Waverleywasunaccustomedtotheuseofwine,exceptingwithgreattemperance。Hesleptthereforesoundlytilllateinthesucceedingmorning,andthenawakenedtoapainfulrecollectionofthesceneoftheprecedingevening。Hehadreceivedapersonalaffront,-he,agentleman,asoldier,andaWaverley。
True,thepersonwhohadoffereditwasnot,atthetimeitwasgiven,possessedofthemoderateshareofsensewhichnaturehadallottedhim;truealso,inresentingthisinsult,hewouldbreakthelawsofHeaven,aswellasofhiscountry;true,indoingso,hemighttakethelifeofayoungmanwhoperhapsrespectablydischargedthesocialduties,andrenderhisfamilymiserable;orhemightlosehisown;-nopleasantalternativeeventothebravest,whenitisdebatedcoollyandinprivate。
Allthispressedonhismind;yettheoriginalstatementrecurredwiththesameirresistibleforce。Hehadreceivedapersonalinsult;hewasofthehouseofWaverley;andheboreacommission。Therewasnoalternative;andhedescendedtothebreakfastparlourwiththeintentionoftakingleaveofthefamily,andwritingtooneofhisbrotherofficerstomeethimattheinnmid-waybetweenTully-Veolanandthetownwheretheywerequartered,inorderthathemightconveysuchamessagetotheLairdofBalmawhappleasthecircumstancesseemedtodemand。HefoundMissBradwardinepresidingovertheteaandcoffee,thetableloadedwithwarmbread,bothofflour,oatmeal,andbarley-meal,intheshapeofloaves,cakes,biscuits,andothervarieties,togetherwitheggs,rein-deerham,muttonandbeefditto,smokedsalmon,marmalade,andallotherdelicacieswhichinducedevenJohnsonhimselftoextoltheluxuryofaScotchbreakfastabovethatofallothercountries。
Amessofoatmealporridge,flankedbyasilverjug,whichheldanequalmixtureofcreamandbutter-milk,wasplacedfortheBaron’sshareofthisrepast;butRoseobservedhehadwalkedoutearlyinthemorning,aftergivingordersthathisguestshouldnotbedisturbed。
Waverleysatdownalmostinsilence,andwithanairofabsenceandabstraction,whichcouldnotgiveMissBradwardineafavourableopinionofhistalentsforconversation。Heansweredatrandomoneortwoobservationswhichsheventuredtomakeuponordinarytopics;sothatfeelingherselfalmostrepulsedinhereffortsatentertaininghim,andsecretlywonderingthatascarletcoatshouldcovernobetterbreeding,shelefthimtohismentalamusementofcursingDr。Doubleit’sfavouriteconstellationofUrsaMajor,asthecauseofallthemischiefwhichhadalreadyhappened,andwaslikelytoensue。Atoncehestarted,andhiscolourheightened,as,lookingtowardthewindow,hebeheldtheBaronandyoungBalmawhapplepassarminarm,apparentlyindeepconversation;andhehastilyasked,DidMr。Falconersleepherelastnight?’’Rose,notmuchpleasedwiththeabruptnessofthefirstquestionwhichtheyoungstrangerhadaddressedtoher,answereddrylyinthenegative,andtheconversationagainsunkintosilence。
AtthismomentMr。Saundersonappeared,withamessagefromhismasterrequestingtospeakwithCaptainWaverleyinanotherapartment。Withaheartwhichbeatalittlequicker,notindeedfromfear,butfromuncertaintyandanxiety,Edwardobeyedthesummons。Hefoundthetwogentlemenstandingtogether,anairofcomplacentdignityonthebrowoftheBaron,whilesomethinglikesullenness,orshame,orboth,blankedtheboldvisageofBalmawhapple。Theformerslippedhisarmthroughthatofthelatter,andthusseemingtowalkwithhim,whileinrealityheledhim,advancedtomeetWaverley,and,stoppinginthemidstoftheapartment,madeingreatstatethefollowingoration:CaptainWaverley,-myyoungandesteemedfriend,Mr。FalconerofBalmawhapple,hascravedofmyageandexperience,asofonenotwhollyunskilledinthedependenciesandpunctiliosoftheduelloormonomachia,tobehisinterlocutorinexpressingtoyoutheregretwithwhichhecallstoremembrancecertainpassagesofoursymposionlastnight,whichcouldnotbutbehighlydispleasingtoyou,asservingforthetimeunderthispresentexistinggovernment。
Hecravesyou,sir,todrowninoblivionthememoryofsuchsolecismsagainstthelawsofpoliteness,asbeingwhathisbetterreasondisavows,andtoreceivethehandwhichheoffersyouinamity;andImustneedsassureyou,thatnothinglessthanasenseofbeing_danssontort,_asagallantFrenchchevalier,Mons。LeBretailleur,oncesaidtomeonsuchanoccasion,andanopinionalsoofyourpeculiarmerit,couldhaveextortedsuchconcessions;forheandallhisfamilyare,andhavebeentimeoutofmind,_Mavortiapectora,_asBuchanansaith,aboldandwarlikesept,orpeople。’’
Edwardimmediately,andwithnaturalpoliteness,acceptedthehandwhichBalmawhapple,orrathertheBaroninhischaracterofmediator,extendedtowardshim。Itwasimpossible,’’
hesaid,forhimtorememberwhatagentlemanexpressedhiswishhehadnotuttered;andhewillinglyimputedwhathadpassedtotheexuberantfestivityoftheday。’’
Thatisveryhandsomelysaid,’’answeredtheBaron;forundoubtedlyifamanbe_ebrius,_orintoxicated-anincidentwhich,onsolemnandfestiveoccasions,mayandwilltakeplaceinthelifeofamanofhonour;andifthesamegentleman,beingfreshandsober,recantsthecontumelieswhichhehathspokeninhisliquor,itmustbeheld_vinumlocutum_est;thewordsceasetobehisown。YetwouldInotfindthisexculpationrelevantinthecaseofonewhowas_ebriosus,_oranhabitualdrunkard;because,ifsuchapersonchoosetopassthegreaterpartofhistimeinthepredicamentofintoxication,hehathnotitletobeexeemedfromtheobligationsofthecodeofpoliteness,butshouldlearntodeporthimselfpeaceablyandcourteouslywhenundertheinfluenceofthevinousstimulus-
Andnowletusproceedtobreakfast,andthinknomoreofthisdaftbusiness。’’
Imustconfess,whateverinferencemaybedrawnfromthecircumstance,thatEdward,aftersosatisfactoryanexplanation,didmuchgreaterhonourtothedelicaciesofMissBradwardine’sbreakfast-tablethanhiscommencementhadpromised。Balmawhapple,onthecontrary,seemedembarrassedanddejected;
andWaverleynow,forthefirsttime,observedthathisarmwasinasling,whichseemedtoaccountfortheawkwardandembarrassedmannerwithwhichhehadpresentedhishand。
ToaquestionfromMissBradwardine,hemuttered,inanswer,somethingabouthishorsehavingfallen;and,seemingdesiroustoescapebothfromthesubjectandthecompany,hearoseassoonasbreakfastwasover,madehisbowtotheparty,and,decliningtheBaron’sinvitationtotarrytillafterdinner,mountedhishorseandreturnedtohisownhome。
WaverleynowannouncedhispurposeofleavingTully-Veolanearlyenoughafterdinnertogainthestageatwhichhemeanttosleep;buttheunaffectedanddeepmortificationwithwhichthegood-naturedandaffectionateoldgentlemanheardtheproposal,quitedeprivedhimofcouragetopersistinit。NosoonerhadhegainedWaverley’sconsenttolengthenhisvisitforafewdays,thanhelabouredtoremovethegroundsuponwhichheconceivedhehadmeditatedamoreearlyretreat。Iwouldnothaveyouopine,CaptainWaverley,thatIambypracticeorpreceptanadvocateofebriety,thoughitmaybethat,inourfestivityoflastnight,someofourfriends,ifnotperchancealtogether_ebrii,_ordrunken,were,tosaytheleast,_ebrioli,_bywhichtheancientsdesignedthosewhowerefuddled,or,asyourEnglishvernacularandmetaphoricalphrasegoes,half-seas-over。
NotthatIwouldsoinsinuaterespectingyou,CaptainWaverley,who,likeaprudentyouth,didratherabstainfrompotation;norcanitbetrulysaidofmyself,who,havingassistedatthetablesofmanygreatgeneralsandmarechalsattheirsolemncarousals,havethearttocarrymywinediscreetly,anddidnot,duringthewholeevening,asyemusthavedoubtlessobserved,exceedtheboundsofamodesthilarity。’’
Therewasnorefusingassenttoapropositionsodecidedlylaiddownbyhimwhoundoubtedlywasthebestjudge;although,hadEdwardformedhisopinionfromhisownrecollections,hewouldhavepronouncedthattheBaronwasnotonly_ebriolus,_
butvergingtobecome_ebrius;_or,inplainEnglish,wasincomparablythemostdrunkoftheparty,exceptperhapshisantagonisttheLairdofBalmawhapple。However,havingreceivedtheexpected,orrathertherequired,complimentonhissobriety,theBaronproceeded,-No,sir,thoughIammyselfofastrongtemperament,Iabhorebriety,anddetestthosewhoswallowwine_gulcausa,_fortheoblectationofthegullet;
albeitImightdeprecatethelawofPittacusofMitylene,whopunisheddoublyacrimecommittedundertheinfluenceof_LiberPater;_norwouldIutterlyaccedetotheobjurgationoftheyoungerPlinius,inthefourteenthbookofhis`HistoriaNaturalis。’No,sir;Idistinguish,Idiscriminate,andapproveofwinesofaronlyasitmakethgladtheface,or,inthelanguageofFlaccus,_receptoamico。_’’
ThusterminatedtheapologywhichtheBaronofBradwardinethoughtitnecessarytomakeforthesuperabundanceofhishospitality;anditmaybeeasilybelievedthathewasneitherinterruptedbydissent,noranyexpressionofincredulity。
Hetheninvitedhisguesttoamorningride,andorderedthatDavieGellatleyshouldmeetthematthe_dernpath_withBanandBuscar。For,untiltheshootingseasoncommenced,Iwouldwillinglyshowyousomesport,andwemay,Godwilling,meetwitharoe。Theroe,CaptainWaverley,maybehuntedatalltimesalike;forneverbeinginwhatiscalled_prideofgrease,_heisalsoneveroutofseason,thoughitbeatruththathisvenisonisnotequaltothatofeithertheredorfallowdeer。ButhewillservetoshowhowmydogsrunThelearnedincookerydissentfromtheBaronofBradwardine,andholdtheroe-venisondryandindifferentfood,unlesswhendressedinsoupandScotchcollops。
andthereforetheyshallattenduswithDavieGellatley。’’
WaverleyexpressedhissurprisethathisfriendDaviewascapableofsuchtrust;buttheBarongavehimtounderstandthatthispoorsimpletonwasneitherfatuous_necnaturaliteridiota,_asisexpressedinthebrievesoffuriosity,butsimplyacrackbrainedknave,whocouldexecuteverywellanycommissionwhichjumpedwithhisownhumour,andmadehisfollyapleaforavoidingeveryother。Hehasmadeaninterestwithus,’’continuedtheBaron,bysavingRosefromagreatdangerwithhisownproperperil;andtheroguishloonmustthereforeeatofourbreadanddrinkofourcup,anddowhathecan,orwhathewill;which,ifthesuspicionsofSaundersonandtheBailiearewellfounded,mayperchanceinhiscasebecommensurateterms。’’
MissBradwardinethengaveWaverleytounderstand,thatthispoorsimpletonwasdoatinglyfondofmusic,deeplyaffectedbythatwhichwasmelancholy,andtransportedintoextravagantgaietybylightandlivelyairs。Hehadinthisrespectaprodigiousmemory,storedwithmiscellaneoussnatchesandfragmentsofalltunesandsongs,whichhesometimesapplied,withconsiderableaddress,asthevehiclesofremonstrance,explanation,orsatire。Daviewasmuchattachedtothefewwhoshowedhimkindness;andbothawareofanyslightorillusagewhichhehappenedtoreceive,andsufficientlyapt,wherehesawopportunity,torevengeit。Thecommonpeople,whooftenjudgehardlyofeachother,aswellasoftheirbetters,althoughtheyhadexpressedgreatcompassionforthepoor_innocent_whilesufferedtowanderinragsaboutthevillage,nosoonerbeheldhimdecentlyclothed,providedfor,andevenasortoffavourite,thantheycalledupalltheinstancesofsharpnessandingenuity,inactionandrepartee,whichhisannalsafforded,andcharitablybottomedthereuponahypothesis,thatDavieGellatleywasnofartherfoolthanwasnecessarytoavoidhardlabour。ThisopinionwasnotbetterfoundedthanthatoftheNegroes,who,fromtheacuteandmischievouspranksofthemonkeys,supposethattheyhavethegiftofspeech,andonlysuppresstheirpowersofelocutiontoescapebeingsettowork。Butthehypothesiswasentirelyimaginary。DavieGellatleywasingoodearnestthehalf-crazedsimpletonwhichheappeared,andwasincapableofanyconstantandsteadyexertion。Hehadjustsomuchsolidityaskeptonthewindysideofinsanity;somuchwildwitassavedhimfromtheimputationofidiocy;somedexterityinfieldsportsinwhichwehaveknownasgreatfoolsexcel,greatkindnessandhumanityinthetreatmentofanimalsentrustedtohim,warmaffections,aprodigiousmemory,andanearformusic。
Thestampingofhorseswasnowheardinthecourt,andDavie’svoicesingingtothetwolargedeergreyhounds,-
Hieaway,hieaway,Overbankandoverbrae,Wherethecopsewoodisthegreenest,Wherethefountainsglistensheenest,Wherethelady-ferngrowsstrongest,Wherethemorningdewlieslongest,Wheretheblack-cocksweetestsipsit,Wherethefairylatesttripsit:
Hietohauntsrightseldomseen,Lovely,lonesome,cool,andgreen,Overbankandoverbrae,Hieaway,hieaway。
Dotheverseshesings,’’askedWaverley,belongtooldScottishpoetry,MissBradwardine?’’
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