Hout!hout!Mrs。Flockhart,’’repliedtheensign,we’reyoungblude,yeken;andyoungsaints,aulddeils。’’
Butwillyefightwi’SirJohnCopethemorn,EnsignMaccombich?’’demandedMrs。Flockhartofherguest。
TrothI’seensurehim,an’he’llbideus,Mrs。Flockhart,’’
repliedtheGael。
Andwillyefacethaetearingchields,thedragoons,EnsignMaccombich?’’againinquiredthelandlady。
ClawforclawasConansaidtoSatan,Mrs。Flockhart,andthedeeviltaktheshortestnails。’’
Andwillthecolonelventureonthebagganetshimself?’’
Yemayswearit,Mrs。Flockhart;theveryfirstmanwillhebe,bySaintPhedar。’’
Mercifulgoodness!andifhe’skilledamangthered-coats!’’
exclaimedthesoftheartedwidow。
Troth,ifitshouldsaebefall,Mrs。Flockhart,Ikenanethatwillnobelivingtoweepforhim。Butwemauna’livetheday,andhaveourdinner;andthere’sVichIanVohrhaspackedhis_dorlach,_andMr。Waverley’sweariedwi’majoringyonderaforethemucklepier-glass;andthatgreyauldstoorcarle,theBarono’Bradwardine,thatshotyoungRonaldofBallenkeiroch,he’scomingdowntheclosewi’thatdroghlingcoghlingbailiebodytheyca’Macwhupple,justliketheLairdo’Kittlegab’sFrenchcook,wi’histurnspitdoggietrindlingahinthim,andIamashungryasagled,mybonniedow;saebidKatesetonthebroo’,anddoyeputonyourpinners,foryekenVichIanVohrwinnasitdowntillyebeattheheado’
thetable;-anddinnaforgetthepintbottleo’brandy,mywoman。’’
Thishintproduceddinner。Mrs。Flockhart,smilinginherweedslikethesunthroughamist,tooktheheadofthetable,thinkingwithinherself,perhaps,thatshecarednothowlongtherebellionlasted,thatbroughtherintocompany,somuchaboveherusualassociates。ShewassupportedbyWaverleyandtheBaron,withtheadvantageoftheChieftain_vis--vis。_
Themenofpeaceandofwar,thatis,BailieMacwheebleandEnsignMaccombich,aftermanyprofoundcongstotheirsuperiorsandeachother,tooktheirplacesoneachsideoftheChieftain。Theirfarewasexcellent,time,place,andcircumstancesconsidered,andFergus’sspiritswereextravagantlyhigh。
Regardlessofdanger,andsanguinefromtemper,youth,andambition,hesawinimaginationallhisprospectscrownedwithsuccess,andwastotallyindifferenttotheprobablealternativeofasoldier’sgrave。TheBaronapologisedslightlyforbringingMacwheeble。Theyhadbeenproviding,hesaid,fortheexpensesofthecampaign。And,bymyfaith,’’saidtheoldman,asIthinkthiswillbemylast,soIjustendwhereI
began-Ihaeevermorefoundthesinewsofwar,asalearnedauthorcallsthe_caissemilitaire,_mairdifficulttocomebythaneitheritsflesh,blood,orbones。’’
What!haveyouraisedouronlyefficientbodyofcavalry,andgotyenoneofthelouis-d’oroutoftheDoutelle,tohelpThe_Doutelle_wasanarmedvessel,whichbroughtasmallsupplyofmoneyandarmsfromFrancefortheuseoftheinsurgents。
you?’’
No,Glennaquoich;clevererfellowshavebeenbeforeme。’’
That’sascandal,’’saidtheyoungHighlander;butyouwillsharewhatisleftofmysubsidy:itwillsaveyouananxiousthoughtto-night,andwillbealloneto-morrow,forweshallallbeprovidedfor,onewayorother,beforethesunsets。’’Waverley,blushingdeeply,butwithgreatearnestness,pressedthesamerequest。
Ithankyebaith,mygoodlads,’’saidtheBaron,butI
willnotinfringeuponyourpeculium。BailieMacwheeblehasprovidedthesumwhichisnecessary。’’
HeretheBailieshiftedandfidgetedaboutinhisseat,andappearedextremelyuneasy。Atlength,afterseveralpreliminaryhems,andmuchtautologicalexpressionofhisdevotiontohishonour’sservice,bynightorday,livingordead,hebegantoinsinuate,thattheBankshadremoveda’theirreadycashintotheCastle;that,naedoubt,SandieGoldie,thesilversmith,woulddomickleforhishonour;buttherewaslittletimetogetthewadsetmadeout;and,doubtless,ifhishonourGlennaquoich,orMr。Wauverley,couldaccommodate’’-
Letmehearofnosuchnonsense,sir,’’saidtheBaron,inatonewhichrenderedMacwheeblemute,butproceedasweaccordedbeforedinner,ifitbeyourwishtoremaininmyservice。’’
TothisperemptoryordertheBailie,thoughhefeltasifcondemnedtosufferatransfusionofbloodfromhisownveinsintothoseoftheBaron,didnotpresumetomakeanyreply。
Afterfidgetingalittlewhilelonger,however,headdressedhimselftoGlennaquoich,andtoldhim,ifhishonourhadmairreadysillerthanwassufficientforhisoccasionsinthefield,hecouldputitoutatuseforhishonourinsafehands,andatgreatprofit,atthistime。
AtthisproposalFerguslaughedheartily,andanswered,whenhehadrecoveredhisbreath,-Manythanks,Bailie;butyoumustknowitisageneralcustomamongussoldierstomakeourlandladyourbanker-Here,Mrs。Flockhart,’’saidhe,takingfourorfivebroadpiecesoutofawell-filledpurse,andtossingthepurseitself,withitsremainingcontents,intoherapron,thesewillservemyoccasions;doyoutaketherest:
bemybankerifIlive,andmyexecutorifIdie;buttakecaretogivesomethingtotheHighlandcailliachsthatshallcrytheOldwomen,onwhomdevolvedthedutyoflamentingforthedead,whichtheIrishcall_keening。_
coronachloudestforthelastVichIanVohr。’’
Itisthe_testamentummilitare,_’’quoththeBaron,whilk,amangtheRomans,wasprivilegiatetobenuncupative。’’ButthesoftheartofMrs。FlockhartwasmeltedwithinherattheChieftain’sspeech;shesetupalamentableblubbering,andpositivelyrefusedtotouchthebequest,whichFerguswasthereforeobligedtoresume。
Wellthen,’’saidtheChief,ifIfall,itwillgotothegrenadierthatknocksmybrainsout,andIshalltakecareheworkshardforit。’’
BailieMacwheeblewasagaintemptedtoputinhisoar;forwherecashwasconcerned,hedidnotwillinglyremainsilent。
PerhapshehadbettercarrythegowdtoMissMac-Ivor,incaseofmortality,oraccidents,ofwar。Itmighttaktheformofa_mortiscausa_donationintheyoungleddie’sfavour,andwadcostbutthescrapeofapentomakitout。’’
Theyounglady,’’saidFergus,shouldsuchaneventhappen,willhaveothermatterstothinkofthanthesewretchedlouis-d’or。’’
True-undeniable,-there’snaedoubto’that;butyourhonourkens,thatafullsorrow’’
Isendurablebymostfolkmoreeasilythanahungryone?-
True,Bailie,verytrue;andIbelievetheremayevenbesomewhowouldbeconsoledbysuchareflectionforthelossofthewholeexistinggeneration。Butthereisasorrowwhichknowsneitherhungernorthirst;andpoorFlora’’-Hepaused,andthewholecompanysympathizedinhisemotion。
TheBaron’sthoughtsnaturallyrevertedtotheunprotectedstateofhisdaughter,andthebigtearcametotheveteran’seye。IfIfall,Macwheeble;youhaveallmypapers,andknowallmyaffairs;bejusttoRose。’’
TheBailiewasamanofearthlymouldafterall;agooddealofdirtanddrossabouthim,undoubtedly,butsomekindlyandjustfeelingshehad,especiallywheretheBaronorhisyoungmistresswereconcerned。Hesetupalamentablehowl。Ifthatdolefuldayshouldcome,whileDuncanMacwheeblehadaboddle,itshouldbeMissRose’s。Hewaldscrollforaplackthesheet,orshekenn’dwhatitwastowant;ifindeeda’thebonniebaronieo’BradwardineandTully-Veolan,withthefortaliceandmanor-placethereofhekeptsobbingandwhiningateverypause,tofts,crofts,mosses,muirs-outfield,infield-
buildings-orchards-dovecots-withtherightofnetandcobleinthewaterandlochofVeolan-teinds,parsonageandvicarage-annexis,connexis-rightsofpasturage-fuel,feal,anddivot-parts,pendicles,andpertinentswhatsoever-herehehadrecoursetotheendofhislongcravattowipehiseyes,whichoverflowedinspiteofhim,attheideaswhichthistechnicaljargonconjuredup-allasmorefullydescribedintheproperevidentsandtitlesthereof-andlyingwithintheparishofBradwardine,andtheshireofPerth-if,asaforesaid,theymusta’passfrommymaster’schildtoInch-Grabbit,wha’saWhigandaHanoverian,andbemanagedbyhisdoer,JamieHowie,wha’snofittobeabirlieman,letbeabailie’’-
Thebeginningofthislamentationreallyhadsomethingaffecting,buttheconclusionrenderedlaughterirresistible。
Nevermind,Bailie,’’saidEnsignMaccombich,forthegudeauldtimesofruggingandrivingpullingandtearingarecomebackagain,an’SneckusMac-Snackusmeaning,probably,annexis,connexis,anda’therestofyourfriends,maungieplacetothelangestclaymore。’’
Andthatclaymoreshallbeours,Bailie,’’saidtheChieftain,whosawthatMacwheeblelookedveryblankatthisintimation。
We’llgivethemthemetalourmountainaffords,Lillibulerobullenala,Andinplaceofbroad-pieceswe’llpaywithbroadswords,Lero,lero,etc。
Withdunsandwithdebtswewillsoonclearourscore,Lillibulero,etc。
Forthemanthat’sthuspaidwillcravepaymentnomore,Lero,lero,etc。
Theselines,orsomethinglikethem,occurinanoldMagazineoftheperiod。
Butcome,Bailie,benotcastdown;drinkyourwinewithajoyousheart;theBaronshallreturnsafeandvictorioustoTully-Veolan,anduniteKillancureit’slairdshipwithhisown,sincethecowardlyhalf-bredswinewillnotturnoutforthePrincelikeagentleman。’’
Tobesure,theyliemaistewest,’’saidtheBailie,wiping_i。e。,_Contiguous。
hiseyes,andshouldnaturallyfa’underthesamefactory。’’
AndI,’’proceededtheChieftain,shalltakecareofmyself,too;foryoumustknow,Ihavetocompleteagoodworkhere,bybringingMrs。FlockhartintothebosomoftheCatholicchurch,oratleasthalfway,andthatistoyourEpiscopalmeeting-house。OBaron!ifyouheardherfinecounter-tenoradmonishingKateandMattyinthemorning,you,whounderstandmusic,wouldtrembleattheideaofhearinghershriekinthepsalmodyofHaddo’sHole。’’
Lordforgieyou,colonel,howyerinon!ButIhopeyourhonourswilltakteabeforeyegangtothepalace,andImaungang,andmaskitforyou。’’
Sosaying,Mrs。Flockhartleftthegentlementotheirownconversation,which,asmightbesupposed,turnedchieflyupontheapproachingeventsofthecampaign。
EnsignMaccombichhavinggonetotheHighlandcampuponduty,andBailieMacwheeblehavingretiredtodigesthisdinnerandEvanDhu’sintimationofmartiallawinsomeblindchange-house,Waverley,withtheBaronandtheChieftain,proceededtoHolyroodHouse。Thetwolastwereinfulltideofspirits,andtheBaronralliedinhiswayourherouponthehandsomefigurewhichhisnewdressdisplayedtoadvantage。IfyouhaveanydesignupontheheartofabonnyScotchlassie,I
wouldpremonishyouwhenyouaddressher,torememberandquotethewordsofVirgilius:-
NuncinsanusamordurimeMartisinarmis,Telaintermediaatqueadversosdetinethostes;
whilkversesRobertsonofStruan,ChiefoftheClanDonnochyunlesstheclaimsofLudeoughttobepreferredprimoloco,hasthuselegantlyrendered:-
Forcruellovehasgartan’dlowmyleg,Andcladmyhurdiesinaphilabeg。
Although,indeed,yewearthetrews,agarmentwhilkIapprovemaistofthetwa,asmairancientandseemly。’’
Orrather,’’saidFergus,hearmysong:
ShewadnahaeaLowlandlaird,NorbeanEnglishlady;
Butshe’sawaywithDuncanGraeme,Andhe’srowedherinhisplaidy。’’
BythistimetheyreachedthepalaceofHolyrood,andwereannouncedrespectivelyastheyenteredtheapartments。