Theselastwerecalled_sidierdhu，_i。e。，blacksoldier；andthe42dRegiment，whichwasformedoutoftheseindependentcompanies，isstillcalledtheBlackWatchfromthedarkcolourofthetartans。
　　beadisagreeablesurprise。’’Andwithoutwaitingforananswer，injockeyphrase，hetrottedout，andputtinghimselftoaveryroundpace，wasoutofsightinaninstant。
　　Waverleywasnowlefttohisownmeditations，forhisattendantwiththebattle-axespokeverylittleEnglish。Theyweretraversingathick，and，asitseemed，anendlesswoodofpines，andconsequentlythepathwasaltogetherindiscernibleinthemurkydarknesswhichsurroundedthem。TheHighlander，however，seemedtotraceitbyinstinct，withoutthehesitationofamoment，andEdwardfollowedhisfootstepsascloseashecould。
　　Afterjourneyingaconsiderabletimeinsilence，hecouldnothelpasking，Wasitfartotheendoftheirjourney？’’
　　Tacovewastree，fourmile；butasDuinh-wasselwasaweetaiglit，Donaldcould，tatis，might-would-shouldsendtacurragh。’’
　　Thisconveyednoinformation。The_curragh_whichwaspromisedmightbeaman，ahorse，acart，orchaise；andnomorecouldbegotfromthemanwiththebattle-axe，butarepetitionofAichay！tacurragh。’’
　　ButinashorttimeEdwardbegantoconceivehismeaning，when，issuingfromthewood，hefoundhimselfonthebanksofalargeriverorlake，wherehisconductorgavehimtounderstandtheymustsitdownforalittlewhile。Themoon，whichnowbegantorise，showedobscurelytheexpanseofwaterwhichspreadbeforethem，andtheshapelessandindistinctformsofmountainswithwhichitseemedtobesurrounded。ThecoolandyetmildairofthesummernightrefreshedWaverleyafterhisrapidandtoilsomewalk；andtheperfumewhichitwaftedfromthebirchtrees，bathedintheeveningdew，wasexquisitelyItisnottheweepingbirch，themostcommonspeciesintheHighlands，butthewoolly-leavedLowlandbirch，thatisdistinguishedbythisfragrance。
　　fragrant。
　　Hehadnowtimetogivehimselfuptothefullromanceofhissituation。Herehesateonthebanksofanunknownlake，undertheguidanceofawildnative，whoselanguagewasunknowntohim，onavisittothedenofsomerenownedoutlaw，asecondRobinHoodperhaps，orAdamo’Gordon，andthatatdeepmidnight，throughscenesofdifficultyandtoil，separatedfromhisattendant，leftbyhisguide-Whatavarietyofincidentsfortheexerciseofaromanticimagination，andallenhancedbythesolemnfeelingofuncertainty，atleast，ifnotofdanger？Theonlycircumstancewhichassortedillwiththerest，wasthecauseofhisjourney-theBaron’smilk-cows！
　　Thisdegradingincidenthekeptintheback-ground。
　　Whilewraptinthesedreamsofimagination，hiscompaniongentlytouchedhim，andpointinginadirectionnearlystraightacrossthelake，saidYon’stacove。’’Asmallpointoflightwasseentotwinkleinthedirectioninwhichhepointed，andgraduallyincreasinginsizeandlustre，seemedtoflickerlikeameteoruponthevergeofthehorizon。WhileEdwardwatchedthisphenomenon，thedistantdashofoarswasheard。Themeasuredsoundapproachednearandmorenear，andpresentlyaloudwhistlewasheardinthesamedirection。Hisfriendwiththebattle-axeimmediatelywhistledclearandshrill，inreplytothesignal，andaboat，mannedwithfourorfiveHighlanders，pushedforalittleinlet，nearwhichEdwardwassitting。
　　Headvancedtomeetthemwithhisattendant，wasimmediatelyassistedintotheboatbytheofficiousattentionoftwostoutmountaineers，andhadnosoonerseatedhimself，thantheyresumedtheiroars，andbegantorowacrossthelakewithgreatrapidity。
　　Thepartypreservedsilence，interruptedonlybythemonotonousandmurmuredchantofaGaelicsong，sunginakindoflowrecitativebythesteersman，andbythedashoftheoars，whichthenotesseemedtoregulate，astheydippedtothemincadence。
　　Thelight，whichtheynowapproachedmorenearly，assumedabroader，redder，andmoreirregularsplendour。Itappearedplainlytobealargefire，butwhetherkindleduponanislandorthemainland，Edwardcouldnotdetermine。Ashesawit，theredglaringorbseemedtorestontheverysurfaceofthelakeitself，andresembledthefieryvehicleinwhichtheEvilGeniusofanOrientaltaletraverseslandandsea。Theyapproachednearer，andthelightofthefiresufficedtoshowthatitwaskindledatthebottomofahugedarkcragorrock，risingabruptlyfromtheveryedgeofthewater；itsfront，changedbythereflectiontoduskyred，formedastrangeandevenawfulcontrasttothebanksaround，whichwerefromtimetotimefaintlyandpartiallyilluminatedbypallidmoonlight。
　　Theboatnownearedtheshore，andEdwardcoulddiscoverthatthislargefire，amplysuppliedwithbranchesofpine-woodbytwofigureswho，intheredreflectionofitslight，appearedlikedemons，waskindledinthejawsofaloftycavern，intowhichaninletfromthelakeseemedtoadvance；andheconjectured，whichwasindeedtrue，thatthefirehadbeenlightedasabeacontotheboatmenontheirreturn。Theyrowedrightforthemouthofthecave，andthen，shippingtheiroars，permittedtheboattoenterinobediencetotheimpulsewhichithadreceived。Theskiffpassedthelittlepointorplatformofrockonwhichthefirewasblazing，andrunningabouttwoboats’lengthfarther，stoppedwherethecavernforitwasalreadyarchedoverheadascendedfromthewaterbyfiveorsixbroadledgesofrocks，soeasyandregularthattheymightbetermednaturalsteps。Atthismomentaquantityofwaterwassuddenlyflunguponthefire，whichsunkwithahissingnoise，andwithitdisappearedthelightithadhithertoafforded。
　　FourorfiveactivearmsliftedWaverleyoutoftheboat，placedhimonhisfeet，andalmostcarriedhimintotherecessesofthecave。Hemadeafewpacesindarkness，guidedinthismanner；
　　andadvancingtowardsahumofvoices，whichseemedtosoundfromthecentreoftherock，atanacuteturnDonaldBeanLeanandhiswholeestablishmentwerebeforehiseyes。
　　Theinteriorofthecave，whichhereroseveryhigh，wasilluminatedbytorchesmadeofpine-tree，whichemittedabrightandbickeringlight，attendedbyastrongthoughnotunpleasantodour。Theirlightwasassistedbytheredglareofalargecharcoalfire，roundwhichwereseatedfiveorsixarmedHighlanders，whileotherswereindistinctlyseencouchedontheirplaids，inthemoreremoterecessesofthecavern。Inonelargeaperture，whichtherobberfacetiouslycalledhis_spence_orpantry，therehungbytheheelsthecarcassesofasheep，orewe，andtwocowslatelyslaughtered。Theprincipalinhabitantofthissingularmansion，attendedbyEvanDhu，asmasteroftheceremonies，cameforwardtomeethisguest，totallydifferentinappearanceandmannerfromwhathisimaginationhadanticipated。Theprofessionwhichhefollowed-thewildernessinwhichhedwelt-thewildwarrior-formsthatsurroundedhim，wereallcalculatedtoinspireterror。Fromsuchaccompaniments，Waverleypreparedhimselftomeetastern，gigantic，ferociousfigure，suchasSalvatorwouldhavechosentobethecentralobjectofagroupofbanditti。
　　NoteG。RobRoy。
　　DonaldBeanLeanwastheveryreverseofallthese。Hewasthininpersonandlowinstature，withlightsandy-colouredhair，andsmallpalefeatures，fromwhichhederivedhisagnomenofBean，orwhite；andalthoughhisformwaslight，well-proportioned，andactive，heappeared，onthewhole，ratheradiminutiveandinsignificantfigure。HehadservedinsomeinferiorcapacityintheFrencharmy，andinordertoreceivehisEnglishvisitoringreatform，andprobablymeaning，inhisway，topayhimacompliment，hehadlaidasidetheHighlanddressforthetime，toputonanoldblueandreduniform，andafeatheredhat，inwhichhewasfarfromshowingtoadvantage，andindeedlookedsoincongruous，comparedwithallaroundhim，thatWaverleywouldhavebeentemptedtolaugh，hadlaughterbeeneithercivilorsafe。TherobberreceivedCaptainWaverleywithaprofusionofFrenchpolitenessandScottishhospitality，seemedperfectlytoknowhisnameandconnexions，andtobeparticularlyacquaintedwithhisuncle’spoliticalprinciples。Onthesehebestowedgreatapplause，towhichWaverleyjudgeditprudenttomakeaverygeneralreply。
　　Beingplacedataconvenientdistancefromthecharcoalfire，theheatofwhichtheseasonrenderedoppressive，astrappingHighlanddamselplacedbeforeWaverley，Evan，andDonaldBean，threecogues，orwoodenvessels，composedofstavesandhoops，containing_eanaruich，_asortofstrongsoup，madeoutThiswastheregalepresentedbyRobRoytotheLairdofTullibody。
　　ofaparticularpartoftheinsideofthebeeves。Afterthisrefreshment，which，thoughcoarse，fatigueandhungerrenderedpalatable，steaks，roastedonthecoals，weresuppliedinliberalabundanceanddisappearedbeforeEvanDhuandtheirhostwithapromptitudethatseemedlikemagic，andastonishedWaverley，whowasmuchpuzzledtoreconciletheirvoracitywithwhathehadheardoftheabstemiousnessoftheHighlanders。
　　Hewasignorantthatthisabstinencewaswiththelowerrankswhollycompulsory，andthat，likesomeanimalsofprey，thosewhopractiseitwereusuallygiftedwiththepowerofindemnifyingthemselvestogoodpurpose，whenchancethrewplentyintheirway。Thewhiskycameforthinabundancetocrownthecheer。TheHighlandersdrankitcopiouslyandundiluted；butEdward，havingmixedalittlewithwater，didnotfinditsopalatableastoinvitehimtorepeatthedraught。
　　Theirhostbewailedhimselfexceedinglythathecouldofferhimnowine：Hadhebutknownfour-and-twentyhoursbefore，hewouldhavehadsome，haditbeenwithinthecircleoffortymilesroundhim。Butnogentlemancoulddomoretoshowhissenseofthehonourofavisitfromanother，thantoofferhimthebestcheerhishouseafforded。Wheretherearenobushestherecanbenonuts，andthewayofthoseyoulivewithisthatyoumustfollow。’’
　　HewentonregrettingtoEvanDhuthedeathofanagedman，DonnachaanAnirigh，orDuncanwiththeCap，agiftedseer，’’whoforetold，throughthesecondsight，visitorsofeverydescriptionwhohauntedtheirdwelling，whetherasfriendsorfoes。
　　IsnothissonMalcolm_taishatr？_’’asecond-sightedperson，askedEvan。
　　Nothingequaltohisfather，’’repliedDonaldBean。Hetoldustheotherdayweweretoseeagreatgentlemanridingonahorse，andtherecamenobodythatwholedaybutShemusBeg，theblindharper，withhisdog。Anothertimeheadvertisedusofawedding，andbeholditprovedafuneral；andonthecreagh，whenheforetoldtousweshouldbringhomeahundredheadofhornedcattle，wegrippednothingbutafatbailieofPerth。’’
　　Fromthisdiscoursehepassedtothepoliticalandmilitarystateofthecountry；andWaverleywasastonished，andevenalarmed，tofindapersonofthisdescriptionsoaccuratelyacquaintedwiththestrengthofthevariousgarrisonsandregimentsquarterednorthoftheTay。HeevenmentionedtheexactnumberofrecruitswhohadjoinedWaverley’stroopfromhisuncle’sestate，andobservedtheywere_prettymen，_meaning，nothandsome，butstoutwarlikefellows。HeputWaverleyinmindofoneortwominutecircumstanceswhichhadhappenedatageneralreviewoftheregiment，whichsatisfiedhimthattherobberhadbeenaneye-witnessofit；andEvanDhuhavingbythistimeretiredfromtheconversation，andwrappedhimselfupinhisplaidtotakesomerepose，DonaldaskedEdward，inaverysignificantmanner，whetherhehadnothingparticulartosaytohim。
　　Waverley，surprisedandsomewhatstartledatthisquestionfromsuchacharacter，answeredhehadnomotiveinvisitinghimbutcuriositytoseehisextraordinaryplaceofresidence。
　　DonaldBeanLeanlookedhimsteadilyinthefaceforaninstant，andthensaid，withasignificantnod，Youmightaswellhaveconfidedinme；IamasmuchworthyoftrustaseithertheBaronofBradwardineorVichIanVohr：-butyouareequallywelcometomyhouse。’’