第68章

类别:其他 作者:Sir Walter Scott字数:5188更新时间:18/12/22 09:36:37
maisvoustesdesbravesgens,etmecompreneztrsbien。’’ TheCountnexthastenedtoputthecavalryinmotion。 Gentilmanscavalry,youmustfallin-Ah!parmafoi,Ididnotsayfalloff?Iamafeardelittlegrossfatgentilmanismochehurt。Ah,monDieu!c’estleCommissairequinousaapportlespremiresnouvellesdecemauditfracas。Jesuistropfch,Monsieur!’’ ButpoorMacwheeble,who,withaswordstuckacrosshim,andawhitecockadeaslargeasapancake,nowfiguredinthecharacterofacommissary,beingoverturnedinthebustleoccasionedbythetroopershasteningtogetthemselvesinorderinthePrince’spresence,beforehecouldrallyhisgalloway,slunktotherearamidtheunrestrainedlaughterofthespectators。 Ehbien,Messieurs,wheeltoderight-Ah!datisit!- Eh,MonsieurdeBradwardine,ayezlabontdevousmettrelattedevotrergiment,car,parDieu,jen’enpuisplus!’’ TheBaronofBradwardinewasobligedtogototheassistanceofMonsieurdoBeaujeu,afterhehadfairlyexpendedhisfewEnglishmilitaryphrases。OnepurposeoftheChevalierwasthusanswered。Theotherheproposedwas,thatintheeagernesstohearandcomprehendcommandsissuedthroughsuchanindistinctmediuminhisownpresence,thethoughtsofthesoldiersinbothcorpsmightgetacurrentdifferentfromtheangrychannelinwhichtheywereflowingatthetime。 CharlesEdwardwasnosoonerleftwiththeChieftainandWaverley,therestofhisattendantsbeingatsomedistance,thanhesaid,IfIowedlesstoyourdisinterestedfriendship,Icouldbemostseriouslyangrywithbothofyouforthisveryextraordinaryandcauselessbroil,atamomentwhenmyfather’sservicesodecidedlydemandsthemostperfectunanimity。Buttheworstofmysituationis,thatmyverybestfriendsholdtheyhavelibertytoruinthemselves,aswellasthecausetheyareengagedin,upontheslightestcaprice。’’ Boththeyoungmenprotestedtheirresolutiontosubmiteverydifferencetohisarbitration。Indeed,’’saidEdward,IhardlyknowofwhatIamaccused。IsoughtColonelMac-IvormerelytomentiontohimthatIhadnarrowlyescapedassassinationatthehandofhisimmediatedependent-adastardlyrevenge,whichIknewhimtobeincapableofauthorising。Astothecauseforwhichheisdisposedtofastenaquarreluponme,Iamignorantofit,unlessitbethatheaccusesme,mostunjustly,ofhavingengagedtheaffectionsofayoungladyinprejudiceofhispretensions。’’ Ifthereisanerror,’’saidtheChieftain,itarisesfromaconversationwhichIheldthismorningwithhisRoyalHighnesshimself。’’ Withme?’’saidtheChevalier;howcanColonelMac-Ivorhavesofarmisunderstoodme?’’ HethenledFerguswide,and,afterfiveminutes’earnestconversation,spurredhishorsetowardsEdward。Isitpossible- nay,rideup,Colonel,forIdesirenosecrets-Isitpossible,Mr。 Waverley,thatIammistakeninsupposingthatyouareanacceptedloverofMissBradwardine?-afactofwhichIwasbycircumstances,thoughnotbycommunicationfromyou,soabsolutelyconvinced,thatIallegedittoVichIanVohrthismorningasareasonwhy,withoutoffencetohim,youmightnotcontinuetobeambitiousofanalliance,whichtoanunengagedperson,eventhoughoncerepulsed,holdsouttoomanycharmstobelightlylaidaside。’’ YourRoyalHighness,’’saidWaverley,musthavefoundedoncircumstancesaltogetherunknowntome,whenyoudidmethedistinguishedhonourofsupposingmeanacceptedloverofMissBradwardine。Ifeelthedistinctionimpliedinthesupposition,butIhavenotitletoit。Fortherest,myconfidenceinmyownmeritsistoojustlyslighttoadmitofmyhopingforsuccessinanyquarterafterpositiverejection。’’ TheChevalierwassilentforamoment,lookingsteadilyatthemboth,andthensaid,Uponmyword,Mr。Waverley,youarealesshappymanthanIconceivedIhadverygoodreasontobelieveyou-Butnow,gentlemen,allowmetobeumpireinthismatter,notasPrinceRegent,butasCharlesStuart,abrotheradventurerwithyouinthesamegallantcause。Laymypretensionstobeobeyedbyyouentirelyoutofview,andconsideryourownhonour,andhowfaritiswell,orbecoming,togiveourenemiestheadvantage,andourfriendsthescandal,ofshowingthat,fewasweare,wearenotunited。 AndforgivemeifIadd,thatthenamesoftheladieswhohavebeenmentioned,cravemorerespectfromusallthantobemadethemesofdiscord。’’ HetookFergusalittleapart,andspoketohimveryearnestlyfortwoorthreeminutes,andthenreturningtoWaverley,said,IbelieveIhavesatisfiedColonelMac-Ivorthathisresentmentwasfoundeduponamisconception,towhich,indeed,Imyselfgaverise;andItrustMr。Waverleyistoogeneroustoharbouranyrecollectionofwhatispast,whenIassurehimthatsuchisthecase-Youmuststatethismatterproperlytoyourclan,VichIanVohr,topreventarecurrenceoftheirprecipitateviolence。’’Fergusbowed。Andnow,gentlemen,letmehavethepleasuretoseeyoushakehands。’’ Theyadvancedcoldly,andwithmeasuredsteps,eachapparentlyreluctanttoappearmostforwardinconcession。Theydid,however,shakehands,andparted,takingarespectfulleaveoftheChevalier。 CharlesEdward<>thenrodetotheheadoftheMac-Ivors,NoteZ。PrinceCharlesEdward。<!p364> threwhimselffromhishorse,beggedadrinkoutofoldBallenkeiroch’scanteen,andmarchedabouthalf-amilealongwiththem,inquiringintothehistoryandconnexionsofSliochdnanIvor,adroitlyusingthefewwordsofGaelichepossessed,andaffectingagreatdesiretolearnitmorethoroughly。Hethenmountedhishorseoncemore,andgallopedtotheBaron’scavalry,whichwasinfront;haltedthem,andexaminedtheiraccoutrementsandstateofdiscipline; tooknoticeoftheprincipalgentlemen,andevenofthecadets; inquiredaftertheirladies,andcommandedtheirhorses;-rodeaboutanhourwiththeBaronofBradwardine,andenduredthreelongstoriesaboutField-MarshaltheDukeofBerwick。 Ah,Beaujeu,moncherami,’’saidheashereturnedtohisusualplaceinthelineofmarch,quemonmtierdeprinceerrantestennuyant,parfois。Mais,courage!c’estlegrandjeu,aprstout。’’ Thereaderneedhardlybereminded,that,afteracouncilofwarheldatDerbyonthe5thofDecember,theHighlandersrelinquishedtheirdesperateattempttopenetratefartherintoEngland,and,greatlytothedissatisfactionoftheiryounganddaringleader,positivelydeterminedtoreturnnorthward。Theycommencedtheirretreataccordingly,andbytheextremecelerityoftheirmovements,outstrippedthemotionsoftheDukeofCumberland,whonowpursuedthemwithaverylargebodyofcavalry。 Thisretreatwasavirtualresignationoftheirtoweringhopes。 NonehadbeensosanguineasFergusMac-Ivor;none,consequently,wassocruellymortifiedatthechangeofmeasures。 Heargued,orratherremonstrated,withtheutmostvehemenceatthecouncilofwar;and,whenhisopinionwasrejected,shedtearsofgriefandindignation。Fromthatmomenthiswholemannerwassomuchaltered,thathecouldscarcelyhavebeenrecognisedforthesamesoaringandardentspirit,forwhomthewholeearthseemedtoonarrowbutaweekbefore。Theretreathadcontinuedforseveraldays,whenEdward,tohissurprise,earlyonthe12thofDecember,receivedavisitfromtheChieftaininhisquarters,inahamletabouthalf-waybetweenShapandPenrith。 HavinghadnointercoursewiththeChieftainsincetheirrupture,Edwardwaitedwithsomeanxietyanexplanationofthisunexpectedvisit;norcouldhehelpbeingsurprised,andsomewhatshocked,withthechangeinhisappearance。Hiseyehadlostmuchofitsfire;hischeekwashollow,hisvoicewaslanguid;evenhisgaitseemedlessfirmandelasticthanitwaswont;andhisdress,towhichheusedtobeparticularlyattentive,wasnowcarelesslyflungabouthim。HeinvitedEdwardtowalkoutwithhimbythelittleriverinthevicinity; andsmiledinamelancholymannerwhenheobservedhimtakedownandbuckleonhissword。 Assoonastheywereinawild,sequesteredpathbythesideofthestream,theChiefbrokeout,-Ourfineadventureisnowtotallyruined,Waverley,andIwishtoknowwhatyouintendtodo:-nay,neverstareatme,man。ItellyouI receivedapacketfrommysisteryesterday,and,hadIgottheinformationitcontainssooner,itwouldhavepreventedaquarrel,whichIamalwaysvexedwhenIthinkof。Inaletterwrittenafterourdispute,Iacquaintedherwiththecauseofit; andshenowrepliestome,thatsheneverhad,norcouldhave,anypurposeofgivingyouencouragement;sothatitseemsI haveactedlikeamadman-PoorFlora!shewritesinhighspirits;whatachangewillthenewsofthisunhappyretreatmakeinherstateofmind!’’ Waverley,whowasreallymuchaffectedbythedeeptoneofmelancholywithwhichFergusspoke,affectionatelyentreatedhimtobanishfromhisremembranceanyunkindnesswhichhadarisenbetweenthem,andtheyoncemoreshookhands,butnowwithsincerecordiality。FergusagaininquiredofWaverleywhatheintendedtodo。Hadyounotbetterleavethislucklessarmy,andgetdownbeforeusintoScotland,andembarkfortheContinentfromsomeoftheeasternportsthatarestillinourpossession?Whenyouareoutofthekingdom,yourfriendswilleasilynegotiateyourpardon;and,totellyouthetruth,IwishyouwouldcarryRoseBradwardinewithyouasyourwife,andtakeFloraalsounderyourjointprotection。’’- Edwardlookedsurprised-Shelovesyou,andIbelieveyouloveher,though,perhaps,youhavenotfounditout,foryouarenotcelebratedforknowingyourownmindverypointedly。’’ Hesaidthiswithasortofsmile。 How!’’answeredEdward,canyouadvisemetodeserttheexpeditioninwhichweareallembarked?’’ Embarked?’’saidFergus;thevesselisgoingtopieces,anditisfulltimeforallwhocan,togetintothelong-boatandleaveher。’’ Why,whatwillothergentlemendo?’’answeredWaverley,andwhydidtheHighlandChiefsconsenttothisretreat,ifitissoruinous?’’ O,’’repliedMac-Ivor,theythinkthat,asonformeroccasions,theheading,hanging,andforfeiting,willchieflyfalltothelotoftheLowlandgentry;thattheywillbeleftsecureintheirpovertyandtheirfastnesses,there,accordingtotheirproverb,`tolistentothewinduponthehilltillthewatersabate。’Buttheywillbedisappointed;theyhavebeentoooftentroublesometobesorepeatedlypassedover,andthistimeJohnBullhasbeentooheartilyfrightenedtorecoverhisgoodhumourforsometime。TheHanoverianministersalwaysdeservedtobehangedforrascals;butnow,iftheygetthepowerintheirhands,-as,soonerorlatertheymust,sincethereisneitherrisinginEnglandnorassistancefromFrance,- theywilldeservethegallowsasfools,iftheyleaveasingleclanintheHighlandsinasituationtobeagaintroublesometoGovernment。Ay,theywillmakeroot-and-branch-work,I warrantthem。’’ Andwhileyourecommendflighttome,’’saidEdward,- acounselwhichIwouldratherdiethanembrace,-whatareyourownviews?’’ O,’’answeredFergus,withamelancholyair,myfateissettled。DeadorcaptiveImustbebeforeto-morrow。’’ Whatdoyoumeanbythat,myfriend?’’saidEdward。 Theenemyisstilladay’smarchinourrear,andifhecomesup,wearestillstrongenoughtokeephimincheek。RememberGladsmuir。’’ WhatItellyouistruenotwithstanding,sofarasIamindividuallyconcerned。’’ Uponwhatauthoritycanyoufoundsomelancholyaprediction?’’ askedWaverley。 Ononewhichneverfailedapersonofmyhouse。Ihaveseen,’’hesaidloweringhisvoice,IhaveseentheBodachGlas。’’ BodachGlas?’’ Yes:haveyoubeensolongatGlennaquoich,andneverheardoftheGreySpectre?thoughindeedthereisacertainreluctanceamongustomentionhim。’’ Nonever。’’