Waverley; Or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since Read online

  CHAPTER XXIII

  WAVERLEY CONTINUES AT GLENNAQUOICH

  As Flora concluded her song, Fergus stood before them. 'I knew I shouldfind you here, even without the assistance of my friend Bran. A simpleand unsublimed taste now, like my own, would prefer a jet d'eau atVersailles to this cascade with all its accompaniments of rock and roar;but this is Flora's Parnassus, Captain Waverley, and that fountain herHelicon. It would be greatly for the benefit of my cellar if she couldteach her coadjutor, Mac-Murrough, the value of its influence: he hasjust drunk a pint of usquebaugh to correct, he said, the coldness of theclaret.--Let me try its virtues.' He sipped a little water in the hollowof his hand, and immediately commenced, with a theatrical air,--

  'O Lady of the desert, hail! That lov'st the harping of the Gael, Through fair and fertile regions borne, Where never yet grew grass or corn.

  But English poetry will never succeed under the influence of a HighlandHelicon.--ALLONS, COURAGE!--

  O vous, qui buvez, a tasse pleine, A cette heureuse fontaine, Ou on ne voit, sur le rivage, Que quelques vilains troupeaux, Suivis de nymphes de village, Qui les escortent sans sabots'--

  'A truce, dear Fergus! spare us those most tedious and insipid personsof all Arcadia. Do not, for Heaven's sake, bring down Coridon and Lindorupon us.'

  'Nay, if you cannot relish LA HOULETTE ET LE CHALUMEAU, have with you inheroic strains.'

  'Dear Fergus, you have certainly partaken of the inspiration ofMac-Murrough's cup, rather than of mine.'

  'I disclaim it, MA BELLE DEMOISELLE, although I protest it would be themore congenial of the two. Which of your crackbrained Italian romancersis it that says,

  Io d'Elicona niente Mi curo, in fe de Dio, che'il bere d'acque (Bea chi ber ne vuol) sempre me spiacque! [Good sooth, I reck not of your Helicon; Drink water whoso will, in faith I will drink none.]

  But if you prefer the Gaelic, Captain Waverley, here is little Cathleenshall sing you Drimmindhu.--Come, Cathleen, ASTORE (i.e. my dear),begin; no apologies to the CEANKINNE.'

  Cathleen sang with much liveliness a little Gaelic song, the burlesqueelegy of a countryman on the loss of his cow, the comic tones of which,though he did not understand the language, made Waverley laugh morethan once. [This ancient Gaelic ditty is still well known, both in theHighlands and in Ireland. It was translated into English, and published,if I mistake not, under the auspices of the facetious Tom D'Urfey, bythe title of 'Colley, my Cow.']

  'Admirable, Cathleen!' cried the Chieftain; 'I must find you a handsomehusband among the clansmen one of these days.'

  Cathleen laughed, blushed, and sheltered herself behind her companion.

  In the progress of their return to the castle, the Chieftain warmlypressed Waverley to remain for a week or two, in order to see a grandhunting party, in which he and some other Highland gentlemen proposedto join. The charms of melody and beauty were too strongly impressed inEdward's breast to permit his declining an invitation so pleasing.It was agreed, therefore, that he should write a note to the Baronof Bradwardine, expressing his intention to stay a fortnight atGlennaquoich, and requesting him to forward by the bearer (a GILLY ofthe Chieftain's) any letters which might have arrived for him.

  This turned the discourse upon the Baron, whom Fergus highly extolledas a gentleman and soldier. His character was touched with yet morediscrimination by Flora, who observed that he was the very model of theold Scottish cavalier, with all his excellences and peculiarities. 'Itis a character, Captain Waverley, which is fast disappearing; for itsbest point was a self-respect, which was never lost sight of till now.But, in the present time, the gentlemen whose principles do not permitthem to pay court to the existing government are neglected and degraded,and many conduct themselves accordingly; and, like some of the personsyou have seen at Tully-Veolan, adopt habits and companions inconsistentwith their birth and breeding. The ruthless proscription of party seemsto degrade the victims whom it brands, however unjustly. But let us hopethat a brighter day is approaching, when a Scottish country-gentlemanmay be a scholar without the pedantry of our friend the Baron; asportsman, without the low habits of Mr. Falconer; and a judiciousimprover of his property, without becoming a boorish two-legged steerlike Killancureit.'

  Thus did Flora prophesy a revolution, which time indeed has produced,but in a manner very different from what she had in her mind.

  The amiable Rose was next mentioned, with the warmest encomium onher person, manners, and mind, 'That man,' said Flora, 'will find aninestimable treasure in the affections of Rose Bradwardine, who shall beso fortunate as to become their object. Her very soul is in home, andin the discharge of all those quiet virtues of which home is the centre.Her husband will be to her what her father now is--the object of allher care, solicitude, and affection. She will see nothing, and connectherself with nothing, but by him and through him. If he is a manof sense and virtue, she will sympathize in his sorrows, divert hisfatigue, and share his pleasures. If she becomes the property of achurlish or negligent husband, she will suit his taste also, for shewill not long survive his unkindness. And, alas, how great is the chancethat some such unworthy lot may be that of my poor friend!--Oh, that Iwere a queen this moment, and could command the most amiable andworthy youth of my kingdom to accept happiness with the hand of RoseBradwardine!'

  'I wish you would command her to accept mine EN ATTENDANT,' said Fergus,laughing.

  I don't know by what caprice it was that this wish, however jocularlyexpressed, rather jarred on Edward's feelings, notwithstanding hisgrowing inclination to Flora, and his indifference to Miss Bradwardine.This is one of the inexplicabilities of human nature, which we leavewithout comment.

  'Yours, brother?' answered Flora, regarding him steadily. 'No; you haveanother bride--Honour; and the dangers you must run in pursuit of herrival would break poor Rose's heart.'

  With this discourse they reached the castle, and Waverley soon preparedhis dispatches for Tully-Veolan. As he knew the Baron was punctiliousin such matters, he was about to impress his billet with a seal onwhich his armorial bearings were engraved, but he did not find it at hiswatch, and thought he must have left it at Tully-Veolan. He mentionedhis loss, borrowing at the same time the family seal of the Chieftain.

  'Surely,' said Miss Mac-Ivor, 'Donald Bean Lean would not--'

  'My life for him, in such circumstances,' answered herbrother;--'besides, he would never have left the watch behind.'

  'After all, Fergus,' said Flora,' and with every allowance, I amsurprised you can countenance that man.'

  'I countenance him!--This kind sister of mine would persuade you,Captain Waverley, that I take what the people of old used to call "asteakraid," that is, a "collop of the foray," or, in plainer words,a portion of the robber's booty, paid by him to the Laird, or Chief,through whose grounds he drove his prey. Oh, it is certain, that unlessI can find some way to charm Flora's tongue, General Blakeney will senda sergeant's party from Stirling (this he said with haughty and emphaticirony) to seize Vich Ian Vohr, as they nickname me, in his own castle.'

  'Now, Fergus, must not our guest be sensible that all this is follyand affectation? You have men enough to serve you without enlisting abanditti, and your own honour is above taint.--Why don't you send thisDonald Bean Lean, whom I hate for his smoothness and duplicity, evenmore than for his rapine, out of your country at once? No cause shouldinduce me to tolerate such a character.'

  'NO cause, Flora?' said the Chieftain, significantly.

  'No cause, Fergus! not even that which is nearest to my heart. Spare itthe omen of such evil supporters!'

  'Oh, but, sister,' rejoined the Chief, gaily, 'you don't considermy respect for LA BELLE PASSION. Evan Dhu Maccombich is in love withDonald's daughter, Alice, and you cannot expect me to disturb him in hisamours. Why, the whole clan would cry shame on me. You know it is oneof their wise sayings, that a kinsman is part of a man's body, but afoster-brother is a piece of his heart.'

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p; 'Well, Fergus, there is no disputing with you; but I would all this mayend well.'

  'Devoutly prayed, my dear and prophetic sister, and the best way in theworld to close a dubious argument.--But hear ye not the pipes, CaptainWaverley? Perhaps you will like better to dance to them in the hall,than to be deafened with their harmony without taking part in theexercise they invite us to.'

  Waverley took Flora's hand. The dance, song, and merry-making proceeded,and closed the day's entertainment at the castle of Vich Ian Vohr.Edward at length retired, his mind agitated by a variety of new andconflicting feelings, which detained him from rest for some time, inthat not unpleasing state of mind in which fancy takes the helm, and thesoul rather drifts passively along with the rapid and confused tide ofreflections, than exerts itself to encounter, systematize, or examinethem. At a late hour he fell asleep, and dreamed of Flora Mac-Ivor.