WaverleyforgotFloraMac-Ivor’sprejudicesinhermagnanimity,andalmostpardonedherindifferencetowardshisaffection,whenherecollectedthegrandanddecisiveobjectwhichseemedtofillherwholesoul。She,whosesenseofdutysowhollyengrossedherinthecauseofabenefactor,-whatwouldbeherfeelingsinfavourofthehappyindividualwhoshouldbesofortunateastoawakenthem?Thencamethedoubtfulquestion,whetherhemightnotbethathappyman,-aquestionwhichfancyendeavouredtoanswerintheaffirmative,byconjuringupallshehadsaidinhispraise,withtheadditionofacommentmuchmoreflatteringthanthetextwarranted。Allthatwascommon-place-allthatbelongedtotheevery-dayworld-wasmeltedawayandobliteratedinthosedreamsofimagination,whichonlyrememberedwithadvantagethepointsofgraceanddignitythatdistinguishedFlorafromthegeneralityofhersex,nottheparticularswhichsheheldincommonwiththem。Edwardwas,inshort,inthefairwayofcreatingagoddessoutofahigh-spirited,accomplished,andbeautifulyoungwoman;andthetimewaswastedincastle-building,until,atthedescentofasteephill,hesawbeneathhimthemarket-townof。
TheHighlandpolitenessofCallumBeg-therearefewnations,bytheway,whocanboastofsomuchnaturalpolitenessastheHighlanders-theHighlandcivilityofhisattendantTheHighlander,informertimes,hadalwaysahighideaofhisowngentility,andwasanxioustoimpressthesameuponthosewithwhomheconversed。Hislanguageaboundedinthephrasesofcourtesyandcompliment;
andthehabitofcarryingarms,andmixingwiththosewhodidso,madeitparticularlydesirabletheyshouldusecautiouspolitenessintheirintercoursewitheachother。
hadnotpermittedhimtodisturbthereveriesofourhero。Butobservinghimrousehimselfatthesightofthevillage,Callumpressedclosertohisside,andhopedWhentheycamtothepublic,hishonourwadnotsaynothingaboutVichIanVohr,fortapeoplewerebitterWhigs,deilbursttem。’’
Waverleyassuredtheprudentpagethathewouldbecautiousandashenowdistinguished,notindeedtheringingofbells,butthetinklingofsomethinglikeahammeragainstthesideofanoldmossy,green,invertedporridge-pot,thathunginanopenbooth,ofthesizeandshapeofaparrot’scage,erectedtogracetheeastendofabuildingresemblinganoldbarn,heaskedCallumBegifitwereSunday。
Couldnasayjustpreceesely-SundayseldomcamaboonthepawofBally-Brough。’’
Onenteringthetown,however,andadvancingtowardsthemostapparentpublichousewhichpresenteditself,thenumbersofoldwomen,intartanscreensandredcloaks,whostreamedfromthebarn-resemblingbuilding,debatingastheywentthecomparativemeritsoftheblessedyouthJabeshRentowel,andthatchosenvesselMaisterGoukthrapple,inducedCallumtoassurehistemporarymaster,thatitwaseithertamuckleSundayherself,ortalittlegovernmentSundaythattheyca’dtafast。’’
OnalightingatthesignoftheSeven-branchedGoldenCandlestick,which,forthefurtherdelectationoftheguests,wasgracedwithashortHebrewmotto,theywerereceivedbyminehost,atallthinpuritanicalfigure,whoseemedtodebatewithhimselfwhetherheoughttogivesheltertothosewhotravelledonsuchaday。Reflecting,however,inallprobability,thathepossessedthepowerofmulctingthemforthisirregularity,apenaltywhichtheymightescapebypassingintoGregorDuncanson’s,atthesignoftheHighlanderandtheHawickGill,Mr。EbenezerCruickshankscondescendedtoadmitthemintohisdwelling。
TothissanctifiedpersonWaverleyaddressedhisrequestthathewouldprocurehimaguide,withasaddle-horse,tocarryhisportmanteautoEdinburgh。
Andwharmayyebecomingfrom?’’demandedminehostoftheCandlestick。
IhavetoldyouwhereIwishtogo;Idonotconceiveanyfurtherinformationnecessaryeitherfortheguideorhissaddle-horse。’’
Hem!Ahem!’’returnedheoftheCandlestick,somewhatdisconcertedatthisrebuff。It’sthegeneralfast,sir,andI
cannotenterintoonycarnaltransactionsonsicaday,whenthepeopleshouldbehumbled,andthebackslidersshouldreturn,asworthyMr。Goukthrapplesaid;andmoreoverwhen,asthepreciousMr。JabeshRentoweldidweelobserve,thelandwasmourningforcovenantsburnt,broken,andburied。’’
Mygoodfriend,’’saidWaverley,ifyoucannotletmehaveahorseandguide,myservantshallseekthemelsewhere。’’
Aweel!Yourservant?-andwhatforgangshenotforwardwi’youhimsell?’’
Waverleyhadbutverylittleofacaptainofhorse’sspiritwithinhim-ImeanofthatsortofspiritwhichIhavebeenobligedtowhenIhappened,inamail-coach,ordiligence,tomeetsomemilitarymanwhohaskindlytakenuponhimthediscipliningofthewaiters,andthetaxingofreckonings。
Someofthisusefultalentourherohad,however,acquiredduringhismilitaryservice,andonthisgrossprovocationitbeganseriouslytoarise。Lookye,sir;Icamehereformyownaccommodation,andnottoanswerimpertinentquestions。
Eithersayyoucan,orcannot,getmewhatIwant;Ishallpursuemycourseineithercase。’’
Mr。EbenezerCruickshankslefttheroomwithsomeindistinctmuttering;butwhethernegativeoracquiescent,Edwardcouldnotwelldistinguish。Thehostess,acivil,quiet,laboriousdrudge,cametotakehisordersfordinner,butdeclinedtomakeansweronthesubjectofthehorseandguide;fortheSaliquelaw,itseems,extendedtothestablesoftheGoldenCandlestick。
FromawindowwhichoverlookedthedarkandnarrowcourtinwhichCallumBegrubbeddownthehorsesaftertheirjourney,Waverleyheardthefollowingdialoguebetwixtthesubtilefoot-pageofVichIanVohrandhislandlord:-
Yellbefraethenorth,youngman?’’beganthelatter。
Andyemaysaythat,’’answeredCallum。
Andyellhaeriddenalangwaytheday,itmayweelbe?’’
Saelang,thatIcouldweeltakadram。’’
Gudewife,bringthegillstoup。’’
Heresomecomplimentspassed,fittingtheoccasion,whenmyhostoftheGoldenCandlestick,having,ashethought,openedhisguest’sheartbythishospitablepropitiation,resumedhisscrutiny。
Ye’llnohaemicklebetterwhiskythanthataboonthePass?’’
IamnaefraeaboonthePass。’’
Ye’reaHighlandmanbyyourtongue?’’
Na;IambutjustAberdeen-a-way。’’
AnddidyourmastercomefraeAberdeenwi’you?’’
Ay-that’swhenIleftitmysell,’’answeredthecoolandimpenetrableCallumBeg。
Andwhatkindofagentlemanishe?’’
Ibelieveheisaneo’KingGeorge’sstateofficers;atleast,he’sayeforgangingontothesouth,andhehasahantlesiller,andnevergrudgesonythingtillapoorbody,orinthewayofalawing。’’
HewantsaguideandahorsefraehencetoEdinburgh?’’
Ay,andyemaunfindithimforthwith。’’
Ahem!Itwillbechargeable。’’
Hecaresnaforthatabodle。’’
Aweel,Duncan-didyesayyournamewasDuncan,orDonald?’’
Na,man-Jamie-JamieSteenson-Iteltyebefore。’’
ThislastundauntedparryaltogetherfoiledMr。Cruickshanks,who,thoughnotquitesatisfiedeitherwiththereserveofthemaster,ortheextremereadinessoftheman,wascontentedtolayataxonthereckoningandhorse-hire,thatmightcompoundforhisungratifiedcuriosity。Thecircumstanceofitsbeingthefast-daywasnotforgotteninthecharge,which,onthewhole,didnot,however,amounttomuchmorethandoublewhatinfairnessitshouldhavebeen。
CallumBegsoonafterannouncedinpersontheratificationofthistreaty,adding,Taaulddeevilwasgaugingtoridewi’taDuinh-wasselhersell。’’
Thatwillnotbeverypleasant,Callum,noraltogethersafe,forourhostseemsapersonofgreatcuriosity;butatravellermustsubmittotheseinconveniences。Meanwhile,mygoodlad,hereisatrifleforyoutodrinkVichIanVohr’shealth。’’
Thehawk’seyeofCallumflasheddelightuponagoldenguinea,withwhichtheselastwordswereaccompanied。Hehastened,notwithoutacurseontheintricaciesofaSaxonbreechespocket,or_spleuchan,_ashecalledit,todepositthetreasureinhisfob;andthen,asifheconceivedthebenevolencecalledforsomerequitalonhispart,hegatheredcloseuptoEdward,withanexpressionofcountenancepeculiarlyknowing,andspokeinanundertone,IfhishonourthoughttaaulddeevilWhigcarlewasabitdangerous,shecouldeasilyprovideforhim,andteilanetawiser。’’
How,andinwhatmanner?’’
Herainsell,’’repliedCallum,couldwaitforhimaweebitfraethetoun,andkittlehisquarterswi’her_skene-occle。_’’
Skene-occle!what’sthat?’’
Callumunbuttonedhiscoat,raisedhisleftarm,andwithanemphaticnod,pointedtothehiltofasmalldirk,snuglydepositedunderit,intheliningofhisjacket。Waverleythoughthehadunderstoodhismeaning;hegazedinhisface,anddiscoveredinCallum’sveryhandsome,thoughembrownedfeatures,justthedegreeofroguishmalicewithwhichaladofthecameageinEnglandwouldhavebroughtforwardaplanforrobbinganorchard。
GoodGod,Callum,wouldyoutaketheman’slife?’’
Indeed,’’answeredtheyoungdesperado,andIthinkhehashadjustalangenoughleaseo’t,whenhe’sforbetrayinghonestfolk,thatcometospendsillerathispublic。’’
Edwardsawnothingwastobegainedbyargument,andthereforecontentedhimselfwithenjoiningCallumtolayasideallpracticesagainstthepersonofMr。EbenezerCruickshanks;
inwhichinjunctionthepageseemedtoacquiescewithanairofgreatindifference。
TaDuinh-wasselmightpleasehimsell;taauldrudasloonhadneverdoneCallumnaeill。Buthere’sabitlinefraetaTighearna,tathebademegieyourhonourereIcameback。’’
TheletterfromtheChiefcontainedmoralslinesonthefateofCaptainWogan,whoseenterprisingcharacterissowelldrawnbyClarendon。HehadoriginallyengagedintheserviceoftheParliament,buthadabjuredthatpartyupontheexecutionofCharlesI。;anduponhearingthattheroyalstandardwassetupbytheEarlofGlencairnandGeneralMiddletonintheHighlandsofScotland,tookleaveofCharlesII。,whowasthenatParis,passedintoEngland,assembledabodyofcavaliersintheneighbourhoodofLondon,andtraversedthekingdom,whichhadbeensolongunderdominationoftheusurper,bymarchesconductedwithsuchskill,dexterity,andspirit,thathesafelyunitedhishandfulofhorsemenwiththebodyofHighlanderstheninarms。Afterseveralmonthsofdesultorywarfare,inwhichWogan’sskillandcouragegainedhimthehighestreputation,hehadthemisfortunetobewoundedinadangerousmanner,andnosurgicalassistancebeingwithinreach,heterminatedhisshortbutgloriouscareer。
TherewereobviousreasonswhythepoliticChieftainwasdesiroustoplacetheexampleofthisyoungheroundertheeyeofWaverley,withwhoseromanticdispositionitcoincidedsopeculiarly。ButhisletterturnedchieflyuponsometriflingcommissionswhichWaverleyhadpromisedtoexecuteforhiminEngland,anditwasonlytowardtheconclusionthatEdwardfoundthesewords:-IoweFloraagrudgeforrefusingushercompanyyesterday;andasIamgivingyouthetroubleofreadingtheselines,inordertokeepinyourmemoryyourpromisetoprocuremethefishing-tackleandcross-bowfromLondon,IwillencloseherversesontheGraveofWogan。ThisIknowwillteaseher;for,totellyouthetruth,Ithinkhermoreinlovewiththememoryofthatdeadhero,thansheislikelytobewithanylivingone,unlessheshalltreadasimilarpath。ButEnglishsquiresofourdaykeeptheiroak-treestosheltertheirdeer-parks,orrepairthelossesofaneveningatWhite’s,andneitherinvokethemtowreaththeirbrows,norsheltertheirgraves。Letmehopeforonebrilliantexceptioninadearfriend,towhomIwouldmostgladlygiveadearertitle。’’
Theverseswereinscribed,ToAnOak-Tree。
_IntheChurchyardof,intheHighlandsofScotland,saidtomarktheGraveofCaptainWogan,killedin1649。_
EmblemofEngland’sancientfaith,Fullproudlymaythybrancheswave,Whereloyaltylieslowindeath,Andvalourfillsatimelessgrave。
Andthou,bravetenantofthetomb!
Repinenotifourclimedeny,Abovethinehonouredsodtobloom,Thefloweretsofamildersky。
TheseowetheirbirthtogenialMay;
Beneathafiercersuntheypine,Beforethewinterstormdecay-
Andcantheirworthbetypeofthine?
No!for’midstormsofFateopposing,Stillhigherswell’dthydauntlessheart,And,whileDespairthescenewasclosing,Commencedthybriefbutbrilliantpart。
’Twasthenthousought’st,onAlbyn’shill,WhenEngland’ssonsthestriferesigned,Aruggedrace,resistingstill,Andunsubdued,thoughunrefined。
Thydeath’shourheardnokindredwail,Noholyknellthyrequiemrung;
ThymournersweretheplaidedGael;
Thydirgetheclamorouspibrochsung。
Yetwho,inFortune’ssummer-shine,Towastelife’slongesttermaway,Wouldchangethatgloriousdawnofthine,Thoughdarkenedereitsnoontideday。
BethinetheTreewhosedauntlessboughs,Bravesummer’sdroughtandwinter’sgloom!
第40章