EreWaverleyenteredthebanquetinghall,hewasofferedthepatriarchalrefreshmentofabathforthefeet,whichthesultryweather,andthemorasseshehadtraversed,renderedhighlyacceptable。Hewasnot,indeed,soluxuriouslyattendeduponthisoccasionastheheroictravellersintheOdyssey;thetaskofablutionandabstersionbeingperformed,notbyabeautifuldamsel,trainedTochafethelimb,andpourthefragrantoil,butbyasmoke-driedskinnyoldHighlandwoman,whodidnotseemtothinkherselfmuchhonouredbythedutyimposeduponher,butmutteredbetweenherteeth,Ourfathers’herdsdidnotfeedsoneartogether,thatIshoulddoyouthisservice。’’A
smalldonation,however,amplyreconciledthisancienthandmaidentothesupposeddegradation;and,asEdwardproceededtothehall,shegavehimherblessing,intheGaelicproverb,Maytheopenhandbefilledthefullest。’’
Thehall,inwhichthefeastwasprepared,occupiedthefirststoreyofIannanChaistel’soriginalerection,andahugeoakentableextendedthroughitswholelength。Theapparatusfordinnerwassimple,eventorudeness,andthecompanynumerous,eventocrowding。AttheheadofthetablewastheChiefhimself,withEdward,andtwoorthreeHighlandvisitorsofneighbouringclans;theeldersofhisowntribe,wadsetters,andtacksmen,astheywerecalled,whooccupiedportionsofhisestateasmortgagersorlessees,satnextinrank;beneaththem,theirsons,andnephews,andfoster-brethren;thentheofficersoftheChief’shousehold,accordingtotheirorder;and,lowestofall,thetenantswhoactuallycultivatedtheground。Evenbeyondthislongperspective,Edwardmightseeuponthegreen,towhichahugepairoffoldingdoorsopened,amultitudeofHighlandersofayetinferiordescription,who,nevertheless,wereconsideredasguests,andhadtheirsharebothofthecountenanceoftheentertainer,andofthecheeroftheday。Inthedistance,andfluctuatingroundthisextremevergeofthebanquet,wasachangefulgroupofwomen,raggedboysandgirls,beggars,youngandold,largegreyhounds,andterriers,andpointers,andcursoflowdegree;allofwhomtooksomeinterest,moreorlessimmediate,inthemainactionofthepiece。
Thishospitality,apparentlyunbounded,hadyetitslineofeconomy。Somepainshadbeenbestowedindressingthedishesoffish,game,etc。,whichwereattheupperendofthetable,andimmediatelyundertheeyeoftheEnglishstranger。Lowerdownstoodimmenseclumsyjointsofmuttonandbeef,which,butfortheabsenceofpork,abhorredintheHighlands,resembledPorkorswine’sflesh,inanyshape,was,tilloflateyears,muchabominatedbytheScotch,norisityetafavouritefoodamongstthem。
KingJamiecarriedthisprejudicetoEngland,andisknowntohaveabhorredporkalmostasmuchashedidtobacco。BenJonsonhasrecordedthispeculiarity,wherethegipsyinamasque,examiningtheking’shand,says-
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