Doeshealwaysresideinthatcave？’’
Out，no！it’spasttheskillofmantotellwherehe’stobefoundata’times；there’snotadern，nook，orcove，orcorri，inthewholecountry，thathe’snotacquaintedwith。’’
Anddoothersbesideyourmastershelterhim？’’
Mymaster？-_My_masterisinheaven，’’answeredEvanhaughtily；andthenimmediatelyassuminghisusualcivilityofmanner-ButyoumeanmyChief；-no，hedoesnotshelterDonaldBeanLean，noranythatarelikehim；heonlyallowshimwithasmilewoodandwater。’’
Nogreatboon，Ishouldthink，Evan，whenbothseemtobeveryplenty。’’
Ah！butyedinnaseethroughit。WhenIsaywoodandwater，Imeanthelochandtheland；andIfancyDonaldwouldbeputtill’tifthelairdweretolookforhimwi’threescoremeninthewoodofKailychatyonder；andifourboats，withascoreortwamair，weretocomedownthelochtoUaimhanRi，headedbymysell，oronyotherprettyman。’’
ButsupposeastrongpartycameagainsthimfromtheLowCountry，wouldnotyourChiefdefendhim？’’
Na，hewouldnotwarethesparkofaflintforhim-iftheycamewiththelaw。’’
AndwhatmustDonalddo，then？’’
Hebehovedtoridthiscountryofhimself，andfallback，itmaybe，overthemountuponLetterScriven。’’
Andifhewerepursuedtothatplace？’’
I’sewarranthewouldgotohiscousin’satRannoch。’’
Well，butiftheyfollowedhimtoRannoch？’’
That，’’quothEvan，isbeyondallbelief；and，indeed，totellyouthetruth，theredurstnotaLowlanderinallScotlandfollowthefrayagun-shotbeyondBally-Brough，unlesshehadthehelpofthe_SidierDhu。_’’
Whomdoyoucallso？’’
The_SidierDhu？_theblacksoldier；thatiswhattheycalltheindependentcompaniesthatwereraisedtokeeppeaceandlawintheHighlands。VichIanVohrcommandedoneofthemforfiveyears，andIwassergeantmyself，Ishallwarrantye。Theycallthem_SidierDhu，_becausetheywearthetartans-astheycallyourmen，KingGeorge’smen，_SidierRoy，_orredsoldiers。’’
Well，butwhenyouwereinKingGeorge’spay，Evan，youweresurelyKingGeorge’ssoldiers？’’
Troth，andyoumustaskVichIanVohraboutthat；forweareforhisking，andcarenotmuchwhichofthemitis。
Atanyrate，nobodycansayweareKingGeorge’smennow，whenwehavenotseenhispaythistwelvemonth。’’
Thislastargumentadmittedofnoreply，nordidEdwardattemptany；heratherchosetobringbackthediscoursetoDonaldBeanLean。DoesDonaldconfinehimselftocattle，ordoeshe_lift，_asyoucallit，anythingelsethatcomesinhisway？’’
Troth，he’snaenicebody，andhe’lljusttak’onything，butmostreadilycattle，horse，orliveChristians；forsheepareslowoftravel，andinsideplenishingiscumbroustocarry，andnoteasytoputawayforsillerinthiscountry。’’
Butdoeshecarryoffmenandwomen？’’
Out，ay。Didnotyehearhimspeako’thePerthbailie？
ItcostthatbodyfivehundredmerkserehegottothesouthofBally-Brough。AndanceDonaldplayedaprettysport。ThereNoteI。Caterans。
wastobeablythebridalbetweentheLadyCramfeezer，inthehoweo’theMearnsshewastheauldlaird’swidow，andnosaeyoungasshehadbeenherself，andyoungGilliewhackit，whohadspenthisheirshipandmoveables，likeagentleman，atcock-matches，bull-baitings，horse-races，andthelike。Now，DonaldBeanLeanbeingawarethatthebridegroomwasinrequest，andwantingtocleikthecunziethatis，tohookthesiller，hecannilycarriedoffGilliewhackitaenightwhenhewasriding_dovering_hamewi’themaltratherabunethemeal，andwiththehelpofhisgillieshegathimintothehillswiththespeedoflight，andthefirstplacehewakenedinwasthecoveofUaimhanRi。Sotherewasoldtodoaboutransomingthebridegroom；forDonaldwouldnotlowerafarthingofathousandpunds’’
Thedevil！’’
PundsScottish，yeshallunderstand。Andtheladyhadnotthesillerifshehadpawnedhergown；andtheyappliedtothegovernoro’StirlingCastle，andtothemajoro’theBlackWatch；andthegovernorsaid，itwasowerfartothenorthward，andoutofhisdistrict；andthemajorsaid，hismenwereganehametotheshearing，andhewouldnotcallthemoutbeforethevictualwasgotinforalltheCramfeezersinChristendom，letalanetheMearns，forthatitwouldprejudicethecountry。AndinthemeanwhileyellnohinderGilliewhackittotakethesmall-pox。TherewasnotthedoctorinPerthorStirlingwouldlooknearthepoorlad；andIcannotblamethem，forDonaldhadbeenmisguggledbyaneofthesedoctorsaboutParis，andhesworehewouldflingthefirstintothelochthathecatchedbeyondthePass。However，somecailliachsthatis，oldwomenthatwereaboutDonald’shand，nursedGilliewhackitsaeweel，thatbetweenthefreeopenairinthecoveandthefreshwhey，deilanhedidnotrecovermaybeasweelasifhehadbeenclosedinaglazedchamberandabedwithcurtains，andfedwithredwineandwhitemeat。AndDonaldwassaevexedaboutit，thatwhenhewasstoutandweel，heevensenthimfreehome，andsaidhewouldbepleasedwithonythingtheywouldliketogiehimfortheplagueandtroublewhich’hehadaboutGilliewhackittoanunkenn’ddegree。AndIcannottellyepreciselyhowtheysorted；buttheyagreedsaerightthatDonaldwasinvitedtodanceattheweddinginhisHighlandtrews，andtheysaidthattherewasneversaemicklesillerclinkedinhispurseeitherbeforeorsince。Andtothebootofallthat，Gilliewhackitsaid，that，betheevidencewhatitliked，ifhehadthelucktobeonDonald’sinquest，hewouldbringhiminguiltyofnothingwhatever，unlessitwerewilfularson，ormurderundertrust。’’
WithsuchbaldanddisjointedchatEvanwenton，illustratingtheexistingstateoftheHighlands，moreperhapstotheamusementofWaverleythanthatofourreaders。Atlength，afterhavingmarchedoverbankandbrae，mossandheather，Edward，thoughnotunacquaintedwiththeScottishliberalityincomputingdistance，begantothinkthatEvan’sfivemileswerenearlydoubled。HisobservationonthelargemeasurewhichtheScottishallowedoftheirland，incomparisontothecomputationoftheirmoney，wasreadilyansweredbyEvan，withthe，oldjest，Thedeiltakethemwhahavetheleastpintstoup。’’
TheScotchareliberalincomputingtheirlandandliquor；theScottishpintcorrespondstotwoEnglishquarts。Asfortheircoin，everyoneknowsthecouplet-
Howcantheroguespretendtosense？
Theirpoundisonlytwentypence。’’
Andnowthereportofagunwasheard，andasportsmanwasseen，withhisdogsandattendant，attheupperendoftheglen。Shough，’’saidDugaldMahony，tat’staChief。’’
Itisnot，’’saidEvanimperiously。DoyouthinkhewouldcometomeetaSassenachDuinh-wasselinsuchawayasthat？’’
Butastheyapproachedalittlenearer，hesaid，withanappearanceofmortification，Anditisevenhe，sureenough；
andhehasnothistailonafterall；-thereisnolivingcreaturewithhimbutCallumBeg。’’
Infact，FergusMac-Ivor，ofwhomaFrenchmanmighthavesaid，astrulyasofanymanintheHighlands，_Qu’ilconnoitbiensesgens，_’’hadnoideaofraisinghimselfintheeyesofanEnglishyoungmanoffortune，byappearingwitharetinueofidleHighlandersdisproportionedtotheoccasion。HewaswellawarethatsuchanunnecessaryattendancewouldseemtoEdwardratherludicrousthanrespectable；andwhilefewmenweremoreattachedtoideasofchieftainshipandfeudalpower，hewas，forthatveryreason，cautiousofexhibitingexternalmarksofdignity，unlessatthetimeandinthemannerwhentheyweremostlikelytoproduceanimposingeffect。Therefore，although，hadhebeentoreceiveabrotherchieftain，hewouldprobablyhavebeenattendedbyallthatretinuewhichEvandescribedwithsomuchunction，hejudgeditmorerespectabletoadvancetomeetWaverleywithasingleattendant，averyhandsomeHighlandboy，whocarriedhismaster’sshooting-pouchandhisbroadsword，withoutwhichheseldomwentabroad。
WhenFergusandWaverleymet，thelatterwasstruckwiththepeculiargraceanddignityoftheChieftain’sfigure。Abovethemiddlesize，andfinelyproportioned，theHighlanddress，whichheworeinitssimplestmode，setoffhispersontogreatadvantage。Heworethetrews，orclosetrowsers，madeoftartan，chequedscarletandwhite；inotherparticulars，hisdressstrictlyresembledEvan’s，exceptingthathehadnoweaponsaveadirk，veryrichlymountedwithsilver。Hispage，aswehavesaid，carriedhisclaymore；andthefowling-piece，whichheheldinhishand，seemedonlydesignedforsport。Hehadshotinthecourseofhiswalksomeyoungwild-ducks，as，thoughclose-timewasthenunknown，thebroodsofgrousewereyettooyoungforthesportsman。HiscountenancewasdecidedlyScottish，withallthepeculiaritiesofthenorthernphysiognomy，butyethadsolittleofitsharshnessandexaggeration，thatitwouldhavebeenpronouncedinanycountryextremelyhandsome。
Themartialairofthebonnet，withasingleeagle’sfeatherasadistinction，addedmuchtothemanlyappearanceofhishead，whichwasbesidesornamentedwithafarmorenaturalandgracefulclusterofcloseblackcurlsthaneverwereexposedtosaleinBondStreet。
Anairofopennessandaffabilityincreasedthefavourableimpressionderivedfromthishandsomeanddignifiedexterior。
Yetaskilfulphysiognomistwouldhavebeenlesssatisfiedwiththecountenanceonthesecondthanonthefirstview。Theeyebrowandupperlipbespokesomethingofthehabitofperemptorycommandanddecisivesuperiority。Evenhiscourtesy，thoughopen，frank，andunconstrained，seemedtoindicateasenseofpersonalimportance；and，uponanycheckoraccidentalexcitation，asudden，thoughtransient，louroftheeye，showedahasty，haughty，andvindictivetemper，notlesstobedreadedbecauseitseemedmuchunderitsowner’scommand。Inshort，thecountenanceoftheChieftainresembledasmilingsummer，day，inwhich，notwithstanding，wearemadesensiblebycertain，thoughslightsigns，thatitmaythunderandlightenbeforethecloseofevening。
Itwasnot，however，upontheirfirstmeetingthatEdwardhadanopportunityofmakingtheselessfavourableremarks。
TheChiefreceivedhimasafriendoftheBaronofBradwardine，withtheutmostexpressionofkindness，andobligationforthevisit；upbraidedhimgentlywithchoosingsorudeanabodeashehaddonethenightbefore；andenteredintoalivelyconversationwithhimaboutDonaldBean’shousekeeping，butwithouttheleasthintastohispredatoryhabits，ortheimmediateoccasionofWaverley’svisit，atopicwhich，astheChiefdidnotintroduceit，ourheroalsoavoided。WhiletheywalkedmerrilyontowardsthehouseofGlennaquoich，Evan，whonowfellrespectfullyintotherear，followedwithCallumBegandDugaldMahony。
WeshalltaketheopportunitytointroducethereadertosomeparticularsofFergusMac-Ivor’scharacterandhistory，whichwerenotcompletelyknowntoWaverleytillafteraconnection，which，thougharisingfromacircumstancesocasual，hadforalengthoftimethedeepestinfluenceuponhischaracter，actions，andprospects。Butthis，beinganimportantsubject，mustformthe
Theingeniouslicentiate，FranciscodeUbeda，whenhecommencedhishistoryofLaPicaraJustinaDiez，-which，bytheway，isoneofthemostrarebooksofSpanishliterature，-
complainedofhispenhavingcaughtupahair，andforthwithbegins，withmoreeloquencethancommonsense，anaffectionateexpostulationwiththatusefulimplement，upbraidingitwithbeingthequillofagoose，-abirdinconstantbynature，asfrequentingthethreeelementsofwater，earth，andair，indifferently，andbeing，ofcourse，toonethingconstantnever。’’
NowIprotesttothee，gentlereader，thatIentirelydissentfromFranciscodeUbedainthismatter，andholditthemostusefulqualityofmypen，thatitcanspeedilychangefromgravetogay，andfromdescriptionanddialoguetonarrativeandcharacter。Sothat，ifmyquilldisplaynootherpropertiesofitsmother-goosethanhermutability，trulyIshallbewellpleased；andIconceivethatyou，myworthyfriend，willhavenooccasionfordiscontent。Fromthejargon，therefore，oftheHighlandgillies，IpasstothecharacteroftheirChief。Itisanimportantexamination，andtherefore，likeDogberry，wemustsparenowisdom。