Indeed,itseemslikelythattheyonlyprolongthewartoplacetheChevalier’spersonoutofdanger,andthentomakesometermsforthemselves。Toburdenthemwithmypresencewouldmerelyaddanotherparty,whomtheywouldnotgiveup,andcouldnotdefend。IunderstandtheyleftalmostalltheirEnglishadherentsingarrisonatCarlisle,forthatveryreason:-
andonamoregeneralview,Colonel,toconfessthetruth,thoughitmaylowermeinyouropinion,Iamheartilytiredofthetradeofwar,andam,asFletcher’sHumorousLieutenantsays,`evenaswearyofthisfighting’’’
Fighting?pooh,whathaveyouseenbutaskirmishortwo?-
Ah!ifyousawwaronthegrandscale-sixtyorahundredthousandmeninthefieldoneachside!’’
Iamnotatallcurious,Colonel-`Enough,’saysourhomelyproverb,`isasgoodasafeast。’Theplumedtroopsandthebigwarusedtoenchantmeinpoetry;butthenightmarches,vigils,couchedunderthewintrysky,andsuchaccompanimentsoftheglorioustrade,arenotatalltomytasteinpractice:-
thenfordryblows,Ihad_my_filloffightingatClifton,whereI
escapedbyahair’s-breadthhalf-a-dozentimes;andyou,Ishouldthink-’’Hestopped。
HadenoughofitatPreston?youmeantosay,’’answeredtheColonellaughing;but,`’tismyvocation,Hal。’’’
Itisnotmine,though,’’saidWaverley;andhavinghonourablygotridofthesword,whichIdrewonlyasavolunteer,Iamquitesatisfiedwithmymilitaryexperience,andshallbeinnohurrytotakeitupagain。’’
Iamverygladyouareofthatmind-butthen,whatwouldyoudointheNorth?’’
Inthefirstplace,therearesomeseaportsontheeasterncoastofScotlandstillinthehandsoftheChevalier’sfriends;
shouldIgainanyofthem,IcaneasilyembarkfortheContinent。’’
Good-yoursecondreason?’’
Why,tospeaktheverytruth,thereisapersoninScotlanduponwhomInowfindmyhappinessdependsmorethanI
wasalwaysaware,andaboutwhosesituationIamveryanxious。’’
ThenEmilywasright,andthereisaloveaffairinthecaseafterall?-AndwhichofthesetwoprettyScotchwomen,whomyouinsisteduponmyadmiring,isthedistinguishedfair?-
notMissGlen-Ihope。’’
No。’’
Ah,passfortheother:simplicitymaybeimproved,butprideandconceitnever。Well,Idon’tdiscourageyou;IthinkitwillpleaseSirEverard,fromwhathesaidwhenIjestedwithhimaboutit;onlyIhopethatintolerablepapa,withhisbrogue,andhissnuff,andhisLatin,andhisinsufferablelongstoriesabouttheDukeofBerwick,willfinditnecessaryhereafter,tobeaninhabitantofforeignparts。Butastothedaughter,thoughIthinkyoumightfindasfittingamatchinEngland,yetifyourheartbereallysetuponthisScotchRosebud,whytheBaronethasagreatopinionofherfatherandofhisfamily,andhewishesmuchtoseeyoumarriedandsettled,bothforyourownsakeandforthatofthethreeerminespassant,whichmayotherwisepassawayaltogether。ButIwillbringyouhismindfullyuponthesubject,sinceyouaredebarredcorrespondenceforthepresent,forIthinkyouwillnotbelonginScotlandbeforeme。’’
Indeed!andwhatcaninduceyoutothinkofreturningtoScotland?NorelentlesslongingstowardsthelandofmountainsandfloodsIamafraid。’’
None,onmyword;butEmily’shealthisnow,thankGod,re-established,and,totellyouthetruth,IhavelittlehopesofconcludingthebusinesswhichIhaveatpresentmostatheart,untilIcanhaveapersonalinterviewwithhisRoyalHighnesstheCommander-in-Chief;for,asFluellensays,`Thedukedothlovemewell,andIthankheaven,Ihavedeservedsomeloveathishands。’Iamnowgoingoutforanhourortwotoarrangemattersforyourdeparture;yourlibertyextendstothenextroom,LadyEmily’sparlour,whereyouwillfindherwhenyouaredisposedformusic,reading,orconversation。WehavetakenmeasurestoexcludeallservantsbutSpontoon,whoisastrueassteel。’’
InabouttwohoursColonelTalbotreturned,andfoundhisyoungfriendconversingwithhislady;shepleasedwithhismannersandinformation,andhedelightedatbeingrestored,thoughbutforamoment,tothesocietyofhisownrank,fromwhichhehadbeenforsometimeexcluded。
Andnow,’’saidtheColonel,hearmyarrangements,forthereislittletimetolose。Thisyoungster,EdwardWaverley,aliasWilliams,aliasCaptainButler,mustcontinuetopassbyhisfourth_alias_ofFrancisStanley,mynephew:heshallsetoutto-morrowfortheNorth,andthechariotshalltakehimthefirsttwostages。Spontoonshallthenattendhim;andtheyshallridepostasfarasHuntingdon;andthepresenceofSpontoon,wellknownontheroadasmyservant,willcheckalldispositiontoinquiry。AtHuntingdonyouwillmeettherealFrankStanley。HeisstudyingatCambridge;but,alittlewhileago,doubtfulifEmily’shealthwouldpermitmetogodowntotheNorthmyself,IprocuredhimapassportfromtheSecretaryofState’sofficetogoinmystead。Ashewentchieflytolookafteryou,hisjourneyisnowunnecessary。Heknowsyourstory;youwilldinetogetheratHuntingdon;andperhapsyourwiseheadsmayhituponsomeplanforremovingordiminishingthedangerofyourfurtherprogressnorthward。
Andnowtakingoutamoroccocase,letmeputyouinfundsforthecampaign。’’
Iamashamed,mydearColonel,’’
Nay,’’saidColonelTalbot,youshouldcommandmypurseinanyevent;butthismoneyisyourown。Yourfather,consideringthechanceofyourbeingattainted,leftmehistrusteeforyouradvantage。Sothatyouareworthabove15,000,besidesBrerewoodLodge-averyindependentperson,Ipromiseyou。Therearebillsherefor200;anylargersumyoumayhave,orcreditabroad,assoonasyourmotionsrequireit。’’
ThefirstusewhichoccurredtoWaverleyofhisnewly-acquiredwealth,wastowritetohonestFarmerJopson,requestinghisacceptanceofasilvertankardonthepartofhisfriendWilliams,whohadnotforgottenthenightoftheeighteenthDecemberlast。HebeggedhimatthesametimecarefullytopreserveforhimhisHighlandgarbandaccoutrements,particularlythearms-curiousinthemselves,andtowhichthefriendshipofthedonorsgaveadditionalvalue。LadyEmilyundertooktofindsomesuitabletokenofremembrance,likelytoflatterthevanityandpleasethetasteofMrs。Williams;
andtheColonel,whowasakindoffarmer,promisedtosendtheUllswaterpatriarchanexcellentteamofhorsesforcartandplough。
OnehappydayWaverleyspentinLondon;and,travellinginthemannerprojected,hemetwithFrankStanleyatHuntingdon。
Thetwoyoungmenwereacquaintedinaminute。
Icanreadmyuncle’sriddle,’’saidStanley。ThecautiousoldsoldierdidnotcaretohinttomethatImighthandovertoyouthispassport,whichIhavenooccasionfor;butifitshouldafterwardscomeoutastherattle-patedtrickofayoungCantab,_celanetirerien。_YouarethereforetobeFrancisStanley,withthispassport。’’ThisproposalappearedineffecttoalleviateagreatpartofthedifficultieswhichEdwardmustotherwisehaveencounteredateveryturn;andaccordinglyhescruplednottoavailhimselfofit,themoreespeciallyashehaddiscardedallpoliticalpurposesfromhispresentjourney,andcouldnotbeaccusedoffurtheringmachinationsagainsttheGovernmentwhiletravellingunderprotectionoftheSecretary’spassport。
Thedaypassedmerrilyaway。TheyoungstudentwasinquisitiveaboutWaverley’scampaigns,andthemannersoftheHighlands;andEdwardwasobligedtosatisfyhiscuriositybywhistlingapibroch,dancingastrathspey,andsingingaHighlandsong。ThenextmorningStanleyrodeastagenorthwardwithhisnewfriend,andpartedfromhimwithgreatreluctance,upontheremonstrancesofSpontoon,who,accustomedtosubmittodiscipline,wasrigidinenforcingit。
Waverleyridingpost,aswastheusualfashionoftheperiod,withoutanyadventuresaveoneortwoqueries,whichthetalismanofhispassportsufficientlyanswered,reachedthebordersofScotland。HereheheardthetidingsofthedecisivebattleofCulloden。Itwasnomorethanhehadlongexpected,thoughthesuccessatFalkirkhadthrownafaintandsettinggleamoverthearmsoftheChevalier。Yetitcameuponhimlikeashock,bywhichhewasforatimealtogetherunmanned。Thegenerous,thecourteous,thenoble-mindedAdventurer,wasthenafugitive,withapriceuponhishead;hisadherents,sobrave,soenthusiastic,sofaithful,weredead,imprisoned,orexiled。
Where,now,wastheexaltedandhigh-souledFergus,if,indeed,hehadsurvivedthenightatClifton?-wherethepure-heartedandprimitiveBaronofBradwardine,whosefoiblesseemedfoilstosetoffthedisinterestednessofhisdisposition,thegenuinegoodnessofhisheart,andhisunshakencourage?Thosewhoclungforsupporttothesefallencolumns,RoseandFlora,-
whereweretheytobesought,andinwhatdistressmustnotthelossoftheirnaturalprotectorshaveinvolvedthem?OfFlorahethoughtwiththeregardofabrotherforasister-ofRose,withasensationyetmoredeepandtender。Itmightbestillhisfatetosupplythewantofthoseguardianstheyhadlost。Agitatedbythesethoughts,heprecipitatedhisjourney。
WhenhearrivedinEdinburgh,wherehisinquiriesmustnecessarilycommence,hefeltthefulldifficultyofhissituation。
ManyinhabitantsofthatcityhadseenandknownhimasEdwardWaverley;how,then,couldheavailhimselfofapassportasFrancisStanley?Heresolved,therefore,toavoidallcompany,andtomovenorthwardassoonaspossible。Hewas,however,obligedtowaitadayortwoinexpectationofaletterfromColonelTalbot,andhewasalsotoleavehisownaddress,underhisfeignedcharacter,ataplaceagreedupon。
Withthislatterpurposehesalliedoutintheduskthroughthewell-knownStreets,carefullyshunningobservation,-butinvain:oneofthefirstpersonswhomhemetatoncerecognisedhim。ItwasMrs。Flockhart,FergusMac-Ivor’sgood-humouredlandlady。
Gudeguideus,Mr。Waverley,isthisyou?-na,yeneednabefearedforme-Iwadbetraynaegentlemaninyourcircumstances。
Eh,lack-aday!lack-a-day!here’sachangeo’
markets!howmerryColonelMac-Ivorandyouusedtobeinourhouse?’’Andthegood-naturedwidowshedafewnaturaltears。Astherewasnoresistingherclaimofacquaintance,Waverleyacknowledgeditwithagoodgrace,aswellasthedangerofhisownsituation。Asit’snearthedarkening,sir,wadyejuststepinbytoourhouse,andtakadisho’tea?
andIamsure,ifyeliketosleepinthelittleroom,Iwadtakcareyearenodisturbed,andnaebodywadkenye;forKateandMatty,thelimmers,gaedaffwitwao’Hawley’sdragoons,andIhaetwanewqueansinsteado’them。’’
Waverleyacceptedherinvitation,andengagedherlodgingforanightortwo,satisfiedheshouldbesaferinthehouseofthissimplecreaturethananywhereelse。Whenheenteredtheparlour,hisheartswelledtoseeFergus’sbonnet,withthewhitecockade,hangingbesidethelittlemirror。
Ay,’’saidMrs。Flockhart,sighing,assheobservedthedirectionofhiseyes,thepoorColonelboughtanewanejustthedaybeforetheymarched,andIwinnaletthemtakthatanedoon,butjusttobrushitilkadaymysell;andwhilesI
lookatittillIjustthinkIhearhimcrytoCallum,tobringhimhisbonnet,asheusedtodowhenhewasgangingout-
It’suncosilly-theneighboursca’meaJacobitebuttheymaysaytheirsay-Iamsureit’snoforthat-buthewasaskind-heartedagentlemanaseverlived,andasweel-far’dtoo。
Oh,d’yeken,sir,whenheistosuffer?’’
Suffer!Goodheaven!-Why,whereishe!’’
Eh,Lord’ssake!d’yenoken?ThepoorHielandbody,DugaldMahoney,camhereawhilesyne,wi’aneo’hisarmscuttitoff,andasairclourinthehead-yellmindDugald?hecarriedayeanaxeonhisshouther-andhecamherejustbegging,asImaysay,forsomethingtoeat。Aweel,hetauldustheChief,astheyca’dhimbutIayeca’himtheColonel,andEnsignMaccombich,thatyemindweel,wereta’ensomewherebesidetheEnglishborder,whenitwassaedarkthathisfolknevermissedhimtillitwasowerlate,andtheywereliketogangcleandaft。AndhesaidthatlittleCallumBeghewasabauldmischievouscallantthat,andyourhonour,werekilledthatsamenightinthetuilzie,andmonymaebrawmen。
Buthegratwhenhespako’theColonel,yeneversawthelike。
Andnowthewordgangs,theColonelistobetried,andtosufferwi’themthatwereta’enatCarlisle。’’
Andhissister?’’
第72章