首页 >出版文学> WAVERLEY>第85章

第85章

  DivisionsearlyshowedthemselvesintheChevalier’slittlearmy,notonlyamongsttheindependentchieftains,whowerefartooproudtobrooksubjectiontoeachother,butbetwixttheScotchandCharles’sgovernorO’Sullivan,anIrishmanbybirth,who,withsomeofhiscountrymenbredintheIrishBrigadeintheserviceoftheKingofFrance,hadaninfluencewiththeAdventurer,muchresentedbytheHighlanders,whoweresensiblethattheirownclansmadethechieforrathertheonlystrengthofhisenterprise。
  Therewasafeud,also,betweenLordGeorgeMurrayandJamesMurrayofBroughton,thePrince’ssecretary,whosedisuniongreatlyembarrassedtheaffairsoftheAdventurer。Ingeneral,athousanddifferentpretensionsdividedtheirlittlearmy,andfinallycontributedinnosmalldegreetoitsoverthrow。
  NoteT,p。-Field-pieceintheHighlandArmy。
  Thiscircumstance,whichishistorical,aswellasthedescriptionthatprecedesit,willremindthereaderofthewarofLaVende,inwhichtheroyalists,consistingchieflyofinsurgentpeasantry,attachedaprodigiousandevensuperstitiousinteresttothepossessionofapieceofbrassordnance,whichtheycalledMariaJeanne。
  TheHighlandersofanearlyperiodwereafraidofcannon,withthenoiseandeffectofwhichtheyweretotallyunacquainted。ItwasbymeansofthreeorfoursmallpiecesofartillerythattheEarlsofHuntlyandErrol,inJamesVI。’stime,gainedagreatvictoryatGlenlivat,overanumerousHighlandarmycommandedbytheEarlofArgyle。AtthebattleoftheBridgeofDee,GeneralMiddletonobtainedbyhisartilleryasimilarsuccess,theHighlandersnotbeingabletostandthedischargeof_Musket’s-Mother,_
  whichwasthenametheybestowedongreatguns。IninoldballadonthebattleoftheBridgeofDee,theseversesoccur:-
  TheHighlandmenareprettymenForhandlingswordandshield,ButyettheyarebutsimplemenTostandastrickenfield。
  TheHighlandmenareprettymenFortargetandclaymore,Butyettheyarebutnakedmen,Tofacethecannon’sroar。
  Forthecannonsroaronasummernight,Likethunderintheair;
  WasnevermaninHighlandgarbWouldfacethecannonfair。
  ButtheHighlandersof1745hadgotfarbeyondthesimplicityoftheirforefathers,andshowedthroughoutthewholewarhowlittletheydreadedartillery,althoughthecommonpeoplestillattachedsomeconsequencetothepossessionofthefield-piecewhichledtothisdisquisition。
  NoteU,p。-AndersonofWhitburgh。
  ThefaithfulfriendwhopointedoutthepassbywhichtheHighlandersmovedfromTranenttoSeaton,wasRobertAndersonjunior,ofWhitburgh,agentlemanofpropertyinEastLothian。HehadbeeninterrogatedbytheLordGeorgeMurrayconcerningthepossibilityofcrossingtheuncouthandmarshypieceofgroundwhichdividedthearmies,andwhichhedescribedasimpracticable。Whendismissed,herecollectedthattherewasacircuitouspathleadingeastwardthroughthemarshintotheplain,bywhichtheHighlandersmightturntheflankofSirJohnCope’sposition,withoutbeingexposedtotheenemy’sfire。HavingmentionedhisopiniontoMr。HepburnofKeith,whoinstantlysawitsimportance,hewasencouragedbythatgentlemantoawakeLordGeorgeMurray,andcommunicatetheideatohim。LordGeorgereceivedtheinformationwithgratefulthanks,andinstantlyawakenedPrinceCharles,whowassleepinginthefieldwithabunchofpeasunderhishead。TheAdventurerreceivedwithalacritythenewsthattherewasapossibilityofbringinganexcellentlyprovidedarmytoadecisivebattlewithhisownirregularforces。
  HisjoyontheoccasionwasnotveryconsistentwiththechargeofcowardicebroughtagainsthimbyChevalierJohnstone,adiscontentedfollower,whoseMemoirspossessatleastasmuchofaromanticasahistoricalcharacter。
  EvenbytheaccountoftheChevalierhimself,thePrincewasattheheadofthesecondlineoftheHighlandarmyduringthebattle,ofwhichhesays,Itwasgainedwithsuchrapidity,thatinthesecondline,whereIwasstillbythesideofthePrince,wesawnootherenemythanthosewhowerelyingonthegroundkilledandwounded,_thoughwewerenotmorethanfiftypacesbehindourfirstline,runningalwaysasfastaswecouldtoovertakethem。_’’
  ThispassageintheChevalier’sMemoirsplacesthePrincewithinfiftypacesoftheheatofthebattle,apositionwhichwouldneverhavebeenthechoiceofoneunwillingtotakeashareofitsdangers。Indeed,unlessthechiefshadcompliedwiththeyoungAdventurer’sproposaltoleadthevaninperson,itdoesnotappearthathecouldhavebeendeeperintheaction。
  NoteV,p。-DeathofColonelGardiner。
  ThedeathofthisgoodChristianandgallantmanisthusgivenbyhisaffectionatebiographerDr。Doddridge,fromtheevidenceofeye-witnesses:-
  Hecontinuedallnightunderarms,wrappedupinhiscloak,andgenerallyshelteredunderarickofbarley,whichhappenedtobeinthefield。Aboutthreeinthemorninghecalledhisdomesticservantstohim,ofwhichtherewerefourinwaiting。HedismissedthreeofthemwithmostaffectionateChristianadvice,andsuchsolemnchargesrelatingtotheperformanceoftheirduty,andthecareoftheirsouls,asseemedplainlytointimatethatheapprehendeditwasatleastveryprobablehewastakinghislastfarewellofthem。Thereisgreatreasontobelievethathespentthelittleremainderofthetime,whichcouldnotbemuchaboveanhour,inthosedevoutexercisesofsoulwhichhadbeensolonghabitualtohim,andtowhichsomanycircumstancesdidthenconcurtocallhim。Thearmywasalarmedbybreakofday,bythenoiseoftherebels’approach,andtheattackwasmadebeforesunrise,yetwhenitwaslightenoughtodiscernwhatpassed。Assoonastheenemycamewithingun-shottheymadeafuriousfire;anditissaidthatthedragoonswhichconstitutedtheleftwingimmediatelyfled。TheColonelatthebeginningoftheonset,whichinthewholelastedbutafewminutes,receivedawoundbyabulletinhisleftbreast,whichmadehimgiveasuddenspringinhissaddle;
  uponwhichhisservant,wholedthehorse,wouldhavepersuadedhimtoretreat,buthesaiditwasonlyawoundintheflesh,andfoughton,thoughhepresentlyafterreceivedashotinhisrightthigh。Inthemeantime,itwasdiscernedthatsomeoftheenemyfellbyhim,andparticularlyoneman,whohadmadehimatreacherousvisitbutafewdaysbefore,withgreatprofessionofzealforthepresentestablishment。
  Eventsofthiskindpassinlesstimethanthedescriptionofthemcanbewritten,orthanitcanberead。TheColonelwasforafewmomentssupportedbyhismen,andparticularlybythatworthypersonLieutenant-ColonelWhitney,whowasshotthroughthearmhere,andafewmonthsafterfellnoblyatthebattleofFalkirk,andbyLieutenantWest,amanofdistinguishedbravery,asalsobyaboutfifteendragoons,whostoodbyhimtothelast。Butafterafaintfire,theregimentingeneralwasseizedwithapanic;andthoughtheirColonelandsomeothergallantofficersdidwhattheycouldtorallythemonceortwice,theyatlasttookaprecipitateflight。AndjustinthemomentwhenColonelGardinerseemedtobemakingapausetodeliberatewhatdutyrequiredhimtodoinsuchcircumstances,anaccidenthappened,whichmust,Ithink,inthejudgmentofeveryworthyandgenerousman,beallowedasufficientapologyforexposinghislifetosogreathazard,whenhisregimenthadlefthim。Hesawapartyofthefoot,whowerethenbravelyfightingnearhim,andwhomhewasorderedtosupport,hadnoofficertoheadthem;uponwhichhesaideagerly,inthehearingofthepersonfromwhomIhadthisaccount,`Thesebravefellowswillbecuttopiecesforwantofacommander,’orwordstothateffect;whichwhilehewasspeaking,herodeuptothemandcriedout,`Fireon,mylads,andfearnothing。’Butjustasthewordswereoutofhismouth,aHighlanderadvancedtowardshimwithascythefastenedtoalongpole,withwhichhegavehimsodreadfulawoundonhisrightarm,thathissworddroppedoutofhishand;andatthesametimeseveralotherscomingabouthimwhilehewasthusdreadfullyentangledwiththatcruelweapon,hewasdraggedofffromhishorse。Themomenthefell,anotherHighlander,who,iftheking’sevidenceatCarlislemaybecreditedasIknownotwhytheyshouldnot,thoughtheunhappycreaturedieddenyingit,wasoneMac-Naught,whowasexecutedaboutayearafter,gavehimastrokeeitherwithabroadswordoraLochaber-axeformyinformantcouldnotexactlydistinguishonthehinderpartofhishead,whichwasthemortalblow。Allthathisfaithfulattendantsawfurtheratthistimewas,thatashishatwasfallingoff,hetookitinhislefthandandwaveditasasignaltohimtoretreat,andaddedwhatwerethelostwordsheeverheardhimspeak,`Takecareofyourself;’uponwhichtheservantretired。’’
  _SomeremarkablePassagesintheLifeofColonelJamesGardiner,byP。
  Doddridge,D。D。_London,1747,p。187。
  Imayremarkonthisextract,thatitconfirmstheaccountgiveninthetextoftheresistanceofferedbysomeoftheEnglishinfantry。Surprisedbyaforceofapeculiarandunusualdescription,theiroppositioncouldnotbelongorformidable,especiallyastheyweredesertedbythecavalry,andthosewhoundertooktomanagetheartillery。Butalthoughtheaffairwassoondecided,Ihavealwaysunderstoodthatmanyoftheinfantryshowedaninclinationtodotheirduty。
  NoteW,p。-TheLairdofBalmawhapple。
  ItisscarcelynecessarytosaythatthecharacterofthisbrutalyoungLairdisentirelyimaginary。Agentleman,however,whoresembledBalmawhappleinthearticleofcourageonly,fellatPrestoninthemannerdescribed。APerthshiregentlemanofhighhonourandrespectability,oneofthehandfulofcavalrywhofollowedthefortunesofCharlesEdward,pursuedthefugitivedragoonsalmostalonetillnearSaintClement’sWells,wheretheeffortsofsomeoftheofficershadprevailedonafewofthemtomakeamomentarystand。Perceivingatthismomentthattheywerepursuedbyonlyonemanandacoupleofservants,theyturneduponhimandcuthimdownwiththeirswords。Iremember,whenachild,sittingonhisgrave,wherethegrasslonggrewrankandgreen,distinguishingitfromtherestofthefield。AfemaleofthefamilythenresidingatSaintClement’sWellsusedtotellmethetragedyofwhichshehadbeenaneye-witness,andshowedmeinevidenceoneofthesilverclaspsoftheunfortunategentleman’swaistcoat。
  NoteX,p。-AndreadiFerrara。
  ThenameofAndreadiFerraraisinscribedonalltheScottishbroad-swordswhichareaccountedofpeculiarexcellence。Whothisartistwas,whatwerehisfortunes,andwhenheflourished,havehithertodefiedtheresearchofantiquaries;onlyitisingeneralbelievedthatAndreadiFerrarawasaSpanishorItalianartificer,broughtoverbyJamesIV。orV。toinstructtheScotsinthemanufactureofswordblades。Mostbarbarousnationsexcelinthefabricationofarms;andtheScotshadattainedgreatproficiencyinforgingswords,soearlyasthefieldofPinkie;atwhichperiodthehistorianPattendescribesthemasallnotablybroadandthin,universallymadetoslice,andofsuchexceedinggoodtemper,thatasIneversawanysogood,soIthinkithardtodevisebetter-
  _AccountofSomerset’sExpedition。_
  Itmaybeobserved,thatthebestandmostgenuineAndreaFerrarashaveacrownmarkedontheblades。
  TheincidentheresaidtohavehappenedtoFloraMac-Ivor,actuallybefellMissNairne,aladywithwhomtheauthorhadthepleasureofbeingacquainted。AstheHighlandarmyrushedintoEdinburgh,MissNairne,likeotherladieswhoapprovedoftheircause,stoodwavingherhandkerchieffromabalcony,whenaballfromaHighlander’smusket,whichwasdischargedbyaccident,grazedherforehead。ThankGod,’’saidshe,theinstantsherecovered,thattheaccidenthappenedtome,whoseprinciplesareknown。HaditbefallenaWhigtheywouldhavesaiditwasdoneonpurpose。’’
  NoteZ,p。-PrinceCharlesEdward。
  TheAuthorofWaverleyhasbeenchargedwithpaintingtheyoungAdventurerincoloursmoreamiablethanhischaracterdeserved。Buthavingknownmanyindividualswhowerenearhisperson,hehasbeendescribedaccordingtothelightinwhichthoseeyewitnessessawhistemperandqualifications。Somethingmustbeallowed,nodoubt,tothenaturalexaggerationsofthosewhorememberedhimastheboldandadventurousPrince,inwhosecausetheyhadbraveddeathandruin;butistheirevidencetogiveplaceentirelytothatofasinglemalcontent?