第81章
加入书架 A- A+

  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。’’

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