Romeboundwithoakherpatriots’brows,AsAlbynshadowsWogan’stomb。
WhatevermightbetherealmeritofFloraMac-Ivor’spoetry,theenthusiasmwhichitintimatedwaswellcalculatedtomakeacorrespondingimpressionuponherlover。Thelineswereread-readagain-thendepositedinWaverley’sbosom-thenagaindrawnout,andreadlinebyline,inalowandsmotheredvoice,andwithfrequentpauseswhichprolongedthementaltreat,asanepicureprotracts,bysippingslowly,theenjoymentofadeliciousbeverage。TheentranceofMrs。Cruickshanks,withthesublunaryarticlesofdinnerandwine,hardlyinterruptedthispantomimeofaffectionateenthusiasm。
AtlengththetallungainlyfigureandungraciousvisageofEbenezerpresentedthemselves。Theupperpartofhisform,notwithstandingtheseasonrequirednosuchdefence,wasshroudedinalargegreat-coat,beltedoverhisunderhabiliments,andcrestedwithahugecowlofthesamestale,which,whendrawnovertheheadandhat,completelyovershadowedboth,andbeingbuttonedbeneaththechin,wascalledatrot-cozy。
Hishandgraspedahugejockey-whip,garnishedwithbrassmounting。Histhinlegstenantedapairofgambadoes,fastenedatthesideswithrustyclasps。Thusaccoutred,hestalkedintothemidstoftheapartment,andannouncedhiserrandinbriefphrase:-Yerhorsesareready。’’
Yougowithmeyourselfthen,landlord?’’
Ido,asfarasPerth;whereyoumaybesuppliedwithaguidetoEmbro’,asyouroccasionsshallrequire。’’
Thussaying,heplacedunderWaverley’seyethebillwhichheheldinhishand;andatthesametime,self-invited,filledaglassofwine,anddrankdevoutlytoablessingontheirjourney。Waverleystaredattheman’simpudence,but,astheirconnectionwastobeshort,andpromisedtobeconvenient,hemadenoobservationuponit;and,havingpaidhisreckoning,expressedhisintentiontodepartimmediately。HemountedDermidaccordingly,andsalliedforthfromtheGoldenCandlestick,followedbythepuritanicalfigurewehavedescribed,afterhehad,attheexpenseofsometimeanddifficulty,andbytheassistanceofalouping-on-stane,’’orstructureofmasonryerectedforthetraveller’sconvenienceinfrontofthehouse,elevatedhispersontothebackofalong-backed,raw-boned,thin-guttedphantomofabroken-downblood-horse,onwhichWaverley’sportmanteauwasdeposited。Ourhero,thoughnotinaverygayhumour,couldhardlyhelplaughingattheappearanceofhisnewsquire,andatimaginingtheastonishmentwhichhispersonandequipagewouldhaveexcitedatWaverley-Honour。
Edward’stendencytomirthdidnotescapeminehostoftheCandlestick,who,consciousofthecause,infusedadoubleportionofsouringintothepharisaicalleavenofhiscountenance,andresolvedinternallythatinonewayorothertheyoungEnglishershouldpaydearlyforthecontemptwithwhichheseemedtoregardhim。Callumalsostoodatthegate,andenjoyed,withundissembledglee,theridiculousfigureofMr。Cruickshanks。AsWaverleypassedhimhepulledoffhishatrespectfully,andapproachinghisstirrup,badehimTakheedtheauldWhigdeevilplayedhimnaecantrip。’’
Waverleyoncemorethankedandbadehimfarewell,andthenrodebrisklyonward,notsorrytobeoutofhearingoftheshoutsofthechildren,astheybeheldoldEbenezerriseandsinkinhisstirrups,toavoidtheconcussionsoccasionedbyahardtrotuponahard-pavedstreet。Thevillageofwassoonseveralmilesbehindhim。
CHAPTERTHIRTIETH。
SHOWSTHATTHELOSSOFAHORSE’SSHOEMAYBEASERIOUSINCONVENIENCE。
ThemannerandairofWaverley,butaboveall,theglitteringcontentsofhispurse,andtheindifferencewithwhichheseemedtoregardthem,somewhatoverawedhiscompanion,anddeterredhimfrommakinganyattemptstoenteruponconversation。
Hisownreflectionswere,moreover,agitatedbyvarioussurmises,andbyplansofself-interest,withwhichthesewereintimatelyconnected。Thetravellersjourneyed,therefore,insilence,untilitwasinterruptedbytheannunciationonthepartoftheguide,thathisnaighadlostafore-footshoe,which,doubtless,hishonourwouldconsideritwashisparttoreplace。’’
Thiswaswhatlawyerscalla_fishingquestion,_calculatedtoascertainhowfarWaverleywasdisposedtosubmittopettyimposition。Myparttoreplaceyourhorse’sshoe,yourascal!’’
saidWaverley,mistakingthepurportoftheintimation。
Indubitably,’’answeredMr。Cruickshanks;thoughtherewasnopreceeseclausetothateffect,itcannabeexpectedthatIamtopayforthecasualtieswhilkmaybefallthepuirnaigwhileinyourhonour’sservice-Nathless,ifyourhonour’’
O,youmeanIamtopaythefarrier;butwhereshallwefindone?’’
Rejoicedatdiscerningtherewouldbenoobjectionmadeonthepartofhistemporarymaster,Mr。CruickshanksassuredhimthatCairnvreckan,avillagewhichtheywereabouttoenter,washappyinanexcellentblacksmith;butashewasaprofessorhewoulddriveanailfornomanontheSabbathorkirkfast,unlessitwereinacaseofabsolutenecessity,forwhichhealwayschargedsixpenceeachshoe。’’Themostimportantpartofthiscommunication,intheopinionofthespeaker,madeaveryslightimpressiononthehearer,whoonlyinternallywonderedwhatcollegethisveterinaryprofessorbelongedto;notawarethatthewordwasusedtodenoteanypersonwhopretendedtouncommonsanctityoffaithandmanner。
AstheyenteredthevillageofCairnvreckan,theyspeedilySupposedtorepresentAuchterarder,avillagemidwaybetweenPerthandStirling,notedforreligiouscontroversy。
distinguishedthesmith’shouse。Beingalsoa_public,_itwastwostoreyshigh,andproudlyreareditscrest,coveredwithgreyslate,abovethethatchedhovelsbywhichitwassurrounded。
TheadjoiningsmithybetokenednoneoftheSabbaticalsilenceandreposewhichEbenezerhadauguredfromthesanctityofhisfriend。Onthecontrary,hammerclashedandanvilrang,thebellowsgroaned,andthewholeapparatusofVulcanappearedtobeinfullactivity。Norwasthelabourofaruralandpacificnature。Themastersmith,benempt,ashissignintimated,JohnMucklewrath,withtwoassistants,toiledbusilyinarranging,repairing,andfurbishingoldmuskets,pistols,andswords,whichlayscatteredaroundhisworkshopinmilitaryconfusion。
Theopenshed,containingtheforge,wascrowdedwithpersonswhocameandwentasifreceivingandcommunicatingimportantnews;andasingleglanceattheaspectofthepeoplewhotraversedthestreetinhaste,orstoodassembledingroups,witheyeselevated,andhandsuplifted,announcedthatsomeextraordinaryintelligencewasagitatingthepublicmindofthemunicipalityofCairnvreckan。Thereissomenews,’’saidminehostoftheCandlestick,pushinghislantern-jawedvisageandbare-bonednagrudelyforwardintothecrowd-thereissomenews;andifitpleasemyCreator,Iwillforthwithobtainspeiringsthereof。’’
Waverley,withbetterregulatedcuriositythanhisattendant’s,dismounted,andgavehishorsetoaboywhostoodidlingnear。
Itarose,perhaps,fromtheshynessofhischaracterinearlyyouth,thathefeltdislikeatapplyingtoastrangerevenforcasualinformation,withoutpreviouslyglancingathisphysiognomyandappearance。Whilehelookedaboutinordertoselectthepersonwithwhomhewouldmostwillinglyholdcommunication,thebuzzaroundsavedhiminsomedegreethetroubleofinterrogatories。ThenamesofLochiel,Clanronald,Glengarry,andotherdistinguishedHighlandChiefs,amongwhomVichIanVohrwasrepeatedlymentioned,wereasfamiliarinmen’smouthsashouseholdwords;andfromthealarmgenerallyexpressed,heeasilyconceivedthattheirdescentintotheLowlands,attheheadoftheirarmedtribes,hadeitheralreadytakenplaceorwasinstantlyapprehended。
EreWaverleycouldaskparticulars,astrong,large-boned,hard-featuredwoman,aboutforty,dressedasifherclotheshadbeenflungonwithapitchfork,hercheeksflushedwithascarletredwheretheywerenotsmuttedwithsootandlamp-black,jostledthroughthecrowd,andbrandishinghighachildoftwoyearsold,whichshedancedinherarms,withoutregardtoitsscreamsofterror,sangforthwithallhermight-
Charlieismydarling,mydarling,mydarling,Charlieismydarling,TheyoungChevalier!’’
D’yehearwhat’scomeoweryenow,’’continuedthevirago,yewhingeingWhigcarles?Dyehearwha’scomingtocowyercracks?
Littlewotyewha’scoming,Littlewotyewha’scoming,A’thewildMacrawsarecoming。’’
TheVulcanofCairnvreckan,whoacknowledgedhisVenusinthisexultingBacchante,regardedherwithagrimandire-forebodingcountenance,whilesomeofthesenatorsofthevillagehastenedtointerpose。Whisht,gudewife;isthisatime,oristhisaday,tobesingingyourrantingfulesangsin?-atimewhenthewineofwrathispouredoutwithoutmixtureinthecupofindignation,andadaywhenthelandshouldgivetestimonyagainstpopery,andprelacy,andquakerism,andindependency,andsupremacy,anderastianism,andantinomianism,anda’theerrorsofthechurch?’’
Andthat’sa’yourWhiggery,’’re-echoedtheJacobiteheroine;that’sa’yourWhiggery,andyourpresbytery,yecut-lugged,graningcarles!What!d’yethinktheladswi’thekiltswillcareforyersynods,andyerpresbyteries,andyerbuttock-mailandyerstoolo’repentance?Vengeanceontheblackfaceo’t。Monyanhonesterwoman’sbeensetuponitthanstreeksdoonbesideonyWhiginthecountry。I
mysell’’
HereJohnMucklewrath,whodreadedherenteringuponadetailofpersonalexperience,interposedhismatrimonialauthority。
GaehameandbedthatIshouldsaysae,andputonthesowensforsupper。’’
Andyou,yedoil’ddotard,’’repliedhisgentlehelpmate,herwrath,whichhadhithertowanderedabroadoverthewholeassembly,beingatonceandviolentlyimpelledintoitsnaturalchannel,_ye_standtherehammeringdog-headsforfulesthatwillneversnapthemataHighlandman,insteadofearningbreadforyourfamily,andshoeingthiswinsomeyounggentleman’shorsethat’sjustcomefraethenorth!I’sewarranthimnaneofyourwhingeingKingGeorgefolk,butagallantGordon,attheleasto’him。’’
TheeyesoftheassemblynowturneduponWaverley,whotooktheopportunitytobegthesmithtoshoehisguide’shorsewithallspeed,ashewishedtoproceedonhisjourneyforhehadheardenoughtomakehimsensiblethattherewouldbedangerindelayinglonginthisplace。Thesmith’seyerestedonhimwithalookofdispleasureandsuspicion,notlessenedbytheeagernesswithwhichhiswifeenforcedWaverley’smandate。
D’yehearwhattheweel-favouredyounggentlemansays,yedrunkenne’er-do-good?’’
Andwhatmayyournamebe,sir?’’quothMucklewrath。
Itisofnoconsequencetoyou,myfriend,providedIpayyourlabour。’’
Butitmaybeofconsequencetothestate,sir,’’repliedanoldfarmer,smellingstronglyofwhiskyandpeat-smoke;andIdoubtwemaundelayyourjourneytillyouhaveseentheLaird。’’
Youcertainly,’’saidWaverley,haughtily,willfinditbothdifficultanddangeroustodetainme,unlessyoucanproducesomeproperauthority。’’
Therewasapauseandawhisperamongthecrowd-SecretaryMurray;’’LordLewisGordon;’’MaybetheChevalierhimself!’’Suchwerethesurmisesthatpassedhurriedlyamongthem,andtherewasobviouslyanincreaseddispositiontoresistWaverley’sdeparture。Heattemptedtoarguemildlywiththem,buthisvoluntaryally,Mrs。Mucklewrath,brokeinuponanddrownedhisexpostulations,takinghispartwithanabusiveviolence,whichwasallsetdowntoEdward’saccountbythoseonwhomitwasbestowed。_Ye’ll_stoponygentlemanthat’sthePrince’sfreend?’’forshetoo,thoughwithotherfeelings,hadadoptedthegeneralopinionrespectingWaverley。Idauryetotouchhim,’’spreadingabroadherlongandmuscularfingers,garnishedwithclawswhichavulturemighthaveenvied。I’llsetmytencommandmentsinthefaceo’thefirstloonthatlaysafingeronhim。’’