ForGod’ssake,tothepoint,sir-Ihaveallthatbyheart,’’
saidtheColonel。
ToCosmoComyneBradwardine,Esq。,’’pursuedtheBailie,hisheirsandassignees,simplyandirredeemably-tobeheldeither_ameveldeme_’’
Prayreadshort,sir。’’
Ontheconscienceofanhonestman,Colonel,Ireadasshortasisconsistentwithstyle-Uudertheburdenandreservationalways’’
Mr。Macwheeble,thiswouldoutlastaRussianwinter-Givemeleave。Inshort,Mr。Bradwardine,yourfamilyestateisyourownoncemoreinfullproperty,andatyourabsolutedisposal,butonlyburdenedwiththesumadvancedtorepurchaseit,whichIunderstandisutterlydisproportionedtoitsvalue。’’
Anauldsang-anauldsang,ifitpleaseyourhonours,’’
criedtheBailie,rubbinghishands;-lookattherental-book。’’
WhichsumbeingadvancedbyMr。EdwardWaverley,chieflyfromthepriceofhisfather’spropertywhichIboughtfromhim,issecuredtohisladyyourdaughter,andherfamilybythismarriage。’’
ItisaCatholicsecurity,’’shoutedtheBailie,toRoseComyneBradwardine,_alias_Wauverley,inliferent,andthechildrenofthesaidmarriageinfee;andImadeupaweebitminuteofanantenuptialcontract,_intuitumatrimonij,_soitcannotbesubjecttoreductionhereafter,asadonation_intervirumetuxorem。_’’
ItisdifficulttosaywhethertheworthyBaronwasmostdelightedwiththerestitutionofhisfamilyproperty,orwiththedelicacyandgenerositythatlefthimunfetteredtopursuehispurposeindisposingofitafterhisdeath,andwhichavoided,asmuchaspossible,eventheappearanceoflayinghimunderpecuniaryobligation。Whenhisfirstpauseofjoyandastonishmentwasover,histhoughtsturnedtotheunworthyheir-male,who,hepronounced,hadsoldhisbirthright,likeEsau,foramesso’pottage。’’
Butwhacookittheparritchforhim?’’exclaimedtheBailie;Iwadliketokenthat-whabutyourhonour’stocommand,DuncanMacwheeble?Hishonour,youngMr。
Wauverley,putita’intomyhandfraethebeginning-fraethefirstcallingo’thesummons,asImaysay。Icircumventedthem-Iplayedatbogleaboutthebushwi’them-Icajoledthem;andifIhavenagienInch-GrabbitandJamieHowieabonniebegunk,theykenthemselves。Himawriter!Ididnagaeslapdashtothemwi’ouryoungbra’bridegroom,togarthembaudupthemarket;na,na;Iscaredthemwi’ourwildtenantry,andtheMac-Ivors,thatarebutillsettledyet,tilltheydurstnaononyerrandwhatsoevergangowerthedoor-staneaftergloaming,forfearJohnHeatherblutter,orsomesiccandare-the-deil,shouldtakabaffatthem:then,ontheotherhand,Ibeflumm’dthemwi’ColonelTalbot-wadtheyoffertokeepupthepriceagain’theDuke’sfriend?didtheynakenwhawasmaster?hadtheynaseeneneugh,bythesadexampleofmonyapairmisguidedunhappybody’’
WhowenttoDerby,forexample,Mr。Macwheeble?’’saidtheColoneltohim,aside。
Owhisht,Colonel,fortheloveo’God!letthatfleesticki’thewa’。ThereweremonygoodfolkatDerby;andit’sillspeakingofhalters,’’-withaslycastofhiseyetowardtheBaron,whowasinadeepreverie。
Startingoutofitatonce,hetookMacwheeblebythebutton,andledhimintooneofthedeepwindowrecesses,whenceonlyfragmentsoftheirconversationreachedtherestoftheparty。
Itcertainlyrelatedtostamp-paperandparchment;fornoothersubject,evenfromthemouthofhispatron,andhe,oncemore,anefficientone,couldhavearrestedsodeeplytheBailie’sreverentandabsorbedattention。
Iunderstandyourhonourperfectly;itcanbeduneaseasyastakingoutadecreetinabsence。’’
Toherandhim,aftermydemise,andtotheirheirs-male,-
butpreferringthesecondson,ifGodshallblessthemwithtwo,whoistocarrythenameandarmsofBradwardineofthatIlk,withoutanyothernameorarmorialbearingswhatsoever。’’
Tut,yourhonour!’’whisperedtheBailie,I’llmakaslightjottingthemorn;itwillcostbutacharterofresignation_infavorem;_andI’llhaeitreadyforthenextterminExchequer。’’
Theirprivateconversationended,theBaronwasnowsummonedtodothehonoursofTully-Veolantonewguests。Thesewere,MajorMelvilleofCairnvreckan,andtheReverendMr。
Morton,followedbytwoorthreeothersoftheBaron’sacquaintances,whohadbeenmadeprivytohishavingagainacquiredtheestateofhisfathers。Theshoutsofthevillagerswerealsoheardbeneathinthecourt-yard;forSaundersSaunderson,whohadkeptthesecretforseveraldayswithlaudableprudence,hadunloosedhistongueuponbeholdingthearrivalofthecarriages。
But,whileEdwardreceivedMajorMelvillewithpoliteness,andtheclergymanwiththemostaffectionateandgratefulkindness,hisfather-in-lawlookedalittleawkward,asuncertainhowheshouldanswerthenecessaryclaimsofhospitalitytohisguests,andforwardthefestivityofhistenants。LadyEmilyrelievedhim,byintimating,that,thoughshemustbeanindifferentrepresentativeofMrs。EdwardWaverleyinmanyrespects,shehopetheBaronwouldapproveoftheentertainmentshehadordered,inexpectationofsomanyguests;andthattheywouldfindsuchotheraccommodationsprovided,asmightinsomedegreesupporttheancienthospitalityofTully-Veolan。
ItisimpossibletodescribethepleasurewhichthisassurancegavetheBaron,who,withanairofgallantryhalfappertainingtothestiffScottishlaird,andhalftotheofficerintheFrenchservice,offeredhisarmtothefairspeaker,andledtheway,insomethingbetweenastrideandaminuetstep,intothelargediningparlour,followedbyalltherestofthegoodcompany。
BydintofSaunderson’sdirectionsandexertions,allhere,aswellasintheotherapartments,hadbeendisposedasmuchaspossibleaccordingtotheoldarrangement;andwherenewmoveableshadbeennecessary,theyhadbeenselectedinthesamecharacterwiththeoldfurniture。Therewasoneadditiontothisfineoldapartment,however,whichdrewtearsintotheBaron’seyes。Itwasalargeandspiritedpainting,representingFergusMac-IvorandWaverleyintheirHighlanddress;thesceneawild,rocky,andmountainouspass,downwhichtheclanweredescendinginthebackground。Itwastakenfromaspiritedsketch,drawnwhiletheywereinEdinburghbyayoungmanofhighgenius,andhadbeenpaintedonafull-lengthscalebyaneminentLondonartist。RaeburnhimselfwhoseHighlandChiefsdoallbutwalkoutofthecanvas
couldnothavedonemorejusticetothesubject;andtheardent,fiery,andimpetuouscharacteroftheunfortunateChiefofGlennaquoichwasfinelycontrastedwiththecontemplative,fanciful,andenthusiasticexpressionofhishappierfriend。
BesidethispaintinghungthearmswhichWaverleyhadborneintheunfortunatecivilwar。Thewholepiecewasbeheldwithadmiration,anddeeperfeelings。
Menmust,however,eat,inspitebothofsentimentandvirtu;andtheBaron,whileheassumedthelowerendofthetable,insistedthatLadyEmilyshoulddothehonoursofthehead,thattheymight,hesaid,setameetexampletothe_youngfolk。_Afterapauseofdeliberation,employedinadjustinginhisownbraintheprecedencebetweenthePresbyteriankirkandEpiscopalchurchofScotland,herequestedMr。Morton,asthestranger,wouldcraveablessing,-observing,thatMr。
Rubrick,whowasat_home,_wouldreturnthanksforthedistinguishedmerciesithadbeenhislottoexperience。Thedinnerwasexcellent。Saundersonattendedinfullcostume,withalltheformerdomestics,whohadbeencollected,exceptingoneortwo,thathadnotbeenheardofsincetheaffairofCulloden。
Thecellarswerestockedwithwinewhichwaspronouncedtobesuperb,andithadbeencontrivedthattheBearoftheFountain,inthecourt-yard,shouldforthatnightonlyplayexcellentbrandypunchforthebenefitofthelowerorders。
Whenthedinnerwasover,theBaron,abouttoproposeatoast,castasomewhatsorrowfullookuponthesideboard,-
which,however,exhibitedmuchofhisplate,thathadeitherbeensecretedorpurchasedbyneighbouringgentlemenfromthesoldiery,andbythemgladlyrestoredtotheoriginalowner。
Inthelatetimes,’’hesaid,thosemustbethankfulwhohavesavedlifeandland:yet,whenIamabouttopronouncethistoast,Icannotbutregretanoldheir-loom,LadyEmily-a_poculumpotatorium,_ColonelTalbot’’
HeretheBaron’selbowwasgentlytouchedbyhisMajorDomo,and,turninground,hebeheld,inthehandsofAlexanderabAlexandro,thecelebratedcupofSaintDuthac,theBlessedBearofBradwardine!Iquestioniftherecoveryofhisestateaffordedhimmorerapture。Bymyhonour,’’hesaid,onemightalmostbelieveinbrowniesandfairies,LadyEmily,whenyourLadyshipisinpresence!’’
Iamtrulyhappy,’’saidColonelTalbot,thatbytherecoveryofthispieceoffamilyantiquity,ithasfallenwithinmypowertogiveyousometokenofmydeepinterestinallthatconcernsmyyoungfriendEdward。ButthatyoumaynotsuspectLadyEmilyforasorceress,ormeforaconjuror,whichisnojokeinScotland,ImusttellyouthatFrankStanley,yourfriend,whohasbeenseizedwithatartanfevereversinceheheardEdward’stalesofoldScottishmanners,happenedtodescribetousatsecondhandthisremarkablecup。Myservant,Spontoon,who,likeatrueoldsoldier,observeseverythingandsayslittle,gavemeafterwardstounderstandthathethoughthehadseenthepieceofplateMr。Stanleymentioned,inthepossessionofacertainMrs。Nosebag,who,havingbeenoriginallythehelpmateofapawnbroker,hadfoundopportunity,duringthelateunpleasantscenesinScotland,totradealittleinheroldline,andsobecamethedepositaryofthemorevaluablepartofthespoilofhalfthearmy。Youmaybelievethecupwasspeedilyrecovered;anditwillgivemeverygreatpleasureifyouallowmetosupposethatitsvalueisnotdiminishedbyhavingbeenrestoredthroughmymeans。’’
AtearmingledwiththewinewhichtheBaronfilled,asheproposedacupofgratitudetoColonelTalbot,andTheProsperityoftheunitedHousesofWaverley-HonourandBradwardine!’’
Itonlyremainsformetosay,thatasnowishwaseverutteredwithmoreaffectionatesincerity,therearefewwhich,allowingforthenecessarymutabilityofhumanevents,havebeen,uponthewhole,morehappilyfulfilled。
Ourjourneyisnowfinished,gentlereader;andifyourpatiencehasaccompaniedmethroughthesesheets,thecontractis,onyourpart,strictlyfulfilled。Yet,likethedriverwhohasreceivedhisfullhire,Istilllingernearyou,andmake,withbecomingdiffidence,atriflingadditionalclaimuponyourbountyandgoodnature。Youareasfree,however,toshutthevolumeoftheonepetitioner,astocloseyourdoorinthefaceoftheother。
Thisshouldhavebeenaprefatorychapter,butfortworeasons:-First,thatmostnovelreaders,asmyownconscienceremindsme,areapttobeguiltyofthesinofomissionrespectingthatsamematterofprefaces;-Secondly,thatitisageneralcustomwiththatclassofstudents,tobeginwiththelastchapterofawork;sothat,afterall,theseremarks,beingintroducedlastinorder,havestillthebestchancetobereadintheirproperplace。
ThereisnoEuropeannationwhich,withinthecourseofhalfacentury,orlittlemore,hasundergonesocompleteachangeasthiskingdomofScotland。Theeffectsoftheinsurrectionof1745-thedestructionofthepatriarchalpoweroftheHighlandchiefs-theabolitionoftheheritablejurisdictionsoftheLowlandnobilityandbarons-thetotaleradicationoftheJacobiteparty,which,aversetointerminglewiththeEnglish,oradopttheircustoms,longcontinuedtopridethemselvesuponmaintainingancientScottishmannersandcustoms-commencedthisinnovation。Thegradualinfluxofwealth,andextensionofcommerce,havesinceunitedtorenderthepresentpeopleofScotlandaclassofbeingsasdifferentfromtheirgrandfathersastheexistingEnglisharefromthoseofQueenElizabeth’stime。
ThepoliticalandeconomicaleffectsofthesechangeshavebeentracedbyLordSelkirkwithgreatprecisionandaccuracy。Butthechange,thoughsteadilyandrapidlyprogressive,has,nevertheless,beengradual;andlikethosewhodriftdownthestreamofadeepandsmoothriver,wearenotawareoftheprogresswehavemade,untilwefixoureyeonthenowdistantpointfromwhichwehavebeendrifted-Suchofthepresentgenerationascanrecollectthelasttwentyortwenty-fiveyearsoftheeighteenthcentury,willbefullysensibleofthetruthofthisstatementespeciallyiftheiracquaintanceandconnexionslayamongthosewho,inmyyoungertime,werefacetiouslycalledfolksoftheoldleaven,’’whostillcherishedalingering,thoughhopeless,attachmenttothehouseofStuart。Thisracehasnowalmostentirelyvanishedfromtheland,andwithit,doubtless,muchabsurdpoliticalprejudice-butalsomanylivingexamplesofsingularanddisinterestedattachmenttotheprinciplesofloyaltywhichtheyreceivedfromtheirfathers,andofoldScottishfaith,hospitality,worth,andhonour。
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