CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
Edward was in a most unpleasant and dangerous situation. He soon lost
the sound of the bagpipes; and, what was yet more unpleasant, when,
after searching long in vain, and scrambling through many enclosures, he
at length approached the high road, he learned, from the unwelcome noise
of kettledrums and trumpets, that the English cavalry now occupied
it, and consequently were between him and the Highlanders. Precluded,
therefore, from advancing in a straight direction, he resolved to avoid
the English military, and endeavour to join his friends by making a
circuit to the left, for which a beaten path deviating from the main
road in that direction seemed to afford facilities. The path was muddy,
and the night dark and cold; but even these inconveniences were hardly
felt amidst the apprehensions which falling into the hands of the King's
forces reasonably excited in his bosom.
After walking about three miles, he at length reached a hamlet.
Conscious that the common people were in general unfavourable to the
cause he had espoused, yet desirous, if possible, to procure a horse and
guide to Penrith, where he hoped to find the rear, if not the main body,
of the Chevalier's army, he approached the ale-house of the place. There
was a great noise within: he paused to listen. A round English oath or
two, and the burden of a campaign song, convinced him the hamlet also
was occupied by the Duke of Cumberland's soldiers. Endeavouring to
retire from it as softly as possible, and blessing the obscurity which
hitherto he had murmured against, Waverley groped his way the best he
could along a small paling, which seemed the boundary of some
cottage garden. As he reached the gate of this little enclosure, his
outstretched hand was grasped by that of a female, whose voice at the
same time uttered, 'Edward, is't thou, man?'
'Here is some unlucky mistake,' thought Edward, struggling, but gently,
to disengage himself.
'Naen o' thy foun, now; man, or the red cwoats will hear thee; they hae
been houlerying and poulerying every ane that past alehouse door
this noight to make them drive their wagons and sick loike. Come into
feyther's, or they'll do ho a mischief.'
'A good hint,' thought Waverley, following the girl through the little
garden into a brick-paved kitchen, where she set herself to kindle a
match at an expiring fire, and with the match to light a candle. She
had no sooner looked on Edward than she dropped the light, with a shrill
scream of 'O feyther! feyther!'
The father, thus invoked, speedily appeared, a sturdy old farmer, in a
pair of leather breeches, and boots pulled on without stockings,
having just started from his bed;--the rest of his dress was only a
Westmoreland statesman's robe-de-chambre,--that is, his shirt. His
figure was displayed to advantage, by a candle which he bore in his left
hand; in his right he brandished a poker.
What hast ho here, wench?'
'Oh!' cried the poor girl, almost going off in hysterics, I thought it
was Ned Williams, and it is one of the plaid-men!'
'And what was thee ganging to do wi' Ned Williams at this time o'
noight?' To this, which was, perhaps, one of the numerous class of
questions more easily asked than answered, the rosy-cheeked damsel made
no reply, but continued sobbing and wringing her hands.
'And thee, lad, dost ho know that the dragoons be a town? Dost ho know
that, mon?--ad, they'll sliver thee like a turnip, mon.'
'I know my life is in great danger,' said Waverley, 'but if you can
assist me, I will reward you handsomely, I am no Scotchman, but an
unfortunate English gentleman.'
'Be ho Scot or no,' said the honest farmer, 'I wish thou hadst kept the
other side of the hallan. But since thou art here, Jacob Jopson will
betray no man's bluid; and the plaids were gay canny, and did not
so much mischief when they were here yesterday.' Accordingly, he set
seriously about sheltering and refreshing our hero for the night, The
fire was speedily rekindled, but with precaution against its light being
seen from without. The jolly yeoman cut a rasher of bacon, which Cicely
soon broiled, and her father added a swingeing tankard of his best ale.
It was settled, that Edward should remain there till the troops marched
in the morning, then hire or buy a horse from the farmer, and, with
the best directions that could be obtained, endeavour to overtake his
friends. A clean, though coarse bed, received him after the fatigues of
this unhappy day.
With the morning arrived the news that the Highlanders had evacuated
Penrith, and marched off towards Carlisle; that the Duke of Cumberland
was in possession of Penrith, and that detachments of his army covered
the roads in every direction. To attempt to get through undiscovered,
would be an act of the most frantic temerity. Ned Williams (the right
Edward) was now called to council by Cicely and her father, Ned, who
perhaps did not care that his handsome namesake should remain too long
in the same house with his sweetheart, for fear of fresh mistakes,
proposed that Waverley, exchanging his uniform and plaid for the dress
of the country, should go with him to his father's farm near Ullswater,
and remain in that undisturbed retirement until the military movements
in the country should have ceased to render his departure hazardous.
A price was also agreed upon, at which the stranger might board with
Farmer Williams, if he thought proper, till he could depart with safety.
It was of moderate amount; the distress of his situation, among this
honest and simple-hearted race, being considered as no reason for
increasing their demand.
The necessary articles of dress were accordingly procured; and, by
following by-paths, known to the young farmer, they hoped to escape any
unpleasant rencontre, A recompense for their hospitality was refused
peremptorily by old Jopson and his cherry-cheeked daughter; a kiss paid
the one, and a hearty shake of the hand the other. Both seemed anxious
for their guest's safety, and took leave of him with kind wishes,
In the course of their route, Edward, with his guide, traversed those
fields which the night before had been the scene of action. A brief
gleam of December's sun shone sadly on the broad heath, which, towards
the spot where the great north-west road entered the enclosures of Lord
Lonsdale's property, exhibited dead bodies of men and horses, and the
usual companions of war--a number of carrion-crows, hawks, and ravens.
'And this, then, was thy last field,' said Waverley to himself, his
eye filling at the recollection of the many splendid points of
Fergus's character, and of their former intimacy, all his passions
and imperfections forgotten.--'Here fell the last Vich Ian Vohr, on
a nameless heath; and in an obscure night-skirmish was quenched that
ardent spirit, who thought it little to cut a way for his master to the
British throne! Ambition, policy, bravery, all far beyond their sphere,
here learned the fate of mortals, The sole support, too, of a sister,
whose spirit, as proud and unbending, was even more exalted than thine
own; here ended all thy hopes for Flora, and the long and valued line
which it was thy boast to raise yet more highly by thy adventurous
valour!'
As these ideas pressed on Waverley's mind, he resolved to go upon the
open heath, and search if, among the slain, he could discover the body
of his friend, with the pious intention of procuring for him the
last rites of sepulture. The timorous young man who accompanied him
remonstrated upon the danger of the attempt, but Edward was determined.
The followers of the camp had already stripped the dead of all they
could carry away; but the country people, unused to scenes of blood,
had not yet approached the field of action, though some stood fearfully
gazing at a distance. About sixty or seventy dragoons lay slain within
the first enclosure, upon the high road, and on the open moor. Of the
Highlanders, not above a dozen had fallen, chiefly those who, venturing
too far on the moor, could not regain the strong ground. He could not
find the body of Fergus among the slain. On a little knell, separated
from the others, lay the carcasses of three English dragoons, two
horses, and the page Callum Beg, whose hard skull a trooper's broadsword
had, at length, effectually cloven. It was possible his clan had
carried off the body of Fergus; but it was also possible he had escaped,
especially as Evan Dhu, who would never leave his Chief, was not
found among the dead; or he might be prisoner, and the less formidable
denunciation inferred from the appearance of the Bodach Glas might have
proved the true one. The approach of a party, sent for the purpose of
compelling the country people to bury the dead, and who had already
assembled several peasants for that purpose, now obliged Edward to
rejoin his guide, who awaited him in great anxiety and fear under shade
of the plantations.
After leaving this field of death, the rest of their journey was happily
accomplished. At the house of Farmer Williams, Edward passed for a young
kinsman, educated for the church, who was come to reside there till the
civil tumults permitted him to pass through the country. This silenced
suspicion among the kind and simple yeomanry of Cumberland, and
accounted sufficiently for the grave manners and retired habits of
the new guest, The precaution became more necessary than Waverley had
anticipated, as a variety of incidents prolonged his stay at Fasthwaite,
as the farm was called.
A tremendous fall of snow rendered his departure impossible for more
than ten days. When the roads began to become a little practicable,
they successively received news of the retreat of the Chevalier into
Scotland; then, that he had abandoned the frontiers, retiring upon
Glasgow; and that the Duke of Cumberland had formed the siege of
Carlisle. His army, therefore, cut off all possibility of Waverley's
escaping into Scotland in that direction. On the eastern border, Marshal
Wade, with a large force, was advancing upon Edinburgh; and all along
the frontier, parties of militia, volunteers, and partisans, were in
arms to suppress insurrection, and apprehend such stragglers from the
Highland army as had been left in England, The surrender of Carlisle,
and the severity with which the rebel garrison were threatened, soon
formed an additional reason against venturing upon a solitary and
hopeless journey through a hostile country and a large army, to carry
the assistance of a single sword to a cause which seemed altogether
desperate.
In this lonely and secluded situation, without the advantage of company
or conversation with men of cultivated minds, the arguments of Colonel
Talbot often recurred to the mind of our hero. A still more anxious
recollection haunted his slumbers--it was the dying look and gesture
of Colonel Gardiner. Most devoutly did he hope, as the rarely occurring
post brought news of skirmishes with various success, that it might
never again be his lot to draw his sword in civil conflict. Then his
mind turned to the supposed death of Fergus, to the desolate situation
of Flora, and, with yet more tender recollection, to that of Rose
Bradwardine, who was destitute of the devoted enthusiasm of loyalty,
which, to her friend, hallowed and exalted misfortune. These reveries he
was permitted to enjoy, undisturbed by queries or interruption;--and it
was in many a winter walk by the shores of Ullswater, that he acquired
a more complete mastery of a spirit tamed by adversity than his former
experience had given him; and that he felt himself entitled to say
firmly, though perhaps with a sigh, that the romance of his life was
ended, and that its real history had now commenced. He was soon called
upon to justify his pretensions by reason and philosophy.