THE MYSTERY BEGINS TO BE CLEARED UP
'How do you like him?' was Fergus's first question, as they descended
the large stone staircase.
'A prince to live and die under,' was Waverley's enthusiastic answer.
'I knew you would think so when you saw him, and I intended you should
have met earlier, but was prevented by your sprain. And yet he has
his foibles, or rather he has difficult cards to play, and his
Irish officers, [See note 24.] who are much about him, are but sorry
advisers,--they cannot discriminate among the numerous pretensions that
are set up. Would you think it--I have been obliged for the present to
suppress an earl's patent, granted for services rendered ten years ago,
for fear of exciting the jealousy, forsooth, of C-- and M--. But you
were very right, Edward, to refuse the situation of aide de camp. There
are two vacant, indeed, but Clanronald and Lochiel, and almost all of
us, have requested one for young Aberchallader, and the Lowlanders and
the Irish party are equally desirous to have the other for the Master
of F--. Now, if either of these candidates were to be superseded in your
favour, you would make enemies. And then I am surprised that the Prince
should have offered you a majority, when he knows very well that nothing
short of lieutenant-colonel will satisfy others, who cannot bring one
hundred and fifty men to the field. "But patience, cousin, and shuffle
the cards!" It is all very well for the present, and we must have you
regularly equipped for the evening in your new costume; for, to say
truth, your outward man is scarce fit for a court.'
'Why,' said Waverley, looking at his soiled dress, 'my shooting-jacket
has seen service since we parted; but that, probably, you, my friend,
know as well or better than I.'
'You do my second-sight too much honour,' said Fergus, 'We were so busy,
first with the scheme of giving battle to Cope, and afterwards with our
operations in the Lowlands, that I could only give general directions
to such of our people as were left in Perthshire to respect and protect
you, should you come in their way. But let me hear the full story
of your adventures, for they have reached us in a very partial and
mutilated manner.'
Waverley then detailed at length the circumstances with which the reader
is already acquainted, to which Fergus listened with great attention. By
this time they had reached the door of his quarters, which he had
taken up in a small paved court, retiring from the street called the
Canongate, at the house of a buxom widow of forty, who seemed to smile
very graciously upon the handsome young Chief, she being a person
with whom good looks and good humour were sure to secure an interest,
whatever might be the party's political opinions. Here Callum Beg
received them with a smile of recognition. 'Callum,' said the Chief,
'call Shemus an Snachad' (James of the Needle). This was the hereditary
tailor of Vich Ian Vohr. 'Shemus, Mr. Waverley is to wear the CATH DATH
(battle colour, or tartan); his trews must be ready in four hours. You
know the measure of a well-made man: two double nails to the small of
the leg'--
'Eleven from haunch to heel, seven round the waist--I give your honour
leave to hang Shemus, if there's a pair of sheers in the Highlands that
has a baulder sneck than her's ain at the CUMADH AN TRUAIS' (shape of
the trews).
'Get a plaid of Mac-Ivor tartan, and sash,' continued the Chieftain,
'and a blue bonnet of the Prince's pattern, at Mr. Mouat's in the
Crames. My short green coat, with silver lace and silver buttons, will
fit him exactly, and I have never worn it. Tell Ensign Maccombich to
pick out a handsome target from among mine. The Prince has given Mr.
Waverley broadsword and pistols, I will furnish him with a dirk and
purse; add but a pair of low-heeled shoes, and then, my dear Edward
(turning to him), you will be a complete son of Ivor.
These necessary directions given, the Chieftain resumed the subject of
Waverley's adventures. 'It is plain,' he said, 'that you have been in
the custody of Donald Bean Lean. You must know, that when I marched away
my clan to join the Prince, I laid my injunctions on that worthy member
of society to perform a certain piece of service, which done, he was to
join me with all the force he could muster. But instead of doing so, the
gentleman, finding the coast clear, thought it better to make war on his
own account, and has scoured the country, plundering, I believe, both
friend and foe, under pretence of levying blackmail, sometimes as if by
my authority, and sometimes (and be cursed to his consummate impudence)
in his own great name! Upon my honour, if I live to see the cairn of
Benmore again, I shall be tempted to hang that fellow! I recognize his
hand particularly in the mode of your rescue from that canting rascal
Gilfillan, and I have little doubt that Donald himself played the part
of the pedlar on that occasion; but how he should not have plundered
you, or put you to ransom, or availed himself in some way or other of
your captivity for his own advantage, passes my judgement.'
'When and how did you hear the intelligence of my confinement?' asked
Waverley.
'The Prince himself told me,' said Fergus,' and inquired very minutely
into your history. He then mentioned your being at that moment in the
power of one of our northern parties--you know I could not ask him to
explain particulars--and requested my opinion about disposing of you. I
recommended that you should be brought here as a prisoner, because I did
not wish to prejudice you further with the English Government, in case
you pursued your purpose of going southward. I knew nothing, you must
recollect, of the charge brought against you of aiding and abetting
high treason, which, I presume, had some share in changing your original
plan. That sullen, good-for-nothing brute, Balmawhapple, was sent to
escort you from Doune, with what he calls his troop of horse. As to
his behaviour, in addition to his natural antipathy to everything that
resembles a gentleman, I presume his adventure with Bradwardine rankles
in his recollection, the rather that I dare say his mode of telling
that story contributed to the evil reports which reached your quondam
regiment.'
'Very likely,' said Waverley; 'but now surely, my dear Fergus, you may
find time to tell me something of Flora.'
'Why,' replied Fergus, 'I can only tell you that she is well, and
residing for the present with a relation in this city. I thought it
better she should come here, as since our success a good many ladies of
rank attend our military court; and I assure you, that there is a sort
of consequence annexed to the near relative of such a person as Flora
Mac-Ivor; and where there is such a justling of claims and requests, a
man must use every fair means to enhance his importance.'
There was something in this last sentence which grated on Waverley's
feelings. He could not bear that Flora should be considered as
conducing to her brother's preferment, by the admiration which she must
unquestionably attract; and although it was in strict correspondence
with many points of Fergus's character, it shocked him as selfish,
and unworthy of his sister's high mind, and his own independent pride.
Fergus, to whom such manoeuvres were familiar, as to one brought up at
the French court, did not observe the unfavourable impression which he
had unwarily made upon his friend's mind, and concluded by saying, that
they could hardly see Flora before the evening, when she would be at the
concert and ball, with which the Prince's party were to be entertained.
She and I had a quarrel about her not appearing to take leave of you. I
am unwilling to renew it, by soliciting her to receive you this morning;
and perhaps my doing so might not only be ineffectual, but prevent your
meeting this evening.'
While thus conversing, Waverley heard in the court, before the windows
of the parlour, a well-known voice. 'I aver to you, my worthy
friend,' said the speaker, 'that it is a total dereliction of military
discipline; and were you not as it were a TYRO, your purpose would
deserve strong reprobation. For a prisoner of war is on no account to be
coerced with fetters, or detained IN ERGASTULO, as would have been
the case had you put this gentleman into the pit of the peel-house at
Balmawhapple. I grant, indeed, that such a prisoner may for security be
coerced IN CARCERE, that is, in a public prison.'
The growling voice of Balmawhapple was heard as taking leave in
displeasure, but the word 'land-louper' alone was distinctly audible. He
had disappeared before Waverley reached the house, in order to greet the
worthy Baron of Bradwardine. The uniform in which he was now attired, a
blue coat, namely, with gold lace, a scarlet waistcoat and breeches, and
immense jack-boots, seemed to have added fresh stiffness and rigidity
to his tall, perpendicular figure; and the consciousness of military
command and authority had increased, in the same proportion, the
self-importance of his demeanour, and the dogmatism of his conversation.
He received Waverley with his usual kindness, and expressed immediate
anxiety to hear an explanation of the circumstances attending the loss
of his commission in Gardiner's dragoons; 'not,' he said, 'that he had
the least apprehension of his young friend having done aught which could
merit such ungenerous treatment as he had received from Government, but
because it was right and seemly that the Baron of Bradwardine should
be, in point of trust and in point of power, fully able to refute all
calumnies against the heir of Waverley-Honour, whom he had so much right
to regard as his own son.'
Fergus Mac-Ivor, who had now joined them, went hastily over the
circumstances of Waverley's story, and concluded with the flattering
reception he had met from the young Chevalier. The Baron listened in
silence, and at the conclusion shook Waverley heartily by the hand, and
congratulated him upon entering the service of his lawful Prince. 'For,'
continued he, 'although it has been justly held in all nations a matter
of scandal and dishonour to infringe the SACRAMENTUM MILITARE, and
that whether it was taken by each soldier singly, whilk the Romans
denominated PER CONJURATIONEM, or by one soldier in name of the rest,
yet no one ever doubted that the allegiance so sworn was discharged by
the DIMISSIO, or discharging of a soldier, whose case would be as hard
as that of colliers, salters, and other ADSCRIPTI GLEBAE, or slaves of
the soil, were it to be accounted otherwise. This is something like the
brocard expressed by the learned Sanchez in his work DE JURE-JURANDO,
which you have questionless consulted upon this occasion. As for those
who have calumniated you by leasing-making, I protest to Heaven I think
they have justly incurred the penalty of the MEMNONIA LEX, also called
LEX RHEMNIA, which is prelected upon by Tullius in his oration IN
VERREM. I should have deemed, however, Mr. Waverley, that before
destining yourself to any special service in the army of the Prince,
ye might have inquired what rank the old Bradwardine held there,
and whether he would not have been peculiarly happy to have had your
services in the regiment of horse which he is now about to levy.'
Edward eluded this reproach by pleading the necessity of giving an
immediate answer to the Prince's proposal, and his uncertainty at the
moment whether his friend the Baron was with the army, or engaged upon
service elsewhere.
This punctilio being settled, Waverley made inquiry after Miss
Bradwardine, and was informed she had come to Edinburgh with Flora
Mac-Ivor, under guard of a party of the Chieftain's men. This step was
indeed necessary, Tully-Veolan having become a very unpleasant, and even
dangerous place of residence for an unprotected young lady, on account
of its vicinity to the Highlands, and also to one or two large villages,
which, from aversion as much to the Caterans as zeal for presbytery,
had declared themselves on the side of Government, and formed irregular
bodies of partisans, who had frequent skirmishes with the mountaineers,
and sometimes attacked the houses of the Jacobite gentry in the braes,
or frontier betwixt the mountain and plain.
'I would propose to you,' continued the Baron, 'to walk as far as my
quarters in the Luckenbooths, and to admire in your passage the High
Street, whilk is, beyond a shadow of dubitation, finer than any street,
whether in London or Paris. But Rose, poor thing, is sorely discomposed
with the firing of the Castle, though I have proved to her from Blondel
and Coehorn, that it is impossible a bullet can reach these buildings;
and, besides, I have it in charge from His Royal Highness to go to the
camp, or leaguer of our army, to see that the men do CONCLAMARE VASA,
that is, truss up their bag and baggage for to-morrow's march.'
'That will be easily done by most of us,' said Mac-Ivor, laughing.
'Craving your pardon, Colonel Mac-Ivor, not quite so easily as ye seem
to opine. I grant most of your folk left the Highlands, expedited as it
were, and free from the incumbrance of baggage; but it is unspeakable
the quantity of useless sprechery which they have collected on their
march, I saw one fellow of yours (craving your pardon once more) with a
pier-glass upon his back.'
'Aye,' said Fergus, still in good humour, 'he would have told you, if
you had questioned him, A GANGING FOOT IS AYE GETTING.--But come, my
dear Baron, you know as well as I, that a hundred Uhlans, or a single
troop of Schmirschitz's Pandours, would make more havoc in a country
than the knight of the mirror and all the rest of our clans put
together.'
'And that is very true likewise,' replied the Baron; 'they are, as
the heathen author says, FEROCIORES IN ASPECTU, MITIORES IN ACTU, of
a horrid and grim visage, but more benign in demeanour than their
physiognomy or aspect might infer.--But I stand here talking to you two
youngsters when I should be in the King's Park.'
'But you will dine with Waverley and me on your return? I assure you,
Baron, though I can live like a Highlander when needs must, I remember
my Paris education, and understand perfectly FAIRE LA MEILLEURE CHERE.'
'And wha the deil doubts it,' quoth the Baron, laughing, 'when ye bring
only the cookery, and the gude toun must furnish the materials?--'Weel,
I have some business in the toun too: But I'll join you at three, if the
vivers can tarry so long.'
So saying, he took leave of his friends, and went to look after the
charge which had been assigned him.