首页 >出版文学> WAVERLEY>第39章

第39章

  Theyhavehithertobehavedverywell,asweareforcedtokeepthemingoodhumour。Butthesesoldiershavehintedasifonyourfallingintotheirhandsyouwouldbeingreatdanger;
  Icannotprevailonmyselftowritewhatwickedfalsehoodstheysaid,forIamsuretheyarefalsehoods;butyouwillbestjudgewhatyououghttodo。Thepartythatreturnedcarriedoffyourservantprisoner,withyourtwohorses,andeverythingthatyouleftatTully-Veolan。IhopeGodwillprotectyou,andthatyouwillgetsafehometoEngland,whereyouusedtotellmetherewasnomilitaryviolencenorfightingamongclanspermitted,buteverythingwasdoneaccordingtoanequallawthatprotectedallwhowereharmlessandinnocent。Ihopeyouwillexertyourindulgenceastomyboldnessinwritingtoyou,whereitseemstome,thoughperhapserroneously,thatyoursafetyandhonourareconcerned。Iamsure-atleastI
  think,myfatherwouldapproveofmywriting;forMr。Rubrickisfledtohiscousin’sattheDuchran,tobeoutofdangerfromthesoldiersandtheWhigs,andBailieMacwheebledoesnotliketomeddlehesaysinothermen’sconcerns,thoughIhopewhatmayservemyfather’sfriendatsuchatimeasthis,cannotbetermedimproperinterference。Farewell,CaptainWaverley!Ishallprobablyneverseeyoumore;foritwouldbeveryimpropertowishyoutocallatTully-Veolanjustnow,evenifthesemenweregone;butIwillalwaysrememberwithgratitudeyourkindnessinassistingsopoorascholarasmyself,andyourattentionstomydear,dearfather。
  Iremain,yourobligedservant,RoseComyneBradwardine。’’
  P。S-IhopeyouwillsendmealinebyDavidGellatley,justtosayyouhavereceivedthis,andthatyouwilltakecareofyourself;andforgivemeifIentreatyou,foryourownsake,tojoinnoneoftheseunhappycabals,butescape,asfastaspossible,toyourownfortunatecountry。MycomplimentstomydearFlora,andtoGlennaquoich。IsshenotashandsomeandaccomplishedasIhavedescribedher?’’
  ThusconcludedtheletterofRoseBradwardine,thecontentsofwhichbothsurprisedandaffectedWaverley。ThattheBaronshouldfallunderthesuspicionsofGovernment,inconsequenceofthepresentstiramongthepartisansofthehouseofStuart,seemedonlythenaturalconsequenceofhispoliticalpredilections;buthow_he_himselfshouldhavebeeninvolvedinsuchsuspicions,consciousthatuntilyesterdayhehadbeenfreefromharbouringathoughtagainsttheprosperityofthereigningfamily,seemedinexplicable。BothatTully-VeolanandGlennaquoich,hishostshadrespectedhisengagementswiththeexistinggovernment,andthoughenoughpassedbyaccidentalinnuendothatmightinducehimtoreckontheBaronandtheChiefamongthosedisaffectedgentlemenwhowerestillnumerousinScotland,yetuntilhisownconnectionwiththearmyhadbeenbrokenoffbytheresumptionofhisCommission,hehadnoreasontosupposethattheynourishedanyimmediateorhostileattemptsagainstthepresentestablishment。StillhewasawarethatunlesshemeantatoncetoembracetheproposalofFergusMac-Ivor,itwoulddeeplyconcernhimtoleavethesuspiciousneighbourhoodwithoutdelay,andrepairwherehisconductmightundergoasatisfactoryexamination。
  Uponthishetheratherdetermined,asFlora’sadvicefavouredhisdoingso,andbecausehefeltinexpressiblerepugnanceattheideaofbeingaccessorytotheplagueofcivilwar。WhateverweretheoriginalrightsoftheStuarts,calmreflectiontoldhim,that,omittingthequestionhowfarJamestheSecondcouldforfeitthoseofhisposterity,hehad,accordingtotheunitedvoiceofthewholenation,justlyforfeitedhisown。
  Sincethatperiod,fourmonarchshadreignedinpeaceandgloryoverBritain,sustainingandexaltingthecharacterofthenationabroad,anditslibertiesathome。Reasonasked,wasitworthwhiletodisturbagovernmentsolongsettledandestablished,andtoplungeakingdomintoallthemiseriesofcivilwar,forthepurposeofreplacinguponthethronethedescendantsofamonarchbywhomithadbeenwilfullyforfeited?
  If,ontheotherhand,hisownfinalconvictionofthegoodnessoftheircause,orthecommandsofhisfatheroruncle,shouldrecommendtohimallegiancetotheStuarts,stillitwasnecessarytoclearhisowncharacterbyshowingthathehadnot,asseemedtobefalselyinsinuated,takenanysteptothispurpose,duringhisholdingthecommissionofthereigningmonarch。
  TheaffectionatesimplicityofRose,andheranxietyforhissafety-hissensetooofherunprotectedstate,andoftheterrorandactualdangerstowhichshemightbeexposed,madeanimpressionuponhismind,andheinstantlywrotetothankherinthekindesttermsforhersolicitudeonhisaccount,toexpresshisearnestgoodwishesforherwelfareandthatofherfather,andtoassureherofhisownsafety。ThefeelingswhichthistaskexcitedwerespeedilylostinthenecessitywhichhenowsawofbiddingfarewelltoFloraMac-Ivor,perhapsforever。
  Thepangattendingthisreflectionwasinexpressible;forherhigh-mindedelevationofcharacter,herself-devotiontothecausewhichshehadembraced,unitedtoherscrupulousrectitudeastothemeansofservingit,hadvindicatedtohisjudgmentthechoiceadoptedbyhispassions。Buttimepressed,calumnywasbusywithhisfame,andeveryhour’sdelayincreasedthepowertoinjureit。Hisdeparturemustbeinstant。
  WiththisdeterminationhesoughtoutFergus,andcommunicatedtohimthecontentsofRose’sletter,withhisownresolutioninstantlytogotoEdinburgh,andputintothehandsofsomeoneorotherofthosepersonsofinfluencetowhomhehadlettersfromhisfather,hisexculpationfromanychargemightbepreferredagainsthim。
  Yourunyourheadintothelion’smouth,’’answeredMac-Ivor。
  YoudonotknowtheseverityofaGovernmentharassedbyjustapprehensions,andaconsciousnessoftheirownillegalityandinsecurity。IshallhavetodeliveryoufromsomedungeoninStirlingorEdinburghCastle。’’
  Myinnocence,myrank,myfather’sintimacywithLordM,GeneralG,etc。,willbeasufficientprotection,’’
  saidWaverley。
  Youwillfindthecontrary,’’repliedtheChieftain;thesegentlemenwillhaveenoughtodoabouttheirownmatters。
  Oncemore,willyoutaketheplaid,andstayalittlewhilewithusamongthemistsandthecrows,inthebravestcauseeverswordwasdrawnin?’’
  AHighlandrhymeonGlencairn’sExpedition,in1650,hastheselines-
  We’llbideawhileamongtacrows,We’llwisketaswordandbendtabowsFormanyreasons,mydearFergus,youmustholdmeexcused。’’
  Well,then,’’saidMac-Ivor,Ishallcertainlyfindyouexertingyourpoeticaltalentsinelegiesuponaprison,oryourantiquarianresearchesindetectingtheOggamcharacter,orTheOggamisaspeciesoftheoldIrishcharacter。TheideaofthecorrespondencebetwixttheCelticandPunic,foundedonasceneinPlautus,wasnotstartedtillGeneralVallanceysetuphistheory,longafterthedateofFergusMac-Ivor。
  somePunichieroglyphicuponthekey-stonesofavault,curiouslyarched。Orwhatsayyouto_unpetitpendementbienjoli?_againstwhichawkwardceremonyIdon’twarrantyou,shouldyoumeetabodyofthearmedwest-countryWhigs。’’
  Andwhyshouldtheyusemeso?’’saidWaverley。
  Forahundredgoodreasons,’’answeredFergus:First,youareanEnglishman;secondly,agentleman;thirdly,aPrelatistabjured;andfourthly,theyhavenothadanopportunitytoexercisetheirtalentsonsuchasubjectthislongwhile。Butdon’tbecutdown,beloved:allwillbedoneinthefearoftheLord。’’
  Well,Imustrunmyhazard。’’
  Youaredetermined,then?’’
  Iam。’’
  Wilfulwilldo’t,’’saidFergus,-butyoucannotgoonfoot,andIshallwantnohorse,asImustmarchonfootattheheadofthechildrenofIvor;youshallhaveBrownDermid。’’
  Ifyouwillsellhim,Ishallcertainlybemuchobliged。’’
  IfyourproudEnglishheartcannotbeobligedbyagiftorloan,Iwillnotrefusemoneyattheentranceofacampaign;
  hispriceistwentyguineas。[Remember,reader,itwasSixtyYearssince。]Andwhendoyouproposetodepart?’’
  Thesoonerthebetter,’’answeredWaverley。
  Youareright,sincegoyoumust,orrather,sincegoyouwill:IwilltakeFlora’spony,andridewithyouasfarasBally-Brough-CallumBeg,seethatourhorsesareready,withaponyforyourself,toattendandcarryMr。Waverley’sbaggageasfarasnamingasmalltown,wherehecanhaveahorseandguidetoEdinburgh。PutonaLowlanddress,Callum,andseeyoukeepyourtongueclose,ifyouwouldnothavemecutitout;Mr。WaverleyridesDermid。’’ThenturningtoEdward,Youwilltakeleaveofmysister?’’
  Surely-thatis,ifMissMac-Ivorwillhonourmesofar。’’
  Cathleen,letmysisterknowthatMr。Waverleywishestobidherfarewellbeforeheleavesus-ButRoseBradwardine-
  hersituationmustbethoughtof。Iwishshewerehere。Andwhyshouldshenot?Therearebutfourred-coatsatTully-Veolan,andtheirmusketswouldbeveryusefultous。’’
  TothesebrokenremarksEdwardmadenoanswer;hisearindeedreceivedthem,buthissoulwasintentupontheexpectedentranceofFlora。Thedooropened-itwasbutCathleen,withherlady’sexcuse,andwishesforCaptainWaverley’shealthandhappiness。
  CHAPTERTWENTY-NINTH。
  WAVERLEY’SRECEPTIONINTHELOWLANDSAFTERHISHIGHLANDTOUR。
  ItwasnoonwhenthetwofriendsstoodatthetopofthepassofBally-Brough。Imustgonofarther,’’saidFergusMac-Ivor,whoduringthejourneyhadinvainendeavouredtoraisehisfriend’sspirits。Ifmycross-grainedsisterhasanyshareinyourdejection,trustmeshethinkshighlyofyou,thoughherpresentanxietyaboutthepubliccausepreventsherlisteningtoanyothersubject。Confideyourinteresttome;Iwillnotbetrayit,providingyoudonotagainassumethatvilecockade。’’
  Nofearofthat,consideringthemannerinwhichithasbeenrecalled。Adieu,Fergus;donotpermityoursistertoforgetme。’’
  Andadieu,Waverley;youmaysoonhearofherwithaproudertitle。Gethome,writeletters,andmakefriendsasmanyandasfastasyoucan;therewillspeedilybeunexpectedguestsonthecoastofSuffolk,ormynewsfromFrancehasdeceivedme。’’
  ThesanguineJacobites,duringtheeventfulyears17456,keptupthespiritsoftheirpartybytherumourofdescentsfromFranceonbehalfoftheChevalierSt。George。
  Thuspartedthefriends:Fergusreturningbacktohiscastle,whileEdward,followedbyCallumBeg,thelattertransformedfrompointtopointintoaLow-countrygroom,proceededtothelittletownof。
  Edwardpacedonunderthepainfulandyetnotaltogetherembitteredfeelingswhichseparationanduncertaintyproduceinthemindofayouthfullover。Iamnotsureiftheladiesunderstandthefullvalueoftheinfluenceofabsence,nordoI
  thinkitwisetoteachitthem,lest,liketheCleliasandMandanesofyore,theyshouldresumethehumourofsendingtheirloversintobanishment。Distance,intruth,producesinideathesameeffectasinrealperspective。Objectsaresoftenedandrounded,andrendereddoublygraceful;theharsherandmoreordinarypointsofcharacteraremelloweddown,andthosebywhichitisrememberedarethemorestrikingoutlinesthatmarksublimity,grace,orbeauty。Therearemiststoointhementalaswellasthenaturalhorizon,toconcealwhatislesspleasingindistantobjects,andtherearehappylightstostreaminfullgloryuponthosepointswhichcanprofitbybrilliantillumination。