most unnatural league with their oldenemies the Jacobites to oppose that important national measure. Since that time their numbers have gradually diminished; but agood many are still to be found in the western counties, andseveral, with a better temper than in 1707, have now taken armsfor government. This person, whom they call Gifted Gilfillan, hasbeen long a leader among them, and now heads a small party, whichwill pass here to-day or to-morrow on their march towardsStirling, under whose escort Major Melville proposes you shalltravel. I would willingly speak to Gilfillan in your behalf; but, having deeply imbibed all the prejudices of his sect, and being ofthe same fierce disposition, he would pay little regard to theremonstrances of an Erastian divine, as he would politely term me. And now, farewell, my young friend; for the present I must notweary out the Major's indulgence, that I may obtain his permissionto visit you again in the course of the day. '

CHAPTER XXXIV

THINGS MEND A LITTLE

About noon Mr. Morton returned and brought an invitation fromMajor Melville that Mr. Waverley would honour him with his companyto dinner, notwithstanding the unpleasant affair which detainedhim at Cairnvreckan, from which he should heartily rejoice to seeMr. Waverley completely extricated. The truth was that Mr. Morton's favourable report and opinion had somewhat staggered thepreconceptions of the old soldier concerning Edward's supposedaccession to the mutiny in the regiment; and in the unfortunatestate of the country the mere suspicion of disaffection or aninclination to join the insurgent Jacobites might infercriminality indeed, but certainly not dishonour. Besides, a personwhom the Major trusted had reported to him (though, as it proved, inaccurately) a contradiction of the agitating news of thepreceding evening. According to this second edition of theintelligence, the Highlanders had withdrawn from the Lowlandfrontier with the purpose of following the army in their march toInverness. The Major was at a loss, indeed, to reconcile hisinformation with the well-known abilities of some of the gentlemenin the Highland army, yet it was the course which was likely to bemost agreeable to others. He remembered the same policy haddetained them in the north in the year 1715, and he anticipated asimilar termination to the insurrection as upon that occasion. 

This news put him in such good-humour that he readily acquiescedin Mr. Morton's proposal to pay some hospitable attention to hisunfortunate guest, and voluntarily added, he hoped the wholeaffair would prove a youthful escapade, which might be easilyatoned by a short confinement. The kind mediator had some troubleto prevail on his young friend to accept the invitation. He darednot urge to him the real motive, which was a good-natured wish tosecure a favourable report of Waverley's case from Major Melvilleto Governor Blakeney. He remarked, from the flashes of our hero'sspirit, that touching upon this topic would be sure to defeat hispurpose. He therefore pleaded that the invitation argued theMajor's disbelief of any part of the accusation which wasinconsistent with Waverley's conduct as a soldier and a man ofhonour, and that to decline his courtesy might be interpreted intoa consciousness that it was unmerited. In short, he so farsatisfied Edward that the manly and proper course was to meet theMajor on easy terms that, suppressing his strong dislike again toencounter his cold and punctilious civility, Waverley agreed to beguided by his new friend. 

The meeting at first was stiff and formal enough. But Edward, having accepted the invitation, and his mind being really soothedand relieved by the kindness of Morton, held himself bound tobehave with ease, though he could not affect cordiality. The Majorwas somewhat of a bon vivant, and his wine was excellent. He toldhis old campaign stories, and displayed much knowledge of men andmanners. Mr. Morton had an internal fund of placid and quietgaiety, which seldom failed to enliven any small party in which hefound himself pleasantly seated. Waverley, whose life was a dream, gave ready way to the predominating impulse and became the mostlively of the party. He had at all times remarkable natural powersof conversation, though easily silenced by discouragement. On thepresent occasion he piqued himself upon leaving on the minds ofhis companions a favourable impression of one who, under suchdisastrous circumstances, could sustain his misfortunes with easeand gaiety. His spirits, though not unyielding, were abundantlyelastic, and soon seconded his efforts. The trio were engaged invery lively discourse, apparently delighted with each other, andthe kind host was pressing a third bottle of Burgundy, when thesound of a drum was heard at some distance. The Major, who, in theglee of an old soldier, had forgot the duties of a magistrate, cursed, with a muttered military oath, the circumstances whichrecalled him to his official functions. He rose and went towardsthe window, which commanded a very near view of the highroad, andhe was followed by his guests. 

The drum advanced, beating no measured martial tune, but a kind ofrub-a-dub-dub, like that with which the fire-drum startles theslumbering artizans of a Scotch burgh. It is the object of thishistory to do justice to all men; I must therefore record, injustice to the drummer, that he protested he could beat any knownmarch or point of war known in the British army, and hadaccordingly commenced with 'Dumbarton's Drums, ' when he wassilenced by Gifted Gilfillan, the commander of the party, whorefused to permit his followers to move to this profane, and even, as he said, persecutive tune, and commanded the drummer to beatthe 119th Psalm. As this was beyond the capacity of the drubber ofsheepskin, he was fain to have recourse to the inoffensive row-de-dow as a harmless substitute for the sacred music which hisinstrument or skill were unable to achieve. This may be held atrifling anecdote, but the drummer in question was no less thantown-drummer of Anderton. I remember his successor in office, amember of that enlightened body, the British Convention. Be hismemory, therefore, treated with due respect. 

CHAPTER XXXV

A VOLUNTEER SIXTY YEARS SINCE

On hearing the unwelcome sound of the drum, Major Melville hastilyopened a sashed door and stepped out upon a sort of terrace whichdivided his house from the highroad from which the martial musicproceeded. Waverley and his new friend followed him, thoughprobably he would have dispensed with their attendance. They soonrecognised in solemn march, first, the performer upon the drum;secondly, a large flag of four compartments, on which wereinscribed the words, COVENANT, KIRK, KING, KINGDOMS. The personwho was honoured with this charge was followed by the commander ofthe party, a thin, dark, rigid-looking man, about sixty years old. The spiritual pride, which in mine host of the Candlestick mantledin a sort of supercilious hypocrisy, was in this man's faceelevated and yet darkened by genuine and undoubting fanaticism. Itwas impossible to behold him without imagination placing him insome strange crisis, where religious zeal was the rulingprinciple. A martyr at the stake, a soldier in the field, a lonelyand banished wanderer consoled by the intensity and supposedpurity of his faith under every earthly privation, perhaps apersecuting inquisitor, as terrific in power as unyielding inadversity; any of these seemed congenial characters to thispersonage. With these high traits of energy, there was somethingin the affected precision and solemnity of his deportment anddiscourse that bordered upon the ludicrous; so that, according tothe mood of the spectator's mind and the light under which Mr. Gilfillan presented himself, one might have feared, admired, orlaughed at him. His dress was that of a West-Country peasant, ofbetter materials indeed than that of the lower rank, but in norespect affecting either the mode of the age or of the Scottishgentry at any period. His arms were a broadsword and pistols, which, from the antiquity of their appearance, might have seen therout of Pentland or Bothwell Brigg. 

As he came up a few steps to meet Major Melville, and touchedsolemnly, but slightly, his huge and over-brimmed blue bonnet, inanswer to the Major, who had courteously raised a small triangulargold-laced hat, Waverley was irresistibly impressed with the ideathat he beheld a leader of the Roundheads of yore in conferencewith one of Marlborough's captains. 

The group of about thirty armed men who followed this giftedcommander was of a motley description. They were in ordinaryLowland dresses, of different colours, which, contrasted with thearms they bore, gave them an irregular and mobbish appearance; somuch is the eye accustomed to connect uniformity of dress with themilitary character. In front were a few who apparently partook oftheir leader's enthusiasm, men obviously to be feared in a combat, where their natural courage was exalted by religious zeal. Otherspuffed and strutted, filled with the importance of carrying armsand all the novelty of their situation, while the rest, apparentlyfatigued with their march, dragged their limbs listlessly along, or straggled from their companions to procure such refreshments asthe neighbouring cottages and alehouses afforded. Six grenadiersof Ligonier's, thought the Major to himself, as his mind revertedto his own military experience, would have sent all these fellowsto the right about. 

Greeting, however, Mr. Gilfillan civilly, he requested to know ifhe had received the letter he had sent to him upon his march, andcould undertake the charge of the state prisoner whom he therementioned as far as Stirling Castle. 'Yea, ' was the concise replyof the Cameronian leader, in a voice which seemed to issue fromthe very penetralia of his person. 

'But your escort, Mr. Gilfillan, is not so strong as I expected, 'said Major Melville. 

'Some of the people, ' replied Gilfillan, 'hungered and wereathirst by the way, and tarried until their poor souls wererefreshed with the word. '

'I am sorry, sir, ' replied the Major, 'you did not trust to yourrefreshing your men at Cairnvreckan; whatever my house contains isat the command of persons employed in the service. '

'It was not of creature-comforts I spake, ' answered theCovenanter, regarding Major Melville with something like a smileof contempt; 'howbeit, I thank you; but the people remainedwaiting upon the precious Mr. Jabesh Rentowel for the out-pouringof the afternoon exhortation. '

'And have you, sir, ' said the Major, 'when the rebels are about tospread themselves through this country, actually left a great partof your command at a fieldpreaching?'

Gilfillan again smiled scornfully as he made this indirect answer--'Even thus are the children of this world wiser in theirgeneration than the children of light!'

'However, sir, ' said the Major, 'as you are to take charge of thisgentleman to Stirling, and deliver him, with these papers, intothe hands of Governor Blakeney, I beseech you to observe somerules of military discipline upon your march. For example, I wouldadvise you to keep your men more closely together, and that eachin his march should cover his file-leader, instead of stragglinglike geese upon a common; and, for fear of surprise, I furtherrecommend to you to form a small advance-party of your best men, with a single vidette in front of the whole march, so that whenyou approach a village or a wood'--(here the Major interruptedhimself)--'But as I don't observe you listen to me, Mr. Gilfillan, I suppose I need not give myself the trouble to saymore upon the subject. You are a better judge, unquestionably, than I am of the measures to be pursued; but one thing I wouldhave you well aware of, that you are to treat this gentleman, yourprisoner, with no rigour nor incivility, and are to subject him tono other restraint than is necessary for his security. '

'I have looked into my commission, ' said Mr. Gilfillan, 'subscribed by a worthy and professing nobleman, William, Earl ofGlencairn; nor do I find it therein set down that I am to receiveany charges or commands anent my doings from Major WilliamMelville of Cairnvreckan. '

Major Melville reddened even to the well-powdered ears whichappeared beneath his neat military sidecurls, the more so as heobserved Mr. Morton smile at the same moment. 'Mr. Gilfillan, ' heanswered, with some asperity, 'I beg ten thousand pardons forinterfering with a person of your importance. I thought, however, that as you have been bred a grazier, if I mistake not, theremight be occasion to remind you of the difference betweenHighlanders and Highland cattle; and if you should happen to meetwith any gentleman who has seen service, and is disposed to speakupon the subject, I should still imagine that listening to himwould do you no sort of harm. But I have done, and have only oncemore to recommend this gentleman to your civility as well as toyour custody. Mr. Waverley, I am truly sorry we should part inthis way; but I trust, when you are again in this country, I mayhave an opportunity to render Cairnvreckan more agreeable thancircumstances have permitted on this occasion. '

So saying, he shook our hero by the hand. Morton also took anaffectionate farewell, and Waverley, having mounted his horse, with a musketeer leading it by the bridle and a file upon eachside to prevent his escape, set forward upon the march withGilfillan and his party. Through the little village they wereaccompanied with the shouts of the children, who cried out, 'Eh!see to the Southland gentleman that's gaun to be hanged forshooting lang John Mucklewrath, the smith!

APPENDICES TO THE GENERAL PREFACE

NO. I

FRAGMENT [Footnote: It is not to be supposed that these fragmentsare given in possessing any intrinsic value of themselves; butthere may be some curiosity attached to them, as to the firstetchings of a plate, which are accounted interesting by those whohave, in any degree, been interested in the more finished works ofthe artist. ] OF A ROMANCE WHICH WAS TO HAVE BEEN ENTITLED

THOMAS THE RHYMER

CHAPTER I

THE sun was nearly set behind the distant mountains of Liddesdale, when a few of the scattered and terrified inhabitants of thevillage of Hersildoune, which had four days before been burned bya predatory band of English Borderers, were now busied inrepairing their ruined dwellings. One high tower in the centre ofthe village alone exhibited no appearance of devastation. It wassurrounded with court walls, and the outer gate was barred andbolted. The bushes and brambles which grew around, and had eveninsinuated their branches beneath the gate, plainly showed that itmust have been many years since it had been opened. While thecottages around lay in smoking ruins, this pile, deserted anddesolate as it seemed to be, had suffered nothing from theviolence of the invaders; and the wretched beings who wereendeavouring to repair their miserable huts against nightfallseemed to neglect the preferable shelter which it might haveafforded them without the necessity of labour. 

Before the day had quite gone down, a knight, richly armed andmounted upon an ambling hackney, rode slowly into the village. Hisattendants were a lady, apparently young and beautiful, who rodeby his side upon a dappled palfrey; his squire, who carried hishelmet and lance, and led his battlehorse, a noble steed, richlycaparisoned. A page and four yeomen bearing bows and quivers, short swords, and targets of a span breadth, completed hisequipage, which, though small, denoted him to be a man of highrank. 

He stopped and addressed several of the inhabitants whom curiosityhad withdrawn from their labour to gaze at him; but at the soundof his voice, and still more on perceiving the St. George's Crossin the caps of his followers, they fled, with a loud cry, 'thatthe Southrons were returned. ' The knight endeavoured toexpostulate with the fugitives, who were chiefly aged men, women, and children; but their dread of the English name acceleratedtheir flight, and in a few minutes, excepting the knight and hisattendants, the place was deserted by all. He paced through thevillage to seek a shelter for the night, and, despairing to findone either in the inaccessible tower or the plundered huts of thepeasantry, he directed his course to the left hand, where he spieda small decent habitation, apparently the abode of a manconsiderably above the common rank. After much knocking, theproprietor at length showed himself at the window, and speaking inthe English dialect, with great signs of apprehension, demandedtheir business. The warrior replied that his quality was anEnglish knight and baron, and that he was travelling to the courtof the King of Scotland on affairs of consequence to bothkingdoms. 

'Pardon my hesitation, noble Sir Knight, ' said the old man, as heunbolted and unbarred his doors--'Pardon my hesitation, but we arehere exposed to too many intrusions to admit of our exercisingunlimited and unsuspicious hospitality. What I have is yours; andGod send your mission may bring back peace and the good days ofour old Queen Margaret!'

'Amen, worthy Franklin, ' quoth the Knight--'Did you know her?'

'I came to this country in her train, ' said the Franklin; 'and thecare of some of her jointure lands which she devolved on meoccasioned my settling here. '

'And how do you, being an Englishman, ' said the Knight, 'protectyour life and property here, when one of your nation cannot obtaina single night's lodging, or a draught of water were he thirsty?'

'Marry, noble sir, ' answered the Franklin, 'use, as they say, willmake a man live in a lion's den; and as I settled here in a quiettime, and have never given cause of offence, I am respected by myneighbours, and even, as you see, by our FORAYERS from England. '

'I rejoice to hear it, and accept your hospitality. Isabella, mylove, our worthy host will provide you a bed. My daughter, goodFranklin, is ill at ease. We will occupy your house till theScottish King shall return from his northern expedition; meanwhilecall me Lord Lacy of Chester. '

The attendants of the Baron, assisted by the Franklin, were nowbusied in disposing of the horses, and arranging the table forsome refreshment for Lord Lacy and his fair companion. While theysat down to it, they were attended by their host and his daughter, whom custom did not permit to eat in their presence, and whoafterwards withdrew to an outer chamber, where the squire and page(both young men of noble birth) partook of supper, and wereaccommodated with beds. The yeomen, after doing honour to therustic cheer of Queen Margaret's bailiff, withdrew to the stable, and each, beside his favourite horse, snored away the fatigues oftheir journey. 

Early on the following morning the travellers were roused by athundering knocking at the door of the house, accompanied withmany demands for instant admission in the roughest tone. Thesquire and page of Lord Lacy, after buckling on their arms, wereabout to sally out to chastise these intruders, when the old host, after looking out at a private casement, contrived forreconnoitring his visitors, entreated them, with great signs ofterror, to be quiet, if they did not mean that all in the houseshould be murdered. 

He then hastened to the apartment of Lord Lacy, whom he metdressed in a long furred gown and the knightly cap called aMORTIER, irritated at the noise, and demanding to know the causewhich had disturbed the repose of the household. 

'Noble sir, ' said the Franklin, 'one of the most formidable andbloody of the Scottish Border riders is at hand; he is neverseen, ' added he, faltering with terror, 'so far from the hills butwith some bad purpose, and the power of accomplishing it; so holdyourself to your guard, for--'

A loud crash here announced that the door was broken down, and theknight just descended the stair in time to prevent bloodshedbetwixt his attendants and the intruders. They were three innumber; their chief was tall, bony, and athletic, his spare andmuscular frame, as well as the hardness of his features, markedthe course of his life to have been fatiguing and perilous. Theeffect of his appearance was aggravated by his dress, whichconsisted of a jack or jacket, composed of thick buff leather, onwhich small plates of iron of a lozenge form were stitched in sucha manner as to overlap each other and form a coat of mail, whichswayed with every motion of the wearer's body. This defensivearmour covered a doublet of coarse grey cloth, and the Bordererhad a few half-rusted plates of steel on his shoulders, a two-edged sword, with a dagger hanging beside it, in a buff belt; ahelmet, with a few iron bars, to cover the face instead of avisor, and a lance of tremendous and uncommon length, completedhis appointments. The looks of the man were as wild and rude ashis attire: his keen black eyes never rested one moment fixed upona single object, but constantly traversed all around, as if theyever sought some danger to oppose, some plunder to seize, or someinsult to revenge. The latter seemed to be his present object, for, regardless of the dignified presence of Lord Lacy, he utteredthe most incoherent threats against the owner of the house and hisguests. 

'We shall see--ay, marry shall we--if an English hound is toharbour and reset the Southrons here. Thank the Abbot of Melroseand the good Knight of Coldingnow that have so long kept me fromyour skirts. But those days are gone, by Saint Mary, and you shallfind it!'

It is probable the enraged Borderer would not have long continuedto vent his rage in empty menaces, had not the entrance of thefour yeomen with their bows bent convinced him that the force wasnot at this moment on his own side. 

Lord Lacy now advanced towards him. 'You intrude upon my privacy, soldier; withdraw yourself and your followers. There is peacebetwixt our nations, or my servants should chastise thypresumption. '

'Such peace as ye give such shall ye have, ' answered the moss-trooper, first pointing with his lance towards the burned villageand then almost instantly levelling it against Lord Lacy. Thesquire drew his sword and severed at one blow the steel head fromthe truncheon of the spear. 

'Arthur Fitzherbert, ' said the Baron, 'that stroke has deferredthy knighthood for one year; never must that squire wear the spurswhose unbridled impetuosity can draw unbidden his sword in thepresence of his master. Go hence and think on what I have said. '

The squire left the chamber abashed. 

'It were vain, ' continued Lord Lacy, 'to expect that courtesy froma mountain churl which even my own followers can forget. Yet, before thou drawest thy brand (for the intruder laid his hand uponthe hilt of his sword), thou wilt do well to reflect that I camewith a safe-conduct from thy king, and have no time to waste inbrawls with such as thou. '

'From MY king--from my king!' re-echoed the mountaineer. 'I carenot that rotten truncheon (striking the shattered spear furiouslyon the ground) for the King of Fife and Lothian. But Habby ofCessford will be here belive; and we shall soon know if he willpermit an English churl to occupy his hostelrie. '

Having uttered these words, accompanied with a lowering glancefrom under his shaggy black eyebrows, he turned on his heel andleft the house with his two followers. They mounted their horses, which they had tied to an outer fence, and vanished in an instant. 

'Who is this discourteous ruffian?' said Lord Lacy to theFranklin, who had stood in the most violent agitation during thiswhole scene. 

'His name, noble lord, is Adam Kerr of the Moat, but he iscommonly called by his companions the Black Rider of Cheviot. Ifear, I fear, he comes hither for no good; but if the Lord ofCessford be near, he will not dare offer any unprovoked outrage. '

'I have heard of that chief, ' said the Baron. 'Let me know when heapproaches, and do thou, Rodulph (to the eldest yeoman), keep astrict watch. Adelbert (to the page), attend to arm me. ' The pagebowed, and the Baron withdrew to the chamber of the Lady Isabellato explain the cause of the disturbance. 

No more of the proposed tale was ever written; but the Author'spurpose was that it should turn upon a fine legend of superstitionwhich is current in the part of the Borders where he had hisresidence, where, in the reign of Alexander III of Scotland, thatrenowned person Thomas of Hersildoune, called the Rhymer, actuallyflourished. This personage, the Merlin of Scotland, and to whomsome of the adventures which the British bards assigned to MerlinCaledonius, or the Wild, have been transferred by tradition, was, as is well known, a magician, as well as a poet and prophet. He isalleged still to live in the land of Faery, and is expected toreturn at some great convulsion of society, in which he is to acta distinguished part, a tradition common to all nations, as thebelief of the Mahomedans respecting their twelfth Imaumdemonstrates. 

Now, it chanced many years since that there lived on the Borders ajolly, rattling horse-cowper, who was remarkable for a recklessand fearless temper, which made him much admired and a littledreaded amongst his neighbours. One moonlight night, as he rodeover Bowden Moor, on the west side of the Eildon Hills, the sceneof Thomas the Rhymer's prophecies, and often mentioned in hisstory, having a brace of horses along with him which he had notbeen able to dispose of, he met a man of venerable appearance andsingularly antique dress, who, to his great surprise, asked theprice of his horses, and began to chaffer with him on the subject. To Canobie Dick, for so shall we call our Border dealer, a chapwas a chap, and he would have sold a horse to the devil himself, without minding his cloven hoof, and would have probably cheatedOld Nick into the bargain. The stranger paid the price they agreedon, and all that puzzled Dick in the transaction was, that thegold which he received was in unicorns, bonnet-pieces, and otherancient coins, which would have been invaluable to collectors, butwere rather troublesome in modern currency. It was gold, however, and therefore Dick contrived to get better value for the coin thanhe perhaps gave to his customer. By the command of so good amerchant, he brought horses to the same spot more than once, thepurchaser only stipulating that he should always come, by night, and alone. I do not know whether it was from mere curiosity, orwhether some hope of gain mixed with it, but after Dick had soldseveral horses in this way, he began to complain that dry bargainswere unlucky, and to hint that, since his chap must live in theneighbourhood, he ought, in the courtesy of dealing, to treat himto half a mutchkin. 

'You may see my dwelling if you will, ' said the stranger; 'but ifyou lose courage at what you see there, you will rue it all yourlife. '

Dicken, however, laughed the warning to scorn, and, havingalighted to secure his horse, he followed the stranger up a narrowfoot-path, which led them up the hills to the singular eminencestuck betwixt the most southern and the centre peaks, and calledfrom its resemblance to such an animal in its form the LuckenHare. At the foot of this eminence, which is almost as famous forwitch meetings as the neighbouring wind-mill of Kippilaw, Dick wassomewhat startled to observe that his conductor entered thehillside by a passage or cavern, of which he himself, though wellacquainted with the spot, had never seen or heard. 

'You may still return, ' said his guide, looking ominously backupon him; but Dick scorned to show the white feather, and on theywent. They entered a very long range of stables; in every stallstood a coal-black horse; by every horse lay a knight in coal-black armour, with a drawn sword in his hand; but all were assilent, hoof and limb, as if they had been cut out of marble. Agreat number of torches lent a gloomy lustre to the hall, which, like those of the Caliph Vathek, was of large dimensions. At theupper end, however, they at length arrived, where a sword and hornlay on an antique table. 

'He that shall sound that horn and draw that sword, ' said thestranger, who now intimated that he was the famous Thomas ofHersildoune, 'shall, if his heart fail him not, be king over allbroad Britain. So speaks the tongue that cannot lie. But alldepends on courage, and much on your taking the sword or the hornfirst. '

Dick was much disposed to take the sword, but his bold spirit wasquailed by the supernatural terrors of the hall, and he thought tounsheath the sword first might be construed into defiance, andgive offence to the powers of the Mountain. He took the bugle witha trembling hand, and [sounded] a feeble note, but loud enough toproduce a terrible answer. Thunder rolled in stunning pealsthrough the immense hall; horses and men started to life; thesteeds snorted, stamped, grinded their bits, and tossed on hightheir heads; the warriors sprung to their feet, clashed theirarmour, and brandished their swords. Dick's terror was extreme atseeing the whole army, which had been so lately silent as thegrave, in uproar, and about to rush on him. He dropped the horn, and made a feeble attempt to seize the enchanted sword; but at thesame moment a voice pronounced aloud the mysterious words:

 'Woe to the coward, that ever he was born, Who did not draw the sword before he blew the horn!'

At the same time a whirlwind of irresistible fury howled throughthe long hall, bore the unfortunate horse-jockey clear out of themouth of the cavern, and precipitated him over a steep bank ofloose stones, where the shepherds found him the next morning, withjust breath sufficient to tell his fearful tale, after concludingwhich he expired. 

This legend, with several variations, is found in many parts ofScotland and England; the scene is sometimes laid in somefavourite glen of the Highlands, sometimes in the deep coal-minesof Northumberland and Cumberland, which run so far beneath theocean. It is also to be found in Reginald Scott's book on"Witchcraft, " which was written in the sixteenth century. It wouldbe in vain to ask what was the original of the tradition. Thechoice between the horn and sword, may perhaps, include as a moralthat it is foolhardy to awaken danger before we have arms in ourhands to resist it. 

Although admitting of much poetical ornament, it is clear thatthis legend would have formed but an unhappy foundation for aprose story, and must have degenerated into a mere fairy tale. Doctor John Leyden has beautifully introduced the tradition in hisScenes of Infancy:--

 Mysterious Rhymer, doom'd by fate's decree, Still to revisit Eildon's fated tree; Where oft the swain, at dawn of Hallow-day, Hears thy fleet barb with wild impatience neigh; Say who is he, with summons long and high. Shall bid the charmed sleep of ages fly, Roll the long sound through Eildon's caverns vast, While each dark warrior kindles at the blast: The horn, the falchion grasp with mighty hand, And peal proud Arthur's march from Fairy-land?

 Scenes of Infancy, Part I. 

In the same cabinet with the preceding fragment, the followingoccurred among other disjecta membra. It seems to be an attempt ata tale of a different description from the last, but was almostinstantly abandoned. The introduction points out the time of thecomposition to have been about the end of the eighteenth century. 

THE LORD OF ENNERDALE

A FRAGMENT OF A LETTER FROM JOHN B----, ESQ. , OF THAT ILK, TOWILLIAM G----, F. R. S. E. 

'FILL a bumper, ' said the Knight; 'the ladies may spare us alittle longer. Fill a bumper to the Archduke Charles. '

The company did due honour to the toast of their landlord. 

'The success of the Archduke, ' said the muddy Vicar, 'will tend tofurther our negotiation at Paris; and if--'

'Pardon the interruption, Doctor, ' quoth a thin emaciated figure, with somewhat of a foreign accent; 'but why should you connectthose events, unless to hope that the bravery and victories of ourallies may supersede the necessity of a degrading treaty?'

'We begin to feel, Monsieur L'Abbe, ' answered the Vicar, with someasperity, 'that a Continental war entered into for the defence ofan ally who was unwilling to defend himself, and for therestoration of a royal family, nobility, and priesthood who tamelyabandoned their own rights, is a burden too much even for theresources of this country. '

'And was the war then on the part of Great Britain, ' rejoined theAbbe, 'a gratuitous exertion of generosity? Was there no fear ofthe wide-wasting spirit of innovation which had gone abroad? Didnot the laity tremble for their property, the clergy for theirreligion, and every loyal heart for the Constitution? Was it notthought necessary to destroy the building which was on fire, erethe conflagration spread around the vicinity?'

'Yet, if upon trial, ' said the Doctor, ' the walls were found toresist our utmost efforts, I see no great prudence in perseveringin our labour amid the smouldering ruins. '

'What, Doctor, ' said the Baronet, 'must I call to your recollectionyour own sermon on the late general fast? Did you not encourage usto hope that the Lord of Hosts would go forth with our armies, andthat our enemies, who blasphemed him, should be put to shame?'

'It may please a kind father to chasten even his belovedchildren, ' answered the Vicar. 

'I think, ' said a gentleman near the foot of the table, 'that theCovenanters made some apology of the same kind for the failure oftheir prophecies at the battle of Dunbar, when their mutinouspreachers compelled the prudent Lesley to go down against thePhilistines in Gilgal. '

The Vicar fixed a scrutinizing and not a very complacent eye uponthis intruder. He was a young man, of mean stature, and rather areserved appearance. Early and severe study had quenched in hisfeatures the gaiety peculiar to his age, and impressed upon them apremature cast of thoughtfulness. His eye had, however, retainedits fire, and his gesture its animation. Had he remained silent, he would have been long unnoticed; but when he spoke there wassomething in his manner which arrested attention. 

'Who is this young man?' said the Vicar in a low voice to hisneighbour. 

'A Scotchman called Maxwell, on a visit to Sir Henry, ' was theanswer. 

'I thought so, from his accent and his manners, ' said the Vicar. 

It may be here observed that the northern English retain rathermore of the ancient hereditary aversion to their neighbours thantheir countrymen of the south. The interference of otherdisputants, each of whom urged his opinion with all the vehemenceof wine and politics, rendered the summons to the drawing-roomagreeable to the more sober part of the company. 

The company dispersed by degrees, and at length the Vicar and theyoung Scotchman alone remained, besides the Baronet, his lady, daughters, and myself. The clergyman had not, it would seem, forgot the observation which ranked him with the false prophets ofDunbar, for he addressed Mr. Maxwell upon the first opportunity. 

'Hem! I think, sir, you mentioned something about the civil warsof last century? You must be deeply skilled in them, indeed, ifyou can draw any parallel betwixt those and the present evil days--days which I am ready to maintain are the most gloomy that everdarkened the prospects of Britain. '

'God forbid, Doctor, that I should draw a comparison between thepresent times and those you mention. I am too sensible of theadvantages we enjoy over our ancestors. Faction and ambition haveintroduced division among us; but we are still free from the guiltof civil bloodshed, and from all the evils which flow from it. Ourfoes, sir, are not those of our own household; and while wecontinue united and firm, from the attacks of a foreign enemy, however artful, or however inveterate, we have, I hope, little todread. '

'Have you found anything curious, Mr. Maxwell, among the dustypapers?' said Sir Henry, who seemed to dread a revival ofpolitical discussion. 

'My investigation amongst them led to reflections at which I havejust now hinted, ' said Maxwell; 'and I think they are prettystrongly exemplified by a story which I have been endeavouring toarrange from some of your family manuscripts. '

'You are welcome to make what use of them you please, ' said SirHenry;' they have been undisturbed for many a day, and I haveoften wished for some person as well skilled as you in these oldpot-hooks to tell me their meaning. '

'Those I just mentioned, ' answered Maxwell, 'relate to a piece ofprivate history, savouring not a little of the marvellous, andintimately connected with your family; if it is agreeable, I canread to you the anecdotes in the modern shape into which I havebeen endeavouring to throw them, and you can then judge of thevalue of the originals. '

There was something in this proposal agreeable to all parties. SirHenry had family pride, which prepared him to take an interest inwhatever related to his ancestors. The ladies had dipped deeplyinto the fashionable reading of the present day. Lady Ratcliff andher fair daughters had climbed every pass, viewed every pine-shrouded ruin, heard every groan, and lifted every trap-door incompany with the noted heroine of Udolpho. They had been heard, however, to observe that the famous incident of the Black Veilsingularly resembled the ancient apologue of the mountain inlabour, so that they were unquestionably critics as well asadmirers. Besides all this, they had valorously mounted en croupebehind the ghostly horseman of Prague, through all his seventranslators, and followed the footsteps of Moor through the forestof Bohemia. Moreover, it was even hinted (but this was a greatermystery than all the rest) that a certain performance called the'Monk, ' in three neat volumes, had been seen by a prying eye inthe right hand drawer of the Indian cabinet of Lady Ratcliff'sdressing-room. Thus predisposed for wonders and signs, LadyRatcliff and her nymphs drew their chairs round a large blazingwood-fire and arranged themselves to listen to the tale. To thatfire I also approached, moved thereunto partly by the inclemencyof the season, and partly that my deafness, which you know, cousin, I acquired during my campaign under Prince Charles Edward, might be no obstacle to the gratification of my curiosity, whichwas awakened by what had any reference to the fate of suchfaithful followers of royalty as you well know the house ofRatcliff have ever been. To this wood-fire the Vicar likewise drewnear, and reclined himself conveniently in his chair, seeminglydisposed to testify his disrespect for the narration and narratorby falling asleep as soon as he conveniently could. By the side ofMaxwell (by the way, I cannot learn that he is in the leastrelated to the Nithsdale family) was placed a small table and acouple of lights, by the assistance of which he read as follows:--

'Journal of Jan Van Eulen

'On the 6th November 1645, I, Jan Van Eulen, merchant inRotterdam, embarked with my only daughter on board of the goodvessel Vryheid of Amsterdam, in order to pass into the unhappy anddisturbed kingdom of England. 7th November--a brisk gale--daughter sea-sick--myself unable to complete the calculation whichI have begun of the inheritance left by Jane Lansache of Carlisle, my late dear wife's sister, the collection of which is the objectof my voyage. 8th November--wind still stormy and adverse--ahorrid disaster nearly happened--my dear child washed overboard asthe vessel lurched to leeward. Memorandum--to reward the youngsailor who saved her out of the first moneys which I can recoverfrom the inheritance of her aunt Lansache. 9th November--calm--P. M. Light breezes from N. N. W. I talked with the captain aboutthe inheritance of my sister-in-law, Jane Lansache. He says heknows the principal subject, which will not exceed L1000 in value. N. B. He is a cousin to a family of Petersons, which was the nameof the husband of my sister-in-law; so there is room to hope itmay be worth more than he reports. 10th November, 10 A. M. May Godpardon all our sins!--An English frigate, bearing the Parliamentflag, has appeared in the offing, and gives chase. --11 A. M. Shenears us every moment, and the captain of our vessel prepares toclear for action. --May God again have mercy upon us!'

'Here, ' said Maxwell, 'the journal with which I have opened thenarration ends somewhat abruptly. '

'I am glad of it, ' said Lady Ratcliff. 

'But, Mr. Maxwell, ' said young Frank, Sir Henry's grandchild, 'shall we not hear how the battle ended?'

I do not know, cousin, whether I have not formerly made youacquainted with the abilities of Frank Ratcliff. There is not abattle fought between the troops of the Prince and of theGovernment during the years 1745-46, of which he is not able togive an account. It is true, I have taken particular pains to fixthe events of this important period upon his memory by frequentrepetition. 

'No, my dear, ' said Maxwell, in answer to young Frank Ratcliff--'No, my dear, I cannot tell you the exact particulars of theengagement, but its consequences appear from the following letter, despatched by Garbonete Von Eulen, daughter of our journalist, toa relation in England, from whom she implored assistance. Aftersome general account of the purpose of the voyage and of theengagement her narrative proceeds thus:--

'The noise of the cannon had hardly ceased before the sounds of alanguage to me but half known, and the confusion on board ourvessel, informed me that the captors had boarded us and takenpossession of our vessel. I went on deck, where the firstspectacle that met my eyes was a young man, mate of our vessel, who, though disfigured and covered with blood, was loaded withirons, and whom they were forcing over the side of the vessel intoa boat. The two principal persons among our enemies appeared to bea man of a tall thin figure, with a high-crowned hat and longneckband, and short-cropped head of hair, accompanied by a bluff, open-looking elderly man in a naval uniform. "Yarely! yarely! pullaway, my hearts, " said the latter, and the boat bearing theunlucky young man soon carried him on board the frigate. Perhapsyou will blame me for mentioning this circumstance; but consider, my dear cousin, this man saved my life, and his fate, even when myown and my father's were in the balance, could not but affect menearly. 

'"In the name of Him who is jealous, even to slaying, " said thefirst--'

CETERA DESUNT

NO. II

CONCLUSION OF MR. STRUTT'S ROMANCE OF QUEENHOO-HALL

BY THE AUTHOR OF WAVERLEY

CHAPTER IV

A HUNTING PARTY--AN ADVENTURE--A DELIVERANCE

THE next morning the bugles were sounded by daybreak in the courtof Lord Boteler's mansion, to call the inhabitants from theirslumbers to assist in a splendid chase with which the Baron hadresolved to entertain his neighbour Fitzallen and his noblevisitor St. Clare. Peter Lanaret, the falconer, was in attendance, with falcons for the knights and teircelets for the ladies, ifthey should choose to vary their sport from hunting to hawking. Five stout yeomen keepers, with their attendants, called RaggedRobins, all meetly arrayed in Kendal green, with bugles and shorthangers by their sides, and quarter-staffs in their hands, led theslow-hounds or brachets by which the deer were to be put up. Tenbrace of gallant greyhounds, each of which was fit to pluck down, singly, the tallest red deer, were led in leashes, by as many ofLord Boteler's foresters. The pages, squires, and other attendantsof feudal splendour well attired, in their best hunting-gear, uponhorseback or foot, according to their rank, with their boar-spears, long bows, and cross-bows, were in seemly waiting. 

A numerous train of yeomen, called in the language of the timesretainers, who yearly received a livery coat and a small pensionfor their attendance on such solemn occasions, appeared incassocks of blue, bearing upon their arms the cognisance of thehouse of Boteler, as a badge of their adherence. They were thetallest men of their hands that the neighbouring villages couldsupply, with every man his good buckler on his shoulder, and abright burnished broadsword dangling from his leathern belt. Onthis occasion they acted as rangers for beating up the thicketsand rousing the game. These attendants filled up the court of thecastle, spacious as it was. 

On the green without you might have seen the motley assemblage ofpeasantry convened by report of the splendid hunting, includingmost of our old acquaintances from Tewin, as well as the jollypartakers of good cheer at Hob Filcher's. Gregory the jester, itmay well be guessed, had no great mind to exhibit himself inpublic after his recent disaster; but Oswald the steward, a greatformalist in whatever concerned the public exhibition of hismaster's household state, had positively enjoined his attendance. 'What, ' quoth he, 'shall the house of the brave Lord Boteler, onsuch a brave day as this, be without a fool? Certes, the good LordSaint Clere and his fair lady sister might think our housekeepingas niggardly as that of their churlish kinsman at Gay Bowers, whosent his father's jester to the hospital, sold the poor sot'sbells for hawk-jesses, and made a nightcap of his long-earedbonnet. And, sirrah, let me see thee fool handsomely--speak squibsand crackers, instead of that dry, barren, musty gibing which thouhast used of late; or, by the bones! the porter shall have thee tohis lodge, and cob thee with thine own wooden sword till thy skinis as motley as thy doublet. '

To this stern injunction Gregory made no reply, any more than tothe courteous offer of old Albert Drawslot, the chief parkkeeper, who proposed to blow vinegar in his nose to sharpen his wit, as hehad done that blessed morning to Bragger, the old hound, whosescent was failing. There was, indeed, little time for reply, forthe bugles, after a lively flourish, were now silent, and Peretto, with his two attendant minstrels, stepping beneath the windows ofthe strangers' apartments, joined in the following roundelay, thedeep voices of the rangers and falconers making up a chorus thatcaused the very battlements to ring again:--

 Waken, lords and ladies gay, On the mountain dawns the day; All the jolly chase is here, With hawk and horse, and hunting spear; Hounds are in their couples yelling, Hawks are whistling, horns are knelling, Merrily, merrily, mingle they, 'Waken, lords and ladies gay. '

 Waken, lords and ladies gay, The mist has left the mountain grey; Springlets in the dawn are streaming, Diamonds on the brake are gleaming, And foresters have busy been, To track the buck in thicket green; Now we come to chant our lay, 'Waken, lords and ladies gay. '

 Waken, lords and ladies gay, To the green-wood haste away; We can show you where he lies, Fleet of foot and tall of size; We can show the marks he made, When 'gamst the oak his antlers frayed; You shall see him brought to bay, 'Waken, lords and ladies gay. '

 Louder, louder chant the lay, Waken, lords and ladies gay; Tell them youth, and mirth, and glee Run a course as well as we; Time, stern huntsman! who can baulk, Stanch as hound and fleet as hawk? Think of this and rise with day, Gentle lords and ladies gay. 

By the time this lay was finished, Lord Boteler, with his daughterand kinsman, Fitzallen of Harden, and other noble guests, hadmounted their palfreys, and the hunt set forward in due order. Thehuntsmen, having carefully observed the traces of a large stag onthe preceding evening, were able, without loss of time, to conductthe company, by the marks which they had made upon the trees, tothe side of the thicket in which, by the report of Drawslot, hehad harboured all night. The horsemen, spreading themselves alongthe side of the cover, waited until the keeper entered, leadinghis ban-dog, a large blood-hound tied in a learn or band, fromwhich he takes his name. 

But it befell thus. A hart of the second year, which was in thesame cover with the proper object of their pursuit, chanced to beunharboured first, and broke cover very near where the Lady Emmaand her brother were stationed. An inexperienced varlet, who wasnearer to them, instantly unloosed two tall greyhounds, who sprungafter the fugitive with all the fleetness of the north wind. Gregory, restored a little to spirits by the enlivening scenearound him, followed, encouraging the hounds with a loud layout, for which he had the hearty curses of the huntsman, as well as ofthe Baron, who entered into the spirit of the chase with all thejuvenile ardour of twenty. 'May the foul fiend, booted andspurred, ride down his bawling throat with a scythe at hisgirdle, ' quoth Albert Drawslot; 'here have I been telling him thatall the marks were those of a buck of the first head, and he hashallooed the hounds upon a velvet-headed knobbler! By SaintHubert, if I break not his pate with my cross-bow, may I nevercast off hound more! But to it, my lords and masters! the noblebeast is here yet, and, thank the saints, we have enough ofhounds. '

The cover being now thoroughly beat by the attendants, the stagwas compelled to abandon it and trust to his speed for his safety. Three greyhounds were slipped upon him, whom he threw out, afterrunning a couple of miles, by entering an extensive furzy brake, which extended along the side of a hill. The horsemen soon cameup, and casting off a sufficient number of slow-hounds, sent themwith the prickers into the cover, in order to drive the game fromhis strength. This object being accomplished, afforded anothersevere chase of several miles, in a direction almost circular, during which the poor animal tried every wile to get rid of hispersecutors. He crossed and traversed all such dusty paths as werelikely to retain the least scent of his footsteps; he laid himselfclose to the ground, drawing his feet under his belly, andclapping his nose close to the earth, lest he should be betrayedto the hounds by his breath and hoofs. When all was in vain, andhe found the hounds coming fast in upon him, his own strengthfailing, his mouth embossed with foam, and the tears dropping fromhis eyes, he turned in despair upon his pursuers, who then stoodat gaze, making an hideous clamour, and awaiting their two-footedauxiliaries. Of these, it chanced that the Lady Eleanor, takingmore pleasure in the sport than Matilda, and being a less burdento her palfrey than the Lord Boteler, was the first who arrived atthe spot, and taking a cross-bow from an attendant, discharged abolt at the stag. When the infuriated animal felt himself wounded, he pushed frantically towards her from whom he had received theshaft, and Lady Eleanor might have had occasion to repent of herenterprise, had not young Fitzallen, who had kept near her duringthe whole day, at that instant galloped briskly in, and, ere thestag could change his object of assault, despatched him with hisshort hunting-sword. 

Albert Drawslot, who had just come up in terror for the younglady's safety, broke out into loud encomiums upon Fitzallen'sstrength and gallantry. 'By 'r Lady, ' said he, taking off his capand wiping his sun-burnt face with his sleeve, 'well struck, andin good time! But now, boys, doff your bonnets and sound themort. '

The sportsmen then sounded a treble mort, and set up a generalwhoop, which, mingled with the yelping of the dogs, made thewelkin ring again. The huntsman then offered his knife to LordBoteler, that he might take the say of the deer, but the Baroncourteously insisted upon Fitzallen going through that ceremony. The Lady Matilda was now come up, with most of the attendants; andthe interest of the chase being ended, it excited some surprisethat neither Saint Clere nor his sister made their appearance. TheLord Boteler commanded the horns again to sound the recheat, inhopes to call in the stragglers, and said to Fitzallen, 'MethinksSaint Clere so distinguished for service in war, should have beenmore forward in the chase. '

'I trow, ' said Peter Lanaret, 'I know the reason of the noblelord's absence; for, when that mooncalf Gregory hallooed the dogsupon the knobbler, and galloped like a green hilding, as he is, after them, I saw the Lady Emma's palfrey follow apace after thatvarlet, who should be thrashed for overrunning, and I think hernoble brother has followed her, lest she should come to harm. Buthere, by the rood, is Gregory to answer for himself. '

At this moment Gregory entered the circle which had been formedround the deer, out of breath, and his face covered with blood. Hekept for some time uttering inarticulate cries of 'Harrow!' and'Wellaway!' and other exclamations of distress and terror, pointing all the while to a thicket at some distance from the spotwhere the deer had been killed. 

'By my honour, ' said the Baron, 'I would gladly know who has daredto array the poor knave thus; and I trust he should dearly abyehis outrecuidance, were he the best, save one, in England. '

Gregory, who had now found more breath, cried, 'Help, an ye bemen! Save Lady Emma and her brother, whom they are murdering inBrokenhurst thicket. '

This put all in motion. Lord Boteler hastily commanded a smallparty of his men to abide for the defence of the ladies, while hehimself, Fitzallen, and the rest made what speed they couldtowards the thicket, guided by Gregory, who for that purpose wasmounted behind Fabian. Pushing through a narrow path, the firstobject they encountered was a man of small stature lying on theground, mastered and almost strangled by two dogs, which wereinstantly recognised to be those that had accompanied Gregory. Alittle farther was an open space, where lay three bodies of deador wounded men; beside these was Lady Emma, apparently lifeless, her brother and a young forester bending over and endeavouring torecover her. By employing the usual remedies, this was soonaccomplished; while Lord Boteler, astonished at such a scene, anxiously inquired at Saint Clere the meaning of what he saw, andwhether more danger was to be expected. 

'For the present I trust not, ' said the young warrior, who theynow observed was slightly wounded; 'but I pray you, of yournobleness, let the woods here be searched; for we were assaultedby four of these base assassins, and I see three only on thesward. '

The attendants now brought forwaid the person whom they hadrescued from the dogs, and Henry, with disgust, shame, andastonishment, recognised his kinsman, Gaston Saint Clere. Thisdiscovery he communicated in a whisper to Lord Boteler, whocommanded the prisoner to be conveyed to Queenhoo-Hall, andclosely guarded; meanwhile he anxiously inquired of young SaintClere about his wound. 

'A scratch, a trifle!' cried Henry. 'I am in less haste to bind itthan to introduce to you one without whose aid that of the leechwould have come too late. Where is he? where is my bravedeliverer?'

'Here, most noble lord, ' said Gregory, sliding from his palfreyand stepping forward, 'ready to receive the guerdon which yourbounty would heap on him. '

'Truly, friend Gregory, ' answered the young warrior, 'thou shaltnot be forgotten, for thou didst run speedily, and roar manfullyfor aid, without which, I think verily, we had not received it. But the brave forester, who came to my rescue when these threeruffians had nigh overpowered me, where is he?'

Every one looked around, but though all had seen him on enteringthe thicket, he was not now to be found. They could onlyconjecture that he had retired during the confusion occasioned bythe detention of Gaston. 

'Seek not for him, ' said the Lady Emma, who had now in some degreerecovered her composure, 'he will not be found of mortal, unlessat his own season. '

The Baron, convinced from this answer that her terror had for thetime somewhat disturbed her reason, forbore to question her; andMatilda and Eleanor, to whom a message had been despatched withthe result of this strange adventure, arriving, they took the LadyEmma between them, and all in a body returned to the castle. 

The distance was, however, considerable, and before reaching itthey had another alarm. The prickers, who rode foremost in thetroop, halted and announced to the Lord Boteler, that theyperceived advancing towards them a body of armed men. Thefollowers of the Baron were numerous, but they were arrayed forthe chase, not for battle, and it was with great pleasure that hediscerned, on the pennon of the advancing body of men-at-arms, instead of the cognisance of Gaston, as he had some reason toexpect, the friendly bearings of Fitzosborne of Diggswell, thesame young lord who was present at the May-games with Fitzallen ofHarden. The knight himself advanced, sheathed in armour, and, without raising his visor, informed Lord Boteler that, havingheard of a base attempt made upon a part of his train by ruffianlyassassins, he had mounted and armed a small party of his retainersto escort them to Queenhoo-Hall. Having received and accepted aninvitation to attend them thither, they prosecuted their journeyin confidence and security, and arrived safe at home without anyfurther accident. 

CHAPTER V

INVESTIGATION OF THE ADVENTURE OF THE HUNTING--A DISCOVERY--GREGORY'S MANHOOD--PATE OF GASTON SAINT CLERE--CONCLUSION

So soon as they arrived at the princely mansion of Boteler, theLady Emma craved permission to retire to her chamber, that shemight compose her spirits after the terror she had undergone. Henry Saint Clere, in a few words, proceeded to explain theadventure to the curious audience. 'I had no sooner seen mysister's palfrey, in spite of her endeavours to the contrary, entering with spirit into the chase set on foot by the worshipfulGregory, than I rode after to give her assistance. So long was thechase that, when the greyhounds pulled down the knobbler, we wereout of hearing of your bugles; and having rewarded and coupled thedogs, I gave them to be led by the jester, and we wandered inquest of our company, whom it would seem the sport had led in adifferent direction. At length, passing through the thicket whereyou found us, I was surprised by a cross-bow bolt whizzing pastmine head. I drew my sword and rushed into the thicket, but wasinstantly assailed by two ruffians, while other two made towardsmy sister and Gregory. The poor knave fled, crying for help, pursued by my false kinsman, now your prisoner; and the designs ofthe other on my poor Emma (murderous no doubt) were prevented bythe sudden apparition of a brave woodsman, who, after a shortencounter, stretched the miscreant at his feet and came to myassistance. I was already slightly wounded, and nearly overlaidwith odds. The combat lasted some time, for the caitiffs were bothwell armed, strong, and desperate; at length, however, we had eachmastered our antagonist, when your retinue, my Lord Boteler, arrived to my relief. So ends my story; but, by my knighthood, Iwould give an earl's ransom for an opportunity of thanking thegallant forester by whose aid I live to tell it. '

'Fear not, ' said Lord Boteler, 'he shall be found, if this or thefour adjacent counties hold him. And now Lord Fitzosborne will bepleased to doff the armour he has so kindly assumed for our sakes, and we will all bowne ourselves for the banquet. '

When the hour of dinner approached, the Lady Matilda and hercousin visited the chamber of the fair Darcy. They found her in acomposed but melancholy postmire. She turned the discourse uponthe misfortunes of her life, and hinted, that having recovered herbrother, and seeing him look forward to the society of one whowould amply repay to him the loss of hers, she had thoughts ofdedicating her remaining life to Heaven, by whose providentialinterference it had been so often preserved. 

Matilda coloured deeply at something in this speech, and hercousin inveighed loudly against Emma's resolution. 'Ah, my dearlady Eleanor, ' replied she, 'I have to-day witnessed what I cannotbut judge a supernatural visitation, and to what end can it callme but to give myself to the altar? That peasant who guided me toBaddow through the Park of Danbury, the same who appeared beforeme at different times and in different forms during that eventfuljourney--that youth, whose features are imprinted on my memory, isthe very individual forester who this day rescued us in theforest. I cannot be mistaken; and, connecting these marvellousappearances with the spectre which I saw while at Gay Bowers, Icannot resist the conviction that Heaven has permitted my guardianangel to assume mortal shape for my relief and protection. '

The fair cousins, after exchanging looks which implied a fear thather mind was wandering, answered her in soothing terms, andfinally prevailed upon her to accompany them to the banqueting-hall. Here the first person they encountered was the BaronFitzosborne of Diggswell, now divested of his armour, at the sightof whom the Lady Emma changed colour, and exclaiming, 'It is thesame!' sunk senseless into the arms of Matilda. 

'She is bewildered by the terrors of the day, ' said Eleanor;' andwe have done ill in obliging her to descend. '

'And I, 'said Fitzosborne, 'have done madly in presenting beforeher one whose presence must recall moments the most alarming inher life. '

While the ladies supported Emma from the hall, Lord Boteler andSaint Clere requested an explanation from Fitzosborne of the wordshe had used. 

'Trust me, gentle lords, ' said the Baron of Diggswell, 'ye shallhave what ye demand when I learn that Lady Emma Darcy has notsuffered from my imprudence. '

At this moment Lady Matilda, returning, said that her fair friend, on her recovery, had calmly and deliberately insisted that she hadseen Fitzosborne before, in the most dangerous crisis of her life. 

'I dread, ' said she, 'her disordered mind connects all that hereye beholds with the terrible passages that she has witnessed. '

'Nay, ' said Fitzosborne, 'if noble Saint Clere can pardon theunauthorized interest which, with the purest and most honourableintentions, I have taken in his sister's fate, it is easy for meto explain this mysterious impression. '

He proceeded to say that, happening to be in the hostelry calledthe Griffin, near Baddow, while upon a journey in that country, hehad met with the old nurse of the Lady Emma Darcy, who, being justexpelled from Gay Bowers, was in the height of her grief andindignation, and made loud and public proclamation of Lady Emma'swrongs. From the description she gave of the beauty of her foster-child, as well as from the spirit of chivalry, Fitzosborne becameinterested in her fate. This interest was deeply enhanced when, bya bribe to old Gaunt the Reve, he procured a view of the Lady Emmaas she walked near the castle of Gay Bowers. The aged churlrefused to give him access to the castle; yet dropped some hintsas if he thought the lady in danger, and wished she were well outof it. His master, he said, had heard she had a brother in life, and since that deprived him of all chance of gaining her domainsby purchase, he--in short, Gaunt wished they were safelyseparated. 'If any injury, ' quoth he, 'should happen to the damselhere, it were ill for us all. I tried by an innocent stratagem tofrighten her from the castle, by introducing a figure through atrap-door, and warning her, as if by a voice from the dead, toretreat from thence; but the giglet is wilful, and is running uponher fate. '

Finding Gaunt, although covetous and communicative, too faithful aservant to his wicked master to take any active steps against hiscommands, Fitzosborne applied himself to old Ursely, whom he foundmore tractable. Through her he learned the dreadful plot Gastonhad laid to rid himself of his kinswoman, and resolved to effecther deliverance. But aware of the delicacy of Emma's situation, hecharged Ursely to conceal from her the interest he took in herdistress, resolving to watch over her in disguise until he saw herin a place of safety. Hence the appearance he made before her invarious dresses during her journey, in the course of which he wasnever far distant; and he had always four stout yeomen withinhearing of his bugle, had assistance been necessary. When she wasplaced in safety at the lodge, it was Fitzosborne's intention tohave prevailed upon his sisters to visit and take her under theirprotection; but he found them absent from Diggswell, having goneto attend an aged relation who lay dangerously ill in a distantcounty. They did not return until the day before the May-games;and the other events followed too rapidly to permit Fitzosborne tolay any plan for introducing them to Lady Emma Darcy. On the dayof the chase he resolved to preserve his romantic disguise, andattend the Lady Emma as a forester, partly to have the pleasure ofbeing near her and partly to judge whether, according to an idlereport in the country, she favoured his friend and comradeFitzallen of Marden. This last motive, it may easily be believed, he did not declare to the company. After the skirmish with theruffians, he waited till the Baron and the hunters arrived, andthen, still doubting the farther designs of Gaston, hastened tohis castle to arm the band which had escorted them to Queenhoo-Hall. 

Fitzosborne's story being finished, he received the thanks of allthe company, particularly of Saint Clere, who felt deeply therespectful delicacy with which he had conducted himself towardshis sister. The lady was carefully informed of her obligations tohim; and it is left to the well-judging reader whether even theraillery of Lady Eleanor made her regret that Heaven had onlyemployed natural means for her security, and that the guardianangel was converted into a handsome, gallant, and enamouredknight. 

The joy of the company in the hall extended itself to the buttery, where Gregory the jester narrated such feats of arms done byhimself in the fray of the morning as might have shamed Bevis andGuy of Warwick. He was, according to his narrative, singled outfor destruction by the gigantic Baron himself, while he abandonedto meaner hands the destruction of Saint Clere and Fitzosborne. 

'But certes, ' said he, 'the foul paynim met his match; for, everas he foined at me with his brand, I parried his blows with mybauble, and, closing with him upon the third veny, threw him tothe ground, and made him cry recreant to an unarmed man. '

'Tush, man, ' said Drawslot, 'thou forgettest thy best auxiliaries, the good greyhounds, Help and Holdfast! I warrant thee, that whenthe hump-backed Baron caught thee by the cowl, which he hathalmost torn off, thou hadst been in a fair plight had they notremembered an old friend, and come in to the rescue. Why, man, Ifound them fastened on him myself; and there was odd staving andstickling to make them "ware haunch!" Their mouths were full ofthe flex, for I pulled a piece of the garment from their jaws. Iwarrant thee, that when they brought him to ground thou fledstlike a frighted pricket. '

'And as for Gregory's gigantic paynim, ' said Fabian, 'why, he liesyonder in the guard-room, the very size, shape, and colour of aspider in a yew-hedge. '

'It is false!' said Gregory. 'Colbrand the Dane was a dwarf tohim. '

'It is as true, ' returned Fabian, 'as that the Tasker is to bemarried on Tuesday to pretty Margery. Gregory, thy sheet hathbrought them between a pair of blankets. '

'I care no more for such a gillflirt, ' said the jester, ' than I dofor thy leasings. Marry, thou hop-o'-my-thumb, happy wouldst thoube could thy head reach the captive Baron's girdle. '

'By the mass, ' said Peter Lanaret, 'I will have one peep at thisburly gallant'; and, leaving the buttery, he went to the guard-room where Gaston Saint Clere was confined. A man-at-arms, whokept sentinel on the strong studded door of the apartment, said hebelieved he slept; for that, after raging, stamping, and utteringthe most horrid imprecations, he had been of late perfectly still. The falconer gently drew back a sliding board of a foot squaretowards the top of the door, which covered a hole of the samesize, strongly latticed, through which the warder, without openingthe door, could look in upon his prisoner. From this aperture hebeheld the wretched Gaston suspended by the neck by his own girdleto an iron ring in the side of his prison. He had clambered to itby means of the table on which his food had been placed; and, inthe agonies of shame and disappointed malice, had adopted thismode of ridding himself of a wretched life. He was found yet warm, but totally lifeless. A proper account of the manner of his deathwas drawn up and certified. He was buried that evening in thechapel of the castle, out of respect to his high birth; and thechaplain of Fitzallen of Marden, who said the service upon theoccasion, preached the next Sunday an excellent sermon upon thetext, 'Radix malorum est cupiditas, ' which we have heretranscribed. 

Here the manuscript, from which we have painfully transcribed, andfrequently, as it were, translated, this tale for the reader'sedification, is so indistinct and defaced, that, excepting certainhowbeits, nathlesses, lo ye's! etc. , we can pick out little thatis intelligible, saving that avarice is defined 'a likourishnessof heart after earthly things. ' A little farther there seems tohave been a gay account of Margery's wedding with Ralph theTasker, the running at the quintain, and other rural gamespractised on the occasion. There are also fragments of a mocksermon preached by Gregory upon that occasion, as for example:--

'My dear cursed caitiffs, there was once a king, and he wedded ayoung old queen, and she had a child; and this child was sent toSolomon the Sage, praying he would give it the same blessing whichhe got from the witch of Endor when she bit him by the heel. Hereof speaks the worthy Doctor Radigundus Potator; why should notmass be said for all the roasted shoe souls served up in theking's dish on Saturday; for true it is, that Saint Peter askedFather Adam, as they journeyed to Camelot, an high, great, anddoubtful question, "Adam, Adam, why eated'st thou the applewithout paring?"

[Footnote: This tirade of gibberish is literally taken or selectedfrom a mock discourse pronounced by a professed jester, whichoccurs in an ancient manuscript in the Advocates' Library, thesame from which the late ingenious Mr. Weber published the curiouscomic romance of the Hunting of the Hare. It was introduced incompliance with Mr Strutt's plan of rendering his tale anillustration of ancient manners A similar burlesque sermon ispronounced by the fool in Sir David Lindesay's satire of the ThreeEstates. The nonsense and vulgar burlesque of that compositionillustrate the ground of Sir Andrew Aguecheek's eulogy on theexploits of the jester in Twelfth Night, who, reserving hissharper jests for Sir Toby, had doubtless enough of the jargon ofhis calling to captivate the imbecility of his brother knight, whois made to exclaim--'In sooth, thou wast in very gracious foolinglast night, when thou spokest of Pigrogremitus, and of the vapourspassing the equinoctials of Quenbus; 't was very good, i' faith!'It is entertaining to find commentators seeking to discover somemeaning in the professional jargon of such a passage as this. ]

With much goodly gibberish to the same effect; which display ofGregory's ready wit not only threw the whole company intoconvulsions of laughter, but made such an impression on Rose, thePotter's daughter, that it was thought it would be the Jester'sown fault if Jack was long without his Jill. Much pithy matter, concerning the bringing the bride to bed, the loosing thebridegroom's points, the scramble which ensued for them, and thecasting of the stocking, is also omitted from its obscurity. 

The following song which has been since borrowed by the worshipfulauthor of the famous History of Fryar Bacon, has been withdifficulty deciphered. It seems to have been sung on occasion ofcarrying home the bride

 Bridal Song

 To the tune of--'I have been a Fiddler, ' etc, And did you not hear of a mirth befell The morrow after a wedding day, And carrying a bride at home to dwell? And away to Tewin, away, away!

 The quintain was set, and the garlands were made, 'T is pity old customs should ever decay; And woe be to him that was horsed on a jade, For he carried no credit away, away. 

 We met a consort of fiddle-de-dees; We set them a cockhorse, and made them play The winning of Bullen and Upsey-frees, And away to Tewin, away, away!

 There was ne'er a lad in all the parish That would go to the plough that day; But on his fore-horse his wench he carries. And away to Tewin, away, away!

 The butler was quick, and the ale he did tap, The maidens did make the chamber full gay; The servants did give me a fuddling cup, And I did carry't away, away. 

 The smith of the town his liquor so took, That he was persuaded that the ground look'd blue; And I dare boldly be sworn on a book, Such smiths as he there's but a few. 

 A posset was made, and the women did sip, And simpering said, they could eat no more; Full many a maiden was laid on the lip, -- I'll say no more, but give o'er (give o'er). 

But what our fair readers will chiefly regret is the loss of threedeclarations of love; the first by Saint Clere to Matilda; which, with the lady's answer, occupies fifteen closely written pages ofmanuscript. That of Fitzosborne to Emma is not much shorter; butthe amours of Fitzallen and Eleanor, being of a less romanticcast, are closed in three pages only. The three noble couples weremarried in Queenhoo-Hall upon the same day, being the twentiethSunday after Easter. There is a prolix account of the marriage-feast, of which we can pick out the names of a few dishes, such aspeterel, crane, sturgeon, swan, etc. Etc. , with a profusion ofwild-fowl and venison. We also see that a suitable song wasproduced by Peretto on the occasion; and that the bishop whoblessed the bridal beds which received the happy couples was noniggard of his holy water, bestowing half a gallon upon each ofthe couches. We regret we cannot give these curiosities to thereader in detail, but we hope to expose the manuscript to ablerantiquaries so soon as it shall be framed and glazed by theingenious artist who rendered that service to Mr. Ireland'sShakspeare MSS. And so (being unable to lay aside the style towhich our pen is habituated), gentle reader, we bid thee heartilyfarewell. 

NO. III

ANECDOTE OF SCHOOL DAYS

UPON WHICH MR. THOMAS SCOTT PROPOSED TO FOUND A TALE OF FICTION

It is well known in the South that there is little or no boxing atthe Scottish schools. About forty or fifty years ago, however, afar more dangerous mode of fighting, in parties or factions, waspermitted in the streets of Edinburgh, to the great disgrace ofthe police and danger of the parties concerned. These parties weregenerally formed from the quarters of the town in which thecombatants resided, those of a particular square or districtfighting against those of an adjoining one. Hence it happened thatthe children of the higher classes were often pitted against thoseof the lower, each taking their side according to the residence oftheir friends. So far as I recollect, however, it was unmingledeither with feelings of democracy or aristocracy, or indeed withmalice or ill-will of any kind towards the opposite party. Infact, it was only a rough mode of play. Such contests were, however, maintained with great vigour with stones and sticks andfisticuffs, when one party dared to charge and the other stoodtheir ground. Of course mischief sometimes happened; boys are saidto have been killed at these bickers, as they were called, andserious accidents certainly took place, as many contemporaries canbear witness. 

The author's father residing in George Square, in the southernside of Edinburgh, the boys belonging to that family, with othersin the square, were arranged into a sort of company, to which alady of distinction presented a handsome set of colours. Now thiscompany or regiment, as a matter of course, was engaged in weeklywarfare with the boys inhabiting the Crosscauseway, Bristo Street, the Potterrow--in short, the neighbouring suburbs. These last werechiefly of the lower rank, but hardy loons, who threw stones to ahair's-breadth and were very rugged antagonists at close quarters. The skirmish sometimes lasted for a whole evening, until one partyor the other was victorious, when, if ours were successful, wedrove the enemy to their quarters, and were usually chased back bythe reinforcement of bigger lads who came to their assistance. If, on the contrary, we were pursued, as was often the case, into theprecincts of our square, we were in our turn supported by ourelder brothers, domestic servants, and similar auxiliaries. 

It followed, from our frequent opposition to each other, that, though not knowing the names of our enemies, we were yet wellacquainted with their appearance, and had nicknames for the mostremarkable of them. One very active and spirited boy might beconsidered as the principal leader in the cohort of the suburbs. He was, I suppose, thirteen or fourteen years old, finely made, tall, blue-eyed, with long fair hair, the very picture of ayouthful Goth. This lad was always first in the charge and last inthe retreat--the Achilles, at once, and Ajax of theCrosscauseway. He was too formidable to us not to have a cognomen, and, like that of a knight of old, it was taken from the mostremarkable part of his dress, being a pair of old green liverybreeches, which was the principal part of his clothing; for, likePentapolin, according to Don Quixote's account, Green-Breeks, aswe called him, always entered the battle with bare arms, legs, andfeet. 

It fell, that once upon a time, when the combat was at thethickest, this plebeian champion headed a sudden charge, so rapidand furious that all fled before him. He was several paces beforehis comrades, and had actually laid his hands on the patricianstandard, when one of our party, whom some misjudging friend hadentrusted with a couleau de chasse, or hanger, inspired with azeal for the honour of the corps worthy of Major Sturgeon himself, struck poor Green-Breeks over the head with strength sufficient tocut him down. When this was seen, the casualty was so far beyondwhat had ever taken place before, that both parties fled differentways, leaving poor Green-Breeks, with his bright hair plentifullydabbled in blood, to the care of the watchman, who (honest man)took care not to know who had done the mischief. The bloody hangerwas flung into one of the Meadow ditches, and solemn secrecy wassworn on all hands; but the remorse and terror of the actor werebeyond all bounds, and his apprehensions of the most dreadfulcharacter. The wounded hero was for a few days in the Infirmary, the case being only a trifling one. But, though inquiry wasstrongly pressed on him, no argument could make him indicate theperson from whom he had received the wound, though he must havebeen perfectly well known to him. When he recovered and wasdismissed, the author and his brothers opened a communication withhim, through the medium of a popular ginger-bread baker, of whomboth parties were customers, in order to tender a subsidy in nameof smart-money. The sum would excite ridicule were I to name it;but sure I am that the pockets of the noted Green-Breeks neverheld as much money of his own. He declined the remittance, sayingthat he would not sell his blood; but at the same time reprobatedthe idea of being an informer, which he said was clam, i. E. Baseor mean. With much urgency he accepted a pound of snuff for theuse of some old woman--aunt, grandmother, or the like--with whomhe lived. We did not become friends, for the bickers were moreagreeable to both parties than any more pacific amusement; but weconducted them ever after under mutual assurances of the highestconsideration for each other. 

Such was the hero whom Mr. Thomas Scott proposed to carry toCanada, and involve in adventures with the natives and colonistsof that country. Perhaps the youthful generosity of the lad willnot seem so great in the eyes of others as to those whom it wasthe means of screening from severe rebuke and punishment. But itseemed to those concerned to argue a nobleness of sentiment farbeyond the pitch of most minds; and however obscurely the lad whoshowed such a frame of noble spirit may have lived or died, Icannot help being of opinion that, if fortune had placed him incircumstances calling for gallantry or generosity, the man wouldhave fulfilled the promise of the boy. Long afterwards, when thestory was told to my father, he censured us severely for nottelling the truth at the time, that he might have attempted to beof use to the young man in entering on life. But our alarms forthe consequences of the drawn sword, and the wound inflicted withsuch a weapon, were far too predominant at the time for such apitch of generosity. 

Perhaps I ought not to have inserted this schoolboy tale; but, besides the strong impression made by the incident at the time, the whole accompaniments of the story are matters to me of solemnand sad recollection. Of all the little band who were concerned inthose juvenile sports or brawls, I can scarce recollect a singlesurvivor. Some left the ranks of mimic war to die in the activeservice of their country. Many sought distant lands to return nomore. Others, dispersed in different paths of life, 'my dim eyesnow seek for in vain. ' Of five brothers, all healthy and promisingin a degree far beyond one whose infancy was visited by personalinfirmity, and whose health after this period seemed long veryprecarious, I am, nevertheless, the only survivor. The best loved, and the best deserving to be loved, who had destined this incidentto be the foundation of literary composition, died 'before hisday' in a distant and foreign land; and trifles assume animportance not their own when connected with those who have beenloved and lost. 

NOTES

NOTE I

LONG the oracle of the country gentlemen of the high Tory party. The ancient News-Letter was written in manuscript and copied byclerks, who addressed the copies to the subscribers. Thepolitician by whom they were compiled picked up his intelligenceat coffee-houses, and often pleaded for an additional gratuity inconsideration of the extra expense attached to frequenting suchplaces of fashionable resort. 

NOTE 2

There is a family legend to this purpose, belonging to theknightly family of Bradshaigh, the proprietors of Haigh Hall, inLancashire, where, I have been told, the event is recorded on apainted glass window. The German ballad of the Noble Moringerturns upon a similar topic. But undoubtedly many such incidentsmay have taken place, where, the distance being great and theintercourse infrequent, false reports concerning the fate of theabsent Crusaders must have been commonly circulated, and sometimesperhaps rather hastily credited at home. 

NOTE 3

The attachment to this classic was, it is said, actually displayedin the manner mentioned in the text by an unfortunate Jacobite inthat unhappy period. He escaped from the jail in which he wasconfined for a hasty trial and certain condemnation, and wasretaken as he hovered around the place in which he had beenimprisoned, for which he could give no better reason than the hopeof recovering his favourite Titus Livius. I am sorry to add thatthe simplicity of such a character was found to form no apologyfor his guilt as a rebel, and that he was condemned and executed. 

NOTE 4

Nicholas Amhurst, a noted political writer, who conducted for manyyears a paper called the Craftsman, under the assumed name ofCaleb D'Anvers. He was devoted to the Tory interest, and secondedwith much ability the attacks of Pulteney on Sir Robert Walpole. He died in 1742, neglected by his great patrons and in the mostmiserable circumstances. 

'Amhurst survived the downfall of Walpole's power, and had reasonto expect a reward for his labours. If we excuse Bolingbroke, whohad only saved the shipwreck of his fortunes, we shall be at aloss to justify Pulteney, who could with ease have given this mana considerable income. The utmost of his generosity to Amhurstthat I ever heard of was a hogshead of claret! He died, it issupposed, of a broken heart; and was buried at the charge of hishonest printer, Richard Francklin. '--Lord Chesterfield'sCharacters Reviewed, p. 42. 

NOTE 5

I have now given in the text the full name of this gallant andexcellent man, and proceed to copy the account of his remarkableconversion, as related by Doctor Doddridge. 

'This memorable event, ' says the pious writer, 'happened towardsthe middle of July 1719. The major had spent the evening (and, ifI mistake not, it was the Sabbath) in some gay company, and had anunhappy assignation with a married woman, whom he was to attendexactly at twelve. The company broke up about eleven, and, notjudging it convenient to anticipate the time appointed, he wentinto his chamber to kill the tedious hour, perhaps with someamusing book, or some other way. But it very accidentally happenedthat he took up a religious book, which his good mother or aunthad, without his knowledge, slipped into his portmanteau. It wascalled, if I remember the title exactly, The Christian Soldier, orHeaven taken by Storm, and it was written by Mr. Thomas Watson. Guessing by the title of it that he would find some phrases of hisown profession spiritualised in a manner which he thought mightafford him some diversion, he resolved to dip into it, but he tookno serious notice of anything it had in it; and yet, while thisbook was in his hand, an impression was made upon his mind(perhaps God only knows how) which drew after it a train of themost important and happy consequences. He thought he saw anunusual blaze of light fall upon the book which he was reading, which he at first imagined might happen by some accident in thecandle, but, lifting up his eyes, he apprehended to his extremeamazement that there was before him, as it were suspended in theair, a visible representation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon thecross, surrounded on all sides with a glory; and was impressed asif a voice, or something equivalent to a voice, had come to him, to this effect (for he was not confident as to the words), "Oh, sinner! did I suffer this for thee, and are these thy returns?"Struck with so amazing a phenomenon as this, there remained hardlyany life in him, so that he sunk down in the arm-chair in which hesat, and continued, he knew not how long, insensible. '

'With regard to this vision, ' says the ingenious Dr. Hibbert, 'theappearance of our Saviour on the cross, and the awful wordsrepeated, can be considered in no other light than as so manyrecollected images of the mind, which probably had their origin inthe language of some urgent appeal to repentance that the colonelmight have casually read or heard delivered. From what cause, however, such ideas were rendered as vivid as actual impressions, we have no information to be depended upon. This vision wascertainly attended with one of the most important of consequencesconnected with the Christian dispensation--the conversion of asinner. And hence no single narrative has, perhaps, done more toconfirm the superstitious opinion that apparitions of this awfulkind cannot arise without a divine fiat. ' Doctor Hibbert adds in anote--'A short time before the vision, Colonel Gardiner hadreceived a severe fall from his horse. Did the brain receive someslight degree of injury from the accident, so as to predispose himto this spiritual illusion?'--Hibbert's Philosophy of Apparitions, Edinburgh, 1824, p. 190. 

NOTE 6

The courtesy of an invitation to partake a traveller's meal, or atleast that of being invited to share whatever liquor the guestcalled for, was expected by certain old landlords in Scotland evenin the youth of the author. In requital mine host was alwaysfurnished with the news of the country, and was probably a littleof a humorist to boot. The devolution of the whole actual businessand drudgery of the inn upon the poor gudewife was very commonamong the Scottish Bonifaces. There was in ancient times, in thecity of Edinburgh, a gentleman of good family who condescended, inorder to gain a livelihood, to become the nominal keeper of acoffee-house, one of the first places of the kind which had beenopened in the Scottish metropolis. As usual, it was entirelymanaged by the careful and industrious Mrs. B--; while her husbandamused himself with field sports, without troubling his head aboutthe matter. Once upon a time, the premises having taken fire, thehusband was met walking up the High Street loaded with his gunsand fishing-rods, and replied calmly to someone who inquired afterhis wife, 'that the poor woman was trying to save a parcel ofcrockery and some trumpery books'; the last being those whichserved her to conduct the business of the house. 

There were many elderly gentlemen in the author's younger days whostill held it part of the amusement of a journey 'to parley withmine host, ' who often resembled, in his quaint humour, mine Hostof the Garter in the Merry Wives of Windsor; or Blague of theGeorge in the Merry Devil of Edmonton. Sometimes the landlady tookher share of entertaining the company. In either case the omittingto pay them due attention gave displeasure, and perhaps broughtdown a smart jest, as on the following occasion:

A jolly dame who, not 'Sixty Years Since, ' kept the principalcaravansary at Greenlaw, in Berwickshire, had the honour toreceive under her roof a very worthy clergyman, with three sons ofthe same profession, each having a cure of souls; be it said inpassing, none of the reverend party were reckoned powerful in thepulpit. After dinner was over, the worthy senior, in the pride ofhis heart, asked Mrs. Buchan whether she ever had had such a partyin her house before. 'Here sit I, ' he said, 'a placed minister ofthe Kirk of Scotland, and here sit my three sons, each a placedminister of the same kirk. Confess, Luckie Buchan, you never hadsuch a party in your house before. ' The question was not premisedby any invitation to sit down and take a glass of wine or thelike, so Mrs. B. Answered drily, 'Indeed, sir, I cannot just saythat ever I had such a party in my house before, except once inthe forty-five, when I had a Highland piper here, with his threesons, all Highland pipers; and deil a spring they could play amangthem. '

NOTE 7

There is no particular mansion described under the name of Tully-Veolan; but the peculiarities of the description occur in variousold Scottish seats. The House of Warrender upon Bruntsfield Linksand that of Old Ravelston, belonging, the former to Sir GeorgeWarrender, the latter to Sir Alexander Keith, have bothcontributed several hints to the description in the text. TheHouse of Dean, near Edinburgh, has also some points of resemblancewith Tully-Veolan. The author has, however, been informed that theHouse of Grandtully resembles that of the Baron of Bradwardinestill more than any of the above. 

NOTE 8

I am ignorant how long the ancient and established custom ofkeeping fools has been disused in England. Swift writes an epitaphon the Earl of Suffolk's fool--

Whose name was Dickie Pearce

In Scotland, the custom subsisted till late in the last century;at Glamis Castle is preserved the dress of one of the jesters, very handsome, and ornamented with many bells. It is not abovethirty years since such a character stood by the sideboard of anobleman of the first rank in Scotland, and occasionally mixed inthe conversation, till he carried the joke rather too far, inmaking proposals to one of the young ladies of the family, andpublishing the bans betwixt her and himself in the public church. 

NOTE 9

After the Revolution of 1688, and on some occasions when thespirit of the Presbyterians had been unusually animated againsttheir opponents, the Episcopal clergymen, who were chieflynonjurors, were exposed to be mobbed, as we should now say, orrabbled, as the phrase then went, to expiate their politicalheresies. But notwithstanding that the Presbyterians had thepersecution in Charles II and his brother's time to exasperatethem, there was little mischief done beyond the kind of pettyviolence mentioned in the text. 

NOTE 10

I may here mention that the fashion of compotation described inthe text was still occasionally practised in Scotland in theauthor's youth. A company, after having taken leave of their host, often went to finish the evening at the clachan or village, in'womb of tavern. ' Their entertainer always accompanied them totake the stirrup-cup, which often occasioned a long and laterevel. 

The poculum potatorium of the valiant Baron, his blessed Bear, hasa prototype at the fine old Castle of Glamis, so rich in memorialsof ancient times; it is a massive beaker of silver, double gilt, moulded into the shape of a lion, and holding about an Englishpint of wine. The form alludes to the family name of Strathmore, which is Lyon, and, when exhibited, the cup must necessarily beemptied to the Earl's health. The author ought perhaps to beashamed of recording that he has had the honour of swallowing thecontents of the Lion; and the recollection of the feat served tosuggest the story of the Bear of Bradwardine. In the family ofScott of Thirlestane (not Thirlestane in the Forest, but the placeof the same name in Roxburghshire) was long preserved a cup of thesame kind, in the form of a jack-boot. Each guest was obliged toempty this at his departure. If the guest's name was Scott, thenecessity was doubly imperative. 

When the landlord of an inn presented his guests with deoch andoruis, that is, the drink at the door, or the stirrup-cup, thedraught was not charged in the reckoning. On this point a learnedbailie of the town of Forfar pronounced a very sound judgment. 

A. , an ale-wife in Forfar, had brewed her 'peck of malt' and setthe liquor out of doors to cool; the cow of B. , a neighbour of A. , chanced to come by, and seeing the good beverage, was allured totaste it, and finally to drink it up. When A. Came to take in herliquor, she found her tub empty, and from the cow's staggering andstaring, so as to betray her intemperance, she easily divined themode in which her 'browst' had disappeared. To take vengeance onCrummie's ribs with a stick was her first effort. The roaring ofthe cow brought B. , her master, who remonstrated with his angryneighbour, and received in reply a demand for the value of the alewhich Crummie had drunk up. B. Refused payment, and was conveyedbefore C. , the bailie, or sitting magistrate. He heard the casepatiently; and then demanded of the plaintiff A. Whether the cowhad sat down to her potation or taken it standing. The plaintiffanswered, she had not seen the deed committed, but she supposedthe cow drank the ale while standing on her feet, adding, that hadshe been near she would have made her use them to some purpose. The bailie, on this admission, solemnly adjudged the cow's drinkto be deoch an doruis, a stirrup-cup, for which no charge could bemade without violating the ancient hospitality of Scotland. 

NOTE 11

The story last told was said to have happened in the south ofScotland; but cedant arma togae and let the gown have its dues. Itwas an old clergyman, who had wisdom and firmness enough to resistthe panic which seized his brethren, who was the means of rescuinga poor insane creature from the cruel fate which would otherwisehave overtaken her. The accounts of the trials for witchcraft formone of the most deplorable chapters in Scottish story. 

NOTE 12

Although canting heraldry is generally reprobated, it seemsnevertheless to have been adopted in the arms and mottos of manyhonourable families. Thus the motto of the Vernons, Ver non semperviret, is a perfect pun, and so is that of the Onslows, Festinalente. The Periissem ni per-iissem of the Anstruthers is liable toa similar objection. One of that ancient race, finding that anantagonist, with whom he had fixed a friendly meeting, wasdetermined to take the opportunity of assassinating him, preventedthe hazard by dashing out his brains with a battle-axe. Two sturdyarms, brandishing such a weapon, form the usual crest of thefamily, with the above motto, Periissem ni per-iissem--I had died, unless I had gone through with it. 

NOTE 13

Mac-Donald of Barrisdale, one of the very last Highland gentlemenwho carried on the plundering system to any great extent, was ascholar and a well-bred gentleman. He engraved on his broad-swords the well-known lines--

 Hae tibi erunt artes pacisque imponere morem, Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos. 

Indeed, the levying of black-mail was, before 1745, practised byseveral chiefs of very high rank, who, in doing so, contended thatthey were lending the laws the assistance of their arms andswords, and affording a protection which could not be obtainedfrom the magistracy in the disturbed state of the country. Theauthor has seen a Memoir of Mac-Pherson of Cluny, chief of thatancient clan, from which it appears that he levied protection-money to a very large amount, which was willingly paid even bysome of his most powerful neighbours. A gentleman of this clan, hearing a clergyman hold forth to his congregation on the crime oftheft, interrupted the preacher to assure him, he might leave theenforcement of such doctrines to Cluny Mac-Pherson, whosebroadsword would put a stop to theft sooner than all the sermonsof all the ministers of the synod. 

NOTE 14

The Town-guard of Edinburgh were, till a late period, armed withthis weapon when on their police-duty. There was a hook at theback of the axe, which the ancient Highlanders used to assist themto climb over walls, fixing the hook upon it and raisingthemselves by the handle. The axe, which was also much used by thenatives of Ireland, is supposed to have been introduced into bothcountries from Scandinavia. 

NOTE 15

An adventure very similar to what is here stated actually befellthe late Mr. Abercromby of Tullibody, grandfather of the presentLord Abercromby, and father of the celebrated Sir Ralph. When thisgentleman, who lived to a very advanced period of life, firstsettled in Stirlingshire, his cattle were repeatedly driven off bythe celebrated Rob Roy, or some of his gang; and at length he wasobliged, after obtaining a proper safe-conduct, to make thecateran such a visit as that of Waverley to Bean Lean in the text. Rob received him with much courtesy, and made many apologies forthe accident, which must have happened, he said, through somemistake. Mr. Abercromby was regaled with collops from two of hisown cattle, which were hung up by the heels in the cavern, and wasdismissed in perfect safety, after having agreed to pay in futurea small sum of black-mail, in consideration of which Rob Roy notonly undertook to forbear his herds in future, but to replace anythat should be stolen from him by other freebooters. Mr. Abercromby said Rob Roy affected to consider him as a friend tothe Jacobite interest and a sincere enemy to the Union. Neither ofthese circumstances were true; but the laird thought it quiteunnecessary to undeceive his Highland host at the risk of bringingon a political dispute in such a situation. This anecdote Ireceived many years since (about 1792) from the mouth of thevenerable gentleman who was concerned in it. 

NOTE 16

This celebrated gibbet was, in the memory of the last generation, still standing at the western end of the town of Crieff, inPerthshire. Why it was called the kind gallows we are unable toinform the reader with certainty; but it is alleged that theHighlanders used to touch their bonnets as they passed a placewhich had been fatal to many of their countrymen, with theejaculation 'God bless her nain sell, and the Teil tamn you!' Itmay therefore have been called kind, as being a sort of native orkindred place of doom to those who suffered there, as infulfilment of a natural destiny. 

NOTE 17

The story of the bridegroom carried off by caterans on his bridal-day is taken from one which was told to the author by the lateLaird of Mac-Nab many years since. To carry off persons from theLowlands, and to put them to ransom, was a common practice withthe wild Highlanders, as it is said to be at the present day withthe banditti in the south of Italy. Upon the occasion alluded to, a party of caterans carried off the bridegroom and secreted him insome cave near the mountain of Schiehallion. The young man caughtthe small-pox before his ransom could be agreed on; and whether itwas the fine cool air of the place, or the want of medicalattendance, Mac-Nab did not pretend to be positive; but so it was, that the prisoner recovered, his ransom was paid, and he wasrestored to his friends and bride, but always considered theHighland robbers as having saved his life by their treatment ofhis malady. 

NOTE 18

This happened on many occasions. Indeed, it was not till after thetotal destruction of the clan influence, after 1745, thatpurchasers could be found who offered a fair price for the estatesforfeited in 1715, which were then brought to sale by thecreditors of the York Buildings Company, who had purchased thewhole, or greater part, from government at a very small price. Even so late as the period first mentioned, the prejudices of thepublic in favour of the heirs of the forfeited families threwvarious impediments in the way of intending purchasers of suchproperty. 

NOTE 19

This sort of political game ascribed to Mac-Ivor was in realityplayed by several Highland chiefs, the celebrated Lord Lovat inparticular, who used that kind of finesse to the uttermost. TheLaird of Mac---was also captain of an independent company, butvalued the sweets of present pay too well to incur the risk oflosing them in the Jacobite cause. His martial consort raised hisclan and headed it in 1745. But the chief himself would havenothing to do with king-making, declaring himself for thatmonarch, and no other, who gave the Laird of Mac ---- 'half-a-guineathe day and half-a-guinea the morn. '

NOTE 20

In explanation of the military exercise observed at the Castle ofGlennaquoich, the author begs to remark that the Highlanders werenot only well practised in the use of the broadsword, firelock, and most of the manly sports and trials of strength commonthroughout Scotland, but also used a peculiar sort of drill, suited to their own dress and mode of warfare. There were, forinstance, different modes of disposing the plaid, one when on apeaceful journey, another when danger was apprehended; one way ofenveloping themselves in it when expecting undisturbed repose, andanother which enabled them to start up with sword and pistol inhand on the slightest alarm. 

Previous to 1720 or thereabouts, the belted plaid was universallyworn, in which the portion which surrounded the middle of thewearer and that which was flung around his shoulders were all ofthe same piece of tartan. In a desperate onset all was thrownaway, and the clan charged bare beneath the doublet, save for anartificial arrangement of the shirt, which, like that of theIrish, was always ample, and for the sporran-mollach, or goat's-skin purse. 

The manner of handling the pistol and dirk was also part of theHighland manual exercise, which the author has seen gone throughby men who had learned it in their youth. 

NOTE 21

Pork or swine's flesh, in any shape, was, till of late years, muchabominated by the Scotch, nor is it yet a favourite food amongstthem. King Jamie carried this prejudice to England, and is knownto have abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. Ben Jonsonhas recorded this peculiarity, where the gipsy in a masque, examining the king's hand, says--

You should, by this line, Love a horse and a hound, but no part of a swine. 

The Gipsies Metamorphosed. 

James's own proposed banquet for the Devil was a loin of pork anda poll of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion. 

NOTE 22

In the number of persons of all ranks who assembled at the sametable, though by no means to discuss the same fare, the Highlandchiefs only retained a custom which had been formerly universallyobserved throughout Scotland. 'I myself, ' says the traveller, Fynes Morrison, in the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the scenebeing the Lowlands of Scotland, 'was at a knight's house, who hadmany servants to attend him, that brought in his meat with theirheads covered with blue caps, the table being more than halffurnished with great platters of porridge, each having a littlepiece of sodden meat. And when the table was served, the servantsdid sit down with us; but the upper mess, instead of porridge, hada pullet, with some prunes in the broth. '--Travels, p. 155. 

Till within this last century the farmers, even of a respectablecondition, dined with their work-people. The difference betwixtthose of high degree was ascertained by the place of the partyabove or below the salt, or sometimes by a line drawn with chalkon the dining-table. Lord Lovat, who knew well how to feed thevanity and restrain the appetites of his clansmen, allowed eachsturdy Fraser who had the slightest pretensions to be aDuinhewassel the full honour of the sitting, but at the same timetook care that his young kinsmen did not acquire at his table anytaste for outlandish luxuries. His lordship was always ready withsome honourable apology why foreign wines and French brandy, delicacies which he conceived might sap the hardy habits of hiscousins, should not circulate past an assigned point on the table. 

NOTE 23

In the Irish ballads relating to Fion (the Fingal of Mac-Pherson)there occurs, as in the primitive poetry of most nations, a cycleof heroes, each of whom has some distinguishing attribute; uponthese qualities, and the adventures of those possessing them, manyproverbs are formed, which are still current in the Highlands. Among other characters, Conan is distinguished as in some respectsa kind of Thersites, but brave and daring even to rashness. He hadmade a vow that he would never take a blow without returning it;and having, like other heroes of antiquity, descended to theinfernal regions, he received a cuff from the Arch-fiend whopresided there, which he instantly returned, using the expressionin the text. Sometimes the proverb is worded thus--'Claw for claw, and the devil take the shortest nails, as Conan said to thedevil. '

NOTE 24

The description of the waterfall mentioned in this chapter istaken from that of Ledeard, at the farm so called, on the northernside of Lochard, and near the head of the lake, four or five milesfrom Aberfoyle. It is upon a small scale, but otherwise one of themost exquisite cascades it is possible to behold. The appearanceof Flora with the harp, as described, has been justly censured astoo theatrical and affected for the lady-like simplicity of hercharacter. But something may be allowed to her French education, in which point and striking effect always make a considerableobject. 

NOTE 25

The author has been sometimes accused of confounding fiction withreality. He therefore thinks it necessary to state that thecircumstance of the hunting described in the text as preparatoryto the insurrection of 1745 is, so far as he knows, entirelyimaginary. But it is well known such a great hunting was held inthe Forest of Brae-Mar, under the auspices of the Earl of Mar, aspreparatory to the Rebellion of 1715; and most of the Highlandchieftains who afterwards engaged in that civil commotion werepresent on this occasion. 

GLOSSARY

A', all. 

ABOON, abune, above. 

ABY, abye, endure, suffer. 

ACCOLADE, the salutation marking the bestowal of knighthood. 

AIN, own. 

ALANE, alone. 

AN, if. 

ANE, one. 

ARRAY, annoy, trouble. 

AULD, old. 

AWEEL, well. 

AYE, always. 

BAILIE, a city magistrate in Scotland. 

BAN, curse. 

BAWTY, sly, cunning. 

BAXTER, a baker. 

BEES, in the, stupefied, bewildered. 

BELIVE, belyve, by and by. 

BEN, in, inside. 

BENT, an open field. 

BHAIRD, a bard. 

BLACK-FISHING, fishing by torchlight poaching. 

BLINKED, glanced. 

BLUDE, braid, blood. 

BLYTHE, gay, glad. 

BODLE, a copper coin worth a third of an English penny. 

BOLE, a bowl. 

BOOT-KETCH, a boot-jack. 

BRAE, the side of a hill. 

BRISSEL-COCK, a turkey cock. 

BREEKS, breeches. 

BROGUES, Highland shoes. 

BROKEN MEN, outlaws. 

BROUGHT FAR BEN, held in special favor

BROWST, a brewing. 

BRUIK, enjoy. 

BUCKIE, a perverse or refractory person. 

BULLSEGG, a gelded bull. 

BURD, bird, a term of familiarity. 

BURN, a brook. 

BUSKING, dress, decoration. 

BUTTOCK-MAIL, a fine for fornication. 

BYDAND, awaiting. 

CAILLIACHS, old women on whom devolved the duty of lamenting forthe dead, which the Irish call keening. 

CALLANT, a young lad, a fine fellow. 

CANNY, prudent, skillful, lucky. 

CANTER, a canting, whining beggar. 

CANTRIP, a trick. 

CARLE, a churl, an old man. 

CATERAN, a Highland irregular soldier, a freebooter. 

CHAP, a customer. 

CLACHAN, a hamlet. 

CLAW FAVOUR, curry favour. 

CLAYMORE, a broad sword. 

CLEEK, a hook. 

CLEIK the cunzie, steal the silver. 

COB, beat. 

COBLE, a small fishing boat. 

COGS, wooden vessels. 

COGUE, a round wooden vessel. 

CONCUSSED, violently shaken, disturbed, forced. 

CORONACH, a dirge. 

CORRIE, a mountain hollow. 

COVE, a cave. 

CRAME, a booth, a merchant's shop. 

CREAGH, an incursion for plunder, termed on the Borders a raid. 

CROUSE, bold, courageous. 

CRUMMY, a cow with crooked horns. 

CUITTLE, tickle. 

CURRAGH, a Highland boat. 

DAFT, mad, foolish. 

DEBINDED, bound down. 

DECREET, an order of decree. 

DEOCH AN DORUIS, the stirrup-cup or parting drink. 

DERN, concealed, secret. 

DINMONTS, wethers in the second year. 

DOER, an agent, a manager. 

DOON, doun, down. 

DOVERING, dozing. 

DUINHE-WASSEL, dunniewassal, a Highland gentleman, usually thecadet of a family of rank. 

EANARUICH, the regalia presented by Rob Roy to the Laird ofTullibody. 

ENEUGH, eneuch, enough. 

ERGASTULO, in a penitentiary. 

EXEEMED, exempt. 

FACTORY, stewardship. 

FEAL AND DIVOT, turf and thatch. 

FECK, a quantity. 

FEIFTEEN, the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. 

FENDY, good at making a shift. 

FIRE-RAISING, setting an incendiary fire. 

FLEMIT, frightened, FRAE, from. 

FU, full. 

FULE, fool. 

GABERLUNZIE, a kind of professional beggar. 

GANE, gone. 

GANG, go. 

GAR, make. 

GATE, gait, way. 

GAUN, going. 

GAY, gey, very. 

GEAR, goods, property. 

GILLFLIRT, a flirty girl. 

GILLIE, a servant, an attendant. 

GILLIE-WET-FOOT, a barefooted Highland lad. 

GIMMER, a ewe from one to two years old. 

GLISKED, glimpsed. 

GRIPPLE, rapacious, niggardly. 

GULPIN, a simpleton. 

HA', hall. 

HAG, a portion of copse marked off for cutting. 

HAIL, whole. 

HALLAN, a partition, a screen. 

HAME, home. 

HANTLE, a great deal. 

HARST, harvest. 

HERSHIPS, plunder. 

HILDING, a coward. 

HIRSTS, knolls. 

HORNING, charge of, a summons to pay a debt, on pain of beingpronounced a rebel, to the sound of a horn. 

HOWE, a hollow. 

HOULERYING AND POULERYING, hustling and pulling. 

HURLEY-HOUSE, a brokendown manor house. 

ILK, same; of that ilk, of the same name or place. 

ILKA, each, every. 

IN THE BEES, stupefied. 

INTROMIT, meddle with. 

KEN, know. 

KITTLE, tickle, ticklish. 

KNOBBLER, a male deer in its second year. 

KYLOE, a small Highland cow. 

LAIRD, squire, lord of the manor. 

LANG-LEGGIT, long-legged. 

LAWING, a tavern reckoning. 

LEE LAND, pasture land. 

LIE, a word used in old Scottish legal documents to call attentionto the following word or phrase. 

LIFT, capture, carry off by theft. 

LIMMER, a jade. 

LOCH, a lake. 

LOON, an idle fellow, a lout, a rogue. 

LUCKIE, an elderly woman. 

LUG, an ear, a handle. 

LUNZIE, the loins, the waist. 

MAE, mair, more. 

MAINS, the chief farm of an estate. 

MALT ABUNE THE MEAL, the drink above the food, half-seas over. 

MAUN, must. 

MEAL ARK, a meal chest. 

MERK, 13 1/3 pence in English money. 

MICKLE, much, great. 

MISGUGGLED, mangled, rumpled. 

MONY, many. 

MORN, the morn, tomorrow. 

MORNING, a morning dram. 

MUCKLE, much, great. 

MUIR, moor. 

NA, nae, no, not. 

NAINSELL, own self. 

NICE, simple. 

NOLT, black cattle. Ony, any. 

ORRA, odd, unemployed. 

ORRA-TIME, occasionally. 

OWER, over. 

PEEL-HOUSE, a fortified tower. 

PENDICLE, a small piece of ground. 

PINGLE, a fuss, trouble. 

PLENISHING, furnishings. 

PLOY, sport, entertainment. 

PRETTY MEN, stout, warlike fellows. 

REIFS, robberies. 

REIVERS, robbers. 

RIGGS, ridges, ploughed ground. 

ROKELAY, a short cloak. 

RUDAS, coarse, hag-like. 

SAIN, mark with the sign of the cross, bless. 

SAIR, sore, very. 

SAUMON, salmon. 

SAUT, salt. 

SAY, a sample. 

SCHELLUM, a rascal. 

SCOUPING, scowping, skipping, leaping, running. 

SEANNACHIE, a Highland antiquary. 

SHEARING, reaping, harvest. 

SHILPIT, weak, sickly. 

SHOON, shoes. 

SIC, siccan, such. 

SIDIER DHU, black soldiers, independent companies raised to keeppeace in the Highlands; named from the tartans they wore. 

SIDIER ROY, red soldiers, King George's men. 

SIKES, small brooks. 

SILLER, silver, money. 

SIMMER, summer. 

SLIVER, slice, slit. 

SMOKY, suspicious. 

SNECK, cut. 

SNOOD, a fillet worn by young women. 

SOPITE, quiet a brawl. 

SORNERS, sornars, sojourners, sturdy beggars, especially thoseunwelcome visitors who exact lodgings and victuals by force. 

SORTED, arranged, adjusted. 

SPEIR, ask, investigate. 

SPORRAN-MOLLACH, a Highland purse of goatskin. 

SPRACK, animated, lively. 

SPRING, a cheerful tune. 

SPURRZIE, spoil. 

STIEVE, stiff, firm. 

STIRK, a young steer or heifer. 

STOT, a bullock. 

STOUP, a jug, a pitcher. 

STOUTHREEF, robbery. 

STRAE, straw. 

STRATH, a valley through which a river runs. 

SYBOES, onions. 

TA, the. TAIGLIT, harassed, loitered. 

TAILZIE, taillie, a deed of entail. 

TAPPIT-HEN, a pewter pot that holds three English quarts. 

TAYOUT, tailliers-hors; in modern phrase, Tally-ho!

TEIL, the devil. 

TEINDS, tithes. 

TELT, told. 

TILL, to. TOUN, a hamlet, a farm. 

TREWS, trousers. 

TROW, believe, suppose. 

TWA, two. 

TYKE, a dog, a snarling fellow. 

UNCO, strange, very. 

UNKENN'D, unknown. 

USQUEBAUGH, whiskey. 

WA', wall. 

WARE, spend. 

WEEL, well. 

WHA, who. 

WHAR, where. 

WHAT FOR, why. 

WHILK, which. 

WISKE, whisk, brandish. 

END OF VOLUME I