首页 >出版文学> WAVERLEY>第81章

第81章

  Weare,therefore,sofarfromattemptingtotracethedullprogressofMessrs。ClippurseandHookem,orthatoftheirworthyofficialbrethren,whohadthechargeofsuingoutthepardonsofEdwardWaverleyandhisintendedfather-in-law,thatwecanbuttouchuponmattersmoreattractive。Themutualepistles,forexample,whichwereexchangedbetweenSirEverardandtheBaronuponthisoccasion,thoughmatchlessspecimensofeloquenceintheirway,mustbeconsignedtomercilessoblivion。NorcanItellyouatlength,howworthyAuntRachel,notwithoutadelicateandaffectionateallusiontothecircumstanceswhichhadtransferredRose’smaternaldiamondstothehandsofDonaldBeanLean,stockedhercasketwithasetofjewelsthataduchessmighthaveenvied。Moreover,thereaderwillhavethegoodnesstoimaginethatJobHoughtonandhisdameweresuitablyprovidedfor,althoughtheycouldneverbepersuadedthattheirsonfellotherwisethanfightingbytheyoungsquire’sside;sothatAlick,who,asaloveroftruth,hadmademanyneedlessattemptstoexpoundtherealcircumstancestothem,wasfinallyorderedtosaynotawordmoreuponthesubject。Heindemnifiedhimself,however,bytheliberalallowanceofdesperatebattles,grislyexecutions,andraw-headandbloody-bonestories,withwhichheastonishedtheservants’hall。
  Butalthoughtheseimportantmattersmaybebrieflytoldinnarrative,likeanewspaperreportofaChancerysuit,yet,withalltheurgencywhichWaverleycoulduse,therealtimewhichthelawproceedingsoccupied,joinedtothedelayoccasionedbythemodeoftravellingatthatperiod,rendereditconsiderablymorethantwomonthsereWaverley,havingleftEngland,alightedoncemoreatthemansionoftheLairdofDuchrantoclaimthehandofhisplightedbride。
  Thedayofhismarriagewasfixedforthesixthafterhisarrival。TheBaronofBradwardine,withwhombridals,christenings,andfunerals,werefestivalsofhighandsolemnimport,feltalittlehurt,that,includingthefamilyoftheDuchran,andalltheimmediatevicinitywhohadtitletobepresentonsuchanoccasion,therecouldnotbeabovethirtypersonscollected。Whenhewasmarried,’’heobserved,threehundredhorseofgentlemenborn,besidesservants,andsomescoreortwoofHighlandlairds,whonevergotonhorseback,werepresentontheoccasion。’’
  Buthispridefoundsomeconsolationinreflecting,thatheandhisson-in-lawhavingbeensolatelyinarmsagainstGovernment,itmightgivematterofreasonablefearandoffencetotherulingpowers,iftheyweretocollecttogetherthekith,kin,andalliesoftheirhouses,arrayedineffeirofwar,aswastheancientcustomofScotlandontheseoccasions-And,withoutdubitation,’’
  heconcludedwithasigh,manyofthosewhowouldhaverejoicedmostfreelyuponthesejoyfulespousals,areeithergonetoabetterplace,orarenowexilesfromtheirnativeland。’’
  Themarriagetookplaceontheappointedday。TheReverendMr。Rubrick,kinsmantotheproprietorofthehospitablemansionwhereitwassolemnised,andchaplaintotheBaronofBradwardine,hadthesatisfactiontounitetheirhands;andFrankStanleyactedasbridesman,havingjoinedEdwardwiththatviewsoonafterhisarrival。LadyEmilyandColonelTalbothadproposedbeingpresent;butLadyEmily’shealth,whenthedayapproached,wasfoundinadequatetothejourney。Inamends,itwasarrangedthatEdwardWaverleyandhislady,who,withtheBaron,proposedanimmediatejourneytoWaverley-Honour,should,intheirway,spendafewdaysatanestatewhichColonelTalbothadbeentemptedtopurchaseinScotlandasaverygreatbargain,andatwhichheproposedtoresideforsometime。
  Thisisnomineainhouse,Ikenbythebiggingo’t-OldSong。
  Thenuptialpartytravelledingreatstyle。Therewasacoachandsixafterthenewestpattern,whichSirEverardhadpresentedtohisnephew,thatdazzledwithitssplendourtheeyesofonehalfofScotland;therewasthefamilycoachofMr。Rubrickboththesewerecrowdedwithladies,andthereweregentlemenonhorseback,withtheirservants,tothenumberofaroundscore。Nevertheless,withouthavingthefearoffaminebeforehiseyes,BailieMacwheeblemetthemintheroadtoentreatthattheywouldpassbyhishouseatLittleVeolan。TheBaronstared,andsaidhissonandhewouldcertainlyridebyLittleVeolan,andpaytheircomplimentstotheBailie,butcouldnotthinkofbringingwiththemthehaill_comitatusnuptialis,_ormatrimonialprocession。’’Headded,that,asheunderstoodthatthebaronyhadbeensoldbyitsunworthypossessor,hewasgladtoseehisoldfriendDuncanhadregainedhissituationunderthenew_Dominus,_orproprietor。’’TheBailieducked,bowed,andfidgeted,andthenagaininsisteduponhisinvitation;untiltheBaron,thoughratherpiquedatthepertinacityofhisinstances,couldnotneverthelessrefusetoconsent,withoutmakingevidentsensationswhichhewasanxioustoconceal。
  Hefellintoadeepstudyastheyapproachedthetopoftheavenue,andwasonlystartledfromitbyobservingthatthebattlementswerereplaced,theruinsclearedaway,andmostwonderfulofallthatthetwogreatstoneBears,thosemutilatedDagonsofhisidolatry,hadresumedtheirpostsoverthegateway。
  Nowthisnewproprietor,’’saidhetoEdward,hasshownmair_gusto,_astheItalianscallit,intheshorttimehehashadthisdomain,thanthathoundMalcolm,thoughIbredhimheremysell,hasacquired_vitaadhucdurante_-AndnowItalkofhounds,isnotyonBanandBuscar,whocomescoupinguptheavenuewithDavieGellatley?’’
  Ivoteweshouldgotomeetthem,sir,’’saidWaverley,forIbelievethepresentmasterofthehouseisColonelTalbot,whowillexpecttoseeus。Wehesitatedtomentiontoyouatfirstthathehadpurchasedyourancientpatrimonialproperty,andevenyet,ifyoudonotinclinetovisithim,wecanpassontotheBailie’s。’’
  TheBaronhadoccasionforallhismagnanimity。However,hedrewalongbreath,tookalongsnuff,andobserved,sincetheyhadbroughthimsofar,hecouldnotpasstheColonel’sgate,andhewouldbehappytoseethenewmasterofhisoldtenants。Healightedaccordingly,asdidtheothergentlemenandladies;-hegavehisarmtohisdaughter,andastheydescendedtheavenue,pointedouttoherhowspeedilythe_DivaPecunia_oftheSouthron-theirtutelarydeity,hemightcallher-hadremovedthemarksofspoliation。’’
  Intruth,notonlyhadthefelledtreesbeenremoved,but,theirstumpsbeinggrubbedup,andtheearthroundthemlevelledandsownwithgrass,everymarkofdevastation,unlesstoaneyeintimatelyacquaintedwiththespot,wasalreadytotallyobliterated。TherewasasimilarreformationintheoutwardmanofDavieGellatley,whometthem,everynowandthenstoppingtoadmirethenewsuitwhichgracedhisperson,inthesamecoloursasformerly,butbedizenedfineenoughtohaveservedTouchstonehimself。Hedancedupwithhisusualungainlyfrolics,firsttotheBaron,andthentoRose,passinghishandsoverhisclothes,crying,_Bra’,bra’
  Davie,_’’andscarceabletosingabartoanendofhisthousand-and-one-songs,forthebreathlessextravaganceofhisjoy。Thedogsalsoacknowledgedtheiroldmasterwithathousandgambols。Uponmyconscience,Rose,’’ejaculatedtheBaron,thegratitudeo’thaedumbbrutes,andofthatpuirinnocent,bringsthetearsintomyauldeen,whilethatschellumMalcolm-butI’mobligedtoColonelTalbotforputtingmyhoundsintosuchgoodcondition,andlikewiseforpuirDavie。But,Rose,mydear,wemustnotpermitthemtobealiferentburdenupontheestate。’’
  Ashespoke,LadyEmily,leaninguponthearmofherhusbandmetthepartyatthelowergate,withathousandwelcomes。Aftertheceremonyofintroductionhadbeengonethrough,muchabridgedbytheeaseandexcellentbreedingofLadyEmily,sheapologisedforhavingusedalittleart,towilethembacktoaplacewhichmightawakensomepainfulreflections-Butasitwastochangemasters,wewereverydesirousthattheBaron’’
  Mr。Bradwardine,madam,ifyouplease,’’saidtheoldgentleman-
  Mr。Bradwardine,then,andMr。Waverley,shouldseewhatwehavedonetowardsrestoringthemansionofyourfatherstoitsformerstate。’’
  TheBaronansweredwithalowbow。Indeed,whenheenteredthecourt,exceptingthattheheavystables,whichhadbeenburntdown,werereplacedbybuildingsofalighterandmorepicturesqueappearance,allseemedasmuchaspossiblerestoredtothestateinwhichhehadleftitwhenheassumedarmssomemonthsbefore。Thepigeon-housewasreplenished;
  thefountainplayedwithitsusualactivity;andnotonlytheBearwhopredominatedoveritsbasin,butalltheotherBearswhatsoever,werereplacedontheirseveralstations,andrenewedorrepairedwithsomuchcare,thattheyborenotokensoftheviolencewhichhadsolatelydescendeduponthem。Whiletheseminutihadbeensoheedfullyattendedto,itisscarcenecessarytoadd,thatthehouseitselfhadbeenthoroughlyrepaired,aswellasthegardens,withthestrictestattentiontomaintaintheoriginalcharacterofboth,andtoremove,asfaraspossible,allappearanceoftheravagetheyhadsustained。
  TheBarongazedinsilentwonder;atlengthheaddressedColonelTalbot:
  WhileIacknowledgemyobligationtoyou,sir,fortherestorationofthebadgeofourfamily,Icannotbutmarvelthatyouhavenowhereestablishedyourowncrest,whilkis,I
  believe,amastive,ancientlycalledatalbot;asthepoethasit,Atalbotstrong-asturdytyke。
  AtleastsuchadogisthecrestofthemartialandrenownedEarlsofShrewsbury,towhomyourfamilyareprobablybloodrelations。’’
  Ibelieve,’’saidtheColonel,smiling,ourdogsarewhelpsofthesamelitter:formypart,ifcrestsweretodisputeprecedence,Ishouldbeapttoletthem,astheproverbsays,`fightdog,fightbear。’’’
  Ashemadethisspeech,atwhichtheBarontookanotherlongpinchofsnuff,theyhadenteredthehouse-thatis,theBaron,Rose,andLadyEmily,withyoungStanleyandtheBailie,forEdwardandtherestofthepartyremainedontheterrace,toexamineanewgreen-housestockedwiththefinestplants。TheBaronresumedhisfavouritetopic:Howeveritmaypleaseyoutoderogatefromthehonourofyourburgonet,ColonelTalbot,whichisdoubtlessyourhumour,asIhaveseeninothergentlemenofbirthandhonourinyourcountry,Imustagainrepeatitasamostancientanddistinguishedbearing,aswellasthatofmyyoungfriendFrancisStanley,whichistheeagleandchild。’’
  ThebirdandbantlingtheycallitinDerbyshire,sir,’’saidStanley。
  Ye’readaftcallant,sir,’’saidtheBaron,whohadagreatlikingtothisyoungman,perhapsbecausehesometimesteasedhim-Ye’readaftcallant,andImustcorrectyousomeofthesedays,’’shakinghisgreatbrownfistathim。ButwhatImeanttosay,ColonelTalbot,is,thatyoursisanancient_prosapia,_ordescent,andsinceyouhavelawfullyandjustlyacquiredtheestateforyouandyours,whichIhavelostformeandmine,Iwishitmayremaininyournameasmanycenturiesasithasdoneinthatofthelateproprietor’s。’’
  That,’’answeredtheColonel,isveryhandsome,Mr。
  Bradwardine,indeed。’’
  Andyet,sir,Icannotbutmarvelthatyou,Colonel,whomInotedtohavesomuchofthe_amorpatri,_whenwemetinEdinburgh,aseventovilipendothercountries,shouldhavechosentoestablishyourLares,orhouseholdgods,_proculapatrifinibus,_andinamannertoexpatriateyourself。’’
  Whyreally,Baron,Idonotseewhy,tokeepthesecretofthesefoolishboys,WaverleyandStanley,andofmywife,whoisnowiser,oneoldsoldiershouldcontinuetoimposeuponanother。Youmustknow,then,thatIhavesomuchofthatsameprejudiceinfavourofmynativecountry,thatthesumofmoneywhichIadvancedtothesellerofthisextensivebaronyhasonlypurchasedformeaboxinshire,calledBrerewoodLodge,withabouttwohundredandfiftyacresofland,thechiefmeritofwhichis,thatitiswithinaveryfewmilesofWaverley-Honour。’’
  Andwho,then,inthenameofHeaven,hasboughtthisproperty?’’
  That,’’saidtheColonel,itisthisgentleman’sprofessiontoexplain。’’
  TheBailie,whomthisreferenceregarded,andwhohadallthiswhileshiftedfromonefoottoanotherwithgreatimpatience,likeahen,’’asheafterwardssaid,upenahetgirdle;’’
  andchuckling,hemighthaveadded,likethesaidheninallthegloryoflayinganegg-nowpushedforward:ThatIcan,thatIcan,yourHonour,’’drawingfromhispocketabudgetofpapers,anduntyingtheredtapewithahandtremblingwitheagerness。Hereisthedispositionandassignation,byMalcolmBradwardineofInch-Grabbit,regularlysignedandtestedintermsofthestatute,whereby,foracertainsumofsterlingmoneypresentlycontentedandpaidtohim,hehasdisponed,alienated,andconveyedthewholeestateandbaronyofBradwardine,Tully-Veolan,andothers,withthefortaliceandmanor-place’’