althoughIconjecturethefollowingcopytohavebeensomewhatcorrectedbyWaverley,tosuitthetasteofthosewhomightnotrelishpureantiquity:-
St。Swithin’sChair。
OnHallow-MassEve,ereyebouneyetorest,Everbewarethatyourcouchbeblessed;
Signitwithcross,andsainitwithbead,SingtheAve,andsaytheCreed。
ForonHallow-MassEvetheNight-Hagwillride,Andallhernine-foldsweepingonbyherside,Whetherthewindsinglowlyorloud,Sailingthroughmoonshineorswathedinthecloud。
TheLadyshesatinSt。Swithin’sChair,Thedewofthenighthasdampedherhair:
Hercheekwaspale-butresolvedandhighWasthewordofherlipandtheglanceofhereye。
ShemutteredthespellofSwithinbold,Whenhisnakedfoottracedthemidnightwold,WhenhestoppedtheHagassherodethenight,Andbadeherdescend,andherpromiseplight。
HethatdaresitonSt。Swithin’sChair,WhentheNight-Hagwingsthetroubledair,Questionsthree,whenhespeaksthespell,Hemayask,andshemusttell。
TheBaronhasbeenwithKingRoberthisliege,Thesethreelongyearsinbattleandsiege;
Newsatetherenoneofhiswealorhiswoe,AndfaintheLadyhisfatewouldknow。
Sheshuddersandstopsasthecharmshespeaks;-
Isitthemoodyowlthatshrieks?
Orisitthatsound,betwixtlaughterandscream,ThevoiceoftheDemonwhohauntsthestream?
Themoanofthewindsunksilentandlow,Andtheroaringtorrentceasedtoflow;
Thecalmwasmoredreadfulthanragingstorm,Whenthecoldgreymistbroughttheghastlyform!
Iamsorrytodisappointthecompany,especiallyCaptainWaverley,wholistenswithsuchlaudablegravity;itisbutafragment,althoughIthinkthereareotherverses,describingthereturnoftheBaronfromthewars,andhowtheladywasfoundclay-colduponthegrounsillledge。’’
Itisoneofthosefigments,’’observedMr。Bradwardine,withwhichtheearlyhistoryofdistinguishedfamilieswasdeformedinthetimesofsuperstition;asthatofRome,andotherancientnations,hadtheirprodigies,sir,thewhichyoumayreadinancienthistories,orinthelittleworkcompiledbyJuliusObsequens,andinscribedbythelearnedScheffer,theeditor,tohispatron,BenedictusSkytte,BaronofDudershoff。’’
Myfatherhasastrangedefianceofthemarvellous,CaptainWaverley,’’observedRose,andoncestoodfirmwhenawholesynodofPresbyteriandivineswereputtotheroutbyasuddenapparitionofthefoulfiend。’’
Waverleylookedasifdesiroustohearmore。
MustItellmystoryaswellassingmysong?-Well-
Onceuponatimetherelivedanoldwoman,calledJanetGellatley,whowassuspectedtobeawitch,ontheinfalliblegroundsthatshewasveryold,veryugly,verypoor,andhadtwosons,oneofwhomwasapoet,andtheotherafool,whichvisitation,alltheneighbourhoodagreed,hadcomeuponherforthesinofwitchcraft。Andshewasimprisonedforaweekinthesteepleoftheparishchurch,andsparinglysuppliedwithfood,andnotpermittedtosleep,untilsheherselfbecameasmuchpersuadedofherbeingawitchasheraccusers;andinthislucidandhappystateofmindwasbroughtforthtomakeacleanbreast,thatis,tomakeopenconfessionofhersorceries,beforealltheWhiggentryandministersinthevicinity,whowerenoconjurorsthemselves。Myfatherwenttoseefairplaybetweenthewitchandtheclergy;forthewitchhadbeenbornonhisestate。AndwhilethewitchwasconfessingthattheEnemyappeared,andmadehisaddressestoherasahandsomeblackman,-which,ifyoucouldhaveseenpooroldblear-eyedJanet,reflectedlittlehonouronApollyon’staste,-andwhiletheauditorslistenedwithastonishedears,andtheclerkrecordedwithatremblinghand,she,allofasudden,changedthelowmumblingtonewithwhichshespokeintoashrillyell,andexclaimed,`Looktoyourselves!looktoyourselves!IseetheEvilOnesittinginthemidstofye。’Thesurprisewasgeneral,andterrorandflightitsimmediateconsequences。Happywerethosewhowerenextthedoor;andmanywerethedisastersthatbefellhats,bands,cuffs,andwigs,beforetheycouldgetoutofthechurch,wheretheylefttheobstinateprelatisttosettlematterswiththewitchandheradmirer,athisownperilorpleasure。’’
_Risusolvunturtabul,_’’saidtheBaron:whentheyrecoveredtheirpanictrepidation,theyweretoomuchashamedtobringanywakeningoftheprocessagainstJanetGellatley。’’
ThestorylasttoldwassaidtohavehappenedinthesouthofScotland;
but_cedantarmatog_-andletthegownhaveitsdues。Itwasanoldclergyman,whohadwisdomandfirmnessenoughtoresistthepanicwhichseizedhisbrethren,whowasthemeansofrescuingapoorinsanecreaturefromthecruelfatewhichwouldotherwisehaveovertakenher。TheaccountsofthetrialsforwitchcraftformoneofthemostdeplorablechaptersinScottishstory。
ThisanecdoteledtoalongdiscussionofAllthoseidlethoughtsandfantasies,Devices,dreams,opinionsunsound,Shows,visions,soothsays,andprophecies,Andallthatfeignedis,asleasings,tales,andlies。
Withsuchconversation,andtheromanticlegendswhichitproduced,closedourhero’ssecondeveninginthehouseofTully-Veolan。
ThenextdayEdwardarosebetimes,andinamorningwalkaroundthehouseanditsvicinity,camesuddenlyuponasmallcourtinfrontofthedog-kennel,wherehisfriendDaviewasemployedabouthisfour-footedcharge。OnequickglanceofhiseyerecognisedWaverley,when,instantlyturninghisback,asifhehadnotobservedhim,hebegantosingpartofanoldballad:-
Youngmenwilllovetheemorefairandmorefast_Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_
Oldmen’slovethelongestwilllast,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_
Theyoungman’swrathislikelightstrawonfire;
_Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_
Butlikered-hotsteelistheoldman’sire,_Andthethrostle-cock’sheadisunderhiswing。_
Theyoungmanwillbrawlattheeveningboard;
_Heardyesomerrythelittlebirdsing?_
Buttheoldmanwilldrawatthedawningthesword,_Andthethrostle-cook’sheadisunderhiswing。_
WaverleycouldnotavoidobservingthatDavielaidsomethinglikeasatiricalemphasisontheselines。Hethereforeapproached,andendeavoured,bysundryqueries,toelicitfromhimwhattheinnuendomightmean;butDaviehadnomindtoexplain,andhadwitenoughtomakehisfollycloakhisknavery。
Edwardcouldcollectnothingfromhim,exceptingthattheLairdofBalmawhapplehadgonehomeyesterdaymorningwi’hisbootsfu’o’bluid。’’Inthegarden,however,hemettheoldbutler,whonolongerattemptedtoconcealthat,havingbeenbredinthenurserylinewithSumackandCo。ofNewcastle,hesometimeswroughtaturnintheflower-borderstoobligetheLairdandMissRose。Byaseriesofqueries,Edwardatlengthdiscovered,withapainfulfeelingofsurpriseandshame,thatBalmawhapple’ssubmissionandapologyhadbeentheconsequenceofarencontrewiththeBaronbeforehisguesthadquittedhispillow,inwhichtheyoungercombatanthadbeendisarmedandwoundedinthesword-arm。
Greatlymortifiedatthisinformation,Edwardsoughtouthisfriendlyhost,andanxiouslyexpostulatedwithhimupontheinjusticehehaddonehiminanticipatinghismeetingwithMr。
Falconer,acircumstancewhich,consideringhisyouthandtheprofessionofarmswhichhehadjustadopted,wascapableofbeingrepresentedmuchtohisprejudice。TheBaronjustifiedhimselfatgreaterlengththanIchoosetorepeat。Heurgedthatthequarrelwascommontothem,andthatBalmawhapplecouldnot,bythecodeofhonour,_vite_givingsatisfactiontoboth,whichhehaddoneinhiscasebyanhonourablemeeting,andinthatofEdwardbysucha_palinode_asrenderedtheuseoftheswordunnecessary,andwhich,beingmadeandaccepted,mustnecessarily_sopite_thewholeaffair。
WiththisexcuseorexplanationWaverleywassilenced,ifnotsatisfied;buthecouldnothelptestifyingsomedispleasureagainsttheBlessedBearwhichhadgivenrisetothequarrel,norrefrainfromhintingthatthesanctifiedepithetwashardlyappropriate。TheBaronobserved,hecouldnotdenythattheBear,thoughallowedbyheraldsasamosthonourableordinary,had,nevertheless,somewhatfierce,churlish,andmoroseinhisdispositionasmightbereadinArchibaldSimson,pastorofDalkeith’s_HieroglyphicaAnimalium_,andhadthusbeenthetypeofmanyquarrelsanddissensionswhichhadoccurredinthehouseofBradwardine;ofwhich,’’hecontinued,Imightcommemoratemineownunfortunatedissensionwithmythirdcousinbythemother’sside,SirHewHalbert,whowassounthinkingastoderidemyfamilyname,asifithadbeen_quasiBear-warden;_amostunciviljest,sinceitnotonlyinsinuatedthatthefounderofourhouseoccupiedsuchameansituationastobeacustodierofwildbeasts,achargewhich,yemusthaveobserved,isonlyentrustedtotheverybasestplebeians,but,moreover,seemedtoinferthatourcoat-armourhadnotbeenachievedbyhonourableactionsinwar,butbestowedbywayof_paranomasia,_orpunuponourfamilyappellation-asortofbearingwhichtheFrenchcall_armoiresparlantes;_theLatins,_armacantatia;_andyourEnglishauthorities,cantingheraldry;beingindeedaspeciesofemblazoningmorebefittingcanters,gaberlunzies,andsuchlikemendicants,whosegibberishisformeduponplayingupontheword,thanthenoble,honourable,andusefulscienceofheraldry,whichassignsarmorialbearingsastherewardofnobleandgenerousactions,andnottotickletheearwithvainquodlibets,suchasarefoundinjest-books。’’
Althoughcantingheraldryisgenerallyreprobated,itseemsneverthelesstohavebeenadoptedinthearmsandmottoesofmanyhonourablefamilies。ThusthemottooftheVernons,_Vernonsemperviret,_isaperfectpun,andsoisthatoftheOnslows,_Festinalente。_The_Periissemniperiissem_
oftheAnstruthersisliabletoasimilarobjection。Oneofthatancientrace,findingthatanantagonist,withwhomhehadfixedafriendlymeeting,wasdeterminedtotaketheopportunityofassassinatinghim,preventedthehazardbydashingouthisbrainswithabattle-axe。Twosturdyarmsbrandishingsuchaweaponformtheusualcrestofthefamily,withtheabovemotto-_Periissemniper-iissem_-Ihaddied,unlessIhadgonethroughwithit。
OfhisquarrelwithSirHew,hesaidnothingmorethanthatitwassettledinafittingmanner。
HavingbeensominutewithrespecttothediversionsofTully-Veolan,onthefirstdaysofEdward’sarrival,forthepurposeofintroducingitsinmatestothereader’sacquaintance,itbecomeslessnecessarytotracetheprogressofhisintercoursewiththesameaccuracy。Itisprobablethatayoungmanaccustomedtomorecheerfulsocietywouldhavetiredoftheconversationofsoviolentanassertoroftheboastofheraldry’’
astheBaron;butEdwardfoundanagreeablevarietyinthatofMissBradwardine,wholistenedwitheagernesstohisremarksuponliterature,andshowedgreatjustnessoftasteinheranswers。
Thesweetnessofherdispositionhadmadehersubmitwithcomplacency,andevenpleasure,tothecourseofreadingprescribedbyherfather,althoughitnotonlycomprehendedseveralheavyfoliosofhistory,butcertaingigantictomesinhighchurchpolemics。InheraldryhewasfortunatelycontentedtogiveheronlysuchaslighttinctureasmightbeacquiredbyperusalofthetwofoliovolumesofNisbet。Rosewasindeedtheveryappleofherfather’seye。Herconstantliveliness,herattentiontoallthoselittleobservancesmostgratifyingtothosewhowouldneverthinkofexactingthem,herbeauty,inwhichherecalledthefeaturesofhisbelovedwife,herunfeignedpiety,andthenoblegenerosityofherdisposition,wouldhavejustifiedtheaffectionofthemostdotingfather。