YousawwhenCorrinaschianraisedhisvoiceingreatpassion,andlaidhishanduponhissword,Waverleyliftedhisheadasifhehadjustawakedfromadream,andasked,withgreatcomposure,whatthematterwas。’’
Well,anddidnotthelaughtertheyfellintoathisabsenceofmind,servebettertobreakoffthedisputethananythinghecouldhavesaidtothem?’’
True,mydear,’’answeredFlora;butnotquitesocreditablyforWaverleyasifhehadbroughtthemtotheirsensesbyforceofreason。’’
Wouldyouhavehimpeace-makergeneralbetweenallthegunpowderHighlandersinthearmy?Ibegyourpardon,Flora-yourbrother,youknow,isoutofthequestion;hehasmoresensethanhalfofthem。Butcanyouthinkthefierce,hot,furiousspirits,ofwhosebrawlsweseemuch,andhearmore,andwhoterrifymeoutofmylifeeverydayintheworld,areatalltobecomparedtoWaverley?’’
Idonotcomparehimwiththoseuneducatedmen,mydearRose。Ionlylament,that,withhistalentsandgenius,hedoesnotassumethatplaceinsocietyforwhichtheyeminentlyfithim,andthathedoesnotlendtheirfullimpulsetothenoblecauseinwhichhehasenlisted。AretherenotLochiel,andP,andM,andG,allmenofthehighesteducation,aswellasthefirsttalents?-whywillhenotstooplikethemtobealiveanduseful?-Ioftenbelievehiszealisfrozenbythatproudcold-bloodedEnglishman,whomhenowliveswithsomuch。’’
ColonelTalbot?-heisaverydisagreeableperson,tobesure。HelooksasifhethoughtnoScottishwomanworththetroubleofhandingheracupoftea。ButWaverleyissogentle,sowellinformed’’
Yes,’’saidFlora,smiling;hecanadmirethemoon,andquoteastanzafromTasso。’’
Besides,youknowhowhefought,’’addedMissBradwardine。
Formerefighting,’’answeredFlora,Ibelieveallmenthatis,whodeservethenameareprettymuchalike;thereisgenerallymorecouragerequiredtorunaway。Theyhave,besides,whenconfrontedwitheachother,acertaininstinctforstrife,asweseeinothermaleanimals,suchasdogs,bulls,andsoforth。ButhighandperilousenterpriseisnotWaverley’sforte。HewouldneverhavebeenhiscelebratedancestorSirNigel,butonlySirNigel’seulogistandpoet。Iwilltellyouwherehewillbeathome,mydear,andinhisplace,-inthequietcircleofdomestichappiness,letteredindolence,andelegantenjoyments,ofWaverley-Honour。AndhewillrefittheoldlibraryinthemostexquisiteGothictaste,andgarnishitsshelveswiththerarestandmostvaluablevolumesandhewilldrawplansandlandscapes,andwriteverses,andreartemples,anddiggrottoes;-andhewillstandinaclearsummernightinthecolonnadebeforethehall,andgazeonthedeerastheystrayinthemoonlight,orlieshadowedbytheboughsofthehugeoldfantasticoaks;-andhewillrepeatversestohisbeautifulwife,whowillhanguponhisarm;-andhewillbeahappyman。’’
Andshewillbeahappywoman,’’thoughtpoorRose。Butsheonlysighed,anddroppedtheconversation。
Waverleyhad,indeed,ashelookedcloserintothestateoftheChevalier’sCourt,lessreasontobesatisfiedwithit。Itcontained,astheysayanacornincludesalltheramificationsofthefutureoak,asmanyseedsof_tracasserie_andintrigueasmighthavedonehonourtotheCourtofalargeempire。Everypersonofconsequencehadsomeseparateobject,whichhepursuedwithafurythatWaverleyconsideredasaltogetherdisproportionedtoitsimportance。Almostallhadtheirreasonsfordiscontent,althoughthemostlegitimatewasthatoftheworthyoldBaron,whowasonlydistressedonaccountofthecommoncause。
Weshallhardly,’’saidheonemorningtoWaverley,whentheyhadbeenviewingtheCastle,-weshallhardlygaintheobsidionalcrown,whichyouwotwellwasmadeoftherootsorgrainwhichtakesrootwithintheplacebesieged,oritmaybeoftheherbwoodbine,_paretaria,_orpellitory;weshallnot,I
say,gainitbythissameblockadeorleaguerofEdinburghCastle。’’Forthisopinionhegavemostlearnedandsatisfactoryreasons,thatthereadermaynotcaretohearrepeated。
Havingescapedfromtheoldgentleman,WaverleywenttoFergus’slodgingsbyappointmenttoawaithisreturnfromHolyrood-House。Iamtohaveaparticularaudienceto-morrow,’’
saidFergustoWaverley,overnight,andyoumustmeetmetowishmejoyofthesuccesswhichIsecurelyanticipate。’’
Themorrowcame,andintheChief’sapartmenthefoundEnsignMaccombichwaitingtomakereportofhisturnofdutyinasortofditchwhichtheyhaddugacrosstheCastle-hill,andcalledatrench。InashorttimetheChief’svoicewasheardonthestairinatoneofimpatientfury:-Callum,-why,CallumBeg,-Diaoul!’’Heenteredtheroomwithallthemarksofamanagitatedbyatoweringpassion;andtherewerefewuponwhosefeaturesrageproducedamoreviolenteffect。
Theveinsofhisforeheadswelledwhenhewasinsuchagitation;
hisnostrilbecamedilated;hischeekandeyeinflamed;andhislookthatofademoniac。Theseappearancesofhalf-suppressedragewerethemorefrightful,becausetheywereobviouslycausedbyastrongefforttotemperwithdiscretionanalmostungovernableparoxysmofpassion,andresultedfromaninternalconflictofthemostdreadfulkind,whichagitatedhiswholeframeofmortality。
Asheenteredtheapartment,heunbuckledhisbroadsword,andthrowingitdownwithsuchviolencethattheweaponrolledtotheotherendoftheroom,Iknownotwhat,’’heexclaimed,withholdsmefromtakingasolemnoaththatIwillnevermoredrawitinhiscause。Loadmypistols,Callum,andbringthemhitherinstantly;-instantly。’’Callum,whomnothingeverstartled,dismayed,ordisconcerted,obeyedverycoolly。
EvanDhu,uponwhosebrowthesuspicionthathisChiefhadbeeninsulted,calledupacorrespondingstorm,swelledinsullensilence,awaitingtolearnwhereoruponwhomvengeancewastodescend。
So,Waverley,youarethere,’’saidtheChief,afteramoment’srecollection;-Yes,IrememberIaskedyoutosharemytriumph,andyouhavecometowitnessmy-disappointmentweshallcallit。’’Evannowpresentedthewrittenreporthehadinhishand,whichFergusthrewfromhimwithgreatpassion。IwishtoGod,’’hesaid,theolddenwouldtumbledownupontheheadsofthefoolswhoattack,andtheknaveswhodefendit!Isee,Waverley,youthinkIammad-
leaveus,Evan,butbewithincall。’’
TheColonel’sinanuncokippage,’’saidMrs。FlockharttoEvan,ashedescended;Iwishhemaybeweel,-theveryveinsonhisbrentbrowaxeswelledlikewhip-cord;wadhenotaksomething?’’
Heusuallyletsbloodforthesefits,’’answeredtheHighlandancientwithgreatcomposure。
Whenthisofficerlefttheroom,theChieftaingraduallyreassumedsomedegreeofcomposure-Iknow,Waverley,’’
hesaid,thatColonelTalbothaspersuadedyoutocursetentimesa-dayyourengagementwithus;-nay,neverdenyit,forIamatthismomenttemptedtocursemyown。Wouldyoubelieveit,ImadethisverymorningtwosuitstothePrince,andhehasrejectedthemboth:whatdoyouthinkofit?’’
WhatcanIthink,’’answeredWaverley,tillIknowwhatyourrequestswere?’’
Why,whatsignifieswhattheywere,man?ItellyouitwasIthatmadethem,-I,towhomheowesmorethantoanythree,whohavejoinedthestandard;forInegotiatedthewholebusiness,andbroughtinallthePerthshiremenwhennotonewouldhavestirred。Iamnotlikely,Ithink,toaskanythingveryunreasonable,andifIdidtheymighthavestretchedapoint-Well,butyoushallknowall,nowthatIcandrawmybreathagainwithsomefreedom-Youremembermyearl’spatent;itisdatedsomeyearsback,forservicesthenrendered;
andcertainlymymerithasnotbeendiminished,tosaytheleast,bymysubsequentbehaviour。Nowsir,Ivaluethisbaubleofacoronetaslittleasyoucan,oranyphilosopheronearth;forIholdthatthechiefofsuchaclanastheSliochdnanIvorissuperiorinranktoanyearlinScotland。ButIhadaparticularreasonforassumingthiscursedtitleatthistime。Youmustknow,thatIlearnedaccidentallythatthePrincehasbeenpressingthatoldfoolishbaronofBradwardinetodisinherithismaleheirornineteenthortwentiethcousin,whohastakenacommandintheElectorofHanover’smilitia,andtosettlehisestateuponyourprettylittlefriendRose;andthis,asbeingthecommandofhiskingandoverlord,whomayalterthedestinationofafiefatpleasure,the,oldgentlemanseemswellreconciledto。’’
Andwhatbecomesofthehomage?’’
Cursethehomage!-IbelieveRoseistopullofthequeen’sslipperonhercoronation-day,orsomesuchtrash。Well,sir,asRoseBradwardinewouldalwayshavemadeasuitablematchforme,butforthisidioticalpredilectionofherfatherfortheheir-male,itoccurredtometherenowremainednoobstacle,unlessthattheBaronmightexpecthisdaughter’shusbandtotakethenameofBradwardinewhichyouknowwouldbeimpossibleinmycase,andthatthismightbeevadedbymyassumingthetitletowhichIhadsogoodaright,andwhich,ofcourse,wouldsupersedethatdifficulty。IfshewastobealsoViscountessBradwardineinherownright,afterherfather’sdemise,somuchthebetter;Icouldhavenoobjection。’’
But,Fergus,’’saidWaverley,IhadnoideathatyouhadanyaffectionforMissBradwardine,andyouarealwayssneeringatherfather。’’
IhaveasmuchaffectionforMissBradwardine,mygoodfriend,asIthinkitnecessarytohaveforthefuturemistressofmyfamily,andthemotherofmychildren。Sheisaverypretty,intelligentgirl,andiscertainlyofoneoftheveryfirstLowlandfamilies;and,withalittleofFlora’sinstructionsandforming,willmakeaverygoodfigure。Astoherfather,heisanoriginal,itistrue,andanabsurdoneenough;buthehasgivensuchseverelessonstoSirNewHalbert,thatdeardefuncttheLairdofBalmawhapple,andothers,thatnobodydarelaughathim,sohisabsurditygoesfornothing。Itellyoutherecouldhavebeennoearthlyobjection-none。Ihadsettledthethingentirelyinmyownmind。’’
ButhadyouaskedtheBaron’sconsent,’’saidWaverley,orRose’s?’’
Towhatpurpose?TohavespoketotheBaronbeforeI
hadassumedmytitlewouldhaveonlyprovokedaprematureandirritatingdiscussiononthesubjectofthechangeofname,when,asEarlofGlennaquoich,Ihadonlytoproposetohimtocarryhisd-dbearandbootjack_partyperpale,_orinascutcheonofpretence,orinaseparateshieldperhaps-anywaythatwou1dnotblemishmyowncoat-of-arms。AndastoRose,Idon’tseewhatobjectionshecouldhavemade,ifherfatherwassatisfied。’’
Perhapsthesamethatyoursistermakestome,youbeingsatisfied。’’
Fergusgaveabroadstareatthecomparisonwhichthissuppositionimplied,butcautiouslysuppressedtheanswerwhichrosetohistongue。O,weshouldeasilyhavearrangedallthat-So,sir,Icravedaprivateinterview,andthismorningwasassigned;andIaskedyoutomeetmehere,thinking,likeafool,thatIshouldwantyourcountenanceasbride’s-man。
Well-Istatemypretensions-theyarenotdenied;thepromisessorepeatedlymade,andthepatentgranted-theyareacknowledged。ButIpropose,asanaturalconsequence,toassumetherankwhichthepatentbestowed-IhavetheoldstoryofthejealousyofCandMtrumpedupagainstme-Iresistthispretext,andoffertoprocuretheirwrittenacquiescence,invirtueofthedateofmypatentaspriortotheirsillyclaims-IassureyouIwouldhavehadsuchaconsentfromthem,ifithadbeenatthepointofthesword。Andthen,outcomestheredtruth;andhedarestotellme,tomyface,thatmypatentmustbesuppressedforthepresent,forfearofdisgustingthatrascallycowardand_faineant_-namingtherivalchiefofhisownclan-whohasnobettertitletobeachieftain,thanItobeEmperorofChina;andwhoispleasedtoshelterhisdastardlyreluctancetocomeout,agreeabletohispromisetwentytimespledged,underapretendedjealousyofthePrince’spartialitytome。And,toleavethismiserabledrivellerwithoutapretenceforhiscowardice,thePrinceasksitasapersonalfavourofme,forsooth,nottopressmyjustandreasonablerequestatthismoment。Afterthis,putyourfaithinprinces!’’
Anddidyouraudienceendhere?’’
End?Ono!Iwasdeterminedtoleavehimnopretenceforhisingratitude,andIthereforestated,withallthecomposureIcouldmuster,-forIpromiseyouItrembledwithpassion,-theparticularreasonsIhadforwishingthathisRoyalHighnesswouldimposeuponmeanyothermodeofexhibitingmydutyanddevotion,asmyviewsinlifemade,whatatanyothertimewouldhavebeenameretrifle,atthiscrisisaseveresacrifice;andthenIexplainedtohimmyfullplan。’’
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