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，<>theyspeedily(SupposedtorepresentAuchterarder，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。
Gaehameandbed(thatIshouldsaysae)，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。’’
