第67章

Inthemeanwhile，WaverleyturnedtheinstructionshehadreceivedwhileinGardiner’sdragoonstosomeaccount，andassistedtheBaroninhiscommandasasortofadjutant。 _Parmilesaveuglesunborgneestroi，_’’saystheFrenchproverb； andthecavalry，whichconsistedchieflyofLowlandgentlemen，theirtenantsandservants，formedahighopinionofWaverley’sskill，andagreatattachmenttohisperson。ThiswasindeedpartlyowingtothesatisfactionwhichtheyfeltatthedistinguishedEnglishvolunteer’sleavingtheHighlanderstorankamongthem；fortherewasalatentgrudgebetweenthehorseandfoot，notonlyowingtothedifferenceoftheservices，butbecausemostofthegentlemen，livingneartheHighlands，hadatonetimeorotherhadquarrelswiththetribesintheirvicinity，andallofthemlookedwithajealouseyeontheHighlanders’avowedpretensionstosuperiorvalour，andutilityinthePrince’sservice。 ItwasWaverley’scustomsometimestoridealittleapartfromthemainbody，tolookatanyobjectofcuriositywhichoccurredonthemarch。TheywerenowinLancashire，when，attractedbyacastellatedoldhall，heleftthesquadronforhalf-an-hour，totakeasurveyandslightsketchofit。Ashereturneddowntheavenue，hewasmetbyEnsignMaccombich。ThismanhadcontractedasortofregardforEdwardsincethedayofhisfirstseeinghimatTully-Veolan，andintroducinghimtotheHighlands。 Heseemedtoloiter，asifonpurposetomeetwithourhero。Yet，ashepassedhim，heonlyapproachedhisstirrup，andpronouncedthesinglewordBeware！’’andthenwalkedswiftlyon，shunningallfurthercommunication。 Edward，somewhatsurprisedatthishint，followedwithhiseyesthecourseofEvan，whospeedilydisappearedamongthetrees。Hisservant，AlickPolwarth，whowasinattendance，alsolookedaftertheHighlander，andthenridingupclosetohismaster，said，Thene’erbeinme，sir，ifIthinkyou’resafeamongthaeHighlandrinthereouts。’’ Whatdoyoumean，Alick？’’saidWaverley。 TheMac-Ivors，sir，haegottenitintotheirheads，thatyehaeaffrontedtheiryoungleddy，MissFlora；andIhaeheardmaethananesay，theywadnatakmuckletomakeablack-cocko’ye；andyekenweeleneughthere’smonyo’themwadnamindabawbeetheweisingaballthroughthePrincehimsell，antheChiefgaethemthewink-orwhetherhedidorno，- iftheythoughtitathingthatwouldpleasehimwhenitwasdune。’’ Waverley，thoughconfidentthatFergusMac-Ivorwasincapableofsuchtreachery，wasbynomeansequallysureoftheforbearanceofhisfollowers。Heknew，thatwherethehonouroftheChieforhisfamilywassupposedtobetouched，thehappiestmanwouldbehethatcouldfirstavengethestigma； andhehadoftenheardthemquoteaproverb，Thatthebestrevengewasthemostspeedyandmostsafe。’’CouplingthiswiththehintofEvan，hejudgeditmostprudenttosetspurstohishorse，andridebrisklybacktothesquadron。Erehereachedtheendofthelongavenue，however，aballwhistledpasthim，andthereportofapistolwasheard。 Itwasthatdeevil’sbuckie，CallumBeg，’’saidAlick；I sawhimwhiskawaythroughamangthereises。’’ Edward，justlyincensedatthisactoftreachery，gallopedoutoftheavenue，andobservedthebattalionofMac-Ivoratsomedistancemovingalongthecommon，inwhichitterminated。 Healsosawanindividualrunningveryfasttojointheparty； thisheconcludedwastheintendedassassin，who，byleapinganenclosure，mighteasilymakeamuchshorterpathtothemainbodythanhecouldfindonhorseback。Unabletocontainhimself，hecommandedAlicktogototheBaronofBradwardine，whowasattheheadofhisregimentabouthalfamileinfront，andacquainthimwithwhathadhappened。HehimselfimmediatelyrodeuptoFergus’sregiment。TheChiefhimselfwasintheactofjoiningthem。Hewasonhorseback，havingreturnedfromwaitingonthePrince。OnperceivingEdwardapproaching，heputhishorseinmotiontowardshim。 ColonelMac-Ivor，’’saidWaverley，withoutanyfarthersalutation，Ihavetoinformyouthatoneofyourpeoplehasthisinstantfiredatmefromalurking-place。’’ Asthat，’’answeredMac-Ivor，exceptingthecircumstanceofalurking-place，isapleasurewhichIpresentlyproposetomyself，Ishouldbegladtoknowwhichofmyclansmendaredtoanticipateme。’’ Ishallcertainlybeatyourcommandwheneveryouplease；- thegentlemanwhotookyourofficeuponhimselfisyourpagethere，CallumBeg。’’ Standforthfromtheranks，Callum！DidyoufireatMr。 Waverley？’’ No，’’answeredtheunblushingCallum。 Youdid，’’saidAlickPolwarth，whowasalreadyreturned，havingmetatrooperbywhomhedespatchedanaccountofwhatwasgoingforwardtotheBaronofBradwardine，whilehehimselfreturnedtohismasteratfullgallop，neithersparingtherowelsofhisspurs，northesidesofhishorse。Youdid；I sawyouasplainlyasIeversawtheauldkirkatCoudingham。’’ Youlie，’’repliedCallum，withhisusualimpenetrableobstinacy。 Thecombatbetweentheknightswouldcertainly，asinthedaysofchivalry，havebeenprecededbyanencounterbetweenthesquires(forAlickwasastoutheartedMerseman，andfearedthebowofCupidfarmorethanaHighlander’sdirkorclaymore)，butFergus，withhisusualtoneofdecision，demandedCallum’spistol。Thecookwasdown，thepanandmuzzlewereblackwiththesmoke；ithadbeenthatinstantfired。 Takethat，’’saidFergus，strikingtheboyupontheheadwiththeheavypistol-buttwithhiswholeforce，takethatforactingwithoutorders，andlyingtodisguiseit。’’Callumreceivedtheblowwithoutappearingtoflinchfromit，andfellwithoutsignoflife。Standstill，uponyourlives！’’ saidFergustotherestoftheclan；IblowoutthebrainsofthefirstmanwhointerferesbetweenMr。Waverleyandme。’’Theystoodmotionless；EvanDhualoneshowedsymptomsofvexationandanxiety。Callumlayonthegroundbleedingcopiously，butnooneventuredtogivehimanyassistance。Itseemedasifhehadgottenhisdeath-blow。 Andnowforyou，Mr。Waverley；pleasetoturnyourhorsetwentyyardswithmeuponthecommon。’’Waverleycomplied； andFergus，confrontinghimwhentheywerealittlewayfromthelineofmarch，said，withgreataffectedcoolness，Icouldnotbutwonder，sir，attheficklenessoftastewhichyouwerepleasedtoexpresstheotherday。Butitwasnotanangel，asyoujustlyobserved，whohadcharmsforyou，unlessshebroughtanempireforherfortune。Ihavenowanexcellentcommentaryuponthatobscuretext。’’ Iamatalosseventoguessatyourmeaning，ColonelMac-Ivor，unlessitseemsplainthatyouintendtofastenaquarreluponme。’’ Youraffectedignoranceshallnotserveyou，sir。ThePrince，-thePrincehimself，hasacquaintedmewithyourmanuvres。IlittlethoughtthatyourengagementswithMissBradwardinewerethereasonofyourbreakingofyourintendedmatchwithmysister。IsupposetheinformationthattheBaronhadalteredthedestinationofhisestate，wasquiteasufficientreasonforslightingyourfriend’ssister，andcarryingoffyourfriend’smistress。’’ DidthePrincetellyouIwasengagedtoMissBradwardine？’’ saidWaverley。Impossible。’’ Hedid，sir，’’answeredMac-Ivor；so，eitherdrawanddefendyourself，orresignyourpretensionstothelady。’’ Thisisabsolutemadness，’’exclaimedWaverley，orsomestrangemistake！’’ O！noevasion！drawyoursword！’’saidtheinfuriatedChieftain，-hisownalreadyunsheathed。 MustIfightinamadman’squarrel？’’ Thengiveupnow，andforever，allpretensionstoMissBradwardine’shand。’’ Whattitlehaveyou，’’criedWaverley，utterlylosingcommandofhimself，-Whattitlehaveyou，oranymanliving，todictatesuchtermstome？’’Andhealsodrewhissword。 AtthismomenttheBaronofBradwardine，followedbyseveralofhistroop，cameuponthespur，somefromcuriosity，otherstotakepartinthequarrel，whichtheyindistinctlyunderstoodhadbrokenoutbetweentheMac-Ivorsandtheircorps。Theclan，seeingthemapproach，putthemselvesinmotiontosupporttheirChieftain，andasceneofconfusioncommenced，whichseemedlikelytoterminateinbloodshed。Ahundredtongueswereinmotionatonce。TheBaronlectured，theChieftainstormed，theHighlandersscreamedinGaelic，thehorsemencursedandsworeinLowlandScotch。Atlengthmatterscametosuchapass，thattheBaronthreatenedtochargetheMac-Ivorsunlesstheyresumedtheirranks，andmanyofthem，inreturn，presentedtheirfirearmsathimandtheothertroopers。 TheconfusionwasprivatelyfosteredbyoldBallenkeiroch，whomadenodoubtthathisowndayofvengeancewasarrived，when，behold！acryaroseofRoom！makeway！-_place Monseigneur！placeMonseigneur！_’’ThisannouncedtheapproachofthePrince，whocameupwithapartyofFitz-James’sforeigndragoonsthatactedashisbodyguard。Hisarrivalproducedsomedegreeoforder。TheHighlandersreassumedtheirranks，thecavalryfellinandformedsquadron，andtheBaronandChieftainweresilent。 ThePrincecalledthemandWaverleybeforehim。HavingheardtheoriginalcauseofthequarrelthroughthevillanyofCallumBeg，heorderedhimintocustodyoftheprovost-marshalforimmediateexecution，intheeventofhissurvivingthechastisementinflictedbyhisChieftain。Fergus，however，inatonebetwixtclaimingarightandaskingafavour，requestedhemightbelefttohisdisposal，andpromisedhispunishmentshouldbeexemplary。Todenythis，mighthaveseemedtoencroachonthepatriarchalauthorityoftheChieftains，ofwhichtheywereveryjealous，andtheywerenotpersonstobedisobliged。 Callumwasthereforelefttothejusticeofhisowntribe。 ThePrincenextdemandedtoknowthenewcauseofquarrelbetweenColonelMac-IvorandWaverley。Therewasapause。 BothgentlemenfoundthepresenceoftheBaronofBradwardine(forbythistimeallthreehadapproachedtheChevalierbyhiscommand)aninsurmountablebarrieragainstenteringuponasubjectwherethenameofhisdaughtermustunavoidablybementioned。Theyturnedtheireyesontheground，withlooksinwhichshameandembarrassmentweremingledwithdispleasure。 Theprince，whohadbeeneducatedamongstthediscontentedandmutinousspiritsofthecourtofSt。Germains，wherefeudsofeverykindwerethedailysubjectofsolicitudetothedethronedsovereign，hadservedhisapprenticeship，asoldFrederickofPrussiawouldhavesaid，tothetradeofroyalty。 Topromoteorrestoreconcordamonghisfollowerswasindispensable。 Accordinglyhetookhismeasures。 MonsieurdeBeaujeu！’’ Monseigneur！’’saidaveryhandsomeFrenchcavalryofficer，whowasinattendance。 Ayezlabontd’allignercesmontagnardsl，ainsiquelacavalerie，s’ilvousplait，etdelesremettrelamarche。Vousparlezsibienl’Anglois，celanevousdonneroitpasbeaucoupdopeine。’’ Ah！pasdutout，Monseigneur，’’repliedMons。leComtedeBeaujeu，hisheadbendingdowntotheneckofhislittleprancinghighly-managedcharger。Accordinglyhe_piaffed_away，inhighspiritsandconfidence，totheheadofFergus’sregiment，althoughunderstandingnotawordofGaelic，andverylittleEnglish。 MessieurslessauvagesEcossois-datis-gentilmanssavages，havethegoodnessd’arrangervous。’’ Theclan，comprehendingtheordermorefromthegesturethanthewords，andseeingthePrincehimselfpresent，hastenedtodresstheirranks。 Ah！verwell！datisfortbien！’’saidtheCountdeBeaujeu。 Gentilmanssauvages-maistrsbien-Ehbien！-Qu’est-cequevousappelezvisage，Monsieur？’’(toaloungingtrooperwhostoodbyhim)。Ah，oui！_face_-Jevousremercie，Monsieur- Gentilshommes，havedegoodnesstomakedefacetoderightparfile，datis，byfiles-Marsh！-Maistrsbien-encore，Messieurs；ilfautvousmettrelamarche……Marchezdonc，aunomdeDieu，parcequej’aioublilemotAnglois-