第66章

类别:其他 作者:Sir Walter Scott字数:5380更新时间:18/12/22 09:36:37
Tellmenothingofthat,’’saidTalbot;Iwishtocarrynonewsofyourmotions。’’ Simplythen,adieu。Say,withathousandkindgreetings,allthatisdutifulandaffectionatetoSirEverardandAuntRachel。Thinkofmeaskindlyasyoucanspeakofmeasindulgentlyasyourconsciencewillpermit,andoncemoreadieu。’’ Andadieu,mydearWaverley!-many,manythanksforyourkindness。Unplaidyourselfonthefirstopportunity。I shalleverthinkonyouwithgratitude,andtheworstofmycensureshallbe,_Quediablealloit-ilfairedanscettegalre?_’’ Andthustheyparted,ColonelTalbotgoingonboardoftheboat,andWaverleyreturningtoEdinburgh。 Itisnotourpurposetointrudeupontheprovinceofhistory。 Weshallthereforeonlyremindourreaders,thataboutthebeginningofNovembertheYoungChevalier,attheheadofaboutsixthousandmenattheutmost,resolvedtoperilhiscauseonanattempttopenetrateintothecentreofEngland,althoughawareofthemightypreparationswhichweremadeforhisreception。Theysetforwardonthiscrusadeinweatherwhichwouldhaverenderedanyothertroopsincapableofmarching,butwhichinrealitygavetheseactivemountaineersadvantagesoveralesshardyenemy。IndefianceofasuperiorarmylyingupontheBorders,underFieldMarshalWade,theybesiegedandtookCarlisle,andsoonafterwardsprosecutedtheirdaringmarchtothesouthward。 AsColonelMac-Ivor’sregimentmarchedinthevanoftheclans,heandWaverley,whonowequalledanyHighlanderintheenduranceoffatigue,andwasbecomesomewhatacquaintedwiththeirlanguage,wereperpetuallyatitshead。Theymarkedtheprogressofthearmy,however,withverydifferenteyes。 Fergus,allairandfire,andconfidentagainsttheworldinarms,measurednothingbutthateverystepwasayardnearerLondon。Heneitherasked,expected,nordesiredanyaid,exceptthatoftheclans,toplacetheStuartsoncemoreonthethrone;andwhenbychanceafewadherentsjoinedthestandard,healwaysconsideredtheminthelightofnewclaimantsuponthefavoursofthefuturemonarch,who,heconcluded,mustthereforesubtractfortheirgratificationsomuchofthebountywhichoughttobesharedamonghisHighlandfollowers。 Edward’sviewswereverydifferent。Hecouldnotbutobserve,thatinthosetownsinwhichtheyproclaimedJamestheThird,nomancried,Godblesshim。’’Themobstaredandlistened,heartless,stupified,anddull,butgavefewsignsevenofthatboisterousspiritwhichinducesthemtoshoutuponalloccasions,forthemereexerciseoftheirmostsweetvoices。 TheJacobiteshadbeentaughttobelievethatthenorth-westerncountiesaboundedwithwealthysquiresandhardyyeomen,devotedtothecauseoftheWhiteRose。ButofthewealthierToriestheysawlittle。Somefledfromtheirhouses,somefeignedthemselvessick,somesurrenderedthemselvestotheGovernmentassuspectedpersons。Ofsuchasremained,theignorantgazedwithastonishment,mixedwithhorrorandaversion,atthewildappearance,unknownlanguage,andsingulargarboftheScottishclans。Andtothemoreprudent,theirscantynumbers,apparentdeficiencyindiscipline,andpovertyofequipment,seemedcertaintokensofthecalamitousterminationoftheirrashundertaking。Thusthefewwhojoinedthemweresuchasbigotryofpoliticalprincipleblindedtoconsequences,orwhosebrokenfortunesinducedthemtohazardallonarisksodesperate。 TheBaronofBradwardinebeingaskedwhathethoughtoftheserecruits,tookalongpinchofsnuff,andanswereddrily,thathecouldnotbuthaveanexcellentopinionofthem,sincetheyresembledpreciselythefollowerswhoattachedthemselvestothegoodKingDavidatthecaveofAdullam; videlicet,everyonethatwasindistress,andeveryonethatwasindebt,andeveryonethatwasdiscontented,whichtheVulgaterendersbitterofsoul;anddoubtless,’’hesaid,theywillprovemightymenoftheirhands,andthereismuchneedthattheyshould,forIhaveseenmanyasourlookcastuponus。’’ ButnoneoftheseconsiderationsmovedFergus。Headmiredtheluxuriantbeautyofthecountry,andthesituationofmanyoftheseatswhichtheypassed。IsWaverley-Honourlikethathouse,Edward?’’ Itisonehalflarger。’’ Isyouruncle’sparkasfineaoneasthat?’’ Itisthreetimesasextensive,andratherresemblesaforestthanamerepark。’’ Florawillbeahappywoman。’’ IhopeMissMac-Ivorwillhavemuchreasonforhappiness,unconnectedwithWaverley-Honour。’’ Ihopesotoo;but,tobemistressofsuchaplace,willbeaprettyadditiontothesumtotal。’’ Anaddition,thewantofwhich,Itrust,willbeamplysuppliedbysomeothermeans。’’ How,’’saidFergus,stoppingshort,andturninguponWaverley-HowamItounderstandthat,Mr。Waverley?- HadIthepleasuretohearyouaright?’’ Perfectlyright,Fergus。’’ AndamItounderstandthatyounolongerdesiremyalliance,andmysister’shand?’’ Yoursisterhasrefusedmine,’’saidWaverley,bothdirectly,andbyalltheusualmeansbywhichladiesrepressundesiredattentions。’’ Ihavenoidea,’’answeredtheChieftain,ofaladydismissingoragentlemanwithdrawinghissuit,afterithasbeenapprovedofbyherlegalguardian,withoutgivinghimanopportunityoftalkingthematteroverwiththelady。Youdidnot,Isuppose,expectmysistertodropintoyourmouthlikearipeplum,thefirstmomentyouchosetoopenit?’’ Astothelady’stitletodismissherlover,Colonel,’’repliedEdward,itisapointwhichyoumustarguewithher,asIamignorantofthecustomsoftheHighlandsinthatparticular。 Butastomytitletoacquiesceinarejectionfromherwithoutanappealtoyourinterest,Iwilltellyouplainly,withoutmeaningtoundervalueMissMac-Ivor’sadmittedbeautyandaccomplishments,thatIwouldnottakethehandofanangel,withanempireforherdowry,ifherconsentwereextortedbytheimportunityoffriendsandguardians,anddidnotflowfromherownfreeinclination。’’ Anangel,withthedowryofanempire,’’repeatedFergus,inatoneofbitterirony,isnotverylikelytobepresseduponashiresquire-Butsir,’’changinghistone,ifFloraMac-Ivorhavenotthedowryofanempire,sheis_my_sister; andthatissufficientatleasttosecureheragainstbeingtreatedwithanythingapproachingtolevity。’’ SheisFloraMac-Ivor,sir,’’saidWaverley,withfirmness,whichtome,wereIcapableoftreating_any_womanwithlevity,wouldbeamoreeffectualprotection。’’ ThebrowoftheChieftainwasnowfullyclouded,butEdwardfelttooindignantattheunreasonabletonewhichhehadadopted,toavertthestormbytheleastconcession。Theybothstoodstillwhilethisshortdialoguepassed,andFergusseemedhalfdisposedtosaysomethingmoreviolent,but,byastrongeffort,suppressedhispassion,andturninghisfaceforward,walkedsullenlyon。Astheyhadalwayshithertowalkedtogether,andalmostconstantlysidebyside,Waverleypursuedhiscoursesilentlyinthesamedirection,determinedtolettheChieftakehisowntimeinrecoveringthegood-humourwhichhehadsounreasonablydiscarded,andfirminhisresolutionnottobatehimaninchofdignity。 Aftertheyhadmarchedoninthissullenmanneraboutamile,Fergusresumedthediscourseinadifferenttone。I believeIwaswarm,mydearEdward,butyouprovokemewithyourwantofknowledgeoftheworld。YouhavetakenpetatsomeofFlora’sprudery,orhigh-flyingnotionsofloyalty,andnow,likeachild,youquarrelwiththeplaythingyouhavebeencryingfor,andbeatme,yourfaithfulkeeper,becausemyarmcannotreachtoEdinburghtohandittoyou。IamsureifI waspassionate,themortificationoflosingtheallianceofsuchafriend,afteryourarrangementhadbeenthetalkofbothHighlandsandLowlands,andthatwithoutsomuchasknowingwhyorwherefore,mightwellprovokecalmerbloodthanmine。IshallwritetoEdinburgh,andputalltorights;thatis,ifyoudesireIshoulddoso,-asindeedIcannotsupposethatyourgoodopinionofFlora,itbeingsuchasyouhaveoftenexpressedtome,canbeatoncelaidaside。’’ ColonelMac-Ivor,’’saidEdward,whohadnomindtobehurriedfartherorfasterthanhechose,inamatterwhichhehadalreadyconsideredasbrokenoff,Iamfullysensibleofthevalueofyourgoodoffices;andcertainly,byyourzealonmybehalfinsuchanaffair,youdomenosmallhonour。ButasMissMac-Ivorhasmadeherelectionfreelyandvoluntarily,andasallmyattentionsinEdinburghwerereceivedwithmorethancoldness,Icannot,inJusticeeithertoherormyself,consentthatsheshouldagainbeharasseduponthistopic。Iwouldhavementionedthistoyousometimesince;-butyousawthefootinguponwhichwestoodtogether,andmusthaveunderstoodit。HadIthoughtotherwise,Iwouldhaveearlierspoken; butIhadanaturalreluctancetoenteruponasubjectsopainfultousboth。’’ O,verywell,Mr。Waverley,’’saidFergus,haughtily,thethingisatanend。Ihavenooccasiontopressmysisteruponanyman。’’ NorhaveIanyoccasiontocourtrepeatedrejectionfromthesameyounglady,’’answeredEdwardinthesametone。 Ishallmakedueinquiry,however,’’saidtheChieftain,withoutnoticingtheinterruption,andlearnwhatmysisterthinksofallthis:wewillthenseewhetheritistoendhere。’’ Respectingsuchinquiries,youwillofcoursebeguidedbyyourownjudgment,’’saidWaverley。Itis,Iamaware,impossibleMissMac-Ivorcanchangehermind;andweresuchanunsupposablecasetohappen,itiscertainIwillnotchangemine。Ionlymentionthistopreventanypossibilityoffuturemisconstruction。’’ GladlyatthismomentwouldMac-Ivorhaveputtheirquarreltoapersonalarbitrament;-hiseyeflashedfire,andhemeasuredEdward,asiftochoosewherehemightbestplantamortalwound。ButalthoughwedonotnowquarrelaccordingtothemodesandfiguresofCaranzaorVincentSaviola,nooneknewbetterthanFergusthattheremustbesomedecentpretextforamortalduel。Forinstance,youmaychallengeamanfortreadingonyourcorninacrowd,orforpushingyouuptothewall,orfortakingyourseatinthetheatre;butthemoderncodeofhonourwillnotpermityoutofoundaquarreluponyourrightofcompellingamantocontinueaddressestoafemalerelative,whichthefairladyhasalreadyrefused。SothatFerguswascompelledtostomachthissupposedaffront,untilthewhirligigoftime,whosemotionhepromisedhimselfhewouldwatchmostsedulously,shouldbringaboutanopportunityofrevenge。 Waverley’sservantalwaysledasaddle-horseforhimintherearofthebattaliontowhichhewasattached,thoughhismasterseldomrode。Butnow,incensedatthedomineeringandunreasonableconductofhislatefriend,hefellbehindthecolumn,andmountedhishorse,resolvingtoseektheBaronofBradwardine,andrequestpermissiontovolunteerinhistroop,insteadoftheMac-Ivorregiment。 AhappytimeofitIshouldhavehad,’’thoughthe,afterhewasmounted,tohavebeensocloselyalliedtothissuperbspecimenofprideandself-opinionandpassion。Acolonel! why,heshouldhavebeenageneralissimo。Apettychiefofthreeorfourhundredmen!-hispridemightsufficefortheChamofTartary-theGrandSeignior-theGreatMogul!I amwellfreeofhim。WereFloraanangel,shewouldbringwithherasecondLuciferofambitionandwrathforabrother-in-law。’’ TheBaron,whoselearning(likeSancho’sjestswhileintheSierraMorena)seemedtogrowmouldyforwantofexercise,joyfullyembracedtheopportunityofWaverley’sofferinghisserviceinhisregiment,tobringitintosomeexertion。Thegood-naturedoldgentleman,however,labouredtoeffectareconciliationbetweenthetwoquondamfriends。Fergusturnedacoldeartohisremonstrances,thoughhegavethemarespectfulhearing;andasforWaverley,hesawnoreasonwhyheshouldbethefirstincourtingarenewaloftheintimacywhichtheChieftainhadsounreasonablydisturbed。TheBaronthenmentionedthemattertothePrince,who,anxioustopreventquarrelsinhislittlearmy,declaredhewouldhimselfremonstratewithColonelMac-Ivorontheunreasonablenessofhisconduct。But,inthehurryoftheirmarch,itwasadayortwobeforehehadanopportunitytoexerthisinfluenceinthemannerproposed。