首页 >出版文学> WAVERLEY>第73章

第73章

  Ay,thattheyca’dtheLadyFlora-weel,she’sawayuptoCarlisletohim,andliveswi’somegrandPapistladythereabouts,tobenearhim。’’
  And,’’saidEdward,theotheryounglady?’’
  Whilkother?IkenonlyofaesistertheColonelhad。’’
  ImeanMissBradwardine,’’saidEdward。
  Ouay,thelaird’sdaughter,’’saidhislandlady。She,wasaverybonnylassie,poorthing,butfarshyerthanLadyFlora。’’
  Whereisshe,forGod’ssake?’’
  Ou,whakenswhereonyo’themisnow?Puirthings,they’resairta’endounfortheirwhitecockadesandtheirwhiteroses;butshegaednorthtoherfather’sinPerthshire,whenthegovernmenttroopscambacktoEdinbro’。Therewassomeprettymenamangthem,andaneMajorWhackerwasquarteredonme,averyceevilgentleman,-butO,Mr。Waverley,hewasnaethingsaeweel-far’dasthepoorColonel。’’
  DoyouknowwhatisbecomeofMissBradwardine’sfather?’’
  Theauldlaird?-na,naebodykensthat;buttheysayhefoughtveryhardinthatbluidybattleatInverness;andDeaconClank,thewhite-ironsmith,says,thattheGovernmentfolkaresairaganehimforhavingbeen_out_twice;andtrothhemighthaeta’enwarning,-butthere’snaefulelikeanauldfule-thepoorColonelwasonlyoutance。’’
  Suchconversationcontainedalmostallthegood-naturedwidowknewofthefateofherlatelodgersandacquaintances;
  butitwasenoughtodetermineEdwardatallhazardstoproceedinstantlytoTully-Veolan,whereheconcludedheshouldsee,oratleasthear,somethingofRose。HethereforeleftaletterforColonelTalbotattheplaceagreedupon,signedbyhisassumedname,andgivingforhisaddressthepost-townnexttotheBaron’sresidence。
  FromEdinburghtoPerthhetookpost-horses,resolvingtomaketherestofhisjourneyonfoot-amodeoftravellingtowhichhewaspartial,andwhichhadtheadvantageofpermittingadeviationfromtheroadwhenhesawpartiesofmilitaryatadistance。Hiscampaignhadconsiderablystrengthenedhisconstitution,andimprovedhishabitsofenduringfatigue。Hisbaggagehesentbeforehimasopportunityoccurred。
  Asheadvancednorthward,thetracesofwarbecamevisible。
  Brokencarriages,deadhorses,unroofedcottages,treesfelledforpalisades,andbridgesdestroyed,oronlypartiallyrepaired,-
  allindicatedthemovementsofhostilearmies。InthoseplaceswherethegentrywereattachedtotheStuartcause,theirhousesseemeddismantledordeserted,theusualcourseofwhatmaybecalledornamentallabourwastotallyinterrupted,andtheinhabitantswereseenglidingabout,withfear,sorrow,anddejectionontheirfaces。
  ItwaseveningwhenheapproachedthevillageofTully-Veolan,withfeelingsandsentiments-howdifferentfromthosewhichattendedhisfirstentrance!Then,lifewassonewtohim,thatadullordisagreeabledaywasoneofthegreatestmisfortuneswhichhisimaginationanticipated,anditseemedtohimthathistimeoughtonlytobeconsecratedtoelegantoramusingstudy,andrelievedbysocialoryouthfulfrolic。Now,howchanged!howsaddened,yethowelevatedwashischaracter,withinthecourseofaveryfewmonths!Dangerandmisfortunearerapid,thoughsevereteachers。Asadderandawiserman,’’hefelt,ininternalconfidenceandmentaldignity,acompensationforthegaydreamswhich,inhiscase,experiencehadsorapidlydissolved。
  Asheapproachedthevillage,hesaw,withsurpriseandanxiety,thatapartyofsoldierswerequarterednearit,and,whatwasworse,thattheyseemedstationarythere。ThisheconjecturedfromafewtentswhichhebeheldglimmeringuponwhatwascalledtheCommonMoor。Toavoidtheriskofbeingstoppedandquestionedinaplacewherehewassolikelytoberecognised,hemadealargecircuit,altogetheravoidingthehamlet,andapproachingtheuppergateoftheavenuebyaby-pathwellknowntohim。Asingleglanceannouncedthatgreatchangeshadtakenplace。Onehalfofthegate,entirelydestroyedandsplitupforfirewood,layinpiles,readytobetakenaway;theotherswunguselesslyaboutuponitsloosenedhinges。Thebattlementsabovethegatewerebrokenandthrowndown,andthecarvedBears,whichweresaidtohavedonesentinel’sdutyuponthetopforcenturies,now,hurledfromtheirposts,layamongtherubbish。Theavenuewascruellywasted。Severallargetreeswerefelledandleftlyingacrossthepath;andthecattleofthevillagers,andthemorerudehoofsofdragoonhorses,hadpoachedintoblackmudtheverdantturfwhichWaverleyhadsomuchadmired。
  Uponenteringthecourt-yard,Edwardsawthefearsrealisedwhichthesecircumstanceshadexcited。TheplacehadbeensackedbytheKing’stroops,who,inwantonmischief,hadevenattemptedtoburnit;andthoughthethicknessofthewallshadresistedthefire,unlesstoapartialextent,thestablesandout-housesweretotallyconsumed。Thetowersandpinnaclesofthemainbuildingwerescorchedandblackened;thepavementofthecourtbrokenandshattered;thedoorstorndownentirely,orhangingbyasinglehinge;thewindowsdashedinanddemolished;andthecourtstrewedwitharticlesoffurniturebrokenintofragments。Theaccessariesofancientdistinction,towhichtheBaron,intheprideofhisheart,hadattachedsomuchimportanceandveneration,weretreatedwithpeculiarcontumely。
  Thefountainwasdemolished,andthe,spring,whichhadsupplieditnowfloodedthecourtyard。Thestonebasinseemedtobedestinedforadrinking-troughforcattle,fromthemannerinwhichitwasarrangedupontheground。ThewholetribeofBears,largeandsmall,hadexperiencedaslittlefavourasthoseattheheadoftheavenue;andoneortwoofthefamilypictures,whichseemedtohaveservedastargetsforthesoldiers,layonthegroundintatters。Withanachingheart,asmaywellbeimagined,Edwardviewedthiswreckofamansionsorespected。Buthisanxietytolearnthefateoftheproprietors,andhisfearsastowhatthatfatemightbe,increasedwitheverystep。Whenheenteredupontheterracenewscenesofdesolationwerevisible。Thebalustradewasbrokendown,thewallsdestroyed,thebordersovergrownwithweeds,andthefruit-treescutdownorgrubbedup。Inonecompartmentofthisold-fashionedgardenweretwoimmensehorse-chestnuttrees,ofwhosesizetheBaronwasparticularlyvain:toolazy,perhaps,tocutthemdown,thespoilers,withmalevolentingenuity,hadminedthem,andplacedaquantityofgunpowderinthecavity。
  Onehadbeenshiveredtopiecesbytheexplosion,andthefragmentslayscatteredaround,encumberingthegroundithadsolongshadowed。Theotherminehadbeenmorepartialinitseffect。Aboutonefourthofthetrunkofthetreewastornfromthemass,which,mutilatedanddefacedontheoneside,stillspreadontheotheritsampleandundiminishedboughs。
  Apairofchestnuttrees,destroyed,theoneentirely,andtheotherinpart,bysuchamischievousandwantonactofrevenge,grewatInvergarryCastle,thefastnessofMacdonaldofGlengarry。
  Amidthesegeneralmarksofravage,thereweresomewhichmoreparticularlyaddressedthefeelingsofWaverley。Viewingthefrontofthebuilding,thuswastedanddefaced,hiseyesnaturallysoughtthelittlebalconywhichmoreproperlybelongedtoRose’sapartment-her_troisime,_orrather_cinquimetage。_
  Itwaseasilydiscovered,forbeneathitlaythestage-flowersandshrubswithwhichitwasherpridetodecorateit,andwhichhadbeenhurledfromthebartizan:severalofherbooksweremingledwithbrokenflower-potsandotherremnants。Amongthese,Waverleydistinguishedoneofhisown,asmallcopyofAriosto,andgathereditasatreasure,thoughwastedbythewindandrain。
  Whileplungedinthesadreflectionswhichthesceneexcited,hewaslookingaroundforsomeonewhomightexplainthefateoftheinhabitants,heheardavoicefromtheinteriorofthebuildingsinging,inwell-rememberedaccents,anoldScottishsong:
  Theycameuponusinthenight,Andbrakemybowerandslewmyknight:
  Myservantsa’forlifedidflee,Andleftusinextremitie。
  Theyslewmyknight,tomesaedear;
  Theyslewmyknight,anddravehisgear;
  Thefirstthreecoupletsarefromanoldballad,calledtheBorderWidow’sLament。
  Themoonmayset,thesunmayrise,Butadeadlysleephasclosedhiseyes。
  Alas!’’thoughtEdward,isitthou?Poorhelplessbeing,artthoualoneleft,togibberandmoan,andfillwiththywildandunconnectedscrapsofminstrelsythehallsthatprotectedthee?’’-Hethencalled,firstlow,andthenlouder,Davie-
  DavieGellatley!’’
  Thepoorsimpletonshowedhimselffromamongtheruinsofasortofgreen-house,thatonceterminatedwhatwascalledtheTerrace-walk,butatfirstsightofastrangerretreatedasifinterror。Waverley,rememberinghishabits,begantowhistleatunetowhichhewaspartial,whichDaviehadexpressedgreatpleasureinlisteningto,andhadpickedupfromhimbytheear。
  Ourhero’sminstrelsynomoreequalledthatofBlondel,thanpoorDavieresembledCeurdeLion;butthemelodyhadthesameeffectofproducingrecognition。Davieagainstolefromhislurking-place,buttimidly,whileWaverley,afraidoffrighteninghim,stoodmakingthemostencouragingsignalshecoulddevise-It’shisghaist,’’mutteredDavie;yet,comingnearer,heseemedtoacknowledgehislivingacquaintance。Thepoorfoolhimselfappearedtheghostofwhathehadbeen。
  Thepeculiardressinwhichhehadbeenattiredinbetterdays,showedonlymiserableragsofitswhimsicalfinery,thelackofwhichwasoddlysuppliedbytheremnantsoftapestriedhangings,window-curtains,andshredsofpictures,withwhichhehadbedizenedhistatters。Hisface,too,hadlostitsvacantandcarelessair,andthepoorcreaturelookedhollow-eyed,meagre,half-starved,andnervoustoapitiabledegree-Afterlonghesitation,heatlengthapproachedWaverleywithsomeconfidence,staredhimsadlyintheface,andsaid,A’deadandgane-a’deadandgane!’’
  Whoaredead?’’saidWaverley,forgettingtheincapacityofDavietoholdanyconnecteddiscourse。
  Baron-andBailie-andSaundersSaunderson-andLadyRose,thatsangsaesweet-A’deadandgane-deadandgane!
  Butfollow,followme,Whileglow-wormslightthelea;
  I’llshowyouwherethedeadshouldbe-
  Eachinhisshroud,Whilewindspipeloud,Andtheredmoonpeepsdimthroughthecloud。
  Follow,followme;
  BraveshouldhebeThattreadsbynightthedeadman’slea。’’
  Withthesewords,chantedinawildandearnesttone,hemadeasigntoWaverleytofollowhim,andwalkedrapidlytowardsthebottomofthegarden,tracingthebankofthestream,which,itmayberemembered,wasitseasternboundary。Edward,overwhomaninvoluntaryshudderingstoleattheimportofhiswords,followedhiminsomehopeofanexplanation。Asthehousewasevidentlydeserted,hecouldnotexpecttofindamongtheruinsanymorerationalinformer。
  Davie,walkingveryfast,soonreachedtheextremityofthegarden,andscrambledovertheruinsofthewallthatoncehaddivideditfromthewoodedgleninwhichtheoldTowerofTully-Veolanwassituated。Hethenjumpeddownintothebedofthestream,and,followedbyWaverley,proceededatagreatpace,climbingoversomefragmentsofrock,andturningwithdifficultyroundothers。Theypassedbeneaththeruinsofthecastle;Waverleyfollowed,keepingupwithhisguidewithdifficulty,forthetwilightbegantofall。Followingthedescentofthestreamalittlelower,hetotallylosthim,butatwinklinglight,whichhenowdiscoveredamongthetangledcopse-woodandbushes,seemedasurerguide。Hesoonpursuedaveryuncouthpath;andbyitsguidanceatlengthreachedthedoorofawretchedhut。Afiercebarkingofdogswasatfirstheard,butitstilledathisapproach。Avoicesoundedfromwithin,andhehelditmostprudenttolistenbeforeheadvanced。
  Whahastthoubroughthere,thouunsonsyvillainthou?’’
  saidanoldwoman,apparentlyingreatindignation。HeheardDavieGellatley,inanswer,whistleapartofthetunebywhichhehadrecalledhimselftothesimpleton’smemory,andhadnownohesitationtoknockatthedoor。Therewasadeadsilenceinstantlywithin,exceptthedeepgrowlingofthedogs;
  andhenextheardthemistressofthehutapproachthedoor,notprobablyforthesakeofundoingalatch,butoffasteningabolt。TopreventthisWaverleyliftedthelatchhimself。
  Infrontwasanoldwretched-lookingwoman,exclaiming,Whacomesintofolk’shousesinthisgate,atthistimeo’
  thenight?’’Ononeside,twogrimandhalf-starveddeergrey-houndslaidasidetheirferocityathisappearance,andseemedtorecognisehim。Ontheotherside,halfconcealedbytheopendoor,yetapparentlyseekingthatconcealmentreluctantly,withacockedpistolinhisrighthand,andhisleftintheactofdrawinanotherfromhisbelt,stoodatallbonygauntfigureintheremnantsofafadeduniform,andabeardofthreeweeks’
  growth。
  ItwastheBaronofBradwardine。Itisunnecessarytoadd,thathethrewasidehisweapon,andgreetedWaverleywithaheartyembrace。