第72章
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  Indeed,itseemslikelythattheyonlyprolongthewartoplacetheChevalier’spersonoutofdanger,andthentomakesometermsforthemselves。Toburdenthemwithmypresencewouldmerelyaddanotherparty,whomtheywouldnotgiveup,andcouldnotdefend。IunderstandtheyleftalmostalltheirEnglishadherentsingarrisonatCarlisle,forthatveryreason:-

  andonamoregeneralview,Colonel,toconfessthetruth,thoughitmaylowermeinyouropinion,Iamheartilytiredofthetradeofwar,andam,asFletcher’sHumorousLieutenantsays,`evenaswearyofthisfighting’’’

  Fighting?pooh,whathaveyouseenbutaskirmishortwo?-

  Ah!ifyousawwaronthegrandscale-sixtyorahundredthousandmeninthefieldoneachside!’’

  Iamnotatallcurious,Colonel-`Enough,’saysourhomelyproverb,`isasgoodasafeast。’Theplumedtroopsandthebigwarusedtoenchantmeinpoetry;butthenightmarches,vigils,couchedunderthewintrysky,andsuchaccompanimentsoftheglorioustrade,arenotatalltomytasteinpractice:-

  thenfordryblows,Ihad_my_filloffightingatClifton,whereI

  escapedbyahair’s-breadthhalf-a-dozentimes;andyou,Ishouldthink-’’Hestopped。

  HadenoughofitatPreston?youmeantosay,’’answeredtheColonellaughing;but,`’tismyvocation,Hal。’’’

  Itisnotmine,though,’’saidWaverley;andhavinghonourablygotridofthesword,whichIdrewonlyasavolunteer,Iamquitesatisfiedwithmymilitaryexperience,andshallbeinnohurrytotakeitupagain。’’

  Iamverygladyouareofthatmind-butthen,whatwouldyoudointheNorth?’’

  Inthefirstplace,therearesomeseaportsontheeasterncoastofScotlandstillinthehandsoftheChevalier’sfriends;

  shouldIgainanyofthem,IcaneasilyembarkfortheContinent。’’

  Good-yoursecondreason?’’

  Why,tospeaktheverytruth,thereisapersoninScotlanduponwhomInowfindmyhappinessdependsmorethanI

  wasalwaysaware,andaboutwhosesituationIamveryanxious。’’

  ThenEmilywasright,andthereisaloveaffairinthecaseafterall?-AndwhichofthesetwoprettyScotchwomen,whomyouinsisteduponmyadmiring,isthedistinguishedfair?-

  notMissGlen-Ihope。’’

  No。’’

  Ah,passfortheother:simplicitymaybeimproved,butprideandconceitnever。Well,Idon’tdiscourageyou;IthinkitwillpleaseSirEverard,fromwhathesaidwhenIjestedwithhimaboutit;onlyIhopethatintolerablepapa,withhisbrogue,andhissnuff,andhisLatin,andhisinsufferablelongstoriesabouttheDukeofBerwick,willfinditnecessaryhereafter,tobeaninhabitantofforeignparts。Butastothedaughter,thoughIthinkyoumightfindasfittingamatchinEngland,yetifyourheartbereallysetuponthisScotchRosebud,whytheBaronethasagreatopinionofherfatherandofhisfamily,andhewishesmuchtoseeyoumarriedandsettled,bothforyourownsakeandforthatofthethreeerminespassant,whichmayotherwisepassawayaltogether。ButIwillbringyouhismindfullyuponthesubject,sinceyouaredebarredcorrespondenceforthepresent,forIthinkyouwillnotbelonginScotlandbeforeme。’’

  Indeed!andwhatcaninduceyoutothinkofreturningtoScotland?NorelentlesslongingstowardsthelandofmountainsandfloodsIamafraid。’’

  None,onmyword;butEmily’shealthisnow,thankGod,re-established,and,totellyouthetruth,IhavelittlehopesofconcludingthebusinesswhichIhaveatpresentmostatheart,untilIcanhaveapersonalinterviewwithhisRoyalHighnesstheCommander-in-Chief;for,asFluellensays,`Thedukedothlovemewell,andIthankheaven,Ihavedeservedsomeloveathishands。’Iamnowgoingoutforanhourortwotoarrangemattersforyourdeparture;yourlibertyextendstothenextroom,LadyEmily’sparlour,whereyouwillfindherwhenyouaredisposedformusic,reading,orconversation。WehavetakenmeasurestoexcludeallservantsbutSpontoon,whoisastrueassteel。’’

  InabouttwohoursColonelTalbotreturned,andfoundhisyoungfriendconversingwithhislady;shepleasedwithhismannersandinformation,andhedelightedatbeingrestored,thoughbutforamoment,tothesocietyofhisownrank,fromwhichhehadbeenforsometimeexcluded。

  Andnow,’’saidtheColonel,hearmyarrangements,forthereislittletimetolose。Thisyoungster,EdwardWaverley,aliasWilliams,aliasCaptainButler,mustcontinuetopassbyhisfourth_alias_ofFrancisStanley,mynephew:heshallsetoutto-morrowfortheNorth,andthechariotshalltakehimthefirsttwostages。Spontoonshallthenattendhim;andtheyshallridepostasfarasHuntingdon;andthepresenceofSpontoon,wellknownontheroadasmyservant,willcheckalldispositiontoinquiry。AtHuntingdonyouwillmeettherealFrankStanley。HeisstudyingatCambridge;but,alittlewhileago,doubtfulifEmily’shealthwouldpermitmetogodowntotheNorthmyself,IprocuredhimapassportfromtheSecretaryofState’sofficetogoinmystead。Ashewentchieflytolookafteryou,hisjourneyisnowunnecessary。Heknowsyourstory;youwilldinetogetheratHuntingdon;andperhapsyourwiseheadsmayhituponsomeplanforremovingordiminishingthedangerofyourfurtherprogressnorthward。

  Andnowtakingoutamoroccocase,letmeputyouinfundsforthecampaign。’’

  Iamashamed,mydearColonel,’’

  Nay,’’saidColonelTalbot,youshouldcommandmypurseinanyevent;butthismoneyisyourown。Yourfather,consideringthechanceofyourbeingattainted,leftmehistrusteeforyouradvantage。Sothatyouareworthabove15,000,besidesBrerewoodLodge-averyindependentperson,Ipromiseyou。Therearebillsherefor200;anylargersumyoumayhave,orcreditabroad,assoonasyourmotionsrequireit。’’

  ThefirstusewhichoccurredtoWaverleyofhisnewly-acquiredwealth,wastowritetohonestFarmerJopson,requestinghisacceptanceofasilvertankardonthepartofhisfriendWilliams,whohadnotforgottenthenightoftheeighteenthDecemberlast。HebeggedhimatthesametimecarefullytopreserveforhimhisHighlandgarbandaccoutrements,particularlythearms-curiousinthemselves,andtowhichthefriendshipofthedonorsgaveadditionalvalue。LadyEmilyundertooktofindsomesuitabletokenofremembrance,likelytoflatterthevanityandpleasethetasteofMrs。Williams;

  andtheColonel,whowasakindoffarmer,promisedtosendtheUllswaterpatriarchanexcellentteamofhorsesforcartandplough。

  OnehappydayWaverleyspentinLondon;and,travellinginthemannerprojected,hemetwithFrankStanleyatHuntingdon。

  Thetwoyoungmenwereacquaintedinaminute。

  Icanreadmyuncle’sriddle,’’saidStanley。ThecautiousoldsoldierdidnotcaretohinttomethatImighthandovertoyouthispassport,whichIhavenooccasionfor;butifitshouldafterwardscomeoutastherattle-patedtrickofayoungCantab,_celanetirerien。_YouarethereforetobeFrancisStanley,withthispassport。’’ThisproposalappearedineffecttoalleviateagreatpartofthedifficultieswhichEdwardmustotherwisehaveencounteredateveryturn;andaccordinglyhescruplednottoavailhimselfofit,themoreespeciallyashehaddiscardedallpoliticalpurposesfromhispresentjourney,andcouldnotbeaccusedoffurtheringmachinationsagainsttheGovernmentwhiletravellingunderprotectionoftheSecretary’spassport。

  Thedaypassedmerrilyaway。TheyoungstudentwasinquisitiveaboutWaverley’scampaigns,andthemannersoftheHighlands;andEdwardwasobligedtosatisfyhiscuriositybywhistlingapibroch,dancingastrathspey,andsingingaHighlandsong。ThenextmorningStanleyrodeastagenorthwardwithhisnewfriend,andpartedfromhimwithgreatreluctance,upontheremonstrancesofSpontoon,who,accustomedtosubmittodiscipline,wasrigidinenforcingit。

  Waverleyridingpost,aswastheusualfashionoftheperiod,withoutanyadventuresaveoneortwoqueries,whichthetalismanofhispassportsufficientlyanswered,reachedthebordersofScotland。HereheheardthetidingsofthedecisivebattleofCulloden。Itwasnomorethanhehadlongexpected,thoughthesuccessatFalkirkhadthrownafaintandsettinggleamoverthearmsoftheChevalier。Yetitcameuponhimlikeashock,bywhichhewasforatimealtogetherunmanned。Thegenerous,thecourteous,thenoble-mindedAdventurer,wasthenafugitive,withapriceuponhishead;hisadherents,sobrave,soenthusiastic,sofaithful,weredead,imprisoned,orexiled。

  Where,now,wastheexaltedandhigh-souledFergus,if,indeed,hehadsurvivedthenightatClifton?-wherethepure-heartedandprimitiveBaronofBradwardine,whosefoiblesseemedfoilstosetoffthedisinterestednessofhisdisposition,thegenuinegoodnessofhisheart,andhisunshakencourage?Thosewhoclungforsupporttothesefallencolumns,RoseandFlora,-

  whereweretheytobesought,andinwhatdistressmustnotthelossoftheirnaturalprotectorshaveinvolvedthem?OfFlorahethoughtwiththeregardofabrotherforasister-ofRose,withasensationyetmoredeepandtender。Itmightbestillhisfatetosupplythewantofthoseguardianstheyhadlost。Agitatedbythesethoughts,heprecipitatedhisjourney。

  WhenhearrivedinEdinburgh,wherehisinquiriesmustnecessarilycommence,hefeltthefulldifficultyofhissituation。

  ManyinhabitantsofthatcityhadseenandknownhimasEdwardWaverley;how,then,couldheavailhimselfofapassportasFrancisStanley?Heresolved,therefore,toavoidallcompany,andtomovenorthwardassoonaspossible。Hewas,however,obligedtowaitadayortwoinexpectationofaletterfromColonelTalbot,andhewasalsotoleavehisownaddress,underhisfeignedcharacter,ataplaceagreedupon。

  Withthislatterpurposehesalliedoutintheduskthroughthewell-knownStreets,carefullyshunningobservation,-butinvain:oneofthefirstpersonswhomhemetatoncerecognisedhim。ItwasMrs。Flockhart,FergusMac-Ivor’sgood-humouredlandlady。

  Gudeguideus,Mr。Waverley,isthisyou?-na,yeneednabefearedforme-Iwadbetraynaegentlemaninyourcircumstances。

  Eh,lack-aday!lack-a-day!here’sachangeo’

  markets!howmerryColonelMac-Ivorandyouusedtobeinourhouse?’’Andthegood-naturedwidowshedafewnaturaltears。Astherewasnoresistingherclaimofacquaintance,Waverleyacknowledgeditwithagoodgrace,aswellasthedangerofhisownsituation。Asit’snearthedarkening,sir,wadyejuststepinbytoourhouse,andtakadisho’tea?

  andIamsure,ifyeliketosleepinthelittleroom,Iwadtakcareyearenodisturbed,andnaebodywadkenye;forKateandMatty,thelimmers,gaedaffwitwao’Hawley’sdragoons,andIhaetwanewqueansinsteado’them。’’

  Waverleyacceptedherinvitation,andengagedherlodgingforanightortwo,satisfiedheshouldbesaferinthehouseofthissimplecreaturethananywhereelse。Whenheenteredtheparlour,hisheartswelledtoseeFergus’sbonnet,withthewhitecockade,hangingbesidethelittlemirror。

  Ay,’’saidMrs。Flockhart,sighing,assheobservedthedirectionofhiseyes,thepoorColonelboughtanewanejustthedaybeforetheymarched,andIwinnaletthemtakthatanedoon,butjusttobrushitilkadaymysell;andwhilesI

  lookatittillIjustthinkIhearhimcrytoCallum,tobringhimhisbonnet,asheusedtodowhenhewasgangingout-

  It’suncosilly-theneighboursca’meaJacobitebuttheymaysaytheirsay-Iamsureit’snoforthat-buthewasaskind-heartedagentlemanaseverlived,andasweel-far’dtoo。

  Oh,d’yeken,sir,whenheistosuffer?’’

  Suffer!Goodheaven!-Why,whereishe!’’

  Eh,Lord’ssake!d’yenoken?ThepoorHielandbody,DugaldMahoney,camhereawhilesyne,wi’aneo’hisarmscuttitoff,andasairclourinthehead-yellmindDugald?hecarriedayeanaxeonhisshouther-andhecamherejustbegging,asImaysay,forsomethingtoeat。Aweel,hetauldustheChief,astheyca’dhimbutIayeca’himtheColonel,andEnsignMaccombich,thatyemindweel,wereta’ensomewherebesidetheEnglishborder,whenitwassaedarkthathisfolknevermissedhimtillitwasowerlate,andtheywereliketogangcleandaft。AndhesaidthatlittleCallumBeghewasabauldmischievouscallantthat,andyourhonour,werekilledthatsamenightinthetuilzie,andmonymaebrawmen。

  Buthegratwhenhespako’theColonel,yeneversawthelike。

  Andnowthewordgangs,theColonelistobetried,andtosufferwi’themthatwereta’enatCarlisle。’’

  Andhissister?’’

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